I have run into a problem and need help!

[Ed1955]

I received a new EDC yesterday.  A SOG Spec Elite I.  It’s a cheap EDC but I like the arc lock system way better than any liner lock.  Well, it needed to be reprofiled which I’ve done now 10 – 15  times on other knives but this time something is going wrong.  With the angle cube setting the arms exactly the same at 17.5 degrees I am getting a wider edge on the right than on the left.  I remounted and marked it three times and still the same.  The Gen III vise is true, the degree bar is level but the knife will still come up with a wider degree edge on the right side.  Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

Respectfully,

Ed1955

[Eric]

Is it possible that the original grind on each side of the blade is not symmetrical? Try laying the blade flat on the flat area of the spine and measuring the distance from the table to the start of your bevel on both sides of the blade. The end of the original grind should be the same distance from the table on both sides of the blade. You could also try closing the jaws of a dial caliper on the flats of the spine and sighting down the apex to see if it’s centered in the jaws of the calipers. If the apex is not centered on the width of the spine, you could get uneven bevels from one side to the other.

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Gib Curry

[cbwx34]

Only other thing I can think to check is that the knife is mounted vertical and not angled slightly to one side.

But Eric probably nailed it… you’ll find when you sharpen a knife with more precision… many knives aren’t.    It could also be that the final edge is ground more on one side, (or at two different angles)… not necessarily the whole blade.  How do the angles you have set on the W.E. compare to the bevels already on the blade?

If it is the grind that is off… you can correct it over time… just spend a little more time on the smaller bevel side each time you sharpen.

 

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Mark76

[tcmeyer]

Good advise all around.  Few factory knives are ground perfectly symmetrical.  My first Spyderco Delica was off by almost 7 degrees from one side to the other.  The bevel widths looked equal, but the angles weren’t.  With each sharpening, I changed the angles by about one dps until they were equal.

With each knife, we have to ask ourselves the question: “What is my intent?”  Am I trying to reproduce the original factory bevels?  Or am I trying to match the bevel widths from side to side? (i. e. Move the edge closer to center).

With certain kitchen knives, you might deliberately move the edge off-center to enhance the performance according to the chef’s preferred cutting practices.  I am left-handed, so I like the edge offset to the left.  My sister is right-handed, so I sharpen her knives with the edge slightly off-set to the right.  The difference is noted when cutting very thin slices from certain products.

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dulledge, Mark76, Gib Curry

[Ed1955]

Great advice from all and I thank you.  This gives me quite a bit to work with and certainly some measuring.  If worse comes to worse, I’ll decrease the angle on the left side to at least make the knive look equal.
Thanks again,

Ed1955

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Mark76

[Author]

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