Why Can't I Sharpen my Mooremaker??

Lenny

Lenny

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Joined
Oct 15, 1998
Messages
2,499
I've had a Buffalo Horn Mooremaker Stockman for about a year now.
Been keeping it sharp on the Spyderco Sharpmaker since.
Recently, the Sharpmaker hasn't been able to keep the blades sharp.
I reprofiled the main clip blade on my Edge Pro to a 36 degree back bevel thinking that this would allow easier sharpening on the
Sharpmaker at the 40 degree setting.
But no dice.
I sharpen from grey, to white corner, then finish on the white flat checking for burrs after each section.
When done, it definitely can't shave, and cuts sloppily through newspaper.
What am I doing wrong?
This is the only knife I'm having trouble with at the moment.
Lenny
 
The 1095 steel used in the Moore Maker knives is quite soft, very much like the stainless used in Victorinox SAKs. I noticed this when trying to use diamond hones to sharpen one of my MM knives. Had to get extremely light on pressure, to avoid over-grinding the edge and scrubbing the burr off before it could be detected. Was literally checking the edge for the burr after every stroke. Also very prone to wire edges if pressure is a little excessive, and ceramics make this even more likely. However light you're going with pressure now, go even lighter.

Use a magnifier under strong light to closely inspect the edge, either for burrs/wires, or for a rounded/blunt apex. I'm betting most of the issue is due to a wire edge that's folded over, as it's real easy to do with these knives.
 
Thanks David.
Clearly, I'm using too much pressure.
Lenny
 
I'll add, if you have/use a strop, green compound on the coarse side of a uniformly-finished piece of leather works great on 1095. My 'go-to' method for 1095 blades, these days, is the inside of my leather belt with green compound applied to a portion of it. I use it essentially like a hanging strop, with no backing underneath. The belt is long enough, I can start a pass across the green portion and follow straight through on the bare portion beyond it, in one sweep. If your blade has reached the apex, and if a burr/wire is on the edge, this method should clean it up pretty easily in a few passes, on this soft steel. This works amazingly well on my Schrade 8OT (also 1095); best edges I have on any of my traditionals.
 
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I have a stainless MM that I can't put an edge on either. I'v given up trying.
 
David,
Exactly how do you strop the edge?
I've never had luck with it, specially on my Bark River with convex edge.
Do you hold the knife flat against the strop?
Or do you hold it at the angle you sharpen at?
Lenny

PS: Brasso, my MM is 1095
 
Hi Lenny!

All I can tell you about stroping; I use to keep the blade on a very small antle (roundabout 10°) at the leather. With light pressure, I go over the leather.

Stroping is just removing a little piece of steel which is produced while sharping the knife, so that you have a very straight edge again.

When sharping the knife via stones you can feel a rough line on the edge. After stroping the blade/edge it will be flat and sharp.

But the knife has to be already relatively sharp when using the strop. A dull blade can hardly (never - IMO) get sharp by using a strop.

Kind regards
Andi
 
Lenny said:
David,
Exactly how do you strop the edge?
I've never had luck with it, specially on my Bark River with convex edge.
Do you hold the knife flat against the strop?
Or do you hold it at the angle you sharpen at?
Lenny

PS: Brasso, my MM is 1095
Click to expand...

Here's an excellent reference, as a 'sticky' in the Maint forum --->: Stropping: angle plus pressure

Basically, it comes down to making sure the edge bevel lays flush against the strop. What angle that is, depends on the individual blade. It's easier to do with blades that have wide, flat bevels (acute angle at the edge). Lay the edge flush to the strop, and use light pressure so as not to compress the leather and round over the edge. There's some practice and muscle memory training to do, before developing a comfortable feel for it. But that's basically what it's all about.

With a very thick and obtuse edge (either convex or V-bevel), it may seem difficult to 'find' the point of flush contact with the edge. But when in doubt, keep the angle conservatively low, so the edge itself won't get rounded over. If the angle's too low, you'll just be buffing the shoulders of the bevel. No harm done there, but then you can gradually raise the angle and watch for the cutting edge to make flush contact. One trick that works to find the angle is, lay the blade flat to the strop, and very slowly move it in an edge-leading stroke while gradually raising the spine above the leather. When the edge makes flush contact, you'll feel it 'bite' into the leather a little bit. Stop there; that's your angle. Check it two or three times like this, to make sure you've found the correct angle.
 
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Hi David!

Thank you sharing your knowledge. Now I´ve learned already something new :)

Kind regards
Andi
 
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