spyderco sharpmaker question

B

bob singletary

Joined
Oct 13, 2007
Messages
15
I'm trying to sharpen a case mid folding hunter, and can't get it really sharp.
it's a new knife. should I try creating a back bevel with the 30 deg angle
then sharpen again at the 40 deg?
 
It's a thin blade and doesn't have a shoulder to back-bevel. You should be able to get a good edge with the flats of the medium rods at 30 degrees. If yours is the stainless, rather than the chrome vanadium, It may not hold much of an edge.
 
Do you have much experience with the Sharpmaker? I find many people miss a couple of tricks using it:

1. Work with the Sharpmaker at the level of your elbow, whether sitting or standing.
2. Hold the knife in a sabre grip to keep it vertical.
3. Hold the tip of the blade slightly up.
4. I do 3 to 5 strokes down each rod in turn, rather than alternating each one.
 
i just got it last week.
i just starting getting into knives recently.
Not even sure what a sabre grip is.
Keep the knife Vertical?
I think i need to practice a little more, but I found an old Ka bar knife in my house and got it pretty sharp on the sharpmaker.
 
Sabre grip is a normal grip but with the thumb outstretched along the back of the blade. This aligns your thumb, wrist, and forearm with the knife.

You want to maintain the same angle of the blade in relation to the rods. Keeping the blade vertical will get you identical angles on each side of the edge.

Don't press hard on the rods, keep each stroke gentle, just enough to maintain contact.
 
No. Once you get good at it, a few minutes will do for a well-maintained knife, and not much more for one that's gone really dull. Eventually you'll find you can start off repairing a badly worn edge with a benchstone and finish up on the Sharpmaker.
 
i give up, I just can't get this case knife sharp.
It will cut paper, but it's not as sharp as i'd like it.
my spyderco is really sharp, and that's how i'd like the case to be, but its just not happening
 
Don't give up, give it a break. Different blade geometries and different steels require different techniques. You got a good edge on it, leave it at that for now. Come back to it after success with other blades.
 
Bob, keep doing what Esav suggests and...... increase your angle. Maybe outline the "edge" with a black sharpie marker and you might find the angle is even more than 40 degrees, let alone 30. See what that does.
 
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