Sharpening Knives in the Field

[coiloil37]

Fair, the only one I can see being of any significance in my case is if I'm leaving a burr that is then rolling over in use.

I'll have some answers for myself as I have a 120x loupe coming to inspect my work following sharpening, and 3 hogs to slaughter in a few weeks to see if there is any meaningful change in performance.



Just for general information for others.

Currently I strop about 4 times (give or take a few) processing a pig. If an edge can stay sharp enough to hold the knife with similar contact amount and pressure as a pencil for skinning the entire animal without stropping I'll have to change my opinion. I really hope to find I am the problem as it would be nice.

Which knife are you using? If it’s not obvious by type of knife, which steel is it and what stones are you using to sharpen? What type of strop are you using and what’s on it?

 

[Marbles]

Which knife are you using? If it’s not obvious by type of knife, which steel is it and what stones are you using to sharpen? What type of strop are you using and what’s on it?

MKC Jackstone in Magnacut, CRK Inyoni in Magnacut, and a custom Gersh Blades in Magnacut.

Stones are Shapton orange (1000) and wine (5000) stropping with fine green compound followed by extra fine (leather strop).

 

[coiloil37]

MKC Jackstone in Magnacut, CRK Inyoni in Magnacut, and a custom Gersh Blades in Magnacut.

Stones are Shapton orange (1000) and wine (5000) stropping with fine green compound followed by extra fine (leather strop).

I don’t have time to look at those specific knives, their stock thickness and heat treat but here’s the first thing that jumps out at me.

Magnacut uses vanadium and niobium carbides. Vickers hardness is 2900 and 2500 HV respectively.
Your stones are fused alumina oxide with a vickers hardness of 2000 HV. Your also using chromium oxide as a stropping compound with a hardness of approx 1900HV.

The point I’m trying to make is the carbides are what give modern steels the long lasting edge we are chasing. The caveat is that the sharpening media has to be harder than the carbide. If it’s not, the steel matrix is abraded around the carbide but the carbides themselves are not effectively shaped on the stone and are then under utilised and incapable of giving you the edge your chasing.


Diamond has a hardness of 10k HV and is more then capable of cutting the carbides.

I used to own a full set of naniwa super stones. Then I got into modern steels and struggled for a few years. Probably close to 15 years ago I switched to DMT 8” bench stones and diamond paste for my stop and those problems went away.

So sure, a burr may be one of your problems. The fact you aren’t cutting the carbides in your magnacut is also a huge problem.

I’m busy building a boat so not going to put to much time into explaining this. There is a ton of information online and I would suggest you go look down that rabbit hole if you want the best performance from your cutlery.