Easy burr removal?

gamma_nyc

gamma_nyc

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Dec 1, 2007
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706
Hi,

Is there an easy way to remove burrs from a knife edge? I find that when I sharpen on a stone or sharpmaker, the burr is formed and then when I try to remove by switching sides the burr just flips over. I end up switching back and forth 20+ times to try and deburr.

I’ve tried a metal rod and leather strop. These make it easier by at least 50%.

Are there any other secrets?

Bonus question - what do you recommend if I have a thick burr that is almost as thick as the edge?
 
when you are to the point of alternating sides, are you reducing pressure?
 
One way to remove a troublesome wire or feather burr is to use a hanging denim strop at a high angle (like 45-60°). You can buy these, but It can be as simple as cutting a strip of denim from an old pair of jeans. Make it around 4" wide and 1-2' long. Tape one end to a table with duct tape and hold the other end in your hand. Do 3-4 passes per side. Then do 3-4 passes at the sharpening angle.
 
gamma_nyc said:
Hi,

Is there an easy way to remove burrs from a knife edge? I find that when I sharpen on a stone or sharpmaker, the burr is formed and then when I try to remove by switching sides the burr just flips over. I end up switching back and forth 20+ times to try and deburr.

I’ve tried a metal rod and leather strop. These make it easier by at least 50%.

Are there any other secrets?

Bonus question - what do you recommend if I have a thick burr that is almost as thick as the edge?
Click to expand...
A very heavy burr that's almost as thick as the edge itself is an indicator that too way too much pressure is being used. And the fix for that is in the same vein, but working in the opposite direction: continually reduce pressure as the burr forms.

When you first see the burr, go ahead and flip it to the other side once. And once you've confirmed the burr from both sides, use the lightest touch possible to just thin the burr after that. The goal, at that stage, is to thin the burr progressively from each side, without so much emphasis on just flipping it back & forth. Once it becomes thin enough, it'll eventually break or tear away as you switch sides. By the time that begins to happen, your pressure should be as light as simply brushing dust from the surface of the rods with the edge of your blade - nothing heavier than that.

All of this can be done on the Sharpmaker - I use the SM for finishing touches on my blades, including virtually all the deburring. Sometimes a light pass or two on a bare leather belt or on my jeans is all I need to do after that.
 
I usually draw the edge over a cork/felt/piece of wood towards the end of the final passes. I read on the nortons 'tips' page they advise against this but i think it works. At the least it clears the very edge of metal dust/grime well.
 
Try a short, light, edge-leading stroke at the edge angle. The idea is to cut the burr off, which happens quickly. If you finish the whole stroke, you'll create a new burr on the other side, making you think the burr has flipped.
 
I use a piece of leather glued to a board and charged with diamond compound. I do realize that it radiuses the edge microscopically. I use it sparingly, just until the burr is gone, and I feel it makes the edge a bit more robust. After that, a piece of basswood charged with diamond compound keeps it sharp for a long time if used regularly..
 
If you happen to have a Shapton Glass 30K or 16K, and I don't know why you should, it makes an amazing deburring stone, very gentle edge-leading strokes at just higher than the bevel angle make short work of the burr.
 
My answer? No, there is no single easy way to remove a burr. In general the nature of the burr will be a function of the steel, the geometry, and the abrasives used. To learn more buy a copy of "Knife Deburring" by Vadim Kraichuk (http://knifegrinders.com.au/Shop/cover_and_contents_6.png) and study it. I've read through it a couple of times, implemented some of his protocols, and am still learning.

-Phil
 
An afterthought -

The underlying idea of thinning the burr to make it more easily removable always applies. I mentioned earlier, I do this using the Sharpmaker's ceramic rods. I favor the medium ceramic for the toothy bite it retains on the simpler steels I like to use most of the time (1095, CV, 420HC). But depending on the steel types you're working with, other abrasive types might be more effective, used in exactly the same manner. I think I saw a fine/ef diamond recommended earlier - that can work well with more wear-resistant steels. I've noticed that steels like ATS-34 or VG-10 at relatively high hardness (HRC 60 or so) can have some amazingly tenacious burrs - very strong and ductile at the same time, and can be very stubborn trying to remove them just by flipping back & forth. Sometimes, steels like these will benefit from something that cuts the steel and it's carbides more efficiently, when otherwise a relatively fine ceramic might be a bit slow for that. So, a diamond hone used with (still) a very, very light touch can work very well for both deburring and further refinining these steels.
 
Last edited:
Obsessed with Edges said:
An afterthought -

The underlying idea of thinning the burr to make it more easily removable always applies. I mentioned earlier, I do this using the Sharpmaker's ceramic rods. I favor the medium ceramic for the toothy bite it retains on the simpler steels I like to use most of the time (1095, CV, 420HC). But depending on the steel types you're working with, other abrasive types might be more effective, used in exactly the same manner. I think I saw a fine/ef diamond recommended earlier - that can work well with more wear-resistant steels. I've noticed that steels like ATS-34 or VG-10 at relatively high hardness (HRC 60 or so) can have some amazingly tenacious burrs - very strong and ductile at the same time, and can be very stubborn trying to remove them just by flipping back & forth. Sometimes, steels like these will benefit from something that cuts the steel and it's carbides more efficiently, when otherwise a relatively fine ceramic might be a bit slow for that. So, a diamond hone used with (still) a very, very light touch can work very well for both deburring and further refinining these steels.
Click to expand...
Good one. Thanks.
 
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