Benchmade 440C Nicks/Chips? Suggestions

[Ryan]

I have a Benchmade Griptillian Model 551 folding knife in 440C. I have another in 154CM but I haven’t attempted this yet. Anyway on the WEPS I’ve sharpened the 440C at 20 degrees down to 1200/1600 ceramic. Lately I’ve been using the 5/3.5 strop. This thing cuts like nobodies business.

But I’m starting to get two or three chips or nicks in the edge. I’m wondering if I’m doing something incorrectly or I need to do something different? I’ve had this knife for years. It is my EDC and I used, successfully, the Spyderco Tri-Angle at the same angle of 20 degrees to keep it sharp prior to the WEPS and never had this challenge.

Can I expect the same thing with the 154CM when I start using it on the WEPS?

Thoughts? Ideas? Talk to me ‘ol wise ones.

Ryan

[developer (ChrisB)]

In what stage of sharpening is this happening? While 20* isn’t super thin, the 440C (not great quality) might play a factor. When you print the stones in, make sure you make light contact before you start your stroke. Or use a scrubbing motion and remove the variable of impact on the blade all together. Also make sure your stones are broken in. Hope this helps.

-MC

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[Josh]

two questions:

What type of passes are you using (edge leading or edge trailing, and alternating or staying on one side)?

How much are you stropping after the stones and did you notice chipping when only coming off of the stones?

[tcmeyer]

Next question is; How new are the stones you’re using? As we’ve discussed many times here, stones which haven’t been fully broken in can have small clusters of grit which will cause chips.

I used my 100/200s so seldom (because of their propensity for causing chips) that it took about three years before they were finally fully broken-in.

[Mr.Wizard]

While 20* isn’t super thin, the 440C (not great quality) might play a factor.

Do you have reason to believe that Benchmade’s 440C is from a bad batch or not heat treated properly?

[developer (ChrisB)]

Isn’t that a pretty common go-to “cheap” steel for Chinese knife producers? I remember seeing it on several cheapo-s I had as a kid. Or was that 400 Stainless?If I misspoke, my bad!

Working to make knife.wickededgeusa.com a great forum!

[Mr.Wizard]

The use of a grade of steel in cheap knives does not mean that the grade itself is poor, and consider that really cheap imports are probably not even marked honestly. 440C covers some range of formulations and production methods, and of course heat treatment is paramount.

Some opinions on 440C:

http://www.jayfisher.com/440C_Love_Hate.htm

http://www.cartercrafts.com/440c.htm

Joe Calton’s thoughts on choosing new steels (video)

Some quotes:

440C: A high-chromium stainless steel with a terrific balance of good hardness and corrosion resistance. 440C takes a nice edge and is fairly easy to resharpen. An excellent value-priced steel for its performance.

The highest carbon stainless steel of the 440 series. It is a very good blade steel. I think the reason it is not more popular is because newer steels have overshadowed it.

[Author]

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