Pocket Knive - AUS10A

[MartinC]

Hi

What is the best way to sharpen a Cold Steel Voyager, that I think is AUS10A steel, pocket knife. I've had it for about 25 years and I don't think I have ever got a good edge, or at least something that was as sharp as when I received it.

What angle would you recommend, and when I hone should I hone at the same angle I sharpen to, or something different.

I do have a SJ-250, should I add that into the process?


Martin

[Sir Amwell]

I recently sharpened an 8" chef's knife made of AUS10.
I think it falls in the 'intermediate' category in terms of the type of burr formed.
That is using  Wootz categories of positive and negative burrs.
As such, when it comes to honing, the angle should match the grinding angle.
I realised this after I honed at +2 degrees and couldn't understand why the edge got duller.
I tried again in the following way:
Honed at exact on leather with Tormek paste.
Honed at +0.5 degrees on same wheel.
Final hone on leather wheel with chromox at exact edge angle.
Gave a Bess in the nineties.
As for grinding angle. A cop out answer would be as low as the steel can handle!
Real world, is it a general purpose hacker or more of a slicer?
For general purpose maybe 20 degrees/side.
For a slicer maybe 15 degrees/side.
I wouldn't go lower than that for a penknife.

[3D Anvil]

AUS10A is a decent stainless steel.  It's usually hardened to 58-61 hrc and it's considered pretty tough, so it should be able to handle a low angle.  I don't have the knife you're talking about, but knowing Cold Steel, I would guess it's pretty thick behind the edge, so your choice of bevel angle may depend on your appreciation for wide versus small edge bevels.  If you have a set of calipers, measure the width right behind the edge.  Average for pocket knives is probably around 0.020".  If it's closer to 0.030", I'd stick with 20+° or else you're going to have quite a thick edge bevel.  But again, it's a matter of aesthetics.  For my personal knives, I always err on the side of a lower angle for better cutting performance.