ZT 0777M390: What Is The Factory Edge Angle?

KLJTech

KLJTech

Joined
Aug 26, 2005
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I have one on the way and was wondering if you guys knew what angle edge ZT was putting on these?
Thanks in advance for any insight you may provide!
 
When I used the Wicked Edge and an Angle Cube, I found one side to be 23 degrees and the other to be 22 degrees.

Smokeeater has two really great videos on Youtube detailing the factory edge vs. a reprofile of 18 or 19 degrees. The M390 seems to have great edge retention, so I'm most likely going to reprofile for my next sharpening.

[video=youtube;Z99C8R-T7b4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Z99C8R-T7b4[/video]

[video=youtube;7TLwIw5apZY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7TLwIw5apZY[/video]
 
Factory angle doesn't matter--it's too thick, whatever it is. And that goes for almost any factory edge on any production knife. I recently took a bevel gauge to a bunch of knives (including choppers) that I've been using for years without issues and they're all right around 10-12° per side.
 
Well, if it's just over 20 degrees per side I'll probably reprofile it on my Sharpmaker (its all I have at the moment...w/diamond and Ultra rods) down to 40 degrees inclusive. If its just under 20 degrees per side I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't want to take it down to 30 degrees inclusive which is my only other choice with that device.

I had already seen the Smokeeater videos and they're very good as always. I've always seen that the ZT manual says the edge is 18-22 degrees but I didn't know what degree edge most of these were showing up with. So many have the Wicked Edge or something similar I figured several would know right on the dot...of course that doesn't mean that mine will be exactly the same. Just curious...

I've been looking at one of those KME Diamond sharpers with the JewelStik for all my recurve blades. I haven't decided.
 
Well all ZT knives are sharpened by hand so there's going to be some variance in the edge angle but I think they try to stick to 20ish per side.
 
Anyone think that 30 degrees inclusive is too thin for the edge on that knife? If it falls under 40 degrees that would be my only choice for now. I recently took my SMF with a very thick factory edge down to 40 degrees inclusive and thought I'd never be done but it probably didn't take as long as it felt like and the edge turned out fantastic.
 
Depends on what you're using it for but in general, you won't really appreciate the performance of the super steels unless you thin the edge out.
 
I've waited too long to get my hands on some variation of the 0777 so when it arrives it will be EDC'd until I get tired of carrying it. I don't get too rough with my folders, the main thing they're used for is opening boxes at my office. I know that doesn't sound exciting (and its not) but they'e usually double walled cardboard and I love slicing them open with whatever knife I happen to be carrying that day.

I have a 8 year old son so I open a TON action figures and other toys in those demonic thick plastic clam-shell packages. I won't be using that knife to baton wood but I'm the guy in the family that always carries a knife...you ALL know how that goes, you become the guy that is expected to slice open anything and everything for everyone.

I certainly won't abuse the knife. Anyone here using it with a 15 degree per side edge?

I haven't heard of anyone re-profiling it that thin...then again, I think I'm running my old Manix C95 at 30 degrees inclusive. I've been using Strider's a lot lately and now 30 degrees sounds very thin. :D

Thanks guys for your input, its truly appreciated.
 
I'm sure it'd handle even shallower than 30, to be honest, but for harder use 30 is just fine and dandy. I sharpen machetes at 30 degrees (15 dps) and they hold up without complaint.
 
My 0777M390 (SW) arrived, man this thing is light...kinda surprised me and what a sweet knife! <I know you guys already know this...just a bit excited with it>

I've gotta get use to opening it with my pinky finger on the pocket clip for leverage or I end up applying pressure to the lockbar (framelock 101) and that makes you think at first that the detent is too strong. The quickest way I've found to see if you're putting pressure on the lockbar is to switch hands and see if its still difficult to open. As soon as I switched it to my left hand it flew open like an AO and I knew I was at fault.

I checked with my Sharpmaker (set to 20 per side) and it was fully hitting all along one side and just barely hitting the on the other so I went ahead and spent the better part of an hour or so and now the edge is nice and even. I'm sure these are sharpened by hand at KAI/ZT. It was very sharp right from the box...I simply have issues. :D

I'd love to have a full Wicked Edge setup but its hard to justify when in reality I have probably two blades I'd like to reprofile and the rest I simply touch up on the Sharpmaker if needed and if not I just strop them. I'm "trying" very hard to get proficient at stropping but I have a ways to go...the blade ends up very, very sharp but someone more skilled would have it done a lot quicker. I'd use a WE on a couple blades and then it may be a year before I'd use it again...that's not really their target customer.

They're needs to be a sharpening service that comes to your door (like a pizza delivery) and takes a knife or two from you, goes out to their air conditioned van and will reprofile your knife and brings it back to your door when finished. It would be more cost effective than spending $350 plus on a device I'd only use a couple knives.
 
Just like Scurvy and FortyTwo says, reprofiling a super steell like M390 to 30 degrees inclusive will actually let you see what the steel is all about. Kind of like taking restrictions off of a high performance engine. I did it to my 0550 and man what a difference.
 
KLJTech said:
I'd love to have a full Wicked Edge setup but its hard to justify when in reality I have probably two blades I'd like to reprofile and the rest I simply touch up on the Sharpmaker if needed and if not I just strop them. I'm "trying" very hard to get proficient at stropping but I have a ways to go...the blade ends up very, very sharp but someone more skilled would have it done a lot quicker. I'd use a WE on a couple blades and then it may be a year before I'd use it again...that's not really their target customer.
Click to expand...
- Don't you have knives in the kitchen that you also sharpen?
 
A few but none that need anything better than I already own. Every time I've tried to buy nice kitchen knives that are to be washed by hand and then dried I wife ends up putting them in the dishwasher...I've given up on kitchen knives.

Plus, more often than not we go out to eat...I keep a couple around that I like to use but they're already very thin and very sharp.
 
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I'm going to give a lot of thought to re-profiling it down to 30 degrees inclusive, the blade grind feels as if it thins out enough near the edge that should work just fine.

I really like the blade shape though when I was sharpening it I worried that I may be taking some of the curvature out of it but I kept checking and its the same. Its nothing but the paranoia that comes with making ANY changes to a brand new, beautiful knife.

Has anyone else taken their down to 30 degrees inclusive yet?
 
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