Emerson folders

Legacy Forum Archive techniques-and-sharpening-strategies
1

I was wondering how you guys are handling your chisel-ground knives? I’m specifically thinking of some Emerson’s I have, Are you just going as low as you can of the flat (ish) side?

Clay, I’m looking forward to your top secret convex scissoror option… Ever since I hinted at this , the wife keeps after me to start up again on her tools. I’m waiting untill you get your new project off the drawing board.

There are a lot of pet groomers out there who’s husbands support them by keeping them operational (like me). Im on some of their forums, as are most of the husbands and This will be big in the community . Im sure it will be a slow intrusiontion into that market as most of us (me included) have damaged some of our wifes stuff. The guys who do it for a living really hammer us with the “I told you not to let them touch it” posts

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[quote quote=“wbeatty” post=4604]I was wondering how you guys are handling your chisel-ground knives? I’m specifically thinking of some Emerson’s I have, Are you just going as low as you can of the flat (ish) side?
[/quote]

I match and sharpen the bevel side, then remove the knife and either lay it flat on a stone, or raise it just a hair, and remove the burr. Use the finest stone or ceramic to do this. Avoid using leather or anything that will change the angle on the flat side, if you change the angle, you pretty much have to live with it (or grind it out) and it can really change the sharpness. You can add a small bevel on the back if you want/need a stronger edge, but most changes are made on the bevel side. Another tip is to put a piece of electrical tape on the back to protect the finish while removing the burr. (After the burr is removed, you can refine the edge with leather a bit if desired, just keep the above in mind).

3

Good deal, I use a piece of MDF with some jewelers rouges now in the same way. Normally I work the edge and knock the burr off with the MDF and refine the edge a bit and one more go at the MDF and I done. I guess what I’m asking is on the WEPS, has anyone gone for that mirror finish on the chisel side of an Emerson CQC 7 or CQC 8? I guess what I’m asking is would you dismount the knife and take it to the flat side in between the progression of grits or every other?

Or is there a better way?

4

I dont think there’s a definite rule, but for best results, I would deburr between each grit change… that’s my preference anyway. When you get to the polish level, you could wait till the end and do a final debur.

I think what you’re doing with the MDF is a good way to go.

5

Since I have quite a few Emersons, your question was one I asked of Clay when I first received my Field & Sport. I went with his suggestion, and have been very pleased with the results.

I do all the work on the bevel, up to 1000 grit at 30 degrees, 50 passes per grit. After finishing with the bevel at 1000, I set the back angle as shallow as I can depending on the knife ( a Gentleman Jim is quite ai bit narrower than a CQC 7, 8, 14, etc.) and make a couple of very light passes to knock off the burr.

By the time you’ve finished the bevel to 1000 grit, the burr is quite pronounced, and you can see it pop free in most instances.

I then strop with leather strops, 5 micron, 3.5 micron and finish with 1 micron spray. When I hit the 1 micron point, I normally do 50 passes bevel only, then finish the sharpening with another 50 passes, alternating between the bevel and the back.

This gives me a polished edge…not a super high gloss, perfect mirror finish, but certainly one you can see a reflection in. It’s proven to be quite durable; I use my EDC knives constantly throughout a normal day, and I find I’m doing a touch up with the 1 micron strops every 2-3 days.

One of my Emersons, a CQC 14, is particularily hard use; two weeks ago it substituted for an oyster knife and shucked two dozen oysters. That pretty much destroyed the finish and dulled the knife beyond even a marginal working edge.

It didn’t chip, however, and it restored perfectly with the above progression. I would like a bit more toothiness on that knife, so the next sharpening I will got to 1000 grit, but only strop with the 5 micron strops. I think that may give me the perfect combo for this knife; really sharp with enough tooth to bite into whatever surface I’m cutting

6

Good post… glad you did it… I’m going to try this out.

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[quote quote=“WayneReimer” post=4710]

It didn’t chip, however, and it restored perfectly with the above progression. I would like a bit more toothiness on that knife, so the next sharpening I will got to 1000 grit, but only strop with the 5 micron strops. I think that may give me the perfect combo for this knife; really sharp with enough tooth to bite into whatever surface I’m cutting[/quote]

Just a thought, a twist on how I do convex .. redoing the highest angle with a 1000 for a few passes.

In your case, go to your toothy grit, say 1000, then dial back a degree or 2 for the strops. Theory is you’ll miss the very edge.

In my mind it says it will work and you won’t see the less polished degree or 2 but have your bit.

All in theory mind you.

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[quote quote=“zig” post=4713]

Just a thought, a twist on how I do convex .. redoing the highest angle with a 1000 for a few passes.

In your case, go to your toothy grit, say 1000, then dial back a degree or 2 for the strops. Theory is you’ll miss the very edge.

In my mind it says it will work and you won’t see the less polished degree or 2 but have your bit.

All in theory mind you.[/quote]

I agree Zig and this is an edge configuration that I really like though I think you might need to back off more than two degrees to make it work. I’ve been doing experiments in the last two days in which I’ve backed off as much as 5 degrees and was still hitting the edge. The Emersons are harder than the metal I was using, so maybe 3 degrees or so will do the trick for you. If you have a loupe, you might start at -3 degrees from the edge and monitor your progress.