your preferred sharpening method for CPK

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Apr 3, 2014
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I tried the search bar, and went back a bunch of pages in the sub-forum but I was not lucky with my quest.

For all you guys with the larger blades like the choppers, what is your preferred method of sharpening?

I am on the search for a chopper, but I dont think I have the right sharpening instruments for something like that, ive never owned a knife that large.

Im not even sure I have what it takes to sharpen the UFK that is on the way. haha.
I have exclusively used a worksharp field sharpener for all my knives since they are all folders or 3-4 inches.

I need to start planning now, because I WILL own a HDFK and a chopper sooner or later. :)
 
I am waiting on my HDMC when the preorders start filling later in the year ... but for my other big blades I like the DMT Diafolds ... easy to use on big blades ... and I finsh with a ceramic hone or strop.
 
I use a 1x32 belt sander with a fine belt and then finish on ceramic crock sticks. My big choppers will slice thin paper and shave hair which is sharp enough for me. On my smaller blades and folders I use a work sharp. Basically the same method just on a small scale. I can never seem to get my folders back to factory sharp.
 
While we're on the topic, what do we think of the KME Knife Sharpening System? Any of the reviews I've seen are pretty favourable.

Hope you don't mind I added to your thread, M morvlorv .
 
I have a bachelor weekend, and I am considering getting out the W.E. and putting a polished edge on my UF. I will need a couple hours, and a couple beers, I'm sure. 6" of d3V is not for the faint of heart, but in the famous words of Richard Petty - "Ah ain't skeerd."
 
Despite 3V’s reputation, I have found Nathan’s D3V extremely easy to get razor sharp. Easier even than blades in steels that are considered much less challenging. I imagine it’s a combination of the heat treat, the exceptionally perfect and even grind, BTE thinness and the perfect edge it comes with standard that makes it a breeze to work with. There is absolutely zero “wonkiness” to compensate for anywhere along the edge. Smooth, even strokes is all it takes to get great results in a very short amount of time.
I also use the already mentioned DMT diafolds and a small strop with black and green compound. I will probably get another larger strop and some CBN or similar.
I should also mention that I am not an expert sharpener by any means and am still learning.
 
D3V sharpens as easy as a carbon steel! Not difficult and doesn't take a long time. Definitely faster than zdp-189, s90v or s110v, those take forever to get back to sharp!
I agree re the ease of sharpening D3V.
As for the others, diamonds will handle those fairly easily as well. My biggest challenges have been blades that came with uneven grinds/edge bevels and that required removing a lot of steel. Luckily, that’s a non-issue on any of my CPKs.
 
I agree re the ease of sharpening D3V.
As for the others, diamonds will handle those fairly easily as well. My biggest challenges have been blades that came with uneven grinds/edge bevels and that required removing a lot of steel. Luckily, that’s a non-issue on any of my CPKs.

It's great that Nathan is OCD about his craftsmanship. Edges have been nothing less than spectacular!
 
Question for the expert sharpeners:

3V is generally grouped with the carbon steels and, like those, responds very well to stropping using regular compounds. At least initially.
My understanding is that the regular compounds (i.e. black and green) will remove the softer material but aren’t able to cut the vanadium carbides. The result is that you get a sharp edge at first but, with continued stropping, the softer material is slowly taken away and the (uncut) vanadium carbides remain without anything to hold them in the matrix so that they easily tear out, quickly leaving a dull edge. For this reason, I remember reading somewhere that diamond paste or other similar compound is better to use as it is able to also cut the hard vanadium carbides - thus avoiding quick/sudden edge degradation as described.
Experiences/thoughts?
 
I blend some 2 micron diamond powder into my green stropping shmoo to address that issue

real stropping compound (look at straight razor sites) works better than buffing compound block.

You don't want to build it up too thick, but it does glaze and dull like any abrasive, so I refresh it with a thinned out mixture made with compound and alcohol to mix it up with a finger tip and get some fresh particles onto the surface without building it up.

I sharpen my own knives by hand on oil stones. You guys get a low speed powered sharpening on ceramic belts under flood coolant, and then two big Arkansas stones before some light stropping and cut tests. The stones are dressed daily on silicon carbide paper.
 
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I blend some 2 micron diamond powder into my green stropping shmoo to address that issue

real stropping compound (look at straight razor sites) works better than buffing compound block.

You don't want to build it up too thick, but it does glaze and dull like any abrasive, so I refresh it with a thinned out mixture made with compound and alcohol to mix it up with a finger tip and get some fresh particles onto the surface without building it up.

I sharpen my own knives by hand on oil stones. You guys get a low speed powered sharpening on ceramic belts under flood coolant, and then two big Arkansas stones before some light stropping and cut tests. The stones are dressed daily on silicon carbide paper.
Thanks!
Obviously couldn’t have asked for a better person to advise us!
 
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