Can 40(20/20) degrees be razor sharp?

J

jvcuevas

Joined
Jun 30, 2008
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8
First post so.. Hello All!

Can you get a "shaving sharp" knife using a spiderco sharpmaker set at 40(20/20)degrees?

I have a new ka-bar bull dozier that I think is too thick for 30(15/15). It came very sharp, but how sharp can I expect to get it using the spiderco?

thanks,

J
 
welcome to the forum:).

Yes, 40 degrees inclusive can easily get shaving sharp.
 
Nearly any angle can be sharp. Not every angle makes an efficient cutter, however.
 
When I got my Spyderco Forester, a big nine inch bush whacker, I was surprised to find the thick edge shaved very cleanly.
For that matter, it's rumored that some people can polish the spine of their knives enough to shave (on the corners), that's forty five degrees per side. Not that you want the back of your knife to be sharp, but it can be done.
 
Thank you for your replies. So let me see if I understand this. What makes a shaving sharp blade is how polished it is?

thanks again.
 
Though I'd want to add that no one would actually put a 40-degree angle on their straight-razor. While you can get 40-degrees shaving sharp, it will not give you a good shave. A "razor" has a narrower angle.

You can get really good sharpness with the sharpmaker at 30 and 40 degrees and it gets even better with the ultra-fine rods and a strop.
 
Ceramic stones or my sharp maker make my 20/20 edge shaving sharp easily... Polishing the edge just makes it that much sharper....
 
You can easily get it to shaving sharp at 20 per side. And will a little more work you can surpass sharing sharp.
 
jvcuevas said:
Thank you for your replies. So let me see if I understand this. What makes a shaving sharp blade is how polished it is?

thanks again.
Click to expand...

As long as you've sharpened to the edge and taken the burr off, that's pretty much it.
 
20/20 can get shaving sharp easily, but if you want a new level of sharpness and you take care of your knives, reprofiling the edge will make it even more sharp.
 
I had to touch up a ratty shaving job at work with the factory edge on a Queen Cutlery canoe. If you know their factory edge, that's saying something. :)
 
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