Serrated Edge Sharpening?

J

JD Spydo

Joined
Nov 20, 2004
Messages
4,827
I own, use and constantly sharpen my huge collection of Spyderco knives. And almost 45% of them are serrated edged, mainly Spyderco's Spyderedged blades. Albeit I know that there are a lot of different serrated edge patterns out there made by several different knife companies. Many of the serrated edge patterns out there commercially available would require a wide range of different sharpening tools to be able to sharpen most of the serrated edges currently on the market.

However the largest percentage of serrated edged blades that I own and use a lot are Spyderco's. Now Spyderco themselves as many of you know has a few different types of serration patterns but most of them are the spike & scallop type serrations that you see a lot of their newer knives. I know that there must be several ways to sharpen most of the more popular serrations currently on the market and I already have mastered a couple of good methods of sharpening a few of the more popular serration patterns but I would really like to pick everyone's brain and see what wide range of methods are out there.

Most of the Sharpening Tools I use for sharpening serrated edges are made by Spyderco. My very favorite sharpening tool is Spyderco's older/discontinued 701 Profile set ( ceramic file set) that they sold for years. I also use Spyderco's great 204 Sharpmaker for some types of serrated edges. But I'm always looking for newer/better ways of sharpening. So let's talk about sharpening serrated edges>>any pattern you might want to talk about. And please tell us what sharpening tools you use? Also any stropping methods that would help as well?
 
Normally I just lightly hit the back and strop on a bookend type strop to clean it up. If they need rebuilding or I want to do a super nice job I use the method in this video:

[video=youtube;e0QumnRNveA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0QumnRNveA[/video]
 
What he said! ^^^

on all Serrates I use a 600 grit on the back lightly until i see the distortions are removed from the Scallops and then Buff with green Chrome on a Sisal wheel.

Or send them to Spyderco to have the Serrations recut when they are low.
 
I used sharpmaker to sharpen some of my friends half serrated edges to shaving sharp ,no problems,and also some bread serrated knives
 
I'm very interested in this topic as well. I have been eyeballing the dmt dia fold rods in a variety of grits and thought about buying a variety of small wooden dowels and using cbn.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
 
I use DMT diamond rods. Their grit is about 325, they have points and larger diameter rods which fit the scallops. On a steady rest I give each one a few strokes, matching the angle. Then finish off the back side (flat part) on a 400 grit stone. This leaves a very nice sharp edge which lasts a long time. I use serrated edges for pruning, cutting cardboard and rope. They eat up cutting chores like this. DM
 
Power baby.... (I can hear the screams already!) :D

WorkSharp has a 6000 and 12000 grit belt for their belt sharpener (BGA)... does a great job of touching up serrations. It's thin/flexible enough to 'flow' thru the scallops, and a fine enough grit you don't have to worry about grinding off the teeth (and also runs at slow speed). Can hit the back side with a little more abrasive if needed... then use the fine belt to debur. (Actual use of the knife will affect the teeth more than this belt...).

Felt wheel with a fine compound on a bench grinder does a great job as well. Also have a thin paper wheel with a fine compound that I rounded the edges on, that does the job on most serrations.

Manual sharpening, I'll do what HeavyHanded does... light sharpening on the back, then whatever's avail. that'll fit in the scallops and remove the burr.

Ceramic rod is also great for touchups if you have one that fits, or triangular shaped. (If triangular, helps to work it both ways).

Also, I suggest marking the edge with a Sharpie, and make sure that whatever you're doing is actually reaching the edge. (For example, dragging a serrated edge down the Sharpmaker like the instructions show, can miss most of the cutting edge).

I don't really worry about "rebuilding" serrations... as long as the edge is sharp... it'll cut. (But I don't prefer serrations anyway, so maybe that's why). :rolleyes:

Edit: Oh yeah... WorkSharp's manual "Guided Sharpener" has a ceramic attachment with 3 different size ceramic rods... great for deburring inside the scallops.
 
