BF2020 Viper Swayback Discuss Thread

Thanks, this is helpful advice.
I had given up on stropping because I got so frustrated with it. I can freehand sharpen rather well, but then I use a strop, and the blade gets duller. :mad:
After reading your post about using balsa wood, I dug out the tube of diamond paste I bought years ago, smeared some on a paint stirrer, and held it against the Sharpmaker rods so I could keep a consistent angle. Slow strokes with edge trailing.
WhooHoo this Viper is sharp! Looking through a jeweler's loupe, I can still see some of the factory grind lines on the edge, so I know I haven't removed an excessive amount of steel, but they are starting to polish out. :cool::thumbsup:
Mind if I "borrow" your method??;)
 
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Oh that dark one is OUTSTANDING, you HAVE to keep that one... Just my 2 Cents. ;):thumbsup:
 
Thanks, this is helpful advice.
I had given up on stropping because I got so frustrated with it. I can freehand sharpen rather well, but then I use a strop, and the blade gets duller. :mad:
After reading your post about using balsa wood, I dug out the tube of diamond paste I bought years ago, smeared some on a paint stirrer, and held it against the Sharpmaker rods so I could keep a consistent angle. Slow strokes with edge trailing.
WhooHoo this Viper is sharp! Looking through a jeweler's loupe, I can still see some of the factory grind lines on the edge, so I know I haven't removed an excessive amount of steel, but they are starting to polish out. :cool::thumbsup:

That's great! Matching stropping tools to the steel is just as important as the stones.

Standard stropping compounds like black, green, etc. will only truly strop the steel matrix around the vanadium carbides. They cannot abrade or polish the carbides. I personally would not recommend it and have never had good results from it.

Also, the backing, as said, is important. Losing an edge during stropping is not uncommon and I think it's often from rolling the edge. The strop, compound, backing, angle, and pressure are all potential contributors here. Go with very light strokes trying to stay at the sharpening angle and just a couple per side and check.

I am genuinely not trying to derail things here but do feel the discussion of sharpening these vanadium-rich steels is in keeping with the thread's intent. For those who have never encountered these kinds of steels, they can be a new and very real challenge.
 
I am genuinely not trying to derail things here but do feel the discussion of sharpening these vanadium-rich steels is in keeping with the thread's intent. For those who have never encountered these kinds of steels, they can be a very new challenge.
I don't think the sharpening discussion is off topic (of course, that's the mod's call)
I'm sure I'm not the only one here who is more comfortable with the simple steels commonly used in traditional knives. I don't like using blades if I don't feel confident I can maintain the edge, and this fancy supersteel had me feeling apprehensive.


Oh that dark one is OUTSTANDING, you HAVE to keep that one... Just my 2 Cents. ;):thumbsup:
I agree. Love that washboard texture. :D :thumbsup:
 
Will a strop loaded with cubic boron nitride work to polish the edge after the diamond hones, or should I be looking for some diamond paste to load my strop?

P.S. I think the horn on your knife is my favorite so far...

Edit for spelling.

You should be alright with CBN.

Agree with Eli. Like diamond, cubic boron nitride is harder than Vanadium Carbide, so either one will work.
 
Not sure about common but I’ve experienced it on a Laguiole. Ruined the resale value but the knife was still useable. Bernard Levine has a commentary on it: http://www.knife-expert.com/bugs036.txt

Certainly an interesting link and Levine wrote well then but it needs to be looked at in perspective.

Mostly it refers to horn in storage and that's when infestation is most likely to occur, horn stacked up, membrane still adhering etc. Responsible knife makers would use some pesticides in these situations as a preventative. It also relates to museum pieces which are very old or ancient, notably furniture or vehicles as conduits of infestation. In the home, if you have wall to wall carpets of natural fibre, you've warm damp spots, you don't clean much then the larvae could gain hold :eek: at the same time storing horn handled knives in cloth in dark damp areas MIGHT attract larvae attack if your house is already infested. Lately, people have rugs or floor materials in synthetics and this is far less attractive to these pests. Here in Scandiland, people still regularly take their mats/rugs outside and give them a good thrashing or spanking ;) that should help :D

Finally, if you use the knife a lot it's excellently protected, but storing in dark/humid places COULD invite larvae attack, especially if you home resembles a hoarder's zone (I suppose many knife addicts could be in that scenario ;)) Well, a home invasion of zombies or anything could happen:rolleyes:
 
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My beautiful little Italian paisan showed up this afternoon and I am delighted. I was hoping for darker scales, but these lighter ones are just the bee's knees. Screaming sharp, too! Thank you so much Mike for making this happen.
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Would you like to trade for one with dark scales?
 
r8shell r8shell and other stroppers of 1095, make sure you don’t use the same strop on your 1095 as you do on m390. The micro particles of the harder steel that come off in the stropping can create imperfections in the edge of the 1095 when you stop it afterwards–or so I’ve read.
 
Certainly an interesting link and Levine wrote well then but it needs to be looked at in perspective. Mostly it refers to horn in storage and that's when infestation is most likely to occur, horn stacked up, membrane still adhering etc. Responsible knife makers would use some pesticides in these situations as a preventative. It also relates to museum pieces which are very old or ancient, notably furniture or vehicles as conduits of infestation. In the home, if you have wall to wall carpets of natural fibre, you've warm damp spots, you don't clean much then the larvae could gain hold :eek: at the same time storing horn handled knives in cloth in dark damp areas MIGHT attract larvae attack if your house is already infested. Lately, people have rugs or floor materials in synthetics and this is far less attractive to these pests. Here in Scandiland, people still regularly take their mats/rugs outside and give them a good thrashing or spanking ;) that should help :D

Finally, if you use the knife a lot it's excellently protected, but storing in dark/humid places COULD invite larvae attack, especially if you home resembles a hoarder's zone (I suppose many knife addicts could be in that scenario ;)) Well, a home invasion of zombies or anything could happen:rolleyes:

I asked the factory and they said they used a special organic compound with insect deterring herbs and left a good bit embedded in the horn. So, as long as nobody cleans out the compound they will be good for a couple decades. :D
 
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