Advanced Sharpening Question

[ender18d]

Here's a question for some knowledgeable types here:

I'm trying to improve my sharpening and getting decent results but trying to get better. I have the Edge Pro Apex with their complete line of stones and tapes (the "4" kit, up to 1000 grit water stones). I also have a balsa strop with green compound. I am currently trying to sharpen 3 steels:

Al Mar Mini Sere in VG10
Benchmade Osborne in S30V
Spyderco Para2 in S35VN (sprint run)
(Plus some Shun kitchen knives)

I have not yet sharpened the 3rd as the factory edge is still pretty good.

I did reprofile the Osborne with the stock stones to 21deg and its shaving sharp, but not as sharp as some knives I've seen with the same steel.

I have been reading that for the S30/35 may require/benefit from diamond stones. Is this a need or should I just keep working with the stock apex stones... or would I alternately be able to use something like a Shapton Glass? What would be your recs? Understanding that as I go down the rabbit hole I might wind up playing with some of the more exotic steels later on as well.

[RCummings]

Ender, you may find a benefit from going to a maker in your area, the ones I've met are knowledgeable and friendly. Many in your AO.

Respectfully,

Bob

[RCummings]

Ender, May I ask what you would use the knife for? I have been stuck living in that rabbit hole for some time. After hundreds of knives and speaking with many makers I ended up having a "sharp" knife for every occasion. The 2 unlikely knives that I carry everyday were tools that I use the most and "like" the least, an original Leatherman and a keychain swiss army knife. I am a mechanic by trade and want my tools close and as a mechanic loose flesh and splinters are frequent so the keychain swiss army knife, blade scissors and tweezers are used, the chrome on the razor sharp blade and scissors can be cleaned with alcohol before and after use, it's only used for this purpose. I do have others that I use for specific purposes but do not carry everyday.
One unlikely tool that I use for sharpening is a high magnification loupe to see the burr and micro serration during sharpening. Final thought, before proceeding much further down the hole, you can commission a knife to be built with the steel, blade configurations and shape that you envision, in the long run it may be less expensive and infinitely less frustrating.

Very respectfully,
Bob

[mcarey]

A diamond grit "stone" or ceramic hones will work best on modern stainless steels.

You may want to use a sharpie on the edge before setting up your sharpening angle, this way after a few passes you can see the sharpie being evenly taken off, and then you know you have the right angle.

For your spydeco, if you want the serrations to be re-sharpened properly I would recommend the use of the spydeco triangle ceramic stones to evenly get serrations touched up, or send it back to factory for re-sharpening.

[ender18d]

Ender, May I ask what you would use the knife for? I have been stuck living in that rabbit hole for some time. After hundreds of knives and speaking with many makers I ended up having a "sharp" knife for every occasion. The 2 unlikely knives that I carry everyday were tools that I use the most and "like" the least, an original Leatherman and a keychain swiss army knife. I am a mechanic by trade and want my tools close and as a mechanic loose flesh and splinters are frequent so the keychain swiss army knife, blade scissors and tweezers are used, the chrome on the razor sharp blade and scissors can be cleaned with alcohol before and after use, it's only used for this purpose. I do have others that I use for specific purposes but do not carry everyday.
One unlikely tool that I use for sharpening is a high magnification loupe to see the burr and micro serration during sharpening. Final thought, before proceeding much further down the hole, you can commission a knife to be built with the steel, blade configurations and shape that you envision, in the long run it may be less expensive and infinitely less frustrating.

Very respectfully,
Bob

These knives are EDC knives, with uses ranging from simply opening boxes to use in the field and on deployment. I also carry them and occasionally use them at work in the ER, although I tend to use my Raptor shears more in a medical setting for obvious reasons.

[ender18d]

A diamond grit "stone" or ceramic hones will work best on modern stainless steels.

You may want to use a sharpie on the edge before setting up your sharpening angle, this way after a few passes you can see the sharpie being evenly taken off, and then you know you have the right angle.

For your spydeco, if you want the serrations to be re-sharpened properly I would recommend the use of the spydeco triangle ceramic stones to evenly get serrations touched up, or send it back to factory for re-sharpening.

Yeah the reading I've been doing suggested to me I was going to need diamond matrix stones... its nice to have expert confirmation though. Wish I'd known that before I'd ordered the big Apex kit with all the regular stones, since now it seems like I'll need to order a whole additional set of even more expensive stones to get the results I'm looking for! And I've already been using the sharpie trick, its a good one!

[Penn]

Korin, has a number on video's on this SM. Here's one but there ere others'

https://www.korin.com/services/knife-sharpening-demonstration

https://www.korin.com/learn/sharpening

[pyreaux]

Ender, no fancy mirror polished edge and no hair splitting stuff here. But for general utility I just use an 11 inch fine India / crystolon Norton stone. Fine for s30 and S35VN for general utility carry knives. There are certainly more knowledgeable folks than me here, but I don't think diamond is required to get a good edge.

[Bill Harsey]

Here's a question for some knowledgeable types here:

I'm trying to improve my sharpening and getting decent results but trying to get better. I have the Edge Pro Apex with their complete line of stones and tapes (the "4" kit, up to 1000 grit water stones). I also have a balsa strop with green compound. I am currently trying to sharpen 3 steels:

Al Mar Mini Sere in VG10
Benchmade Osborne in S30V
Spyderco Para2 in S35VN (sprint run)
(Plus some Shun kitchen knives)

I have not yet sharpened the 3rd as the factory edge is still pretty good.

I did reprofile the Osborne with the stock stones to 21deg and its shaving sharp, but not as sharp as some knives I've seen with the same steel.

I have been reading that for the S30/35 may require/benefit from diamond stones. Is this a need or should I just keep working with the stock apex stones... or would I alternately be able to use something like a Shapton Glass? What would be your recs? Understanding that as I go down the rabbit hole I might wind up playing with some of the more exotic steels later on as well.

This is a basic sharpening question. Standby while i formulate a polite response. maybe.

[ender18d]

This is a basic sharpening question. Standby while i formulate a polite response. maybe.

Fixed it sir! :D

Grateful for any polite or impolite wisdom you’d care to impart!