Recommendation? Stop at 120?

[maximus83]

^Good to know, I think I got you confused with somebody else, I was thinking you had mostly moved away from microbevels.

On the option of "DMT EEF or Ultrasharp 3K": How do the results you get from micro-beveling on media like this, compare to say stropping on a hard/flat surface with something like 4 micron or 1 micron compound? Have you found the resulting edge performs noticeably better off the stones?

 

[HeavyHanded]

^Good to know, I think I got you confused with somebody else, I was thinking you had mostly moved away from microbevels.

On the option of "DMT EEF or Ultrasharp 3K": How do the results you get from micro-beveling on media like this, compare to say stropping on a hard/flat surface with something like 4 micron or 1 micron compound? Have you found the resulting edge performs noticeably better off the stones?

Off the plates on high RC/high carbide steels I'd say yes absolutely - and these are mostly the only steels I use them on. Not night and day, but a little bit better.

On the more common stainless or carbon steels I don't think it offers as much of an advantage if any, mostly because it takes more QC to get a perfectly clean edge using diamond plates with these steels. With ceramic and resinoid waterstones/jointer stones is a different story. Not only more consistent out of the gate but longevity is (anecdotally) somewhat better.

That said, I use the diamond jointering stone to finish high carbide steels nearly 100% of the time anyway. Some day I'll pick up one or two of the high grit resinoid diamond stones to compare it to, but I'm pretty happy with what I've got.

Caveat, by and large I maintain them on a hard strop. Occasionally I go back to the finish stone but is easier and more reliable to use a hard strop since I don't know exactly what my microbevel angle is by feel or how much wear it actually has on it.

 

[Turbobaer]

This is how I go about it as well. Occasionally I'll just use a coarse stone And finish as best I can for deburring - when you get to a very large abrasive the bottom of each scratch trough is unreachable from the other side, so some amount of burr is almost always present unless using a very soft stone, which tends to reduce "keen-ness" along the peaks.

The microbevel strategy was one I came to a few years after tinkering with steeling coarse edges and seeing the results that produced - very refined edge along the top but with irregularities that catch materials more easily and help to increase longevity.

For me, this is where a fine diamond jointering stone, an 8k waterstone or a very fine diamond plate come in handy, since not all blade steels respond well to being steeled. Also, if you go too far with the steel, the edge is drawn out and ruined. Go too far with a microbevel and the edge is only a little more refined than you'd intended.

Lay in a coarse initial grind - I've gone as low as 80 grit. Then microbevel with your finest stone at a slightly higher angle - 2 degrees /side if using a guide, maybe a few more if freehand.

This "wipes" off the outermost deviations along the apex, leaving you with a less coarse edge overall, but one that has a refined apex + irregularities larger than the abrasive could have made on its own. The angle is (paradoxically?) thinner across the edge yet less acute at the same time. You can get a similar effect using a very hard strop, but will have more control using a stone. This can be touched up a number of times on the same finishing stone, a hard strop, or if the steel is less hardened the rim of a coffee cup etc and will continue to cut "rough".

You can see superficial similarities between the two edges, this one IIRC was done on a 220 Norton waterstone (which grinds a lot less refined than a vitreous 220) followed by an 8k. The more refined your last stone prior to the microbevel, the less coarse the finished edge will be.

I pretty much never polish the entire bevel anymore with the only exception being the backs of chisels/plane irons, and some convex edges. I only use a micro if I have a very fine finishing stone on hand, otherwise I just stick to a single bevel.

I just want to thank you for the motivation. I had a knife that was, well… busting my nuts. I couldnt get it sharp for nothing. Tried all my tricks and still would only clean cut paper 2-3 times max.

So i did the 150 diamond grit, deburr best i could and raised my angle a bit as you mentioned, and proceeded with a 1200 grit stone (highest i currently have). Then went to the strop. Results are an extremely sharp edge that will shave hair after going nutty on paper testing. I can smile once again.

 

[me2]

I’d be tempted to just stop at 60 grit to see how that worked as long as I could debur it and get an actual sharp edge. I used to stop at 90 grit on some kitchen knives. At the time a coarse Norton India was rated as 90 grit so I’d just stop there.