cbwx34

[cbwx34]

Is it wrong to want this, just so I can say, “This knife was finished on Kangaroo Leather”?? :side: :woohoo:

[cbwx34]

The quote about the F and UF Spyderco stones comes from Cliff Stamp on his blog:

Spyderco has always been clear that the only difference between the F and UF is the lapping finish, they are the same abrasive one is just finished finer than the other.A bit of perspective on the razor community, while they are correct, they are extremely precise and the main guage they use is the sensitivity of the skin in response to shaving as the guage of sharpness.

[/quote]

Here’s a bit more info you might find interesting from Sal (Spyderco’s president):

———————————————————————-

All of the ceramics use the same micron size (15-25). the different grits are created by different carriers, different firing techniques and diamond surface grinding.

———————————————————————-

We’ve spent a great deal of time trying to determine grits for our stones. The manufacturer has also worked with us, to no avail. A guess seems to be best.

Most abrasives are measured by the grit size used in the matrix. Our ceramic doesn ‘t work that way. Grit size is constant.

We’ve tried to compare scratch patterns as Cliff mentioned and this is probably the closest, but nothing that we can say “This is blah blah”. Then the Japanese water stones jump into the equation and suddenly there is whole new set of numbers.

So where we end up is:

Our diamonds are a 400 mesh (measureable). (600 on the Duckfoot)

Our gray stone is “medium”. (Same material as fine but different carriers and heat treat).

Our fine stone is fine.

Our extra fine is a surface ground fine.

———————————————————————-

Our Ultra fine stone took many years to develop and few know about them. I was convinced enough with the stone’s potential that we finally were able to make a 3″ X 8″ version that is not much more than a quarter inch thck. Two sides, flat and fine.

It took five years for our R&D teram to finally produce this stone. The challenges kept cropping up and needed to be overcome. Technology in the area of ceramic stones has improved and we can now make stone shapes before not possile.

We have the new UF 3X8, a 2″ X 4″ fine slipstone with 1/2″ down to 1/8″. And we also have a ceramic version of the byrd duckfoot, fine grit. A true “Golden stone”. The downside is the high cost.

50,000 years from now when the Pyramids have crumbled and humans are but a memory, Spyderco ceramic stones will be seen sticking out of the earth, ready to work.

————————————————————-
Source: http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthread.php?31188-Ceramic-benchstones-compared-to-DMT-extra-fine

[cbwx34]

I just purchased the WES a few weeks ago and have the same problem with getting a mirror look.

The smallest grit stones I have are the 800/1000 then the 5 and 3.5 strops.

How do you know when to go to the next highest grit. because my edge is not even close to mirror.

now it is sharp but dull and scratchy looking. I spent 30mins working on this.

Should the 1000 grit leave a smooth not polished finished…???

Is there a step by step instruction
on going from one grit to another?

[attachment:3]spdy blade.jpg[/attachment]

To add a bit to this… I sharpened a knife and repeated what you have… 1000 –> 5m –> 3.5m leather, and couldn’t get a mirror finish, even with quite a bit of time on the leather. So, probably not possible, at least not in a reasonable time. (Forgot to snap a photo).

I then went back to the 1000 and then went to the new MicroFine ceramic… coarse then fine for about 50 passes with each. (I haven’t lapped my stones). Then on to the 5m –> 3.5m leather for about 75 passes each, and got the start of a mirror finish (obviously without magnification)…

Still a bit of scratching, but considering how little time I spent, this would be at least a good start toward a finer/mirror finish, if that’s what you’re looking for.

Attachments:

• photo1.JPG

[cbwx34]

Thanks mucho!!

[cbwx34]

I lowered the angle significantly before stropping the knife to prevent any convex shaping, which worked out really well but didn’t clean up the knife edge as much as I’d like so the next step will probably be to strop the knife again a few degrees wider per side.

I decided to widen the angle by two degrees per side and re-strop the knife with the .25um Diamond on Leather Strops:

Hate to do this (again) but could you be a little more specific? 🙂 “lowered significantly” doesn’t say much. And I’m really interested in the “widen the angle by two degrees…”. do you mean 2 degrees above what you sharpened it at?

Thanks!

