Spyderco Endura 4 advise please.

[Steve]

Marion wrote:

[quote quote=”
Just make sure to only do around 10 passes with the 5 or even 10-14 um strops after you have lowered your stropping angle by 1-2 degrees. This should produce some extremely sharp edges!

Thanks again mate, helpful info there.

Could you just explain the top bit again for me, a bit clearer so I understand ya, still learning all this stuff lol :blush:

Cheers

Steve.[/quote]

Sure Steve =)

When you go from your 600 grit stone to your strop, you only want to use about 10 light passes on each side. Also, before you actually begin stropping you need to lower your angle on each side by a degree or two (below what your stone was). Make sure you are using the angle cube if you have one.[/quote]

Excellent thanks for that Josh, that has cleared it up. Just to confirm, if I sharpen my knife at say 20 degrees, lower the stropping angle to say 18-19 degrees, thus stropping most off the bevel but leaving the very edge serrated ever so slightly to leave a slight toothed cutting edge, is that correct?

Cheers

Steve

[Steve]

Cheers thanks everyone,very helpful advise given, many thanks

Steve

[Mikedoh]

You are correct about stroppimg a 20 dps (degrees per side) edge at 18-19 degrees.

[tcmeyer]

A follow-up to my earlier post…

Tonight I happened to come across a couple of micro-photos I’d taken of a scalpel and thought I’d share them here with you gents. The first two photos here are of a brand-new scalpel blade, just out of the sterile wrapper. These scalpels are ground with about a 25-degree included angle. As you can see, the edge is quite toothy, but the single polished side makes for a very sharp edge that’ll cut just about anything organic. Look closely at the edge in the non-polished photo and you’ll see the micro-serrations. The third photo is presented for comparison of the grind patterns. It’s a reference photo taken at the same magnification of a 400 grit grind pattern on an old Sheffield blade. The stone is pretty new – not yet broken in. Without actually measuring the scratch marks, I’d guess the scalpel is ground with about 600 grit. ??

Attachments:

• Scalpelnon-polishedside.jpg
• Scalpelpolishedside.jpg
• 400gritdiamondsample.jpg

[Steve]

Very interesting photos,thanks for that 😉

Steve

[Josh]

Marion wrote:

Marion wrote:

[quote quote=”
Just make sure to only do around 10 passes with the 5 or even 10-14 um strops after you have lowered your stropping angle by 1-2 degrees. This should produce some extremely sharp edges!

Thanks again mate, helpful info there.

Could you just explain the top bit again for me, a bit clearer so I understand ya, still learning all this stuff lol :blush:

Cheers

Steve.[/quote]

Sure Steve =)

When you go from your 600 grit stone to your strop, you only want to use about 10 light passes on each side. Also, before you actually begin stropping you need to lower your angle on each side by a degree or two (below what your stone was). Make sure you are using the angle cube if you have one.[/quote]

Excellent thanks for that Josh, that has cleared it up. Just to confirm, if I sharpen my knife at say 20 degrees, lower the stropping angle to say 18-19 degrees, thus stropping most off the bevel but leaving the very edge serrated ever so slightly to leave a slight toothed cutting edge, is that correct?

Cheers

Steve[/quote]
Yeah that is correct. The strops actually “wrap” around your edge so it’s helpful to lower the angle to prevent too much rounding which can possibly dull it (if not done right). Clay had done some testing which seem to show that lowering the angle a degree or two helps with the sharpness.

[wickededge]

The scalpel looks about 600#.

-Clay

[Steve]

Ok guys, how does this sound too you more experienced fellas?

My Spyderco Endura 4 is my main hunting knife, for. small game and vermin etc and I would like for the edge to remain sharp for as long as possible etc

I have sharpened it at 20 degrees (40 inclusive) positioned it on the very heal of the blade (as was suggested on here)to keep it as central as possible due to full flat ground blade. I have gone through the stones up too and including the 1000 grit stone and then adjusted the arms to 18 degrees for stropping purposes. I then gave the knife 24 alternate strokes (12each side) with the 5 microns and the the same amount lightly with the 3.5 microns.

The knife is shaving sharp and slashing news paper for fun, I know it is sharp although I have only taken it upto 1000 grit as I still want a toothy edge for cutting and gutting etc.

How does this method and process sound to you fellas, do you think it will also hold a good edge if I don’t abuse it by chopping bone etc which I don’t do anyway?

Any comment welcome.

Cheers all

Steve

[wickededge]

Steve,

That sounds like a great progression for your knife. What is the steel, VG10? My guides and I have done hundreds of sharpenings on hunting knives, mostly for big game and can attest to the exact same angle/progression as being very effective and durable.

-Clay

[Steve]

Steve,

That sounds like a great progression for your knife. What is the steel, VG10? My guides and I have done hundreds of sharpenings on hunting knives, mostly for big game and can attest to the exact same angle/progression as being very effective and durable.

Hi Clay,

Yes the steel is VG10, am I correcting in saying that this is a good durable steel that takes and holds an edge Well?

Many thanks

Stevr

[wickededge]

I like VG10. There are a lot of reports about the edge being a little brittle and chipping easily. From what I hear, it really depends on the heat treatment. Some manufacturers have it down, others do not. I’ll be interested to hear about your experience with it.

-Clay

[Steve]

I like VG10. There are a lot of reports about the edge being a little brittle and chipping easily. From what I hear, it really depends on the heat treatment. Some manufacturers have it down, others do not. I’ll be interested to hear about your experience with it.

Cheerd thanks Clay, ill definatly keep you posted on how I get on….its how we all learn. 😉

Tha ks very much again for tou help and guidance

Steve

[tcmeyer]

My Delica 4 has a blade of ZDP-189, hardened to RC-65. I have had a few microscopic chips that have stoned out very nicely, but most of the wear is seen along the length of the edge as a relatively uniform dulling, as opposed to my other knives, which always have a variety of flaws which need to be stoned out. When it won’t easily open an envelope, it’s time to touch it up. Except for chips, I don’t need to resort to grits below the 800/1000’s. I don’t think any of my other knives perform like that. They always have more serious flaws that need attention.

I think the big difference is the hardness. Routine use is going to leave dings and nicks along a softer edge. Not so, or at least not so much with the RC-65.

[Author]

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