Maybe the lowest priced option to benchmade altitude

[sndmn11]

I assume it’s rough because the burr makes it feel sharp. As soon as that’s polished off your back to a dull knife.

The finer grits on a high carbide steel polish the carbides but can remove the structure holding the carbides together. If you get the edge too thin with a flat angle, the carbides chip out because the structure holding them together is too weak. You can take a low carbide steel at flat angles easily, think a razor, but the wear resistance sucks and it is sharp because it is thin.

More carbides means more wear resistance, but it also means it is more brittle because there is less of the structure between.

When you get a high carbide steel grinding with a powered tool and the angle is too flat, you can just watch the edge powder away.

New Micrographs of 42 Knife Steels - Knife Steel Nerds

How do different steels look on a microstructure level? What can we learn about the performance of steel based on using a microscope?

knifesteelnerds.com

 

[maverick351]

Who wants cork scales and how much are they worth?

I'd be curious on a price. Still need to get the knife too though so waiting for an in stock report.

 

[twall13]

Who wants cork scales and how much are they worth?

@CAH I am guessing at the rough grits you say "wowie this thing is already sharp" then it seems to disentegrate and be a butter knife? If that is the case, keep changing at 1deg increments.

I might be interested in a set or two of scales depending on the price. Somewhere in the $20-25 range? Much more than that and I'd just give it a shot at making them on my own, but that's just my take. I have no idea what others would pay.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

 

[sndmn11]

I might be interested in a set or two of scales depending on the price. Somewhere in the $20-25 range? Much more than that and I'd just give it a shot at making them on my own, but that's just my take. I have no idea what others would pay.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

Yeah, that's the hard part cause shipping is $9.xx for small flat rate, material is $5, and it's a couple hours of work.

 

[twall13]

Yeah, that's the hard part cause shipping is $9.xx for small flat rate, material is $5, and it's a couple hours of work.

I get it. Other guys might pay more, that's just where I'm at. And I wouldn't expect you to cover shipping, but that's still a lot of work for such a small profit margin.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

 

[ShakeDown]

Shipping sucks.

 

[Blandry]

Heck, even paying $40 for scales puts you at $100-$110 which is still $50-100 less than the competition and a higher quality steel. I picked up a second knife before they sold out that I plan to mess around with.

 

[Ucsdryder]

What do a set of scales cost for a benchmade? I know one thing, that knife without any kind of handle is really uncomfortable. I wouldn’t want to try to cut up an elk using it bare, especially if it’s cold. The paracord helps a lot, not sure if scales would be better, but I assume they would? This is my first go with a skeleton.

 

[kpbrown31]

I got mine shaving sharp on my lansky diamond sharpener. I used 20 degree and had to work at it a while, I think 22 degrees is closer to factory. Get that burr turned over and then keep going back and forth as you increase grit. Then stop on leather.

The Work Sharp videos show how you should pass the knife through several times on one side, and then alternate to the other side with the same amount of passes. Which I wouldn't have guessed before I started messing with this sharpener.

You are saying once you get the burr on the coarse belt that you would alternate strokes on both sides as you increase to the finer grit belts? I got my kitchen knives sharp as could be, but man am I struggling on this one. The kitchen knives I know I did at 20, but I was going to do 22-25 on this one.

 

[kpbrown31]

Side note...I love how this thread went from 400 views to 6k in a matter of a week or two. Good for business on Ridge's side I guess.

 

[Ucsdryder]

The Work Sharp videos show how you should pass the knife through several times on one side, and then alternate to the other side with the same amount of passes. Which I wouldn't have guessed before I started messing with this sharpener.

You are saying once you get the burr on the coarse belt that you would alternate strokes on both sides as you increase to the finer grit belts? I got my kitchen knives sharp as could be, but man am I struggling on this one. The kitchen knives I know I did at 20, but I was going to do 22-25 on this one.

You want to develop a burr on one side before you touch the other side. Once there’s a burr down the entire length, usually the tip takes longer, then flip over using the same grit of stone and work until the whole burr is on the other side. Then flip over and take your next higher, coarse to medium, and repeat. Switch the burr, the flip the knife and switch the burr again. Then go from medium to fine, push burr back then flip knife. You’re making the burr thinner and thinner. Then when you’re at your highest grit, fine/ultra fine, flip the burr back and forth then go one pass, flip knife, 1 pass, flip knife. Then a leather strop to polish and it should be good to go!

Here’s the final result…turn up the volume and you can hear it shaving.

 

[ShakeDown]

You want to develop a burr on one side before you touch the other side. Once there’s a burr down the entire length, usually the tip takes longer, then flip over using the same grit of stone and work until the whole burr is on the other side. Then flip over and take your next higher, coarse to medium, and repeat. Switch the burr, the flip the knife and switch the burr again. Then go from medium to fine, push burr back then flip knife. You’re making the burr thinner and thinner. Then when you’re at your highest grit, fine/ultra fine, flip the burr back and forth then go one pass, flip knife, 1 pass, flip knife. Then a leather strop to polish and it should be good to go!

Here’s the final result…turn up the volume and you can hear it shaving.

This is exactly right. The idea is a uniform burr by creating a consistent scratch pattern, then apexing the burr, then polish.

Early on I used a jewelers loupe to identify the scratch pattern.

You can also do the sharpie trick to establish your angle.

 

[CCH]

Yeah, that's the hard part cause shipping is $9.xx for small flat rate, material is $5, and it's a couple hours of work.

Try Pirate Shipping. My guess is less than $4 shipped first class mail.

 

[zeroforhire]

Try Pirate Shipping. My guess is less than $4 shipped first class mail.

Yep. Use pirate ship all the time. It’s awesome.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Yep. Use pirate ship all the time. It’s awesome.

What the heck is pirate ship. Lol

 

[Blandry]

Spent some time with the 2nd knife this morning going from 800-1000 diamond then ceramic and it's shaving hair already. A little strop and it will be popping.. not too bad. didn't want to screw up the first knife and sndman11 hit me up pretty quick offering the handle.

 

[CCH]

What the heck is pirate ship. Lol

www.pirateship.com

 

[Team4LongGun]

I asked earlier, didn’t see anyone mention it.
Did anyone confirm these knives are USA made?
Thanks

 

[sndmn11]

I asked earlier, didn’t see anyone mention it.
Did anyone confirm these knives are USA made?
Thanks

Yes they have said so when asked.

 

[Jstumbaugh]

Patiently waiting for the email that they are back in stock.....