Question About Removing Wired Edges
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I have read several posts on this forum and other forums regarding different ways to remove wire edges and burrs. The method I am currently using employs edge-leading strokes with the 1.4 micron Micro Fine ceramic.
The 1.4 micron is the last stone I use in my progression, and although some folks have suggested using a coarser stone for this task, I am following another suggestion that said that I should use the last stone in my sharpening progression.
The edge-leading strokes that I have used so far to remove wire edges and burrs have been tip-to-heel, which should mean the scratch pattern that these strokes create should be somewhat parallel to the edge-trailing, heel-to-tip strokes I use in my sharpening progression.
My questions are whether anyone has tried edge-trailing, heal-to-tip strokes in their sharpening progression, and then used edge-leading, heel-to-tip strokes when removing their wire edges and burrs?
And whether this had any effect on their results?
Thanks
Rummels1 user thanked author for this post.
I suggest to you to finish each and every grit stone used in your sharpening succession with a few alternating side, edge leading strokes. Do enough to completely and effectively address the entire length of the knife edge. By this I mean use a sharpening stroke that is pulled down and on to the edge with an alternating, left then right then left then right side stone strokes. This will remove, or prevent, the formation of the wire edge with each every grit stone you use as you go through the sharpening process. Then you won’t have the problem of a wire edge to deal with at the end.
If your beginning edge trailing stroke was done heel to tip, the ending edge leading stroke done tip to heel should align your scratch pattern, in a parallel fashion, like your looking to do.
Please exercise care when utilizing edge leading strokes.
Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)3 users thanked author for this post.
I’m pretty much in agreement with Marc. Once I’ve created an apex, after each grit, I’ll use somewhere between 4 and 10 very light, alternating strokes to remove any burrs. The primary reason is to inspect the edge, looking for a sharp apex and burrs reflect a lot of light and can look a lot like a dull edge. You can waste a lot of effort trying to sharpen a burr.
I only use edge-leading strokes when using stones below 800 grit. For diamond stone grits above 600 grit, I will use scrubbing strokes to speed things up a bit, but normally I stick with edge-leading. When I use diamond film, I use edge-trailing except for long, straight edges, where I may use scrubbing strokes.
Correction: Should read “I use only edge-leading strokes when using stones below 800 grit.”
2 users thanked author for this post.
My 2 cents:
I raise a full length burr at 100 grit, verify it with edge trailing finger swipe (obviously it is on one side only), I then do 1 edge leading swipe (consistently soft) along the full length on the side that the burr is curled to.
Finger swipe again, no burr, move on. 25 strokes per side up thru diamond film and good to go. Every knife will cut scallops out of shiney magazine paper.
The first step is the most important. If you do not have a distinctive burr that you can feel from tip to toe then you will not get the best out of your WEPS.
I do this with resharpening also (may start with higher grit to preserve steel) because that flimsy plastic gauge works great for repeatability.
Am I missing something that you guys are talking about ?
1 user thanked author for this post.
Since I have not been finishing specifically with leading edge soft strokes, this explains why I still show a side catching when I free hand strop where the leather grain is “raised” when I stroke one side and not when I stroke the other side. I was always wondering about that.
Now, I know that each side should slide smoothly over a strop and not raise any leather grain which would mean I don’t have any wire / burr edges left.
Thanks for this discussion.
1 user thanked author for this post.
Since I have not been finishing specifically with leading edge soft strokes, this explains why I still show a side catching when I free hand strop where the leather grain is “raised” when I stroke one side and not when I stroke the other side. I was always wondering about that. Now, I know that each side should slide smoothly over a strop and not raise any leather grain which would mean I don’t have any wire / burr edges left. Thanks for this discussion.
It sounds like you still have a burr on the one side. Depending on how solidly held it is, and if you are using edge-trailing strokes (as with film and strops), the burr may flop from one side to the other. This happens when it is about to fall off, like when you are bending a piece of metal back and forth, stressing the point of flex until it fails.
If a burr is stubborn, and refuses to fall off or flop over to the opposite side, you can infer that you need to go back a grit or two and work the edge (I use alternating strokes in this situation) until the burr is gone or nearly gone. Edge-leading, alternating strokes are usually more effective in eliminating a burr.
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