Tinkering my hard use EDC's

[MAT888]

Well as i'm a newbie arround here i would like you veteran knive afficionado's
to look at my observations and chime in for additional tips and fingerslappin'
I hope my remarks will be of use for other newbies.
;)

As i first started to use the 204 set I slipped the tip on the corners of the stones resulting in a blunt tip. I also did put to much pressure on the knive while resharpening. After some more carefull research and further trail and error i can get my knives hairpopping sharp.

To get this result I''ll keep these steps in mind:

1. Better slow as fast
2. Stop on the corner of the stone before the tip reaches it .
3. Stay at the grey stones till you can shave hair:eek:
4. Stay on the flat grey stones till you are satisfied by the finish at close
inspection.
5. Resharpen the tip on the flats only this will take some time but you can't
blunt it as you stick on the stone and don't let the blade curve arround
the corner.
6. Using the white stones corners apply no pressure at all let the stone do
the work.
7. If you use your knives hard core don't put to high finish on the knive.

After 3 years resharpening on the 204 set knives in my opinion get "fatigued". This is normal as the keramic stones have a higher grit and are not aggressive enough to clean out certain horizontal scratchmarks on the cutting edge . For this i got myself a course diamond benchstone. In my opinion they work the best in rebeveling modern stainless like VG 10 XT-15_N S30V etc. For reprofiling they are also good. I reshaped my D4 W to a D3 splinter picker. I'll post a picture of my tinkered D4W .( I'll have to do this in daylight with my cellphone as my digital camera broke down and i'll have to get a new one).
Hope you guys don't recent me for doing this to a already great knive:cool: .

GETTING RID OF SCRATCHED BLADES

After some time of hard use especially cutting cardboard and nasty nylon webbings and stuff my knives get scratched . As I'm a PITA to my knives i don't like that at all also with my hard day users .

For this i threat them like this BEFORE resharpening them

I get an old used file or flat scrap wood and rap the following sandpapers arround them

400 if very deep scratched
600/800 if bad but not so..
1000/ 1400 to finish
1400/3000 if i want to get a high polish

This will take some time but the result is a like brand new knive...:p

After this I'll take a sponge or wet cloth with USA ; Flitz Metalglow
Netherlands/Germany; Kerstens Original

Rub it in. Take a Leather cloth or soft belt work it afterwords a microfibre cloth. Clean the knive with hot water and dish detergend.

You'are ready to go:D

[spydutch]

Thanks for the tip on the polishing:cool: :cool:

About number 7: I would make sure I don't leave the edge of my S30V blade too coarse. The blade will be more prone to sharpening this way;)

[MAT888]

Hello Spydutch,

I Agree with you don't leave it to coarse . After the grey stones my knives have to shave hair. After that i give them about 20 strokes on the whites depending on the steel and how the edge looks after the grays.

The polishing takes patience and you should go to the next finer grit till the patern of sanding is even : Otherwize deeper scratches won't get out with the next finer grit.

Nowadays i have to go to more specialist retailers to get finer grits then 600 . You can't find them at GAMMA or PRAXIS . You need to go to a paintershop or something.

For the polishing. Don't get the liquid metal polish but the paste. It should contain chromiumoxide.

I got a big tube at Baptist a specialist in tools woodworking etc. I don't know if they are in your part of our country.

[JaM]

Baptists or something similar should have grits to 2000. At least they do in Arnhem.

You're Dutch, where are you exactly ? 'Cause I want to FFG (full flat grind) my D4. :) I could use some advise.

[MAT888]

Hi JaM ,

For rebeveling i'm using a blue colour coded coarse DMT stone.
This is a diamond stone and NOT an arkansas. They work pretty good for the new High HRC stainless steels.
When you really would want to reprofile the edge i would probably get the DMT XXcourse these are the Grey coulour coded onces .
Included shipping they cost less from the states then getting them here at local specialist shops. I got mine from Wolfster.de Germany because i wanted one fast:p . Search for the brand DMT. Get the 6 or 8 inch ones they cost more then the small ones but pay back when tinkering bigger knives/kitchen knives. Larger stones work easier freehand sharpening.

If you don't have experience freehand sharpening you could always send it to Tom Krein in the States. Some foremites overhere send them to him and rave about his work. His edges look very wicked :D Ask around? This will cost maybe 35/ 40 dollars and extra shipping cost.

If you have experience in freehand sharpening be carefull with the XXX coarse GRey DMT. They work like a belt grinder and remove metal very quickly. Be slow and carefull as material removed can't pe put back. :eek

So we both live in the" bridge to far" city ???

PM me so we could talk things over by email. Maybe i can help you out in late september.

It's a small world

:D :p