I want to become a Jedi Master at sharpening

[prime77]

So there was this guy on spyderco forums that post a youtube video of his new CTS-XHP steel Manix 2 whitting hair
I so wanted to be able to do that with mine. After much patience and time and week or so reading everything on many of the forums I have been able to get my edge hair whittling sharp. But I still want to know more. Like I said I went through every thread here on MT.O about sharpening as well as tons on BF, and Spyderco forums. To this point I have been using a set of flat coarse diamond and ceramic stones. I have the Lanzky crock sticks with the two grades of stones and a another system similar to the Spyderco sharpmaker called a steamboat sharpener. I have been able to get hair shaving and sometimes treetopping sharpness with these so I never took the jump to the sharpmaker.  Am I missing out? What I want to know from you guys is every tip you have about sharpening. No matter the system, device, or method. What angles do you use? Do some steels take a better angle than others? Do you prefer polished or toothy edge? Any info would be appreciated.

Here are some links that have really helped me out.

Mikes great find on youtube of Ray Mears. http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,5284.msg88816.html#msg88816
Sharpening tips and knife maintenance. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/26036-knife-maintenance-and-sharpening/

Now for a story of my own. In my quest to become a Jedi Master of sharpening I stopped by a local leather makers shop to see if he sold strops. He said no but said I could make my own and told me his method. He sold me two pieces of leather and some jewelers rouge. He told me to take them home and give them a good coating of power steering fluid. He told me to work the fluid in then let them dry. Then work some of the jewelers rouge in and go at it. I have never head of this method but I gave it a go. I was really surprised with the results. I have found it a great way to put a good polished edge on a already sharp edge making it even better. These aren't the best shots.  

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

You can still see from the pictures that, that's impressive work mate

[thebullfrog]

No kidding, feel free to "practice" on my blades any time lol.

[Styerman]

Look for posts by a fella named Joe Talmadge , on Spyderco and Blade Forums , he has some pretty good ideas . Knives Ship Free has some very good vid clips on stropping .

Chris

[Sean]

Nice job!  Good for you.   I've been getting more into stropping and if you haven't tried it on a blade like
the Pacific Salt it literally puts a mirror finish on the edge like I've never seen.  It's a great way to sharpen
in my opinion because you really aren't removing as much steel as you would if you used a stone.

[Styerman]

A strop belt in a 72" belt grinder is lethal , ditto a hard felt buff loaded with the right compound . Dangerous to the unwary , but sure does work .

Chris

[prime77]

Thanks styerman for the guy on Spyderco and BF. I'll check him out.

Thank you Sean.  I have to say that I am really enjoying sharpening freehand and then finishing with a good strop. I really like the edge you get.   

[Benner]

Those look great mate. 

[AHB]

Kwaksters Sharpening with Paper Wheels thread..

[Magic Bus]

I'm often accused of being stroppy 

[Gadget Guy]

Kwaksters Sharpening with Paper Wheels thread..

Thanks for the reminder, I'm going to order that system. 

James, There are a 1000 different ways to sharpen a knife. How do you like your edge? I like mine kind of toothy and that's why I only sharpen on a stone and give it a quick pass on the strop.

[prime77]

Hey John. I tend to favor a polished edge for push cutting. I remember Kwaksters paper wheels thread. Right now I just don't have the confidence to try them. Maybe someday. I am getting more and more confident as well as better sharpening freehand with more and more practice. What angles do you guys use? 

[Styerman]

Wheels are for experts , a buddy of mine almost got a severed Femoral artery playing around with a Baldor buffer and a kitchen knife . I made him an apron lined with skate cloth to proptect him in the future .

Chris

[prime77]

Alright so I am still practicing and getting better at getting that hair popping/whittling edge. I got a Spyderco Sharpmaker and the ultra-fine rods. The method I am going with now is working my way through the three rods checking for the burr to form them trying to get it to go away. Then I followed some of the threads about strops on BF and made some of my own. I got some polishing compound and work my way through the different levels till the last.




It's hard to tell from these shots but I was able to get a perfect mirror edge on my Manix2. For some reason I can't get this same result with other knives with different steel but I am really happy with my progress so far. The Manix2 will whittle hair with ease and pop the hair right off my arm without touching the skin. 




I still want to get better so any advice would be appreciated.

[Styerman]

Mostly , just practice .

Chris

[prime77]

Mostly , just practice .

Chris

Still practicing but getting better results. 

[AHB]

That's sharp...   

[Nikos]

You're not practicing on a CRK, right?

[Splat]

Nice work, Prime!  FFG blades are easier to sharpen, IMO, because you're simply laying the whole blade down. I've been using my Edgepro and finishing with BRK&T black and green compounds, then with Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish. You feel pain in your eyes just looking at the finished edge. :-)

[markn951]

You're not practicing on a CRK, right?

It's not like he's never sharpened before, he's practicing becoming a Jedi Master, but I'm sure he has no problem putting a human-level edge on any knife.

[ryan1835]

the knife in question is worth its weight in gold 

[prime77]

Nice work, Prime!  FFG blades are easier to sharpen, IMO, because you're simply laying the whole blade down. I've been using my Edgepro and finishing with BRK&T black and green compounds, then with Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish. You feel pain in your eyes just looking at the finished edge. :-)

I do almost the same stropping as you. Three different compounds then Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish on a leather strop. What a difference MM&P makes. I don't know what micron size it is but not only does it make for a mirror finish but turns shaving to tree topping and hair whittling sharp.

You're not practicing on a CRK, right?

No but I really should have kept it touched more than I did. I lost the ability to shave with it and had to bring it back. All that was done with the brown, fine and ultra fine Spyderco rods. Followed my three different strops.

[markn951]

the knife in question is worth its weight in gold 

It's just a Sebby. They're a dime a dozen in my eyes, I don't care how much they cost.

[prime77]

So of late I have been trying to get a perfect mirror finish after sharpening.

Inspired by some threads on other forums. I had a go at my Spyderco Endura. I took it down to 15 degrees per side  using coarse DMT stones. Then finished with the fine and extra fine stones. For stropping I used 6, 3, and 1 micron DMT past on hardwood then finished with .05 micron green compound on leather. These are my final results. She is amazing sharp and cuts so well.   








Some slight scratches seen under high magnification.








[/QUOTE]

[sappyg]

you sir are a true jedi master 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

That's bloody fantastic James

[prime77]

Thanks guys. 

[AHB]

Excellent work..   

[John]

+1 

And if you lived this side of the pond I'd send you my cold steel kukri to practice on 

[prime77]

So I progressed enough that lastnight I thought I would have a go at reprofiling and polishing the edge of my Umnumzaan. Here are the final results.