weird issue using edge pro, need opinions

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hemi1300

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Sep 9, 2013
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have had my edge pro apex for a few years now and have never really been able to get the edges hair popping sharp unless i go to the strop or use polish tapes. Recently purchased the diamand matrix stone in 650 and 1100. Was experiencing the same issue, and tried a few different techniques to see if i could figure it out. if i only do edge leading strokes with light pressure, lifting the stone off of the blade every stroke and strictly just pushing the stone into the blade, lift and repeat, i am now able to get a hair popping edge on either my 650 or 1100 stone. If i do it the way ben demonstrates, light pressure on the push stroke and glide the stone back with no pressure, i dont get nearly the sharpness out of the edge. Makes no sense to me, but glad i can finally get a hair popping edge without going for the sharpmaker
 
Ending with super light pressure and edge trailing strokes works for me, sometimes even even raising the angle just a hair to make sure I'm really hitting the apex works too. It takes a bit of practice but I'm able to get hair splitting edges with my EP. I also use diamond lapping films instead of the alum oxide ones that come with the kit, alum oxide is good for polishing stuff like s30v, but diamond is much better at honing the edge.
 
hemi1300 said:
have had my edge pro apex for a few years now and have never really been able to get the edges hair popping sharp unless i go to the strop or use polish tapes. Recently purchased the diamand matrix stone in 650 and 1100. Was experiencing the same issue, and tried a few different techniques to see if i could figure it out. if i only do edge leading strokes with light pressure, lifting the stone off of the blade every stroke and strictly just pushing the stone into the blade, lift and repeat, i am now able to get a hair popping edge on either my 650 or 1100 stone. If i do it the way ben demonstrates, light pressure on the push stroke and glide the stone back with no pressure, i dont get nearly the sharpness out of the edge. Makes no sense to me, but glad i can finally get a hair popping edge without going for the sharpmaker
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What blade steel ?
Stainless . . . especially cheep stainless can be a nightmare.
Generally shave sharpness is more impressive; easier to achieve if you use a progression of stones such as : 220, 500, 1000, 4,000. That is Shapton Glass which runs a little finer in the higher grit stones such as the 1,000 and 4,000.
 
The most frequent cause of lack of hair popping sharpness is not establishing a burr the full length of the blade edge, on both sides. A properly apexed edge can shave even if you stop at 240 grit. The other requirement is removing the burr or wire off the apex. To do that, I personally increase the sharpening angle by 1/2 degree and make a light pass with the finishing grit, for example 400 or 600. It sounds as if the sharpmaker was removing the burr/wire edge.
 
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Myself, the only time I use a edge trailing stroke is when I am reprofiling an edge and then only with the 120 or 240 grits. And then when striping of course. All others are edge leading. So if you’re getting the hair popping edge you’re looking for with edge leading.... bonus! My opinion only, that and 50 cents will get you a cup of coffee.
 
My guess is the knife is rocking on the blade table changing the angle as you pull the stone back with no pressure, since you use the pressure from the stone to hold the blade flat to the table. Have you tried a magnet under the table?
 
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