Sharpening a S90V Spyderco Military

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muddog49

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Nov 1, 2007
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I recently bought a S90V Millitary and have seen on the forums that it must be sharpened with the diamond stones since it is so hard. I normally use a Sharpmaker with the ceramic rods for everything and see that there are diamond rods available but are a little pricey. Also, the Byrd Duckfoot sharpener is diamond coated. Any thoughts on these two alternatives and diamond rods in general? Thanks
 
You can get a DMT Diamond Steel for under $30.00. If you are just touching up from EDC use, a few light passes on both sides of the blade will keep that puppy sharp. DMT also makes some nice Diamond Benchstones that are around $30.00.
 
Get a DMT x-coarse benchstone and lean it against the rods. By the way, sharpening shouldn't be a problem with the Sharpmaker, only for heavy stockremoval work, such as rebeveling or fixing a chip in the edge you will need a diamond stone.
 
Well, you would have to try out and see for yourself, but I am absolutely positive, that touchups shouldn't be a problem. Important is just that you work on a micro bevel, e.g. the Mili is likely beveled at 15 deg. per side. Using the 40 deg setting on the Sharpmaker shouldn't be a problem. If you are one of those that always sharpen the entire bevel at the 30 deg setting, that might be a bit ambitious for the ceramic rods alone.

Back-beveling, as the Sharpmaker video suggests, is a different issue though, so getting a coarse or x-coarse DMT for the heavy lifting is definitely a good idea. That, btw., holds true for your other knives as well.
 
muddog49 said:
I recently bought a S90V Millitary and have seen on the forums that it must be sharpened with the diamond stones since it is so hard. I normally use a Sharpmaker with the ceramic rods for everything and see that there are diamond rods available but are a little pricey. Also, the Byrd Duckfoot sharpener is diamond coated. Any thoughts on these two alternatives and diamond rods in general? Thanks
Click to expand...

The ceramic rods are harder than any steel. They will sharpen you knife. How fast depends on how much steel you are trying to remove.
 
Well the concern is not unjustified. The alumina ceramic rods are MUCH harder than any steel, but not necessarily harder than some of the carbides in the steel. In particular Vanadium Carbide is as hard or even harder (at those hardnesses it becomes mute to haggle over a few points, both are in the range of 2200+ Knoop or Vickers which is WAYYYYY off the Rc scale) than alumina, and S90V happens to have 9%, meaning a very significant fraction, of that stuff in it. Diamond (which again is WAYYYYY harder than either alumina or VC, by roughly a factor of 4) will cut S90V cleaner, but still for touch ups the ceramic rods should work just fine, and you will have a hard time finding Diamond abrasives in as fine grit as the ceramic rods. There is pretty much only the DMT EE or some japanese diamond waterstones which would cost you an arm and a leg (the DMT EE cost you only an arm :), well depends on your point of view, obviously :) ).
 
If you maintain it, and don't let it get too dull, use a leather strop loaded with 1 micron CBN or diamond paste.

It works for me! :)
 
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