Over-Sharpening

[Mark Reich]

Fine sharpening is applying macro-forces to the microscale of the edge apex - too easy to overdo.

I totally forgot to comment on this, and I meant to... 

I think I may have picked up on things you've mentioned in passing. I understand you have the ability to adjust your angle to within tenths of a degree with your software. I know this is beyond my capability, even with the Edge Pro.  

When you're only hitting the edge of the edge, even the lightest weight is a concentration of pressure, resulting in macro-force on the edge of the edge, right?

This sounds familiar to the way I sharpen freehand. Intentional convexity, on the smallest scale I can possibly manage.

The key for me is to make sure I'm thinning the bevel one or two degrees thinner than where I want to finish, depending on how many stone progressions I have in mind. This way I'm not concerned with refining the whole edge, even though human error (and erring to the thin side), usually results in refining most of the edge. It's the Edge Of The Edge I'm concerned with.

It's a simple way of sharpening most efficiently. The fewest strokes wins. More strokes= mis-strokes= rounding the edge.

Finishing on a belt is different because you're always edge trailing, and the speed of the belt doesn't allow you to control the burr without refinement. Bare leather takes too long, and polishes the tooth. I think diamond compound works much faster. You can always add tooth after you have a clean edge.

This goes back to creating a burr, then controlled abrasion of the burr, only on the side with the burr, until you've gotten to the base of the burr. The result is a pretty clean edge, ready for a little distressing. 

"Flipping the burr" is basically a myth to my present understanding. Part of the burr will flip back and forth, but what is actually needed is total removal of the base of the burr from the side with the burr. 

On a belt, you will generally create a burr with the first pass. It's best to flip the burr so you have a clean, coarse scratch pattern on both sides. Additional flipping with the coarse belt is not only unnecessary, you're wasting steel. 

Now shut the machine off. You can remove the burr on a stationary belt, or better, on a stone of similar grit. It may feel like the burr is flipped after just a couple strokes, but if you look carefully with high magnification, you will see a shiny line on the edge with the burr. When you look at the side you think the burr has flipped to, you probably won't be able to see any burr. It will look like a perfect scratch pattern to the EOTE, but you may be able to feel a little burr, and assume the burr is flipped. That is misleading. 

As long as you can see a shiny line on the burr side, that means the burr is still there. What feels like a flipped burr is only the flimsy end of the burr. You must remove the shiny line on the burr side Completely. The shiny line is actually the burr. You need to keep working on the shiny line until it looks like a Perfectly clean scratch pattern all the way to the EOTE. 

Now you are getting very close to a clean edge, but you haven't made a single stroke on the side without the burr, so you haven't wasted any time, and haven't encouraged burr Growth.

Now, it should look very much like a clean scratch pattern on both sides. Maybe there is a little crud on the EOTE looking from both sides. This is where distressing comes into play, but you have to be careful. I don't think it's a good idea to simply "make a slice" on something (like wood or plastic). If you do, the metal crud will build up on the front of the slice, and you'll be dragging the rest of the edge through the crud. I like to use a sharpie, and roll the sharpie Away from the edge as I drag the sharpie along the edge. Make a couple passes. As long as you aren't dragging the edge through the crud you're distressing properly. 

Here is where I intentionally raise the angle very slightly. Slowly and carefully remove the dangling crud with an edge leading pass on each side. Distress and repeat. That should do it. 

I'm not saying "This is how it is", I'm saying, IMHO. YMMV. Especially according to refinement.