Mirrored Edge
- This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 03/11/2018 at 4:33 pm by
.
-
You might be able to get a highly polished edge if you load your leather belt with a polishing compound and do several passes. I think it will be pretty hard to convert a 600 grit finish to a mirrored finish without any additional stones. My experience has been that the fastest way to get a mirrored edge is to go through a progression that ends with the lapping films and some strops. For example; 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 6 micron diamond film, 4 micron diamond emulsion on leather, 2 micron diamond emulsion on leather. That sequence will give you a very reflective mirrored edge but it probably will still have some visible scratches upon close inspection. Check out this thread on super polished edges. Many people have contributed and have said how they got their results.
3 users thanked author for this post.
Barry, I try to answer questions for the forum poster and also for the new Wicked Edge users and forum readers with no experience at all. Therefore some of my answers get into a more detailed explanation then you may want or need and may be long winded.
A mirror edge is from sharpening the knife with sequential finer and finer grit stones. Each grit is used to bring the knife’s bevel sides to an apex , (the plane where the two opposite side bevels meet), to a finer and finer, closer more precise intersection. Each of the grits in your progression will make the edge finer and smoother, while removing the deeper wider scratches imparted from the previous coarser grit stone. As you continue up the grit progression, (higher numbers and smaller abrasive particle size), with finer and finer grit stones, the scratches become smaller, narrower and closer together as you obliterate and remove the previous larger scratches. The more time and effort you put into it the better will be your results. Eventually your result will be a mirror polished edge.
I would continue your progression past the WE 600 grit diamond stone with: 800, 1000, then at least the 1500 grit. You can consider your sharpening progression complete and stop after the 1500 grit diamond stone, if you like. At this point, after the 1500 grit diamond stone if you have done each of the previous grits with enough time and effort to remove and obliterate the previous coarser grit scratches, as you proceeded through the sharpening progression, to the naked eye the edge will appear quite shiny and polished. An LED flashlight will help you to inspect and see the shinny edge.
Or if you’re so inclined, on the opposite side of the 1500 grit stone is a glass platen. Some WE users like to affix a 6µ grit Diamond lapping Film strip and use this as their final grit in the progression.
(Some WE aficionados choose to continue their sharpening progression still further, with a diamond lapping film progression of sequential finer and finer grits. It will help to obliterate the fine scratches even better and make your edge thinner still and sharper for those looking for the ultra thin super sharp knife edge).
The next step following your finished grit progression is to “set the edge” with the Wicked Edge Strops with a very fine abrasive compound applied. This step really brings the polished shiny bevel to life and smooths and enhances the knifes cutting edge. First before you strop it’s suggested to lower your guide rod angles 1-1/2 to 2º on each side to avoid rounding the sharp fine apex. I generally just do a two strop sequence. I use the cow leather strops with 4µ diamond emulsion followed with 2µ diamond emulsion that is applied to the opposite side. Be sure to wipe clean the knife’s bevels with a soft towel moistened with rubbing alcohol between each grit in your progressions and more importantly between each of the stropping steps. (Some WE users will follow a complete stropping progression similar to the sharpening progression with subsequent finer grit polishes and smoother strop substrates. Stropping is a technique unto itself.)
With enough time and effort used with each grit, good sharpening technique, broken in diamond stones and a final stropping you should have a shiny reflective mirror polished Wicked sharp knife edge. It takes time, and practice. As your stones wear and break in and your feel and technique improve your results will get better and better and your mirror polish will be there.
Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)2 users thanked author for this post.
Barry the motorized leather belt is a whole different animal then the Wicked Edge so I really can’t comment on how to use it or how it will work. Like Steve said I wouldn’t be trying it on a customers knife till you know the results you’ll get. There are some YouTube videos with Cliff Curry. He an old Wicked Edge user so he has the experience to share. Watch his series of videos on stropping they should help.
Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)1 user thanked author for this post.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.