ZDP189 Calypso - initial factory sharpening question

C

Carl64

Joined
Apr 3, 2005
Messages
1,830
This knife is incredibly sharp, I am certain more so than a new delica I have at home and even more so than my VG10 Calypso was when new. The VG10 Calypso I had was actually a little dull out of the box for some reason, but the Delica was one of the best I had ever seen, so I am impressed that the ZDP calypso is even better.

What differences are there, if any, in the factory sharpening process for this new knife compared to the Delica and others? Was it done more delicately, at a different angle, or with different equipment? Or is the same factory equipment just getting this harder steel sharper?
 
Hopefully someone will have a good answer, say Cliff or Jeff or STR. The only thing I can see is the edge bevel looks less than Spyderco's normal bevel. One note, mine out of the box would cut a hanging paper towel. I then stroped it and it was a little better. (a little) Will do more test.
 
Mine couldn't cut cheap tissues, especially hanging ones, but it is very sharp. I haven't had too much testing opportunity yet, but I have been whittling some wood and cutting cardboard. So far in that, this knife has not been disappointing. It has easily equalled and somewhat exceeded my most wear resistant blades that I own (hard D2). I say somewhat, because I'm still cutting and the ZDP 189 is still hanging in there. Very impressive.
 
I didn't try tissues, but it would cut through a paper towel leaving a fairly neat cut. Very little tearing compared to anything else I have tried it with.
 
Check out the thread in the testing forum. After a good bit of cutting, I steeled mine back to NIB (3 strokes per side), and it still shaves hair above the arm. Amazing.
 
I'm wondering how a hard stainless knifeblade (say, RC 60+) responds to steeling. Does it have the same benefits as it does on a softer stainless blade?
 
[steeling hard blade]

sph3ric pyramid said:
Does it have the same benefits as it does on a softer stainless blade?
Click to expand...

Usually more so as there is less wear. Alvin Johnson runs very hard blades, 65+ hrc and a lot of his users are steeled frequently by meat workers and such.

-Cliff
 
Well, I asked that on the Spyderco forum, and I guess I will get an answer tonight. In the mean time: Yes, I agree, simply from eyeballing the blade on the ZDP-189 seemed to be ground out very thin, thinner than I remembered from the VG-10 Caly. But since I gave the VG-10 Caly to my father I can not test it. The ZDP Caly is 0.011 in behind the edge. To give that a frame of reference. My Manix reprofiled to 12 deg. per side is 0.029 in....almost 3 times as much.
 
I still have a VG10 calypso, so it will be a perfect test. My VG10 calypso was actually not quite as sharpener-friendly as my Delica as I recall, but it was not used much. I will give both a good sharpening to make sure their is no fatigue afoot. You can definitely feel the difference on a stone. The VG10 knife has a softer sound and feel, while the ZDP189 blade makes a harder sound and feels harder.
 
My new Calypso has a softer feel when sharpening against the ceramics
at that hardness I expected to here a nice ring to it... :confused:
G2
 
After my first day, at work, with the ZDP-189 Caly, all I can say is this thing hands down the SHARPEST knife I have ever held in my hand. Before this, I would have said my Military in 440V was the sharpest. The new Caly is insane. **I would like to know what the HRC really is on this steel. (Sal?)** As a side note *HRC on the 420J2? I've never had anything in this steel and my "bread" is scratching. :D

*I also would like to thank Sal Glesser and Spyderco for providing this (so far) amazing steel for me to use and for putting it in such a functional knife as the Caly Jr. This is just one more (of many) reasons I will support Spyderco with the best method I know of, my pocketbook.
 
what exactly is "steeling" ? got a link?

EDIT: nevermind, I found it on the net... I'd cut myself so quick if I tried that...
 
If you're referring to the way you see chefs do it with kitchen knives you might, but I don't think most of us here are quite as ... aggressive when using a steel.
 
Carl64 said:
What differences are there, if any, in the factory sharpening process for this new knife compared to the Delica and others? Was it done more delicately, at a different angle, or with different equipment? Or is the same factory equipment just getting this harder steel sharper?
Click to expand...

The one I got yesterday is also very sharp, easily slices paper towel, can almost push cut it (start a slice and continue it on a push), and can slice toilet paper readily. It also push shaves well and even cuts hair above the skin. Numerically on thread and cotton it is within 10% of two blades I had sharpened by hand by Ben Dale, simply absurd sharpness on a production blade. However I have seen similar sharpness from Spyderco before, two VG-10 Temperances were extreme as well.

-Cliff
 
The answer is likely simpler than you'd expect. All Spydercos are hand sharpened at the factory. So there will be some natural variation. The great work on the ZDP Caly Jr - maybe there is someone new, and/or they've altered how they are doing it, and/or it is partially a by-product of the steel.

It is the first clipit I've received that was hair-popping sharp. :D
 
Cliff Stamp said:
However I have seen similar sharpness from Spyderco before, two VG-10 Temperances were extreme as well.

-Cliff
Click to expand...

I should mention that the serrated VG10 blades I had (Delica and Endura) both seemed sharper than the plain edges. I don't have either of them any more so I can't compare to the new calypso.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top