Thread: Goofin with a double bevel

I think a pasted hanging strop does round the honed edges a little bit. I have razors that shave well that are sharpened on hones only, hones then pasted bench strops and hones then hanging pasted strops. I also have razors that I use coarse then fine hanging strops to sharpen. There are many ways to skin a cat. I enjoy trying different methods. All of the methods will get a razor sharp, I do not dwell much on what is happening at the edge, I just try a method and see how it shaves. Not every method works on every razor, every time, that is what makes it fun.

Charlie

I've used the same basic approach on cheap pocket knives. I would jump from setting a flattish bevel on a cheap hardware store wetstone, and then use my dad's Arkansas stones at a steeper angle to finish it.

I never found it to give the best edge, but I almost always found it to be the fasted way to a serviceable edge, especially on questionable blades.

Originally Posted by VeeDubb65

I've used the same basic approach on cheap pocket knives. I would jump from setting a flattish bevel on a cheap hardware store wetstone, and then use my dad's Arkansas stones at a steeper angle to finish it.

I never found it to give the best edge, but I almost always found it to be the fasted way to a serviceable edge, especially on questionable blades.

As much as the two sound similar, I think the technique of double bevel vs. convexing are a little different, at least in theory.

Double bevel, or micro bevel, chisel, or whatever... is supposed to give added support to an edge. It is used mainly with Japanese tools and knives, since the overall hardness of the steel is a little softer. You can see from both diagrams how robust the angle of a double bevel is.

Convexing is the rounding over of a single angle giving it a slightly more obtuse edge angle, but a thinner taper for the relief profile. In the knife world, this is often carried out on the entire blade, not just the bevel area -although I think it is mostly for aesthetics. This gives the edge better clearance when cutting vertically.

If I were making a razor into a knife, I would use the double bevel approach because the blade of the SR is so thin, I wouldn't need to thin out the relief, but I would need to bolster the strength of the edge. But for a meat cleaver or an axe, I use healthy angles, and end up at a 70-90 degree edge angle. Thinning out or rounding out the profile so you have better clearance when chopping things.

With jig sharpening, you have more control over a single or double bevel angle. With freehand sharpening, you will almost always get a convexed bevel. In fact, I do it on purpose most of the time for the cosmetic effect.