- Joined
- Dec 10, 2014
- Messages
- 48
Just got an Edge Pro. I ignored a lot of advice and started with one of my decent knives.
I obviously want as much blade laying on the deck near the edge of the deck.
I tend to overanalyze things, and I probably did so in this case.
The knife and the issues I found are pictured below. I couldn't decide whether to lay the flats or the primary bevel on the deck. The blade has enough flat near the ricasso to hold it stable on the deck, but very little flat towards the tip. When positioning the blade to sharpen the tip, I had to used a lot of pressure to keep the narrow flat against the deck. My Edge Pro has a serious magnet under it.
The primary bevel or grind is broad and holds the blade to the deck more securely than the flat. But, this blade has a distal taper that takes a curve toward the tip. So the ricasso part of the blade bevel lays flat to the deck, while the taper make the beve curve up off the deck towards the tip. I think I would have to actually roll the blade along this curve as I moved the knife across the deck to maintain a consistent bevel to deck contact.
Obsessing about the curved taper and wishing I had learned more math, I went against my gut and tried to use the flats. I don't think it worked out very well. I wasn't able to make steady strokes while trying to balance the short flat to the deck. My thumbs are still numb from trying to keep the flats on the deck while sharpening that tip area of the knife.
What would you have done in this situation? I think I should have used the bevel. If I were to use the bevel against the deck, would it be better to push the bevel to the deck along the taper's curve? That would seem to be the only way to keep a consistent cutting angle.
On a blade this size with its curved belly, do I need to move the blade left to right across the deck, to keep the bevel at 90 degrees to the cutting edge? Or could I have just set the blade down and sharpened the entire blade?
I know a lot of the answers to these questions are relative to a list of conditions and preferences. I also know that answers and info won't substitute for sharpening a hundred knives will.
Holding the primary against the deck.
Holding the flat against the deck. This is why my thumbs are still numb the day after.
The bevel laying on the deck, with the tip sitting off the deck.
I obviously want as much blade laying on the deck near the edge of the deck.
I tend to overanalyze things, and I probably did so in this case.
The knife and the issues I found are pictured below. I couldn't decide whether to lay the flats or the primary bevel on the deck. The blade has enough flat near the ricasso to hold it stable on the deck, but very little flat towards the tip. When positioning the blade to sharpen the tip, I had to used a lot of pressure to keep the narrow flat against the deck. My Edge Pro has a serious magnet under it.
The primary bevel or grind is broad and holds the blade to the deck more securely than the flat. But, this blade has a distal taper that takes a curve toward the tip. So the ricasso part of the blade bevel lays flat to the deck, while the taper make the beve curve up off the deck towards the tip. I think I would have to actually roll the blade along this curve as I moved the knife across the deck to maintain a consistent bevel to deck contact.
Obsessing about the curved taper and wishing I had learned more math, I went against my gut and tried to use the flats. I don't think it worked out very well. I wasn't able to make steady strokes while trying to balance the short flat to the deck. My thumbs are still numb from trying to keep the flats on the deck while sharpening that tip area of the knife.
What would you have done in this situation? I think I should have used the bevel. If I were to use the bevel against the deck, would it be better to push the bevel to the deck along the taper's curve? That would seem to be the only way to keep a consistent cutting angle.
On a blade this size with its curved belly, do I need to move the blade left to right across the deck, to keep the bevel at 90 degrees to the cutting edge? Or could I have just set the blade down and sharpened the entire blade?
I know a lot of the answers to these questions are relative to a list of conditions and preferences. I also know that answers and info won't substitute for sharpening a hundred knives will.
Holding the primary against the deck.
Holding the flat against the deck. This is why my thumbs are still numb the day after.
The bevel laying on the deck, with the tip sitting off the deck.