Last edited:
Very interesting responses thus far guys :) I'm going to take a serious look at all of them. Now I'll be up front and let you all know that I think I already do a decent job of sharpening my Spyderco Spyderedged blades. And LORD knows I use the hell out of them :cool:. But when Spyderco came out with the 701 Profile set they literally discovered the "perfect sharpening tool" in my humble opinion.

But sharpening every scallop and every spike set manually I get some extremely ultra-wicked TEETH :eek: My trusty Spyderco C-45 stainless RESCUE model can take on any cutting job known to man :D

I'm wanting to know more about stropping serrated edges and maybe any other sharpening tools you guys may have stumbled onto. But I want all of you to check out Spyderco's 701 Profiles and let me know what you all think.

Also does anyone here use the Spyderco GOLDENSTONE and/or DUCKFOOT??? It's like those two Spyderco sharpening tools just faded into thin air. I don't understand what the deal is with those two tools that Spyderco spoke so highly of a while back :confused:???
 
I start by almost never messing with the face of the serration

I instead only sharpen the backside at the lowest angle possible. On hollow ground blades I simply lay the blade on the stone like a Scandi edge and make a few light passes until the burr forms on the face side. Once the burr has formed I take it to my leather wheel on my variable speed grinder and polish both sides. In some cases, such as bread knives, I will just use my belt grinder following the same procedure.

This spyderco has a handful of sharpenings already yet still looks new.
8967821D-25A0-46E5-AA25-48B7E0FF23D2.jpg


8FDDD908-9DCE-42BA-930A-DF2D3B724A53.jpg
 
For sharpening of serrated edge I use my own tools in this combination;

fjgpdz.jpg


For needle files, diamond files, ceramic rods, tappered diamond rods and so on, I make holders that fit the handle diameter. Those holders fits on the guide rod.

I can use the built in protractor to "remember" the degrees I use on each knife. For normal edges, both flat and convex, this tool have a fixed distance of 28 cm between the cutting edge and the pivot point. The peotractor goes up to 22 degrees - and that is not enough for some serrations. Then I move the slide forwards and use for example 18 cm distance between the cutting edge and the pivot point - and now can I use steeper angles and sharpen serrations.

It works fine, I have full control and I can repeat the angle if I make a note of the angle I used.

Thomas
 
i only own three serrated blades for pocket knifes,made by spyderco,i had to teach myself how to sharpen these and ended up doing like heavy handed is doing,but for touch up's i just run them though my sharpmaker vary lightly then strop with green compound,not really a big fan of scalloped edges!but they have there place in the world.
 
blanex1 said:
i only own three serrated blades for pocket knifes,made by spyderco,i had to teach myself how to sharpen these and ended up doing like heavy handed is doing,but for touch up's i just run them though my sharpmaker vary lightly then strop with green compound,not really a big fan of scalloped edges!but they have there place in the world.
Click to expand...

What do you use for a serrated edge STROP "blanex"? I've personally used leather boot laces that I've impregnated with compound. I've also just used the raw leather boot laces themselves with decent results. I've tried to strop them from the back side and the front side both. It's really hard to tell which method works best.

Spyderedges are really a serrated edge unique in the knife world but I do find them relatively easy to sharpen and maintain compared to other serrated edges done by commercial knife companies. The serrations on J. A. Henckels great culinary blades are nice too. And I'm able to also use my Spyderco 701 Profiles on them with decent success as well.

When speaking of those high end sharpening systems like Edge Pro, Wicked Edge, Ect, Ect,. I'm wondering what they are doing in the serrated edge sector?
 
JD Spydo said:
When speaking of those high end sharpening systems like Edge Pro, Wicked Edge, Ect, Ect,. I'm wondering what they are doing in the serrated edge sector?
Click to expand...

Nothing on the Wicked Edge that I'm aware of. Edge Pro demonstrates sharpening similar to what JasonB describes (expect on the EP of course).... fine grit at a low angle on the back side, then run the serrated side down their small ceramic hone to remove the burr.

