What angle and grit? Field Dressing

D

danpluso

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May 30, 2016
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Hello, I have a Buck Paklite in 420HC. I emailed buck and they told me "Our standard edge is around 13-16 degrees per side". This is the same angle range they mention in their online sharpening guide.
So I'm wondering if 420HC is on one end of that range and S30V on the other.
If you use 420HC for field dressing and skinning, what angle and grit do you find works best for you?
I have the lansky set which goes to "ultra fine" (1000), but have heard that the "fine" (600) may be better for field use.
Also is it worth leather stropping a field knife if I'm only going up to 600 grit?
 
I can't say for sure but I'd guess that the factory sharpening is not very accurate and the knife you wind up with no matter what the steel is will be somewhere in the 13-16 degree range. You would need to check the individual knife to see what the factory angle is.
 
15 degrees per side and fine is more than enough for field dressing. I use extra fine for skinning but my skinner is not going to be hitting bones.
 
At the very least, Buck is more realistic in specifying a range for their edge angles. Manufacturers whom only specify a specific single value for edge angle, i.e., 30° or whatever, will likely never be so consistent as that implies, because nearly all of them are sharpened & finished by hand at the factory. The 13°-16° range is Buck's standard target, according to their 'Edge2000' spec they introduced a while back as a result of CATRA testing results which showed it performed better overall than their previous & more obtuse edge grinds, which might've retained their geometry better, but didn't cut as well in the first place, due to the same thicker geometry. I wouldn't worry about fitting your sharpening target anywhere within that 13°-16° range (26°-32° inclusive), as their spec makes for some very good slicing edges. If, for some reason, you find the 420HC isn't quite holding up as long as you'd like, just add a somewhat wider microbevel to the edge.


David
 
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Don't know about 420HC, but for s30v contacting bone, I wouldn't go below 35 degrees inclusive.
If not contacting bone and where toughness and edge stability isn't a concern, and where edge retention is a priority with hair/hide/meat, might start at 30 inclusive or less and work from there.

Oh yeah, I prefer a 600-800 grit (~15-10 micron) finish off a diamond stone for most uses.
 
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Strop to remove your burr , it's been awhile for me and 420 but on s30v usually around 10 strops remove the burr .

Grit and how fine a stone you use is not what makes the edge . A clean burr free edge that is apexed perfectly or as perfect as I can get it can push cut magazine paper and pop arm hair even off of 220 diamonds


Is your lansky diamonds ? A well broken in 600 grit diamond edge can be very clean if you just take your time to get all the burr off and really focus on an even bevel.

Personally I take all my bevels really low , if the edge doesn't hold up or chips etc I microbevel until it is more stable ,when it comes time to resharpen I'm working with a thin bevel so it makes touch ups easy.

Another option and my preference for an out door knife is convex . The knives I use outside all have low angles but have a convex edge , best if both worlds IMHO.
 
I do not have diamonds. I recently bought the deluxe 5-stone system which goes from extra coarse to ultra fine.
I was thinking of adding a 600 diamond hone later on down the road.


I don't know much about microbevels yet. Most sharpening tutorials don't talk about them. I'll look for some articles specifically on microbevels.
 
I think I understand micro bevels better now.
So if I decide to do 17(34) degrees for the back bevel and 20(40) degrees for the micro bevel, at which grit should I change the angle? Just on the last hone used?
And would I only worry about stropping the wire edge off the micro bevel at 20 degrees? Any reason to strop the back bevel at 17 degrees? To polish it perhaps?
 
Buck's last phase of sharpening is done by hand. Usually on a 220 grit stone. So, the angle is a range. On their S30V blades I noticed it is more like 17-18*. On their 420 steel it seems to be close to the 16*. You can maintain a 420 blade by stropping but by the third stropping it has lost it's bite and needs some minimal stone work. For skinning work you need a more coarse edge. I sharpen mine on a SiC or a India at 240-320 grit at 15*. I've not had any troubles at this with either steel. Good sharpening. DM
 
David Martin said:
Buck's last phase of sharpening is done by hand. Usually on a 220 grit stone. So, the angle is a range. On their S30V blades I noticed it is more like 17-18*. On their 420 steel it seems to be close to the 16*. You can maintain a 420 blade by stropping but by the third stropping it has lost it's bite and needs some minimal stone work. For skinning work you need a more coarse edge. I sharpen mine on a SiC or a India at 240-320 grit at 15*. I've not had any troubles at this with either steel. Good sharpening. DM
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I've noticed that too. The teeth on coarser-finished 420HC blades go away pretty quickly if stropped much with compound, even green. I've come to where I like to finish 420HC blades around ~320 or a little coarser (Fine side of a SiC stone or a DMT Coarse, for example), and minimize stropping afterward, often on just bare leather with no compound. On some knives that I take a little higher in finish, to maybe 600-1000 or so, the green compound stropping maintains those edges very well. I've noticed these same tendencies on both Buck and Case 420HC blades.


David
 
Yes, 420 not being a complex stainless will sharpen quickly and do a decent job cutting or skinning. Then I get two stroppings on slurry before the edge becomes refined and won't cut cleaning patches. (medium cloth) (it will still cut apples or slice a bananna) But for rope or cloth it's back to minimal stone work on a fine India. (320) Still, I'm happy by saving the edge for 2 sharpenings. This pattern carries me through for about a month. Whereas, for S30V steel the pattern is one sharpening and one stropping for over a month. Just me. Good luck, DM
 
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