What kind of edge do you put on your edc?

[tk59]

What stones do you use on it? Any particular reasons?

 

[Eamon Burke]

I used to just keep a working edge on it, but now I keep it absurdly shaving sharp all the time. It's kind of important for me to keep my blades impressive to the casual person.

 

[Dave Martell]

Extremely rough. I think of my own EDC as an emergency tool that has to work at least once.

 

[SpikeC]

I take mine to at least surgical black arky, sometimes more. I like to be able to cut through things with one easy swipe. If I am using waterstones for something I will often touch up the EDC on what I have out. I don't worry much about which stone to use, just about how crisp the edge is.

 

[sudsy9977]

Extremely rough. I think of my own EDC as an emergency tool that has to work at least once.

dave has a great idea....just don't give him your edc to sharpen!.....hahahahahaha.....u thought i would forget that one huh!.....ryan

 

[Dave Martell]

dave has a great idea....just don't give him your edc to sharpen!.....hahahahahaha.....u thought i would forget that one huh!.....ryan

:scared4:

 

[jmforge]

dull 220 and 400 grit AO belts, couple of passes on the fine stone and then a fair bit of work on a 4 sided strop with gray, green chrome, pink no scratch and the smooth side of bare leather.

 

[macmiddlebrooks]

I use a Spyderco Sharmaker set to 40 deg. for my sebenza (boxes,etc.) and 30 deg. for my swayback jack (fruit only). I could use the stones but the sharpmaker is so darn convenient.

 

[tk59]

What grits do you use and how much time do you spend on each?

 

[Eamon Burke]

2k, 5k, 3mic on balsa, .5mic on leather. I've found push-cutting is 99% of what I do with a folder, since it mostly opens boxes, mail, nylon straps, bread bags, etc. That's my Benchmade. My SAK gets 1k, a little time on the 2k, strop on .5mic.

Why do you ask, might I ask? What do YOU do for your EDC?

 

[Dave Martell]

I like 120x with a swipe on a ceramic rod to remove the burr. Perfect edge for seat belts, etc

 

[l r harner]

the latest blade is CE and the teeth are 400 grit front the PE part is 9 micron and the back is A45 gator belt (yep its 50/50 grind with 100/0 edges )

 

[tk59]

Why do you ask, might I ask? What do YOU do for your EDC?

Well, I have a cheap Buck and a few Swiss army knives that have followed me around for a lot of years (~20). They used to just get a silicon carbide oil stone treatment. When I started getting involved in this forum, I started going to super fine edges and they are okay for like two cuts and then it's over. So I started getting toothier and they worked better. Recently, I got a Del neck knife. It takes a very fine edge that performs like crazy for quite a while. The recent edc thread has got me thinking of upgrading my folders to some better steel but I have little or no experience with some of these ultra tough, abrasion resistant steels and what experience I do have, is with blades optimized for kitchen cutlery which is harder. So, I thought I'd tap the knowledge base here.

@ everybody: Thanks for the info so far.
@ Butch: ***? I don't even understand that? is that English? :help4:

 

[Dubsy]

if your curious about good pocket knives (im either too yung or too old to get the lingo, pretty sure its too young) ive had a Kershaw for about 3 years, and it hardly EVER leaves my side. it takes a great edge, and keeps it, came sharp OOTB too. i put about a 35 degree edge on it, take it up to the same level i take my kitchen knives (.3 micron) and it performs really well for a pocket knife. it doesnt have the edge retention of a high end kitchen knife, but its a softer steel. check out Kershaws speedsafe series, i have the Tanto

 

[jmforge]

Don't discount those Bucks. A friend of mine in the UK sharpens knives fo' money using the chisel sharpening techniques taught to him by his grandfather who did fine finish carpentry/marquetry, including the marquetry and inlay on the Queen's railroad car back in the day. He competes in cutting comps, but his demo knife is an old Buck 110 and he shows off by standing a thin Rizla cigarette paper on its end and cutting it in two with one swipe.

Well, I have a cheap Buck and a few Swiss army knives that have followed me around for a lot of years (~20). They used to just get a silicon carbide oil stone treatment. When I started getting involved in this forum, I started going to super fine edges and they are okay for like two cuts and then it's over. So I started getting toothier and they worked better. Recently, I got a Del neck knife. It takes a very fine edge that performs like crazy for quite a while. The recent edc thread has got me thinking of upgrading my folders to some better steel but I have little or no experience with some of these ultra tough, abrasion resistant steels and what experience I do have, is with blades optimized for kitchen cutlery which is harder. So, I thought I'd tap the knowledge base here.

@ everybody: Thanks for the info so far.
@ Butch: ***? I don't even understand that? is that English? :help4:

 

[l r harner]

here is the blade

 

[goodchef1]

My Microtech is hard to do on stones, I go the mousepad way with microfilm, then green stuff. Works like a charm. cm154 steel keeps and holds an awesome edge. Btw, I found this in the middle of the street while I was walking home.

 

[Adamm]

Covexed on 120 grit belt, Deburred on leather

 

[Mike Davis]

I use my EDC daily, it is a Del necker. I use a 1000 grit diamond stone, then light strop. It is hair poppin sharp and is still toothy enough to cut everything i have tried. I have used mine for countless things..including whittling....often and i have only sharpened it a few times.

 

[Chef Niloc]

I like mine toothy as well, use it mostly on boxes, rope, those plastic tie straps and self defense so being able to cut threw leather biker jackets helps ( just kidding)
I have mostly customs so I try and keep the edges as true to original as posable.
Emersion CQC is what I carry the most. I keep it sharp by using a power leather strop or a felt wheel. Once it gets to dull to strop I go to a norton India or soft Arkansas. If that won't do the trick I ether send it back to the maker to sharpen. in the case of one of one of my Microtech or benchmade I may carry I ether send it out to a pro or if I'm feeling brave I go to a 500 or 220 belt or a diamond plate. I dont know if they ( M.T. / B.M.) i don't know if they even take them back to "fix up" but from my past dealings with there customer service i doubt it. I lost a screw to one of my M.T. And them bustards 1) use a screw that only they have, and need a special tool to for. 2) have never once returned one of my emails asking how to get a replacement screw. Trouble with sharpening most EDC's is the mix of the crazy hard steels they use and the small blade that in some cases the edge is wavy or some other crazy design ( I stay away from those). Other thing is that you only get a few good sharpening's out of a folder. Once the edge is to wide it starts to get tricky thinning them as you start to change the proportions of the blade that are important to how it opened and closes. One would need to take the knife apart and work all the surfaces to keep the knife working good and looking good/new, need knife maker skills for that.
But short answer is diamond plate or belt.

Side note: I want a Bill Burke E.D.C.:hungry3: