What grit to start on?

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Grumpy_one

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Oct 12, 2017
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I'll be using a wicked edge system, and I'm wondering what grit to start on to resharpen from a factory edge. It's a Kershaw onion, and it's gotten dull. All I want to do is get it back to factory or maybe a little sharper, but not sure what grit I would start on. Thanks
 
If it's dull, start with the coarsest until sharp, then refine it to your desired level.
 
Grumpy_one said:
I'll be using a wicked edge system, and I'm wondering what grit to start on to resharpen from a factory edge. It's a Kershaw onion, and it's gotten dull. All I want to do is get it back to factory or maybe a little sharper, but not sure what grit I would start on. Thanks
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Many knives (including Kershaw) typically come with bevels a little uneven, and Kershaw in particular hones one side (usually the right) at a pretty high angle to remove the burr. These “anomalies” will “show themselves” when sharpened on a guided system.

Your best bet, even if all you want to do is restore the factory edge, is mark with a Sharpie, set the angle, etc. and use a lower grit stone to raise a burr on either side and also to ‘set the bevels’ for the W.E. My .02.
 
Most factory edges on production knives will be in the ~120-220 grit range, per the belts/grinding tools used to create them. There may be a little extra polish from powered buffing in burr-removal; but, the edge finish will still be relatively coarse. If one is literally wanting to get it as close to 'factory' as possible, that's usually a safe assumption for a starting point.

If you're just looking to restore sharpness to something approximating the factory edge or better, it's usually enough to start somewhere around 320-400, if you're not dead-set on duplicating the factory edge finish itself. More often than not, you won't need to get that coarse to bring sharpness back, and it'll save some steel and some extra work in trying to refine/remove too-coarse scratches as well, especially if the sharpening scratches stray above the shoulders of the bevels, into the primary grind.
 
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Wow, good stuff, came to the right place. Also have Buck 110, 112, and 120's. Any info on those would greatly appreciated. Same question: getting them beyond factory sharpness after becoming dull. Thanks!
 
when im workign with a factory edge- i sharpie the bevel and go with a course stone to set the angle where I want it. I have a lansky, not a wicked edge - so i am limited on my angles. once i've made my apex at the new angle, I refine to the level I am looking for
 
Have a WE; CRKT is 8Cr13MoV I guess? and the bucks 420? I'd start at 100 even if just resharpening. The 50/80 is not needed here. And they will be sharper than factory if you don't fuck up completely :D With the soft steels you can form a burr and wipe it off with your fingers(spine to edge movement); tends to leave a better finish on the edge. You will also want to alternate by stroke and stroke really lightly when on the verge of changing grit.
Oh and: sharpie, they probably aren't sharpened evenly from factory.
 
Grumpy_one said:
Wow, good stuff, came to the right place. Also have Buck 110, 112, and 120's. Any info on those would greatly appreciated. Same question: getting them beyond factory sharpness after becoming dull. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Assuming your Buck knives are more modern (1999 or later, with their thinner blade/edge grinds), they're easy. If they're really dull, the coarse side of an aluminum oxide or SiC stone can reset bevels very fast. Again, something around ~150-220 grit would work. And beyond that, something like 320-400 grit can leave a wicked-sharp working edge on those blades. Buck's edges are real easy to get along with, in use and in maintaining them.
 
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