Sharpening S30V Steel

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15-07-2019, 01:16 PM
mikee

Sharpening S30V Steel

After finally managing to teach myself to sharpen ordinary steel knives I am having some issues sharpening my folder which has S30V steel

Any tricks to this, I cannot seem to get my folder sharper than just / almost near enough which is not as good as it should be.

Tried 300/1000 & 6000 grade water stones I have been using for kitchen and filleting knives etc and they barely touch it.

Dug out the lansky sharpener ( I have with a vengeance) with diamond stones and better BUT i cannot seem to get rid of the burr
Sharpened to 17deg angles each side with 30degree micro bevel which seems to be what the interwebby reccomends

I don't have a strop and to be honest was preferring to not have to buy anything else, but would rather do it myself not "send it to a chap to do for me" except as a last resort
15-07-2019, 01:33 PM
gonetropo

whats the knife? possibly a knock off with substandard steel. i had a spiderco in s30v and it sharpened like a dream not that it needed it often
15-07-2019, 01:37 PM
mikee

Quote:

Originally Posted by gonetropo

whats the knife? possibly a knock off with substandard steel. i had a spiderco in s30v and it sharpened like a dream not that it needed it often

Benchmade Bugout
15-07-2019, 02:18 PM
kiwijames

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikee

Benchmade Bugout

Good steel. Great knife.
I think the Benchmade steel must be quite hard. My Bugout hardly sees a stone or strop as it just stays sharp. Mines used as EDC so will get used at least once a day.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...3d674022bc.jpg
15-07-2019, 02:35 PM
mikee

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwijames

Good steel. Great knife.
I think the Benchmade steel must be quite hard. My Bugout hardly sees a stone or strop as it just stays sharp. Mines used as EDC so will get used at least once a day.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...3d674022bc.jpg

Yep thats the one
15-07-2019, 03:15 PM
Moutere

I can put it over a Tormek and set the bevel if you want?
15-07-2019, 04:11 PM
scottrods

I have a Benchmade Proper also S30V steel.
I'm using a Lansky delux, plus two strops (one with black compound and one with white).

Yes it takes a while to put a hair popping edge on it and definitely needs the strop. But ones its there, it lasts.

BTW, if anyone has any white compound left, any change they can cut off a inch long chunk and send it to me. Postage from US is heaps for a single bar.
15-07-2019, 05:15 PM
Wirehunt

You can buy it here at a good engineering shop.
15-07-2019, 05:24 PM
hotbarrels

1 Attachment(s)

I would recommend you get a magnifying headband. Best thing I ever did in terms of sharpening. Lets you get a real close up look of the edge profile and what "issues" might be holding back your edge. 2.5 power is all you need, but the one I got came with 4 different lenses.

Attachment 115446
15-07-2019, 05:34 PM
gonetropo

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotbarrels

I would recommend you get a magnifying headband. Best thing I ever did in terms of sharpening. Lets you get a real close up look of the edge profile and what "issues" might be holding back your edge. 2.5 power is all you need, but the one I got came with 4 different lenses.

Attachment 115446

also great optics for COL members to have a w..k
15-07-2019, 06:43 PM
Micky Duck

my simple 2 ceramic rod sharpener is so simple to get good edge on hard/stainless and the angle has to be right as rods are set on angle of choice...recently bought a diamond oval shaped steel....it seems to work rather well when used the way we used to do it in the fisheries....put end of steel on bench and LOOK down it when stroking knife down towards bench....it takes a bit to get used to doing it backwards like this but you get a more consistant angle...its also a good trick when you really ding an edge and dont have a stone handy...you can bring edge back somewhat.
15-07-2019, 07:07 PM
mikee

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotbarrels

I would recommend you get a magnifying headband. Best thing I ever did in terms of sharpening. Lets you get a real close up look of the edge profile and what "issues" might be holding back your edge. 2.5 power is all you need, but the one I got came with 4 different lenses.

Attachment 115446

use one of them at work quite often
15-07-2019, 10:08 PM
Tahr

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotbarrels

I would recommend you get a magnifying headband. Best thing I ever did in terms of sharpening. Lets you get a real close up look of the edge profile and what "issues" might be holding back your edge. 2.5 power is all you need, but the one I got came with 4 different lenses.

Attachment 115446

Where do you get these from? I'm having trouble reading case head stamps. Once they are worn its difficult to see the difference between 300saum and 270wsm case brands for sorting. My reading glasses aren't much help so I use a magnifying glass at present.

Apologies for the side track.
15-07-2019, 10:15 PM
Pengy

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/led-headban...ifier/p/QM3511
17-07-2019, 04:49 PM
Nick-D

Probably just need more time on the polish man. relatively big carbides in s30v and will take quite some time on entry level or standard water stones. Diamond or high quality stones are generally a must on the harder steels.

Remove the burr by running it through some soft wood then strop on some newspaper or the 6k stone.
18-07-2019, 08:04 AM
Shelley

Heh I’m the chap, could be it just needs the bevels set properly, I can do it in my wicked edge for you, easy to set it at 17 degrees per side, once it’s done properly a leather strop, made from an old belt, will keep it going unless you hit bone or stones with it, if you want I’ll do it, I can send it back with a bit of compound to keep you going on a strop.
Shelley 021727546
18-07-2019, 10:12 AM
In2thewild

That's super hard steel right there. Id be definitely using diamonds.

For checking the edge I use a Jewellers loupe. about $5 from aliexpress.
20-07-2019, 01:31 PM
Moa Hunter

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-D

Probably just need more time on the polish man. relatively big carbides in s30v and will take quite some time on entry level or standard water stones. Diamond or high quality stones are generally a must on the harder steels.

Remove the burr by running it through some soft wood then strop on some newspaper or the 6k stone.

Sometimes a piece of hardwood like oak or an old Hickory handle works well on a burr because of hard ridges in the wood. If the blade is getting a Burr then the steel can't be super hard, more likely 'tough'. I am guessing that the edge angle is too steep and needs ground back and correctly shaped as has been offered
20-07-2019, 03:54 PM
Nick-D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Sometimes a piece of hardwood like oak or an old Hickory handle works well on a burr because of hard ridges in the wood. If the blade is getting a Burr then the steel can't be super hard, more likely 'tough'. I am guessing that the edge angle is too steep and needs ground back and correctly shaped as has been offered

Even the harder knife steels will develop a wire edge but yeah tough is a good way to describe s30v. Very useful steel for Knife making

He's using a lanksy so should be OK angle wise. Probably just needs more time to work the polish and remove the wire edge

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