Micro Bevel Trouble
- This topic has 9 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 02/14/2017 at 1:55 pm by
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Hi Guys,
I’m starting to get the hang of sharpening with the WE but I’m struggling the get a good micro bevel. I can get my knife hair popping sharp but when I put a micro bevel on it goes fairly dull it just tears paper and wont shave.
I get a good polished 15 degree bevel (very sharp) move out to 20 degrees and three light strokes of 200 grit stone then back to 15 for a couple of light stropping strokes. Pretty much copy what Clay does in his video.
Any ides where i’m going wrong?
Thanks
Andy
I made a similar post a few months ago. I was never able to get an acceptable micro-bevel using 200 grit. I had great success when I switched to 600 grit on my knives with harder steel and 800 grit on my knives with softer steel. I am using about ten alternating strokes per side (20 total). My strokes for the micro bevel are downward (from heel to tip). I then back off two degrees from the microbevel angle and strop lightly with the same number of strokes (upward from heel to tip). This has been so successful for me that every knife I sharpen gets the microbevel treatment. Touch up is a breeze. I look at my records to see how the knife was previously mounted. Then I use the same grit I used to create the microbevel. However, for touch ups, I start with about five strokes per side (upward from heel to tip to straighten the edge) and then do about five strokes per side downward from heel to tip. Then, I use the stropping process. I have touched up the microbevel on my EDC knife about eight times and still have only eaten into about 40% of the primary bevel. I have used micro bevels fro 3 to 5 degrees greater than the primary bevel with success. I like big differentials between primary and secondary bevel when the cutting tool will be used roughly – like a cleaver or survival knife. I hope this advice is of some value to you
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Using a finer stone is indeed good advice, I think. In addition I’d advise you to use a loupe so you can see exactly what you are doing.
Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge
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Ive just ordered a 30x / 60x loupe and a 50-500x usb microscope so I can see exatly what im doing I think a good bright overhead light shouls also help.
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I agree, I also have used a 4-5 degree per side broader angle done with a fine grit stone by leading edge strokes then finished with a light strop. This I find works very well and still gives a paper slicing edge.
Marc
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I use stones up to 1500 diamond then I start using sandpaper on the blank aluminum platens. I follow after the 1500 diamond with 1500 sandpaper then progress with 2000, 2500, 3000, 5000, 7000 then finish with the strops. I am sure the diamond lapping films could eliminate those steps but I just haven’t got them yet and the sandpaper is pretty cheap off amazon and it works great. I use 3m double sided tape on top of painters tape to attach them. they come off clean so you can change them.
I made a similar post a few months ago. I was never able to get an acceptable micro-bevel using 200 grit. I had great success when I switched to 600 grit on my knives with harder steel and 800 grit on my knives with softer steel. I am using about ten alternating strokes per side (20 total). My strokes for the micro bevel are downward (from heel to tip). I then back off two degrees from the microbevel angle and strop lightly with the same number of strokes (upward from heel to tip). This has been so successful for me that every knife I sharpen gets the microbevel treatment. Touch up is a breeze. I look at my records to see how the knife was previously mounted. Then I use the same grit I used to create the microbevel. However, for touch ups, I start with about five strokes per side (upward from heel to tip to straighten the edge) and then do about five strokes per side downward from heel to tip. Then, I use the stropping process. I have touched up the microbevel on my EDC knife about eight times and still have only eaten into about 40% of the primary bevel. I have used micro bevels fro 3 to 5 degrees greater than the primary bevel with success. I like big differentials between primary and secondary bevel when the cutting tool will be used roughly – like a cleaver or survival knife. I hope this advice is of some value to you
Thank you for this, tried your method this afternoon and its worked a treat, I went with the 1000 grit for the microbevel and then the 1um strop.
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Great advice on this thread. The coarser micro-bevels are generally not so great for shaving, paper and that sort of thing and are meant more for tougher materials like zip ties and fibrous materials like rope and for slashing through cardboard etc… Finer grits work better for finer cuts.
-Clay
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