Noob: Setting Angle w/Sharpie/Marker?

[Jonny]

Read everything I could find including the “how to find your angle” illustrations but still a little confused on setting up angle with a marker.

The pictures show the correct “scratch pattern test” as a parallel line down the edge of the blade leaving marker on top and bottom of the edge.

My question is, if that’s true, how does the stone ever reach the actual edge? When you proceed does it eventually take off so much material it hits the edge? Maybe during “the creating a burr process”?

Seems like you would want the marker to be 100% removed from the very edge during the initial angle test, no?

Thx for any info/guidance.

[Josh]

You are correct… You want the marker 100% removed from the edge. That diagram is just to show how to find the sweet spot so you have your blade adjusted correctly on the vice, forward and backward.

[Jonny]

Thank you so much, makes sense now.

[Jonny]

Well, maybe one more quick question… I’m practicing on a little serrated Benchmade Griptilian Tanto. Not sure which exact model but it seems like i’m at a pretty high angle (20+) to hit the very edge and that doesn’t seem to match the data base. I’m measuring with an angle cube as well. Any suggestions on what i’m doing wrong? Thx.

[cbwx34]

The non serrated part I’m assuming? You’re probably good… Most Benchmade seem to be around 18-20 degrees.

If you’re referring to the Wicked Edge database, the angles don’t necessarily reflect what the original edge was, just what they were sharpened at.

[Haakon Aase Heie]

Benchmade is not known for making an even and consistant edge unfortunately, so it is possible that the edge is all over the place with regards to degrees.

I just reprofiled my tanto to 15 degrees each side on the WE, and it is a really good and sharp knife now. I use it as my EDC.

Attachments:

• WP_20131108_012.jpg

[Jonny]

cbwx34: Yes, the non-serrated part.

Haakon: But see that’s what scares me, if i did it at 15 degrees i wouldn’t be anywhere near the edge of the factory angle, but as “cb” says maybe 20 degrees isn’t too weird. Maybe i should be re-profiling to a non-factory angle and going more off the database?

So confused.

[Haakon Aase Heie]

I think you will want to reprofile later anyway, when you get used to the WEPS 🙂 It’s a great syatem.

20 degrees is probably closer to the factory angle, but as I said, Benchmades can be sloppy coming from the factory. The angle can also be different on each side. But as long as you get a burr all the way on both sides you should be fine.

[Geocyclist]

One other point of the sharpie is to help you determine what the original angle is, should you want to stay with that. Like others have said factory edges are not always equal side to side or even the length of the edge. (i.e. tip may be more acute than the heel).

The next thing the sharpie does is to help you check for even bevel. You may need to move the knife more forward or backward in the vice.

I use the 1000 diamonds for checking the sharpie. It will erase the marker in 1-2 strokes without leaving deep scratches.

For educational purposes try matching the original angle, to see how close you can get, see how even the factory is, left vs. right. tip to heel. That is good for practice. You won’t remove much material. If you want a different angle you can do it again.

[Jonny]

Thank you for all the info. There is definitely an initial learning curve and it must get a lil old for the “Vets” to be answering a lot of the same questions.

I went back and re-read as I realized i didn’t read carefully enough and was misinterpreting. I definitely learned that just jumping in and practicing answers a lot of questions. I’m definitely guilty of over-thinking things. I am finally getting my head around the “burr” as well so i think i’m “flying” so to speak.

Was just confused on trying to start w/the factory angles or use maybe a possibly “better” suggestion from the database. Think just time and a lot of practicing will get me in the know but thanks for the help on getting started… have a new “victim” i’m starting tomorrow, lol.

[Jonny]

Maybe one more quick question if anyone’s still there, lol.

I tried a different knife using the advice above. So i’ve got the marker removed to the edge on the edge of the knife but cannot get it fully removed from the edge on the tip. The blade is about 3 1/2″ long and the marker remains on the very edge for about the last 1″ to the tip. I have tried moving it back/forward. Should I just ignore that little section since the bulk of the blade seems good or is it another Noob mistake in set-up?

Again, thanks for any direction, just want to get past the set-up phase! I don’t mind reading so please just direct me to the right area if possible, just not sure what to search or maybe i’m missing it as i read.

[cbwx34]

You can’t ignore it, or you’ll end up with a knife with a dull tip area (which is probably the most used area of a knife). I would set the knife back (horizontal adjustment) to get as close as possible to the rest of the blade, then spend a bit more time on the tip area. If it’s taking too long or you think it’s getting too wide, you can set a higher angle and sharpen the blade.

Many knives from the manufacturer are freehand sharpened, and because the tip area also moves into thicker metal, it’s often sharpened at a higher angle to make everything look even. It may take a bit in the initial sharpening on the WE to get it “adjusted” to sharpening at a precise angle.

[Robert Nash]

You can’t ignore it, or you’ll end up with a knife with a dull tip area (which is probably the most used area of a knife). I would set the knife back (horizontal adjustment) to get as close as possible to the rest of the blade, then spend a bit more time on the tip area. If it’s taking too long or you think it’s getting too wide, you can set a higher angle and sharpen the blade.

Many knives from the manufacturer are freehand sharpened, and because the tip area also moves into thicker metal, it’s often sharpened at a higher angle to make everything look even. It may take a bit in the initial sharpening on the WE to get it “adjusted” to sharpening at a precise angle.

+1

If you are still having trouble a picture of the blade mounted might help someone give you some other suggestions too. Finding the sweet spot on some blades can take a bit of time finessing the mounting – it gets easier with experience (and of course much easier when you record your settings :blink: )

[DARRELL ALLEN]

Many knives from the manufacturer are freehand sharpened, and because the tip area also moves into thicker metal, it’s often sharpened at a higher angle to make everything look even. It may take a bit in the initial sharpening on the WE to get it “adjusted” to sharpening at a precise angle.

+1 as well Curtis

I had often wondered why some of my tips have a wider bevel occasionally, and what you just posted makes PERFECT sense…………..thank you for that as I had no idea, but now I do. :cheer:

[Jonny]

Ya, read about the tip being wider and might make sense as it’s a pretty cheap knife.

I would like to correct a little info, the very tip does get hit at the edge, it’s just the little part before the tip and forward of the main belly that I can’t get. I’ll post pics if I have further trouble (hope not, lol)

So do I set the angle on the edge/bulk of the knife, and I guess in the process, re-profile the end to match the rest (keeping it at one angle throughout, essentially “forcing” the tip to match)?

Do I change angle on the hard to reach part and just do that part at a different angle?

I have the knife touching the two pins on the depth key, do I ever raise the tip or rear of the knife to achieve a “non-horizontal/angled” mounting position, if that makes sense? That is the only thing i have never seen or tried, or is that taboo/noneffective?

Thx!

[Author]

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