How much time do you typically spend on a blade.

[Jon Holcomb]

I know this has a ton of variables, just say, a pocket knife that is in fairly good shape. What grit do you take it to and how long, or how many strokes do you spend at each grit.

I am trying to determine if I am spending too much time at each grit.

Jon

[Mark76]

Long answer: it depends on the steel, the amount of steel you need to remove, on…

Short answer: spend the time needed to raise a burr along the entire length of the blade using the 100 grit stones. Then 100 sweeping strokes per side with subsequent stones.

This was the advice I got when I started sharpening with the WEPS. Usually I do far less strokes per side (I don’t count them anymore), but it gives you a starting point. It worked great for me 🙂 .

Have you found the Wiki already? There’s quite a lot of information for beginners.

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Zamfir]

He nailed it.

Here is an example. It took me a couple of hours to totally re-profile and take my time on a zt0180 with Vanadis 4 Extra powder metallurgical cold work steel. After I did that and came home to re-sharpen it it took 20 min. Just because it was already at the angle I needed and did not need to remove so much and go through all the stone progression.

I totally re-beveled an ontario knife with AUS8 steel it only took 20min. That steel carved away way faster.

[Jon Holcomb]

Thanks so much. I saw the Wiki but got distracted and ended up in the forum. :cheer:
I have noticed that some blades are much easier to work than others. A couple of mine have been rather hard but I eventually got them wicked sharp 🙂

[Mark76]

From time to time I post this one:

Attachments:

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Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[tcmeyer]

I’d like to wave a caution flag here…. You might infer from Mark’s post that you simply start with your 100 grit stones and go from there. I’d advise that you only use the 100/200 grit stones where there is a lot of steel to be removed, as when re-profiling a blade. For all work where you will be forming or touching up an existing edge, you are much better off starting with the 400’s. The coarser stones will cut deep scratches and leave deep notches in the edge, which will require a large amount of effort to remove with the finer grits.

As for how many strokes? Mark is absolutely correct in stating that it depends on how much steel you have to remove. The length of the blade, the width of the bevels, the type and hardness of the steel all impact the number of strokes, but by far the biggest factor is the amount of damage you need to remove.

I have a batch of seven small Seki pocket knives, all the same, made from AUS-6 steel with blades about 2″ long. I’ve sharpened them as a batch at least ten times and have determined that it only takes six strokes of a given grit to completely remove the scratches from the previous grit, when starting with 400 and ending with 1000 grit. Similar blades but 6″ long would take at least three times as many strokes to achieve the same amount of steel removal at any point along the blade(s).

[Jon Holcomb]

I have been examining each blades with a loupe and try to start at 400 if I can. It becomes obvious quickly if you need to go back to a coarser grit to reprofile a blade. I guess my biggest question is knowing when to go to a finer grit. I am getting better at seeing the scratches from the previous grit and being able to tell when they are gone.

[Josh]

I have been examining each blades with a loupe and try to start at 400 if I can. It becomes obvious quickly if you need to go back to a coarser grit to reprofile a blade. I guess my biggest question is knowing when to go to a finer grit. I am getting better at seeing the scratches from the previous grit and being able to tell when they are gone.

yeah all you have to do is hit the light right off of the edge and you should be able to see most of the scratch direction… I would alternate my stroke direction to ensure you get the previous grit’s scratches fully out of your edge (when you are going for mirror anyway).

I finished this up the other day… edge was in pretty good condition but needed to be re-profiled a bit (which I did with my 400’s, didn’t dare want to risk going down to the 100’s and getting those deep scratches when I was going for a mirror finish). Took me an hour. There was no set amount of time I spent at each level, just enough until I could tell the scratches from the previous grit were gone (I used a scrubbing motion throughout).

[Jon Holcomb]

Looks awesome!

[tcmeyer]

Awesome for sure! I always seem to get some scratches that won’t seem to come out.

I’m doing a dagger for a friend and it hadn’t occurred to me until after putting an hour into one edge, that I’ll have to do it again for the other edge. It’s a good thing that I enjoy it so much.

I just got a new set of 800/1000 diamonds and it looks like it’ll take quite a bit of breaking in before they’re as smooth as the old ones. I’ll look around for a junker knife to put some miles on ’em.

Hey Josh:

I see from your photos that you’re a reloader. What sort of shooting do you do? What calibers do you load for? 9mm seems like the most likely. Rifle stuff too?

[Zamfir]

lol, I asked the same question! He has a Dillon 550. I have a Dillon 650. Both Great machines! I load for 300WSM, 45acp, and 30-30. I can not remember what calibers Josh reloads for.

[Josh]

That is correct! Good eye Tom

[Author]

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