YouTube video shows drawing a burr on both sides between each stone

I don’t bother with checking for a burr after the first diamond paddle. I also don’t bother checking/tweaking the angle for each paddle change. I do check my results in process with my USB scope. It’s a big time saver. Tuning up a knife which was previously in the WEPS with the Angle Alignment Gauge takes less than 5 minutes. A new knife will get the 50/80 grit for less than 5 minutes to establish a new profile and full burr. Another 5 minutes and I am done stropping. I tape every knife to protect against rogue and annoying scratches to the face. I do mostly kitchen knives. Goods steels get 14 DPS, Decent steels get 17 DPS or 20 DPS is hard usage is in play. To me it all about the steel quality and projected use.

I do like to do science projects to approach the perfect edge though.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Readheads.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Readheads.

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Richard

Hmm, maybe I am leaving some sharpness on the table. I’ll have to try it.

Question: I zero out my angle cube on one side of the clamp on the bar (with the angle divots) and when I put it on the other side of the clamp the angle is off by 0.4 deg. I disassembled the bar and it is not bent. I tried to recal the cube and got the same result. Do you think this matters ? It seems to me that it would.

I don’t use the burr method. I concentrate on forming the apex using the handheld microscope.  Burrs look like a dull edge, but you can identify them by seeing if they move when you switch sides.  Mainly, I’m looking for an apex that doesn’t reflect light.  If I see reflected light, I swing the camera to the side to look for  a crisp, straight line apex.  If I see a slight indentation along the edge, I know I need to work the apex further down.

For example, if I see a fine line of reflected light along what should be the apex, I have to decide if it’s a burr or a section of edge that hasn’t been fully apexed.  If it’s really thin and I’ve been working that part of the edge for a while, I may decide that it’s an edge that hasn’t been fully apexed but that it’s fine enough to let me finish the apexing with the next grit.  If it’s a burr, you’re ready to move onto the next grit anyway. Experience will teach you these sublties.

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Rodger

I have several cameras, but I always come back to the Celestron 5MP.  I posted a video on how I use it on Youtube,  It’s a bit out of date but you might want to check it out.  Once you learn to use it quickly and effectively and make it a part of your process, it becomes automatic and you’ll rely on it heavily.  I never, never sharpen knives without it.

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Wicked Now.

What is the current good but not crazy expensive USB microscope, I saw this one linked in another post?

Marc H wrote:

I’ve used this same one for years, now. Does everything I need it to do. I prefer it set to resolution 800 X 600 while working with high power magnification.

Awesome, thanks, I have a 60x jewlers loupe I use for lots of stuff but it’s annoying having to put it right up against things and put my face against it every time I wanna look at something small, like knife edges.