Tough time getting the burr to come back

C

colin8

Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
382
I just bought a Kershaw Junkyard Dog II and when I was doing some test cutting, it cut through paper better than any of my other knives. But when I tried to shave some hair with it, it just wasn't quite up to par. I did the sharpie trick, and after what seemed like entirely too many passes, I finally figured out it was a 30 degree inclusive. Well after a while I worked up a burr on the left side, but after that, I did at least over 100 strokes on the Sharpmaker with the diamond rods (maybe closer to 200), but I could never get the burr to go to the other side. Eventually I just worked my way down to the fine rods, but I could never get the burr removed. Any ideas?
 
1. Your not making even grinds.
2. Your grinding one side too much.
3. Your not following the edge angle properly.

Hard to say there are many things to consider.
 
knifenut1013 said:
1. Your not making even grinds.
2. Your grinding one side too much.
3. Your not following the edge angle properly.

Hard to say there are many things to consider.
Click to expand...

Well after I got a burr on one side, I couldn't ever bring the burr back, no matter how many swipes I would make on that one side. I only have one other knife that's D2 so I have limited experience with it, but I don't recall it ever taking so long to get rid of a burr.
 
It sounds like your not hitting the angle correctly.
 
Without seeing it its hard to say, try watching the scratch pattern on the bevel and use a magnifying lens. You might be missing the last bit of the edge.
 
I had a similar problem when I first started sharpening. I didn't realize that as I continued to sharpen, I was slightly changing the angle and I never got to the edge even though it seemed like I should've gotten there after such a long time. Even with the sharpie trick, there can be a very thin amount of it left that you may not notice at the very edge.
 
Colin8,Yes,I'd try using a magnifier lens in bright light.They can help you see things.If what I'm using isn't working I try different things.ie.a coarser stone, stroping ect..Then I get somewhere else and work back to that place more cautiously.DM
 
Just a little update... I changed to the 40 degree slot and with only about 20 minutes, it is now shaving sharp with (almost) no burr in sight.

Also to the guys telling me to use a magnifying glass, I don't know if it was just the cheap quality or my relative inexperience, but I couldn't really tell much when I was looking at it.
 
You cannot beat learning by experience and sometimes being frustrated. If you get a good quality magnifying glass, it allows you to see minute amounts of ink left on the edge. You have to move it to and from the object to see the optimal magnification. You also may need to move yourself away from the magnifyer as well. It is about focal points.
 
cj65 said:
You cannot beat learning by experience and sometimes being frustrated. If you get a good quality magnifying glass, it allows you to see minute amounts of ink left on the edge. You have to move it to and from the object to see the optimal magnification. You also may need to move yourself away from the magnifyer as well. It is about focal points.
Click to expand...
X2, there sometimes may be very minute amounts of ink left on it that is not seen unless you have great lighting + a magnifying glass, so that would mean you just need to remove a some more metal to get to the edge.
 
I'd guess that you were not reaching the edge with the 30 degree setting since it still took some time to get it with the 40 degrees. It can take almost forever to reach the edge the first time with a Sharpmaker.
 
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