I started sharpening this at 16.5 degrees with the 220# stones. I used an inclinometer to measure the actual angle since the Shapton stones are thicker than the stock Wicked Edge stones and give a more acute angle. The settings on the Wicked Edge sharpener for this knife are:
Angle - 21 Degrees
Depth - Top Holes
Alignment - B
Here is a picture after flattening the bevels out:


Zoom In - 230x

Approximately 90 strokes per side. Elapsed time: 1.5 minutes.

On to the 320# Shaptons:


Zoom In - 230x


Zoom In - 230x

I did approximately 90 strokes per side. Elapsed time: 00:01:30.

So far, I'm not seeing too much difference in the ability of the coarse stones to re-profile the bevels between the two types of steels in the ESEE and Fallknieven knives.

Clay, forgive my ignorance but is flattening the bevel the same as raising a burr. This the first time I have encountered the term. Knowing me, I have missed something I should have been doing! How like me.! LOL!

Leo

Now the Shapton 1000#:


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This phase was very easy, very rewarding. The brightness of the bevel came up very quickly.

Approximately 90 strokes per side. Elapsed time: 00:01:30

leomitch wrote:


Leo,
I don't know that it's even an accepted term in the industry. I use it to describe re-profiling your nice convex bevels into V-grinds so I can photograph them under the scope. I've got to make the plane of the bevel flat instead of curved or the camera will only be able to view a very small section.
-Clay

It's worth mentioning that I haven't taken the bevel all the way to the very edge of the blade yet. I'm leaving the edge alone since I'm working at a more shallow angle and there is no reason to take additional metal just to reach the edge at this stage. Once all the grits have been applied, I'll go back and start creating the multi-facets at slightly wider angles before blending them with the strops. The current bevels are set at 16.5 degrees. The final angle at the edge will be 21 degrees and I'll reach it in just a couple of strokes once I move the collars out.

Now the 1500# Shapton Stones:

When you're sharpening with these stones, you see within a few strokes how much the bevel is brightening and the edge is getting refined. A quick test of the knife's edge with a fingernail shows how sharp it is; the edge immediately bites into the nail.


Zoom In - 230x

Approximately 90 strokes per side. Elapsed time: 00:01:30

Shapton 2000#:


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While the jump from 1500# to 2000# seems small, the bevel of the knife is much more polished and the scratches are noticeably smaller. The stones feel harder and appear to burnish the metal as well as polishing it.

Approximately 90 strokes per side. Elapsed time: 00:01:30

After the 5000# Shaptons, the edge is coming along beautifully:


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5000# Shapton Stones - 230x
I went a little longer with the 5000# stones since the jump up from the 2000# stones was larger. The edge looks like a mirror to the naked eye at this point and it's both polished and burnished. Due to the high polish, the microscope's camera is starting to have a hard time focusing. I see this a lot with highly polished edges.

Approximately 180 strokes per side. Elapsed time: 00:03:00

Next step was the 8000# Shapton Stones. Some contamination, probably from my mounting plate, seems to have gotten onto the stones, digging some deeper grooves. All in all, the bevels look great and you can see the increasing polish from the finer stones:


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I spent a little extra time on this stone trying to get the deeper scratches out. I'll probably have to drop down a few grits to fully remove them.
Approximately 240 strokes per side. Elapsed time: 00:04:00