Ravenbrook

[Ravenbrook]

Thanks for the advice guys. I’m planning on doing a knife or two this weekend and plan on skipping the ceramics and go from the 1000 grit to the 1500 grit and then to the SO films. Should I just use the 3 micron as someone suggested or also use the 9 and 5’s?

Again, thanks! And what a great forum that isn’t full of all the drama that I’ve found on so many others! Great work Clay!

[Ravenbrook]

Just bought a set of SO Lapping films, 9,5 and 3 microns. Decided to do my first knife with them last night. Pulled out a ZT0566CF in M390. Reprofiled the edge to 17 degrees starting with the 100/200 stones and on up to the 800/1000 stones. Then on to the 1200/1600 ceramics and finally on to the new 1500 diamond stones I just received. After doing the 800/1000 stones I tested the edge to see where I was at. Felt pretty good. Moved on to the ceramics and still felt good after doing both. Then on to the 1500 and then tested again and the blade felt worse off. I used a piece of phonebook paper and manually pushed it into the blade and after the 1600 ceramics it cut nicely, after the 1500 diamonds it was far worse. Is this because the 1500’s need time to break in? Or should I use them after the 1200’s and before the 1600’s? Or just skip the ceramics and use the 1500’s and then the lapping films? This grit thing has me confused as to what progression to use.

I ended up going from the 100/200’s on up to the 1200/1600 and then using the films and while I didn’t get a really shiny edge, it was ok, and it was pretty sharp.  Anybody live on the west coast of Florida and want to help me out with this stuff? I can get ok results, but not edges like I’ve seen posted on this site.

[Ravenbrook]

I just finished ordering  a set of the 1500 Grit diamond stones and  3, 5, and 9 micron Aluminum Oxide films. I’ve never used the films before so for the cost I thought it would be a cheap way to get into trying them without breaking the bank.  So now I’ve added on to the Pro Pack 1 with 1200/1600 ceramics, 1500 diamonds, 14/10 and 1/0.5 micron strops.  Man this knife habit is starting to add up! lol

[Ravenbrook]

I have 3 Chris Reeve’s: one made on my parents Anniversary, one on each of their birthdays.  Not really EDC’s per se. I rotate 2-ZT0566 w/M390 (they have different scales), a ZT0562 CTS-204P, a Large Griptilian M390, a ZT0770CFM4, a Manix 2 with S110V, a LionSteel SR-2, and a Dragonfly w/G10 handles, depending on the situation, where I’m going to, who’s going to be there, dressed up or jeans. I also have a LW Manix 2 in S110V that stays in the truck for work and camping.

There are a few more that I’d like to get but just bought a new truck and she needs a few creature comforts that the old truck had. But mommy just had to buy a new travel trailer to pull so I needed a bigger truck to pull it.

And of course my Wicked Edge keeps them all sharp!

1 user thanked author for this post.

Mark76

[Ravenbrook]

My wife and I have a unwritten agreement in that for Mother’s Day or special events I buy her a Willow Tree Figurine and she doesn’t question my knife related purchases! I don’t go overboard, only have 8 knives, and a Wicked Edge PP 2 with a few accessories but I’m still way ahead! Not to mention she encourages me to go golfing as often as I’d like. A keeper for sure!

3 users thanked author for this post.

Mjcollier, M1rrorEdge, CliffCurry

[Ravenbrook]

I’ll have to get some of that doublesided tape.

And while the 14/10 paste may be just about what the ceramics are,  I’ve noticed a nice improvement in “my” work since I started using them.

One thing I do love about the Wicked Edge is that there is no absolute right way to get to your end result.  Always new ways to try. In this case technique is more important than what you’re using.

 

3 users thanked author for this post.

wickededge, CliffCurry, Mark76

[Ravenbrook]

Thanks for the tip. I’m going to sharpen my ZT 0562CF again soon. Started out at 20 degrees just to see how she liked it but now I think I’ll go to 18 degrees this weekend.

[Ravenbrook]

With that knife I did use the 3.5 and 5 micron strops and VERY GENTLY stropped the blade for about 50 strokes at the original angle. Then I used my 1 and 0.5 micron Balsa strops and went a bit harder. I guess I should adjust the angle for the leather and put it back for the balsa?

[Ravenbrook]

We find a measurable improvement in our testing after we use the strops. A fun experiment to run is the Hanging Hair Test (HHT) and it doesn’t require specialized equipment. Try sharpening a knife at an acute angle, like 15 degrees per side, with your stones and then run the HHT. Record your results. Then lower the angle by a degree or two, or mount the knife higher in the clamp if you can’t go lower on the degree bar, and then strop the edge using light strokes. Re-run the HHT and compare your results. I don’t want to give away exactly what we’ve seen here until you’ve had a chance to try it for yourself. Good luck! A knife that passes HHT at a high level transcends most nuances of “what is sharp?” because it push cuts and slices well, does great shaving but also on tomatoes etc… It’s not all that durable for chopping or carving wood where the forces the edge is subjected to are high.

What exactly is the HHT that you mentioned?

[Ravenbrook]

Thanks for the advice. This one comes with CTS-204P. Do you have any experience with that steel?

[Ravenbrook]

Thanks for the tips. I’ll try turning the arms backwards the next time I sharpen a knife. I do use an angle cube now, that’s how I knew what the angles were set to. It just seems that the holes have little to do with the actual angle of the rod at times.

Thanks again!

[Author]

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