[video=youtube;LCqby2dO3_Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCqby2dO3_Q[/video]
 
Last edited:
EdgePal said:
For sharpening of serrated edge I use my own tools in this combination;

For needle files, diamond files, ceramic rods, tappered diamond rods and so on, I make holders that fit the handle diameter. Those holders fits on the guide rod.

I can use the built in protractor to "remember" the degrees I use on each knife. For normal edges, both flat and convex, this tool have a fixed distance of 28 cm between the cutting edge and the pivot point. The peotractor goes up to 22 degrees - and that is not enough for some serrations. Then I move the slide forwards and use for example 18 cm distance between the cutting edge and the pivot point - and now can I use steeper angles and sharpen serrations.
Click to expand...

That's an extremely impressive set up you have there "Thomas" :) That's about as an elaborate serrated edge sharpening set up as I've ever seen. I'm going to study that pic and I hope you don't mind but I'm going to try to get something exactly like that after the holidays are over with. I've got a nice bonus coming and that would be something really cool to spend it on.

Right now I'm pretty much exclusively using manual/hand sharpening tools and mostly those made by Spyderco. I also have some conical diamond rods made by DMT to do major damaged edges with and then using my Spyderco 701 Profiles to do my honing and fine tuning with. I've obtained some really wicked edges that way but it is time consuming to say the least.

I see you're from Sweden>> I happen to own one of those great TORMEK wet grinding units made in your great country. I really love that tool and play with it often. Great input thus far guys :)
 
JD Spydo,

Thanks for your kind words.
You can read more about my tools on my homepage, edgepal.com

i am retaired and my hobby is to construct and make sharpening tools, this model are named Chef, and yes, it is rather advanced :) i make my tools by hand in my workshop. No massproduktion. Nothing made in China. Swedish quality in all parts. Massive aluminum and brass.

Tormek is a very fine tool to have, but the precision in degrees, in my mind, could be better. I like precsion and that I can repeat angles, se precision sharpening on my homepage and you will understand what I try to say.

I dont like to grind serrated edges from the blade flat "backside" I like the backside to be 100% flat. That is one of yhe reasons whyI invented the "Rail function" on the picture above.

Thomas
 
Smith's diamond coated pen rod for me... Works great!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
JD Spydo said:
Very interesting responses thus far guys :) I'm going to take a serious look at all of them. Now I'll be up front and let you all know that I think I already do a decent job of sharpening my Spyderco Spyderedged blades. And LORD knows I use the hell out of them :cool:. But when Spyderco came out with the 701 Profile set they literally discovered the "perfect sharpening tool" in my humble opinion.

But sharpening every scallop and every spike set manually I get some extremely ultra-wicked TEETH :eek: My trusty Spyderco C-45 stainless RESCUE model can take on any cutting job known to man :D

I'm wanting to know more about stropping serrated edges and maybe any other sharpening tools you guys may have stumbled onto. But I want all of you to check out Spyderco's 701 Profiles and let me know what you all think.

Also does anyone here use the Spyderco GOLDENSTONE and/or DUCKFOOT??? It's like those two Spyderco sharpening tools just faded into thin air. I don't understand what the deal is with those two tools that Spyderco spoke so highly of a while back :confused:???
Click to expand...

No truer words were ever spoken! :)
 

Attachments

  • 701MF_sets.jpg
    701MF_sets.jpg
    40.4 KB · Views: 11
cchu518 said:
Smith's diamond coated pen rod for me... Works great!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

cchu518 said:
Or just get one of these for 8 bucks!

f53bced87500833f7a36e340c1fbdb18.jpg


Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I don't get the cone shaped sharpeners. The cone only fits the serration at one point along its length. As soon as you move it, it's only sharpening the bottom of the tooth, not the top where you really need it to be sharp.

This is why chainsaw chains require files specific to the size of the tooth.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top