[cbwx34]

So, a quick check, or for the “Field & Sport” model that doesn’t have the guide setup, would be to take a quick measurement to insure the tip is approx. the same distance from the pivot as the straight part of the blade.

p.s. The ruler is just for the photo, you could use the stone itself… make a mark, or just make sure it hits approx. the same spot.

Attachments:

• KnifeDist.JPG

[cbwx34]

What was the reason for the chatter? Thin blade?

Also, was there any issues mounting the blade? And what angle did you sharpen at?

[cbwx34]

I did something similar to this using sandpaper mounted to the leather…

I used “Removable Double Sided Tape”, which had just enough hold to keep the paper on, but didn’t leave any residue. (And a surprise to me, I only need one piece for the entire process.) Sandpaper from 100-2500 grit. Then, just removed the tape for the final stropping with the leather.

A lot of posts I’ve read… people switched from using mousepads to just using leather, because the mousepad had too much give… although it’s still commonly called the “sandpaper on mousepad” technique. :silly:

Attachments:

• BrkRvr_WE04.jpeg

[cbwx34]

I spent a year on week on another forum trying to explain the principles you’ve so clearly laid out. I even constructed a 3d model for people to download and manipulate in an eViewer. Still, people struggled with the concept.

I’ll admit, I was one of those. B) Had to figure it out for myself…

Great writeup!!! :cheer:

Attachments:

• WEAngle02a.jpeg

[cbwx34]

I think you have a couple of issues. Some of your photos look like you weren’t hitting the very tip, others look like the tip may have been “off” to begin with. But the 2nd contributes to the first… in other words, if the tip is “off”, then it’s hard to reach and sharpen properly, so it’s not necessarily true that you’re not reaching the tip… the stone may just not be hitting it properly.

Instead of working the tip separate, (not including flexible knives, which you may have to), I would consider spending a bit more time with a coarse stone, making sure the tip is properly set. Then as you go through the rest of the stones, the tip should sharpen fine.

Just to emphasize what Mark said… a little extra time at the tip and heel may be needed to get it right.

[cbwx34]

This design can’t support a sharpening corner on a blade bend. Only in one case, the sharpening corner on a bend of a blade will be equal to a corner on a direct site, is when the radius of a bend is equal to distance from a point of fastening directing to a cutting edge of a rectilinear site on this axis. I offer the designer of this sharpener, to provide in it possibility to change this distance. In details look a photo. Photo

You “change this distance” by moving the position of the blade forward or back, as oulined in this post…

http://wickededgeusa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=91:finding-the-sweet-spot-positioning-your-knife-from-front-to-back&catid=38:instructions&Itemid=81

…which will set up the blade to properly sharpen as you head toward the tip! 🙂

Attachments:

• sweet-spot-on-a-curved-knife.jpeg

[cbwx34]

Here are a couple shots of the knife after I sharpened it. I said I was going to use it first, but then I couldn’t resist sharpening it while the coating is still pristine so the edge would really stand out. There is plenty of time to try different finishes on it 🙂

Gotta admire a guy who sharpens knives day after day, but gets one delivered, sticks in the sharpener, and next thing you know….. :whistle: :whistle: :whistle: :whistle: :woohoo:

[cbwx34]

I wanted to do a couple more knives before I posted this. I could tell the coarse Micro-fine was more coarse than rated… but as an alternative to lapping, I’ve been using it after the 1000g diamond, which seems to set up the edge better for the rest of the ceramics. So. I’ll go Coarse Micro-fine. –> 1200 –> 1600 ceramics –> Fine Micro-fine… then onto leather (if desired). 🙂

Just thought I’d present an alternate use that I’m liking.

[cbwx34]

Check out this thread:

http://www.wickededgeusa.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=5&id=2399&Itemid=63#2431

I’m glad you brought this back up… I apparently didn’t read it close enough before. There’s a lot of good info in there.

[cbwx34]

Not to be picky, but are not the “star” bits actually called Torx bits.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torx

If you go to a store asking for bits, they may know what you want if you ask for star bits, but a real tools store guy will definitely know Torx.

Just tryint to be helpful here, really!
Phil

They’re sold under both… but good point!!

[Author]

Posts