What is needed to get ZDP sharp again?

sogflash

sogflash

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Aug 28, 2011
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I have a caly 3 with ZDP steel and I want to know how to get it sharp.

What equipment is needed? I have fine and coarse diamond stones. Can sandpaper be used or is the steel to hard.
 
some things i learned from the sharpening gurus here:

1. if you want to re-profile an edge from the factory, it's better to stick close to the original grind angle. on a leather strop or smooth wood, see at what angle the edge will "bite" the leather or wood. now bring that angle down just a smidge and remember it. it will be your re-profiling angle. i use a stack of coins positioned at the end of the stone to remind me. :D

2. zdp 189 requires a nice progression of grit. knifenut of maintenance forums recommends water stones for zdp. me, i just use a coarse/medium carborundum stone for the initial re-profiling then i go to various fine stones, up to my glass slab with metal polish applied. then i go to stropping. first with a treated strop and then an untreated strop.

3. zdp 189 doesn't require more downward pressure during sharpening. it needs more repetitions. don't scrape it agressively against any stone. just see how many repetitions for a given grit size is needed to apex.

4. zdp does not burr in my experience.

5. during the final stropping, i always test the angle the edge will bite the leather and i strop it at that angle (sure to be higher than your re-profiling angle.) doing this will surely create a convex edge but hey, free-hand sharpening is not perfect. you'll create a convex edge no matter how good you are.
 
Using too much pressure will cause ZDP to form a burr which then bends back and forth until it breaks off, leaving a flat edge behind. It responds much better to very light pressure and many repetitions. Don't be surprised if it feels like it is simply sliding over the stone. Trust the abrasives. Even though it feels like nothing is happening, the steel is being removed, albeit slowly. Bearing down so you feel the abrasive cutting is how you cause the burr, and doesn't end well.
 
I'd also say a lot of patience, as is the case when sharpening anything. Having a basic understanding of how to sharpen steel knives, what to use and what not to use, what to do and not do. There is almost 15 years worth of sharpening information, tips, tricks, how to threads all hiddeen here:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/794-Maintenance-Tinkering-amp-Embellishment
You might also make some effort to browse youtube videos on sharpening as well.
 
Great tips! My Caly3 currently has a 10dps edge on it. To rebevel to 15dps, am I looking at hours of work if I go from a Fallkniven DC4 (diamond/cermic) to sharpmaker to strop?
 
Not trying to be a smart axx, but don't let zdp get anywhere near dull. Do frequent touchups. It's a Lot easier to do than doing what you're doing.:D
 
Get a Spyderco Sharpmaker. Ceramic is hundreds of times harder than the hardest steel and will greatly ease your sharpening task. If properly sharpenend it should only need a quick touch up for a very long time before you have to rebevel. Just remember you are sharpening a knife, not a razor. They are different tools.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB0r6GvESGg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP9Uc3ZM24Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAu1b9N4oC0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB1iw4iFUqA


http://www.zknives.com/knives/articles/knifesteelfaq.shtml
 
By the way, I've not sharpened my Caly ZDP yet, but it does respond really well to a leather strop loaded with DMT Dia-paste compound. Make sure to spread the compound evenly and then heat it up to let it "load up" into the leather.

Stropping is very touchy-feely I've found (as an amateur). If you don't maintain steady edge contact at the ideal angle then you'll not achieve great results. When it does work though, my oh my, laser sharp edges! I stropped the seemingly 30dps edge on a 707 Sequel today and I can literally shave the hair of my bare-dry legs like a gillette mach-3!
 
These guys have the answer - do not try and force it by applying more pressure. It just takes more repetitions with the stone to scrape off enough metal to get it sharp. Patience!

TedP
 
Practice freehand, then refine with a sharp maker. I form the edge on a silicon carbide or diamond stone about 200x then move to 400 on sharp maker to refine.
 
I don't have a sharpmaker, but I am considering it now.

Will the included rods + the ultra fine rods do the job?
 
sogflash said:
What is needed to get ZDP sharp again?
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ZDP is wear resistant but the Chromium carbides that make up its wear resistance are not so hard that they require special sharpening tools, even a simple waterstone like the King brand will sharpen ZDP.

Hank has given some good advise for sharpening ZDP though, especially the part about not using too much pressure and its lack of burr formation.

I actually just got my dads ZDP endura in today for sharpening, its the old saber ground version so the steel is much thicker making it a bit of a nightmare to sharpen. So I took it to the 2x72 grinder and thinned out the main grind a bit :D I will be finishing the sharpening tomorrow but am still undecided on the method. He is very hard on knives so a coarse diamond or 800 grit chosera waterstone will be the likely finishing point, been a while since I sharpened ZDP so ill see what happens.
 
Didn't do a video but have some pictures of the results :)
IMAG0051.jpg

Zero ground then sharpened with the Naniwa chosera 400, 800, and 3k waterstones.
 
I have a sharpmaker now, but I have my doubts about getting the caly 3 sharp again.
 
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