What should I do to improve the edge

H

homes

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Jan 12, 2006
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Using the Edge Pro at a 10* angle and 120 grit stone I use aprox. 200-300 strokes to raise a burr, then using 220, 320, 600 grit and aprox. 50 strokes at the same angle.

I raise the angle to 15* and with the 220 grit and only a push stroke aprox. 5 time alternating sides using a very light stroke. Then I repeat using 320, 600, 1000, and 3000 tape.

This gets the edge sharp enough to shave arm hair and slice newspaper. What can I do to improve the edge so that it will cut paper towel or shave without touching the skin?
 
I raise the angle to 15* and with the 220 grit and only a push stroke aprox. 5 time alternating sides using a very light stroke. Then I repeat using 320, 600, 1000, and 3000 tape.
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The 15 degree edge bevel really doesn't need the coarse-to-fine progression, nor does it need that much metal removal. You want a micro-bevel for the final edge bevel - just large enough to reinforce edge strength - not a large bevel. The final edge will be sharper with a barely-visible micro-bevel, on the order of 1/64".

If the final bevel surface is large, slicing efficiency will suffer.

Suggested progression:
- Take the 10 degree bevels to burr and remove coarse honing scratches.
- Fully cut the burr with the 600- or 1000-grit stone at 15 degrees.
- You should now have a 10 degree main bevel with a 15-degree micro-bevel.
- Polish the micro-bevels if you prefer.

Hope this helps!
 
gud4u said:
Suggested progression:
- Take the 10 degree bevels to burr and remove coarse honing scratches.
- Fully cut the burr with the 600- or 1000-grit stone at 15 degrees.
- You should now have a 10 degree main bevel with a 15-degree micro-bevel.
- Polish the micro-bevels if you prefer.

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

Now the blade is begining to cut arm hair without touching the skin and it will slice cut paper towel.

Would it help to polish the 10* bevel or would that be a waste of time?
 
It seems like a lot of time on the stones. What is the knife/steel? Are you regrinding the edge with the 10 degree setting? How sharp is it right after you finish with the 120 grit stone? How sharp is it after each stone on the 15 degree settings? As gud4u noted there is no need to move to a lower grit for the micro-bevel, you also don't need to fully polish the primary bevel either. You can move right from the 120 grit primary to a 12 degree setting with the 220 then 14 with the 320 and then 16 with the 600 and then polish with the tape. It should also take nowhere near 50 strokes per side unless the knife is really large and/or really difficult to grind.

-Cliff
 
Now the blade is begining to cut arm hair without touching the skin and it will slice cut paper towel.
Click to expand...

Congratulations!

A high degree of bevel polish on the 10 degree bevels is just for impressing your friends.

A high polish on the micro-bevels may produce a discernably better push-cutting edge - but a discernably poorer slicing edge.
 
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