I guess in reality it’s been more than that, but two weeks is close enough. I’ve sharpened close to 100 knives at this point. All types, from a 75 year old folder to a Ka-Bar. Tactical knives, kitchen kinves…they have all had a turn on the system.
The vast majority have been sharpened with the goal of putting a functional edge on. I’m not so interested in applying a high polish as I am in establishing a very sharp, functional cutting edge that will last on the knives I’ve worked on.
These are almost all knives I’ve previously sharpened freehand. Some have been sharpened to a point previously where I could comfortably shave with them. Others to a point where my wife was comfortable using them…she wants “sharp”, but her definition and mine are quite different.
In some cases, I’ve had to adjust the bevels to accomodate the limitations of the F&S in angle. Two situations specifically; my Japanese kitchen knives and my Emersons.
With the Japanese knives, I’d commonly sharpened them to 12 degrees per side. While I can achieve that with my cleavers, the smaller knives have seen a re-beveling to 18 degrees ( the shallowest that I can get without knocking the vise constantly.
They are very sharp, but the angles are not the ones I’d prefer.
The bigger “change” has been the Emersons. With their chisel grinds, I’ve traditionally done them at 35 degrees with just a brush on the back side to knock off the burr. I’ve now gone to 30 degrees, with an 18 degree pass to remove the burr. Seems just as effective, very sharp, and lasts almost as long.
One particular edge that I’m very impressed with is the 7in. Ka-Bar. I put a 44 degree inclusive edge on it, and spent a while polishing the edge. It’s a decent mirror finish, and frightenenly sharp. It easily shaves facial hair, and as you’d expect from a Ka-Bar, will cleave 3/4 in. branches off a tree like a laser. I have a very sharp parang that I use for clearing brush, and the only thing the kabar lacks is length…it does just as good a job cutting.
Still not crazy about the stepped vise, but it does work well for the most part.
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