Microbevel Questions

[TIZWIN]

Hello all. Please indulge this newcomer to this sub-forum. I can't quite get the idea behind the microbevel. What is it, exactly? Why is a microbevel advantageous? How does one make one? What angle microbevel would be best for a Spyderco Police, or a Buck 110? Can it be accomplished with a Sharpmaker, or an EdgePro?

Thanks for your time.

 

[thombrogan]

Hi TIZWIN!

A microbevel is what the edge of your knife will have if you sharpen it at one angle and then barely resharpen it at a higher angle. Here's a picture of an edge with a microbevel. The edge is pointing upwards:

It can be advantageous because it's such a small amount of steel to remove that it's faster than resharpening the entire edge bevel and because it adds a slight amount of thickness at the edge to increase its durability without drasticly decreasing how well the knife cuts.

You can form a microbevel with any abrasive that will scratch steel. You can use a Sharpmaker, EdgePro, strop, benchstone, ceramic honing rod, well you get the idea. What's best for your Spyderco Police and Buck 110 can only be found by you with trial and error, but anything from 0.5 degrees to 10 degrees difference is standard.

Hope that's helpful.

 

[Saunterer]

Tizwin,

Here's is an easier way to understand.

For example if you sharpened your knife at 30 degrees inclusive (or 15 degrees per side) then your microbevel would be at 34 degrees inclusive (or 17 degrees per side) as this picture shows.