trouble sharpening CTS BD1

[313 Mike]

Greetings folks! I have a Spyderco Mannix 2 lightweight with CTS BD1 steel...great knife, makes an outstanding summer carry due to its extreme light weight, flat profile, awesome clip, etc. Love the he knife...it came extremely sharp, but now that time has passed and after much use it is no longer very sharp, and I just can!t seem to get a decent edge on the doggone thing ! I use a Smiths tri hone on all my other knives and have no problems getting them up to speed, but I have spent hours working on the Spydie with no luck. I even started on the coarse stone and worked my way to the fine...nothing. 1095, Case CV , even other modern stainless I have no problems with...even Benchmade CPM154 I can get slicing paper. I am not in the market for a Sharpmaker, don't want to have to buy special equipment to sharpen this knife, I enjoy free handing with stones. Any body else have issues getting this steel sharp or is it just me? Comments or suggestions appreciated....because I can't carry around a dull knife! Thanks fellas...

[junebug]

mike..... i THINK i can help.


I use the sharpmaker....... and love it! (but own several types) but you dont have to have one, yer stones should work fine
i think its all about the : ANGLE ON DA FAN-DANGLE......
I have noticed......... with several of my SPYDERCO......... you need to sharpen SOME steels at a GREATER ANGLE
.....or errrrr how do i say this...... NOT as flat as you would a kitchen knife/ spey type......trying to just hit the SECONDARY BEVEL.

i don't think it has anything ta do with yer sharpener/stones

hope that makes sense bro...if not i can try harder....lolololol

[TripleF]

Have you tried a sharpening steel.....I hate to ask a cook this....

Couple strokes each side backwards....then 3 strokes each side normal.

Just throwin' it out there at the risk of being humiliated.

[313 Mike]

Thanks for the tip J-Bug....I will try your angle advice, my muscle memory when sharpening kind of kicks in automatically and I do my normal thing...maybe I just need to readjust for this particular blade?

Thanks for chiming in Scott, I appreciate any and all comments! And yes I have tried a steel, I have couple of different ones that I use frequently for touch ups and they work great....just not on this blade! She's a stubborn one....

[junebug]

I have the same knife.......but mine has never gotten dull yet..... after each EDC/USE I strop all my knives A COUPLE TIMES on the SHARPMAKER white FINE stone, and she stays HAIR POPPIN SHARP. ...which helps YOU zinlch-o, i know...

I think yer hittin the shoulder....and not the secondary bevel.

CTS-BD1 is in the same ballpark as 8Cr13MoV for SS ...and very easy to sharpen.

my understanding is.....,it would be like comparing 1095 to 1084 for carbon steels.

[royal0014]

Use a Sharpie to highlight the cutting edge, then run a few strokes on your fine stone.
That'll show 'ya quick what the angle is. May have to use a magnifing device of some sort....
Alcohol will take off the sharpie remnants.

[junebug]

GOOD STINKIN' THINKIN', ROYAL
FERGOT THE OL' SHARPIE TRICK!!!!

NOW QUIT SCREWIN' ROUND, AND SHARPEN THAT SPYDERCO, MIKE

[313 Mike]

......at long last....mission accomplished! [ broke down and bought a Lansky 5 stone system]...