Microscopic chips after sharpening? PLEASE Help

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Since it's happening on every knife you sharpen I think you're just using too much pressure after raising and removing your burr. You need to try using lighter pressure after raising your burr and even lighter after removing your burr.
 
Hi Guys
Ok, One reply maybe easier, So many valid points and have noted them all, thank you
Today I sharpened, good burr and used the 400
then went to the 1200 not so hard this time, it was an ok edge but not that sharp however
no chips, interesting...

None of my stones are flat anymore, they all go down in the middle
Was super carefull to keep washing the stones and knife
went a little bigger angle

Should I just keep going on the 1200 to get paper push sharp?
or is this achieved by the 6000

I have deff cut into the 6000 and 8000
seems they are quite soft(kept wet all the time(is that bad.

Thank you so much
Seems I know nothing about sharpening.

Pete
 
You should be able to get paper push sharp off a 1200 grit. Maybe if don't quite get there from just the 1200, try to strop it on some folded newspaper and check if it does push cut after that?
 
I agree with @M1k3 . Try refining the edge, while getting rid of residual burrs and unevenness, using the technique shown in the video. #1200 can be sharp enough for many tasks, if done right.
 
Refine on your 1200 more, you should have a very sharp edge off that stone. If your knife is not sharp off the 1200 going to a higher grit is not going to help. You may have come off your 400 too soon, I can easily and smoothly cut phonebook paper off the 400. And yes, flatten your stones, it will help you!
 
Flat stones are a requirement, not an option. And why are you starting with a 400 grit stone for normal sharpening? I don't like to have 400 grit sharpening scratches at the edge under any circumstances, only use that low a grit when repairing something (currently a rusted and pitted plane blade and a yanagiba that had an unfortunate encounter with a belt grinder). Low grit stones and super hard steel results in edge chips every time.

Use light pressure while sharpening, high pressure doesn't speed things up much but will give you more chipping and stone wear while also tending to cause blade rotation at the same time. The stone will do the work, you don't have to apply energy.

For normal sharpening, start with 1200 grit. I would also suggest using 1200 grit to get rid of the edge chips, I have a strong suspicion you are applying too much pressure on the 400 grit stone and causing micro-cracks that extend back past what steel you are removing with a 1200 grit stone. You will have to grind them out with light pressure on a 1200 grit stone. Penance for being hasty, I think (like I'm doing on the yanagiba).

There is no fast and easy way to excellent edges -- once you get them you can maintain them without a lot of effort, but you have to get there first.

Use a loupe around 20x and verify that you have a good apex too -- if you are using too much pressure you can roll up a wire edge before you actually reach the apex on a 400 grit stone (or roll the knife into the edge) and still have a rough uneven edge when you use the 1200 grit. a good apex off a 1200 grit stone at 20x should look hazy but defect free apex -- no shiny spots, no holes, no "divots" out of the edge, no burr if properly de-burred well.

Sharpening is a skill, and it takes quite some time to get really good at it. Patience is your friend....
 
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If your stones aren't flat and you put a little too much pressure on the handle, the edge of your knife can go below the stone edge causing the chips. If you are doing this you will probably be hearing some really awful sounds.
 
This is a good thread--lots of helpful information and lots of variables.
My thinking is that it's a few variables interacting as opposed to just one thing...
Flatten all stones well, lighten pressure, assure burrs are fully removed, keep angle consistent ( as judged by sharpie trick), try a slightly less acute angle.

To add a variable/question... I would wonder if this could be an issue of a partially removed burr that's getting yanked off at the higher grits, hence the micro-chips. Might feel as if it's gone on the low grit but small parts may be "flopping" to the other side. Notice I didn't say "This is an issue of a partially removed burr." Just something to mull over the next time you go through a progression. After you've done you're deburring, you could double-check by pulling through cork or hard felt to see what's up.

Also, are you using edge-leading or edge-trailing strokes?
 
Ah, burr removal. You must abrade a burr off, tearing it off by any other method will damage the apex. Lots of tricks, but the first one is to use light pressure while sharpening to avoid a large burr in the first place.

And watch for random tipping of the knife into the stone edge first, one of my special tricks to take three times as long as it should to sharpen something. Not only will you remove the apex and have to re-establish it, but with coarse stone you can cause micro-cracks.
 
Get yourself a kitchen scale and place your stone on the scale. Press tare. Do your sharpening motions exactly as normal but look at the number on the scale.
It should be max 1lbs. Better less. I know BKramer says 4-8lbs and he is probably one of the best bladesmiths alive .. but.. don't. On higher grit stones perhaps 8oz are enough. Edge leading strokes to deburr? 3oz might be all you need.
 
I just took a close look at your pics,,,,, that's bloody awful.

When you're stroking the knife over the stone, are you moving your finger-tips along the blade, and ensuring that the portion of the blade you're touching and applying pressure to, is ALWAYS over the stone? It almost looks like you're stradling your stone,,,, not moving your finger-tips along the blade. If you apply your pressure (finger-tips) only on the tip of the blade, and that portion of the blade is over the edge of the stone, you may actually be bending the blade ever so slightly,,,, and if the edges of the stones have not been bevelled (chamfered) properly (knocking the sharp corners off) you'll get chipping from pressing too hard, because the focus-point of that pressure, is now directly at the sharp corners of the stones..
 
I have definitely chipped my edge when I started sharpening knives. I was sharpening a VG-10 knife and once I saw the chip I tried to figure our why. Basically I didnt have my form down yet and like others have stated I had too much pressure on the handle. As I went over the edge of the stone my handle dipped and caused the blade to deform. I was probably doing on other knives as well but that particular knife resulted in micro chips where blades of other steel did not.
I slowed way down after that and lightened my pressure on the handle. Not only did the chips stop but my knives got much sharper I assume from less blade wobble. As I also saw in other comments, I never go below 800 grit on any of my standard knives. I sharpen often enough there is no need. I find that I get cleaner edges either doing 800 and stropping or 800 to a 5k then strop. I stopped using my 1000 to 4000 grit stones because I think there is more room for error the more stones you use. If you put a good edge on a lower grit stone I dont find it necessary to go through a progression. I use a 320 on a repair but that is it. I would flatten all of my stones, then start at 1200 only and perfect that before adding more stones.
 
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