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Truck came rumblin' down the street...

2K views 13 replies 4 participants last post by  RustyIron 
#1 ·
...and out hops this big bald guy all dressed in brown.

He might as well have been dressed in red with is truck pulled by reindeer.

Check out what he brought.
 

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#5 ·
I hate packing peanuts, such a mess!
 
#6 ·
First impressions are that the real Edge Pro is a FAR more rigid fixture than the cheap Chinese clone that I've been using. Rigidity allows for much more even strokes. And all the moving parts are more precisely made. More precision equals more accurate bevel. To put it in terms that a shooter can understand, it's like the difference between a Kimber 1911 and an old Rock Island that was found buried in the mud.

I could do good work with the cheap tools. But as any craftsman or artisan knows, better tools usually allow for a little better workmanship or ease of use.
 

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#7 ·
I used the new toy to play with three different knives this evening. I'll share my thoughts, although I might be totally off base. More experimentation is certainly needed.

The first was the Spydie, which has been a little neglected, necessitating some coarse shaping. I started with a 220 Edge Pro stone, and as I was playing around, I gave it some East-West, and came up with a satisfyingly toothy edge. Interesting...

But the edge still needed some shaping and I was growing impatient, so I fixed it up with a Ken Schwartz 150 Bamboo. It cuts about as fast as if I took the blade to the angle grinder. After restoring the shape I wanted, I gave it some East-West, and couldn't get a sharp edge. So I went to the Ken Schwartz 400 Bamboo, finished East-West, and the edge was still not to my liking.

What's up with that? I think that Ken's stones cut really fast, and leave a burr that's hard to get rid of. The Edge Pro stones cut really slow, so it's easier to deburr an edge, and maybe that's why I can get a sharp edge with a coarser grit. More experimentation needed...

Since I had to see what I could do with the Edge Pro, I took the Spydie to 0.25μ at 19°, and I'm liking the results. See the picture below.

Next was an old Henkles kitchen knife that I've had for 30+ years. Again, I took it to a quarter micron, but went a little steeper, and it came out nice.

Last was a little knife that I made out of a power hacksaw blade and some exotic wood that came from a tree in the yard. It's a pretty little knife, but the edge has never been completely gratifying. Even when nicely polished. So this time I took it to 21° East-West with an 800 Edge Pro stone, then stropped just a little with 1μ CBN. Now the edge is a little toothy, and quite suitable. More experimentation is needed here.

Besides working on polishing, I need to work out the challenges of photographing edges. This will have to do for one evening.
 

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#8 ·
May I suggest something? That is, forget about "time."

If we approach anything and define it to ourselves as a "chore" it simply becomes that, and we cannot wait to get to the end.

I have found that enjoyable hours abound, and I lose track of time, if I just enjoy watching an edge form. Granted, there is always to be repair projects, and I just view those spans as a "diamond in the rough."

If I am really tense, obviously I do not polish since the knife might not be mine. But after I gain some focus, the mental gymnastics fade. Each stroke brings the bevel closer to perfection.

I looked at your picture and know that you are now a competent polisher in your own right--otherwise that edge would not be here. Relax in your craft.
 
#9 ·
Had to try some new ideas this evening. First was a kitchen knife that was already very usable, but I like sharpening it because I can get good results. It's the little sister of the Henkels that I did last night. A little bit more attention to detail tonight, and a bit nicer edge.

Then there were no knives that I liked at that needed any work. So I asked Mrs. Iron if any of hers needed a touch up. She brought out a big arse Case folder that she used to carry when we were dating. She found it eons ago in an old truck when she was removing the seats. Uninspiring, but how could I refuse? I told her I would only to one of the three blades, and that if she starting using the knife again, I would do the other two.

All the blades had surface corrosion, and the big one had some dog-awful grind marks. So I took a chunk of broken stone and started rubbing out the pits and scratches. Eventually I put it on the Edge Pro so I could make all the scratches parallel. The edge was uneven and dull. The tip was horribly rounded and blunted. I got out a junk Chinese 120 stone and got to work. The edge started getting wide at the tip, and I don't know exactly how I should have gone about it, but eventually I got rid of the roundness. It wasn't looking all that bad, and would soon be usable.

My intent was to chase the elusive kirinaga. I took it to 600, gave it some E/W, and then a quick strop with 1μ. It's nicely toothy now. Clearly, I'm getting a little better in that regard. The blade got washed under running water, wiped with a clean towel, but not with enough care, and in an instant the red stuff was coming out. Oh well. At least it's on my non-dominant hand, so it won't affect my ability to shoot well. Wife likes the result, and the other two blades will be a bit easier.
 
#10 ·
My intent was to chase the elusive kirinaga.
I'm going to be trying a kirinaga edge on one of those 18 dollar knives I got from Joyce.

Usually I carry at least two knives. For this project I'll carry one that is mirror finished and then one kirinaga. Both the same model of knife, but just two differing edges.

The polished one seems to hold an edge, and a kirinaga edge would be better for slicing food. If the experiment fails I can always try another grit level or just polish it, too.
 
#11 ·
'Iron, I have six of these cheap knives. Would it help if you had one of them to "experiment" upon?

Obviously you'll do well. However, you could experiment with differing grit levels and angle intensities. Worse case, you ruin it, throw it away and ask for another...
 
#12 ·
Thanks, mate. Haven't decided exactly what to experiment on next. Honestly, all the knives that NEED to be sharp, already have nice edges.

What I SHOULD be experimenting on is taking more time to make everything beautiful. I'll do that while playing with other ideas, but right now I want to strop with coarse diamond paste and see what happens. Got some stuff coming from your neighbors in Madison. Surely you must know them. Among other things, they peddle some of Ken's products.
 
#13 ·
Got some stuff coming from your neighbors in Madison. Surely you must know them.
City police, Dane County Sheriffs or court bailiffs? I know that's a stroke from a wide brush, but those are people who know me...LOL

Personally, to get a jump on your business I'll give your name and address to all my clients.
 
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