What steels are hard to sharpen but keep sharp?

[Noctis3880]

Looks good.

Lets us know what it does.

Well, it seems to cut easier than my Spyderco Moran, and it poked my thumb as I was trying to pry out a bit of the apple core that was stuck to one piece(tip seems fine, but I wouldn't try that on anything tougher).

 

[Ankerson]

Well, it seems to cut easier than my Spyderco Moran, and it poked my thumb as I was trying to pry out a bit of the apple core that was stuck to one piece(tip seems fine, but I wouldn't try that on anything tougher).

Keep playing with it and keep us up to date.

Don't let it get dull though.....

 

[MTHall720]

What steels are you used to sharpening?

So far D2, 154cm and S30v.

 

[FlaMtnBkr]

I have to agree. M4 gets scary sharp, probably sharper than I can get most other alloys, and it is pretty darn easy to get it there. It doesn't take much to get that crazy sharp edge and it holds the razor edge better than a lot of other high vanadium 'super' steels, assuming it has a good heat treat. I find S90V, M390, 20CP, and even ZDP more difficult to get that really sharp edge although it isn't that hard with diamonds. Reprofiling the edge can take quite a while and again, the M4 seemed to reprofile quicker than the others mentioned.

It's hard to say anything definitive when you are dealing with different thickness blade stock, different edge geometry and thicknesses, and when people are using different tools to sharpen with.

 

[somber]

Au contraire. I found M4 to be the easiest steel in any folder to get to a hair popping edge on my sharpmaker.

I found M4 a pleasure to sharpen, too. Super easy.

 

[flatface77]

It's hard to say anything definitive when you are dealing with different thickness blade stock, different edge geometry and thicknesses, and when people are using different tools to sharpen with.

I was thinking the same thing. The toughest sharpening chores I remember all had to do with reprofiling or repairing some piece of junk for someone. All my high end stuff came with reasonable geometry so I never had to remove much metal. I use diamonds most of the time too, so that makes any differences seem smaller too. I do notice differences in how easily some steels take a fine edge, though.