SmCaudataGritomatic.com and I would highly recommend the Venev bonded diamond stones.
Don't get the 2000 grit tho, use some other finishing stones. Then move to 3 strops with diamond compounds.
anonomousI've got Venev diamond stones, the 2000 grit gives a warped foggy mirror finish, which is pretty damn good I think, What finishing stones would you advise instead? Also, 3 strops with diamond compounds?
AngryAccountantInstructions say to flatten the stones. Not sure why yours is warped otherwise or what do out mean by that. Also on the gritomatic.com page it says that the scratch pattern for the 2000gtit can be rather large and should no be used for finishing.
I personally don't do any mirror edges, so I cannot recommend.... But I highly suggest emailing gritomatic.com and asking advice. He is very knowledgeable in what others use for that.
As for strops... After your highest grit get three separate strops and get three different diamond paste or sprays or emulsions. Start with say a 2 micron then goto 1 micron then half micron. Or quarter micron. This will help remove the rest of the scratches.
anonomousAh you misunderstand my warped comment, thats just the curvature of the blade. Foggy mirror is a better way to describe it currently. This is 1095 steel on an ESEE Izula after taking it to 2000 on the diamonds, its a 15 degree bevel with a 25 degree micro-bevel at the edge.
anonomousCertainly could be, my technique is probably lacking. The edge in the picture is the first knife I ever sharpened with it. Kinda makes me want to get a digital microscope to take edge images.
AngryAccountantYea I got a jewelry loup and it works okay but want one of those digital microscopes too for better amplification. Check out knifeKrazy on YouTube, he has one two he did videos on.
For pressure you want to use constant pressure throughout.
Check hrck out spadeknifeworks on YouTube for how he does it. He uses edge pro but is one of the few sharpening experts with good scratch pattern technique.
anonomousYeah, I've been looking around, my hardest steels right now are BD1N at 63 HRC and S35VN which I'm not sure of the temper exactly, but it should be 59-62, so poly might be better?
AngryAccountantYes poly would be better.
Also check out spadeknifeworks
youtube.com/channel/UCJPmqztXJgo0rVbyk_y0GVg
For technique and also stropping.
Would recommend bench strop over stropping on the hapstone. But whatever you like should work if you use light enough pressure and downstroke only
zaphrodboxI doubt BD1 can get that high, it's BD1N, the nitrogenous version. Its an Apogee Dragon series chefs knife, by Yaxell. Ken Onion has also some BD1N to 63 HRC iirc. Here's a little blurb about it http://zknives.com/knives/steels/Carpenter/cts-bd1n.shtml my experience with it is limited right now, as I've yet to need to sharpen it or even touch it with a honing rod, it came shaving sharp from the factory, and still is.
AngryAccountantGottcha and thanks I appreciate the reply/info. Nitrogenous version that tempers harder off the line instead of work hardening like H1 etc. interesting. Hopefully Spyderco will make a Mule out of it so we can gather a bunch of data in the field from a bunch of users.
zaphrodboxFigured I'd share this because you guys are steel geeks like myself. Check out this guy's channel cause it's so worth it. He's using Venev bonded diamond stones to sharpen an m4 pm2. Quite epic. Also if you haven't already checked out LC200N it's high in nitrogen so it's like 99% rust free and toughness is very high. Spyderco may still have some mules left and they also have a bunch of knives with it in there 2018 catalog.
Don't get the 2000 grit tho, use some other finishing stones. Then move to 3 strops with diamond compounds.
I personally don't do any mirror edges, so I cannot recommend.... But I highly suggest emailing gritomatic.com and asking advice. He is very knowledgeable in what others use for that.
As for strops... After your highest grit get three separate strops and get three different diamond paste or sprays or emulsions. Start with say a 2 micron then goto 1 micron then half micron. Or quarter micron. This will help remove the rest of the scratches.
And mono would be fine for softer steel like 440c etc.
For pressure you want to use constant pressure throughout.
Check hrck out spadeknifeworks on YouTube for how he does it. He uses edge pro but is one of the few sharpening experts with good scratch pattern technique.
Also check out spadeknifeworks youtube.com/channel/UCJPmqztXJgo0rVbyk_y0GVg
For technique and also stropping.
Would recommend bench strop over stropping on the hapstone. But whatever you like should work if you use light enough pressure and downstroke only