Styling and Reprofiling! (long)

D

Drew66

Joined
Feb 7, 2003
Messages
101
So I have this 806D2 and never use it. It just didn't seem like the cutter it should be. So over the holiday break I decided to reprofile the edge to 30 degrees. Well, I quickly learned that you do not do this with just the ceramic rods on a 204. Takes forever. So I purchased a 8X3 diamond hone from DMT. Worked great...but being fine grit still took quite awhile. One side is completely done now.

Meanwhile...

I also finally got around to sharpening my Swamp Rat Bandicoot. Now this has a convex edge so I ordered some wet/dry sandpaper and found an old mouse pad and went to work. What a sweet way of sharpening. Without a doubt the easiest way to sharpen there is. Also totally reprofiled my CS SRK to a convex edge.

Back to the main issue...

So now I am wondering about asymetrical edges like Busse Combat uses. What would be the benefits or disadvantages of making my 806D2 an asymetrical edge. I only ask because it seems so much easier making a convex edge. After spending several hours reprofiling one side of my 806D2's blade I really don't feel like doing it to the other side. Especially after seeing how sharp and durable the convex edge is.

So...opinions?

Also, I've never really cared for the way the 806 felt or looked. I always felt that Benchmade could have put a little more work on their ergonomics with this knife. So I took some small files and went to work. Put a nice generous radius all the way around and also added some jimping to the g10 in the choil area. Much nicer. I am also considering putting some traction grooves across the flats, much like on the BM710.

Where does one get the super small Torx bits to remove the scales on an 806? Anyone know the size? Is it a major deal to disassemble an Axis lock knife?

Thanks in advance.

P.S. I've been taking photos of this whole process so once I am done with this modified 806 I'll post some pics.
 
The scales use the T6 Torx wrench and the pivot uses the T9. Sell off your 806D2 and buy a 921 Switchback. It uses T6 for everything and now is available in black. You can get Torx wrenches at most hardware stores. I got mine at Sears.

But seriously,

D2 is a royal pain to reprofile whether you're going for a convex, V or half and half profile. I'm probably going to nail the sides of my 806D2's blade with a Dremel. I'll let you know how it goes.

What can speed up your reprofiling endeavors is a flat, wooden block fitted with 60 or 40 grit AO sandpaper. Costs less than a fine diamond hone and hogs off more steel.

Where D2 is a hard, often brittle steel, Benchmade should've made the blade thinner, used a much deeper hollow grind, made the blade fully flat ground, or used a tougher steel (such as M2....). That said, you can get a shaving-sharp edge at any angle and Benchmade's D2 will hold that edge as long as you don't start cutting into rocks.

Best of luck with your efforts.
 
Hey Thom, I figured you would throw an answer at this one sooner or later. I always read your comments when it comes to sharpening as you seem to be one of the more adventurous when it comes to it. I agree, BM missed the mark when they profiled the blades of the 806. The 40 degree edge is durable but it's just not the slicer I expected out of a SD or utility folder.
 
Drew66 :

After spending several hours reprofiling one side of my 806D2's blade I really don't feel like doing it to the other side.
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Get a more coarse abrasive, x-coarse sandpaper as noted is dirt cheap. It should not take you any more than a 5-10 minutes and you have to really lean into the coarse grits to get them to work.

-Cliff
 
Originally posted by thombrogan
What can speed up your reprofiling endeavors is a flat, wooden block fitted with 60 or 40 grit AO sandpaper. Costs less than a fine diamond hone and hogs off more steel.

Where D2 is a hard, often brittle steel, Benchmade should've made the blade thinner, used a much deeper hollow grind, made the blade fully flat ground, or used a tougher steel (such as M2....). Best of luck
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Am I reading this correctly Thom? Are you critizing Benchmade? :eek: :rolleyes: Have you turned completely to the dark side (Spyderco)? :p :D



I'm just teasing you there buddy.
 
Originally posted by Easyrider
Am I reading this correctly Thom? Are you critizing Benchmade?
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I'm celebrating their room for improvement on the 806D2. :p

Originally posted by Easyrider
Have you turned completely to the dark side (Spyderco)?
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Of course not. Don't be silly. For one, Benchmade makes the 921 Switchback, 705, and 710HS. Two, as much as I am growing to prefer Spyderco's knives and philosophy over Benchmade's, they still don't use low-chrome steel in some of their ambidextrous folders. Three, Extrema Ratio is too cool to ignore. With an ER Nemesis at my premises, it's all good.

Originally by Easyrider
I'm just teasing you there buddy.
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Don't you worry. I don't feel that crabby anymore. Plus, when the Stewarts make a slipjoint in A2 or S30V, I'll start the rumors that you've sold #18 and #48 to buy a Bark River slipjoint and a Cold Steel Recon-1 half-serrated Tanto.

:D
 
Originally posted by Drew66
The 40 degree edge is durable but it's just not the slicer I expected out of a SD or utility folder.
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Steeper is better, but you can get a durable, hair-popping edge with a 40 degree angle. Though, as a utility clip point, I'd go with as steep of an angle as you can.
 
Originally posted by thombrogan
Plus, when the Stewarts make a slipjoint in A2 or S30V, I'll start the rumors that you've sold #18 and #48 to buy a Bark River slipjoint and a Cold Steel Recon-1 half-serrated Tanto.

:D
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Well, I have been eyeing slipjoints lately, plus I have been carrying an old Henkels stockman that Pete gave me to clean up for him a while back. :rolleyes:

I have been sniffing around trying to learn as much as I can about the traditional pocket knife and loving the hell out of it! I'm looking forward to a Bark River slipjoint!
 
Originally posted by thombrogan
I'm celebrating their room for improvement on the 806D2. :p



I am growing to prefer Spyderco's knives and philosophy over Benchmade's, they still don't use low-chrome steel in some of their ambidextrous folders.

:D
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I'm starting to feel the same way. I handled a Spyderco Kiwi at Santa Fe Stoneworks last week while visiting Santa Fe with Pete and I have to say that it is one ugly knife! I also have to say that as soon as I picked it up that it fit my hand wonderfully! Spyderco knives are not as stylish as Benchmades but they sure feel great in the hand!
 
Easyrider,

I've found that the better a knife works for its given task(s), the better it looks. All of my knives look swell.
 
The Busse flat / convex edge bevel used a high convex bevel to give the edge some relief and aid in cutting ability while keeping the durability due to the sweep of the convex bevel towards the edge. The edge still maintained the ease of sharpening of a flat bevel if it was honed correctly which is the only reason to not have both edges convex. In general a more optimal approach is to have an even flat ground bevel with a sensible secondary edge bevel to provide the necessary level of durablity. The secondary edge bevel only needs to be ~1mm wide for most cutting outside of chopping or batoning into rock and the like.

-Cliff
 
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