NotSharpEnuff

I ordered some of the dry lubricant mentioned by MarcH in a different thread.

Just got the bottle of dry bike lubricant made by Finish Line.  I’ll give it a try on a set of ball joints I just finished cutting/sanding.

Ed K.

What do you push down into the threaded part? Grease? I’m going to have to check my joints, as I never noticed a hole there before. I’m not sure how you do it, but a hole would let me pack grease down on the threaded hole. Then screwing a rod down into it should force grease down into the joint. I’m guessing that the joint would last longer witho…[Read more]

Tom,

The “Heim” joints I get from Mcmaster-Carr are cheaper but the shipping cost probably makes them comparable to Fleet Farm.

What I’ve found is that the joints have a small hole in the bottom of the threaded part that is open down to the swivel ball.  So, I take the time to wrap the outside of the ball joint with paper towel and tape it t…[Read more]

Tom,

The set pictured above is the implementation of your mod with all stainless parts.  My adaptation is to use the plastic 1″ knobs with jam nuts.

The cost of all stainless parts and the labor cost to cut the barrel off of two knobs and tap the other two was prohibitive for me to make for other members.  I did make a four sets for Marc’s r…[Read more]

Richard,

I also check the angle at each grit change.  I have also checked the angle while using the same grit stone.

Especially with scrubbing, the knife may have shifted ever so slightly.  Since I do mostly pocket knives with a variety of shapes and sizes, it might happen to me more than others who do more kitchen size blades.

When I clamp th…[Read more]

Here are some pictures of my original hybrid Rack-it that’s looking for a new home.  Anyone who is interested in purchasing this used Rack-It please PM me.

Ed K.

Somehow my second picture got lost in the bit bucket of the internet.

Malachy,

What DPS angle are you trying to sharpen?  I have a PM2 and have settled on 18DPS with S110V.  This blade steel seems to work best for me at that angle.  Can you add a pic or two of your setup?

Ed K.

Marc,

Received the new hybrid Rack-it and it is perfect.  I needed a larger Rack-it to accommodate the additions to my stone collection. The first two pictures are my original Rack-it.  I added a snap on cover to keep as much dust and bugs off my stones as it hangs in the garage.  The third Picture is the new Rack-it in it’s new home.  Both Rac…[Read more]

Dale,

Thanks for the angle adjuster review.

I do need to point out that the original modification came from tcmeyer.  His modification utilizes stainless steel knobs rather than the plastic knobs/jam nuts I use.  I switched to the plastic knobs due to the cost and the labor involved.

If anyone wants to DIY a set, PM me and I’ll provide the M…[Read more]

Like airscapes, I sometimes embark on projects more for the journey than the destination.

Richard,

Below is a snip from zknives.com.  This site has great information on blade steel.  I have sharpened CPM 3V and it is hard work.  Especially if you have to reprofile the bevel.  Did you feel and hear the difference sharpening this steel compared to other blades?  To me, it was evident from the start that sharpening this steel was goin…[Read more]

Organic,

I also took the quiz cold without Google.  Yes, I am a steel nerd and proud of it!  Science and Chemistry have always been more than interesting to me. Since my days in high school electronics and chemistry classes, I rely on the principles of the scientific method. Anecdotal evidence is good but I do like to find the science behind t…[Read more]

Airscapes,

Below is a well written article on belt/grinder sharpening.  It’s a long detailed article so I posted the conclusions for those who want the CliffsNotes.

I have 1X42 Kalamazoo belt sharpener that sees very little use.  Even using a knife rest, I just cannot get a nice even bevel or an evenly sharpened knife.  When I have a knife th…[Read more]

Tom,

With edge leading, wouldn’t the particle crashing down on the edge cause the same damage/rut due to the small resistance of steel at the edge of the edge?  Whether you push the plow or pull the plow the science/physics should be the same.

Ed K.

In either case, the damage is lessened or even eliminated by changing to edge-leading.

If you…[Read more]

Expedia,

Not sure how much you use your scope, but I wore a large notch in the plastic that contacts the blade.  I center the scope on the blade edge to get a straight down look and then roll to the left and right for a bevel picture.  Over time, this cut a pretty deep gash in the plastic.  Tom Meyer posted a link to some UHMW tape that I now us…[Read more]

I can’t remember where I got them.  I’ll look through my receipts and see if I can find the order.

@Pinkfloyd re: metal strip

I ended up making my own as I use the Chosera stones regularly.  Looking at the third pic you’ll notice that the bend “loops up” some and is bent inward toward the stone face.  This gives me some spring action that holds the strip tight against the face.  Straight 90 degree bends did not work as well as the loop at th…[Read more]

I also use the  Floureon DXL360S angle gauge and find it to be the best/most accurate of several I’ve used.

I have seen no signs of magnetic loading of the swarf but I really haven’t been looking for it.

The accuracy and USB charging got me to buy it.