Anyone have any problems sharpening srs steel?

[Sushiman703]

Tried sharpening it for the first time and felt like i was going nowhere.Its advertised around 62-63 hrc but I'm having the hardest time putting an edge on it. I have sharpened harder steels like hap40 and zdp no problem. I even used my lowest grit stone at 400. Something doesn't seem right

 

[Troopah_Knives]

Given the other info, you gave I would guess that either the edge is more degraded than the usual stuff you are sharpening or the bevel is wider than the hap40 and zdp you have sharpened. It's unlikely the steel composition is an issue and at those hardnesses, I really doubt it is a retained austenite issue. More information with a comparison of the geometries of those knives would help.

 

[Rangen]

Comparing the compositions of those three steels, it's not obvious to me, but I'm no expert. SRS13 is higher in Manganese, which increases wear resistance, but HAP40 is higher in Vanadium, which does likewise.

How are you judging "going nowhere?" I've had that feeling, testing the edge and making no progress, but for me it has always meant I was not properly on the bevel when sharpening. Easy to do if the bevel is tiny.

 

[Sushiman703]

As far as I know its pretty flat grind almost zero but has been heavily used (about 1 year without sharpening with heavy abuse) and I was just trying to put a micro bevel but after about 5 mins each side on stone it didn't have that bite I was looking for.

 

[Barmoley]

Sounds like a thick edge that needs more time.

 

[jedy617]

Comparing the compositions of those three steels, it's not obvious to me, but I'm no expert. SRS13 is higher in Manganese, which increases wear resistance, but HAP40 is higher in Vanadium, which does likewise.

How are you judging "going nowhere?" I've had that feeling, testing the edge and making no progress, but for me it has always meant I was not properly on the bevel when sharpening. Easy to do if the bevel is tiny.

Vanadium carbides are much harder/and more annoying to deal with. I believe the second hardest behind niobium which is pretty rare to see anyway.

 

[Troopah_Knives]

Vanadium carbides are much harder/and more annoying to deal with. I believe the second hardest behind niobium which is pretty rare to see anyway.

Yeah but SRS forms little to no MC-type carbides so that's likely not the main factor. Niobium carbides are a bit softer than Vanadium carbides. But you do have a point maybe OP is struggling because SRS really needs diamond abrasives to sharpen like Hap 40 and he has been able to sharpen Hap 40 in the past because the geometry, in that case, was especially thin so very little material needed to be removed.

 

[jedy617]

Yeah but SRS forms little to no MC-type carbides so that's likely not the main factor. Niobium carbides are a bit softer than Vanadium carbides. But you do have a point maybe OP is struggling because SRS really needs diamond abrasives to sharpen like Hap 40 and he has been able to sharpen Hap 40 in the past because the geometry, in that case, was especially thin so very little material needed to be removed.

Yeah that's what I was talking about, SRS should be a bit easier than HAP because of carbide volume and MC vs VC. SRS always feels a bit confusing because I know there is SRS13 and 15. Never had but I hear it's similar to sg2.

These days the only PM steel I sharpen not on diamonds is ZDP, but that's because of the sweet soft chromium carbides lol. Even SG2 has kind of become a hassle on aluminum oxide. If it's not pleasent feeling might as well use diamonds anyway. I have venev vitrified diamond, but maybe it's time to try something higher end like BBB's vitrified or one from Japanese knife imports. Tosho is coming out with one soon as well. Seems to be the rage these days, diamond, but diamond that doesn't feel like garbage to sharpen on haha

 

[Nemo]

I have had no trouble grinding SRS15 on Choseras.

I think that I get a finer edge if I use a diamond stone for the fine stone on this (and other high alloy steels).

Are you working against a microbevel?

Also, the sharpie trick could help in assessing an unknown edge on a well-loved knife.

 

[Pie]

SRS15 seems reasonable on the NP series. Steel comes off at a decent rate and not bad to deburr.

If it’s been a year of abuse you can either grind out a macrobevel fatty or thin it a little. Or a lot .

 

[inferno]

Tried sharpening it for the first time and felt like i was going nowhere.Its advertised around 62-63 hrc but I'm having the hardest time putting an edge on it. I have sharpened harder steels like hap40 and zdp no problem. I even used my lowest grit stone at 400. Something doesn't seem right

i have a srs15 blade at 65hrc or so. akifusa. i sharpen it or my shapton glass and pros. usually end on the 4k glass.

its not like butter but these stones cut this steel fairly well i'd say.
i can shave with it. (if a want a quite sh1tty shave that is)

 

[inferno]

Also, the sharpie trick could help in assessing an unknown edge on a well-loved knife.

yes this is the most important **** in this thread. you need to make sure you are hitting the actual edge otherwise its all for nothing.

 

[Nemo]

i have a srs15 blade at 65hrc or so. akifusa. i sharpen it or my shapton glass and pros. usually end on the 4k glass.

its not like butter but these stones cut this steel fairly well i'd say.
i can shave with it. (if a want a quite sh1tty shave that is)

Yeah, the issue (presuming decent quality stones) is not the ability to grind (cut) the steel. It’s that complete deburring is more challeging. It's often not appreciated by new sharpeners that this is the main impediment to them forming a finer edge.

Also you may have to account for carbide pull-out (depending on your sharpening angle). To me, a diamond fine stone does seem to help somewhat with this at lower sharpening angles. But you can definitely make a pretty good edge with non-diamond stones.

 

[Blank Blades.]

Yeah but SRS forms little to no MC-type carbides so that's likely not the main factor. Niobium carbides are a bit softer than Vanadium carbides. But you do have a point maybe OP is struggling because SRS really needs diamond abrasives to sharpen like Hap 40 and he has been able to sharpen Hap 40 in the past because the geometry, in that case, was especially thin so very little material needed to be removed.

I've heard that niobium carbides could potentially be harder than vanadium carbides. Can't remember where I read that. So take it with a grain of salt.