KME Sharpening Tip : Low Grit Stones & Chasing The Burr

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-This is a video I filmed a couple of months ago and wasnt going to publish but then just figured who cares why not.
Just some quick thoughts here on properly apexing an edge, and identifying a proper burr when re-profiling with VERY LOW grit stones: 50/100 grit diamond in this video.
Even using a sharpie and magnification can be misleading at super low grits like this.
I am using my KME in this video which I mainly use as a re-profiling system more than regular sharpening, but this tip can apply to anytime, system, or method that you use when chasing that super super LOW grit burr.
Thanks guys!

[@Xandrosi]

That Q-tip trick is fantastic! Thank you for making this video. Very well done.

[@bradleyrunnels]

Brother, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS. I HAVE THE KME as well. I also was sharpening the m390 steel with THE BEAST & could not seem to find a burr, this HELPED TREMENDOUSLY. YOU DA MAN!!

[@shawnlavigne9069]

Different steels on different stones. Always a learning experience. Thanks for the tips. The Q tip.

[@bladecentered2264]

I have both the KME and the m390 dividend, so this is very helpful

[@rangerjonoutdoors6429]

bladecentered glad someone actually found it useful lol! You never know what your midnight ramblings will turn into. Thanks for watching!

[@3740westmichigan]

Thanks i was having problems with the burr on the lower stones too !!!!!!!!!!!!! This helped !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@pmunson7063]

Nice information. Thanks.

[@rangerjonoutdoors6429]

Thanks for watching!

[@kenfair8178]

I noticed the same thing, but I think the M390 plays a part in it. I've used the 50 and 100 on a VG-10 blade and there was much more of a burr even with the low grits. I think the hardness/chemical makeup of the M390 makes the burr easier to peal off (like you said) at the lower grits because it kinda makes a burr of super fine chips rather than an actual wire edge of metal. Like the burr is shaped like a saw blade rather than an even flap. Thanks for confirming my findings Jon. Oh and I ground the heck out of my ricasso on both sides. I doubt I can just polish mine up. LOL, but live and learn. I'd rather have it happen on the Dividend then an really expensive knife. So it's now sharp as hell all the way back. Also I can confirm that my Dividend's blade grind was horribly uneven. Like 14 on one side and 21 on the other. Had to re-profile the whole thing.

[@rangerjonoutdoors6429]

Ken Fair I agree! I've noticed a more pronounced burr with them on lower grade steels such as BD1, 14c28n, etc. However the issue I was facing at the time I filmed this I seem to come across with the higher end steels like s30v, S35VN, 204p, m390, 20cv, k390, etc. What you're saying about the burr being like a saw blade has been exactly what I've seen through my microscope. They're just such aggressive stones! And I polished all of the nicks and scratches out of mine with the ultrafine rods from the sharpmaker. Worked like a charm if that's something that might help. In the end I sold the dividend but it was and still is a great way to get into m390 for cheap! Rock on dude and thanks for watching !

[@gambitgaming4573]

I spent awhile on the 140 grit (my lowest grit stone) and after like 10 mins longer than it should've take, I moved on to the higher grits and finally got a bur.

[@rangerjonoutdoors6429]

Yep. I've noticed with these diamond stones they just get so aggressive sometimes the burr doesnt show itself. Thanks for watching!

[@bp-hx9ts]

I just got my kme onley sharpend a couple of buck knives and I could definitely feel a huge burr on my edge however deburing is challenging with the 50 and 100 as i found that it just flips the burr

[@SteveKluver]

Very good Jon. I thought you had sold that knife? One thing that I do, in this situation. When I'm pretty sure an apex has been reached, and both sides look right. But the Burr is nearly undetectable. I go back again, and stroke with just a 'towards me' stroke. That gets the Burr, to where I can feel it. I think it's the scrubbing action, in this situation. That keeps the Burr so small.

[@rangerjonoutdoors6429]

Steve Kluver I did actually sell the knife lol. I just stumbled across this on my computer and figured I'd post it. I have actually tried the "stropping" strokes with the stones before and you're right that it really does help remove and alter a burr! Rock on and thanks for watching!

[@SteveKluver]

Ha! I watched and replied to this video, on my phone. I did not see then, but do now. The "filmed a couple of months ago" in the description section.

[@NPonlamuangsri]

I’m not getting a burr with 140 on 20CV and the blade is dull still. I have heard that if it’s not sharp at 140, it won’t be sharp at 1500. Should I still jump up to 300 to get that burr?

[@Griff33]

Thank you so much for posting this tip. I have been struggling with this for a long time. Question: do you apply pressure using the “beast” if it taking a long time to profile equal angles? Thanks for your time.

[@rangerjonoutdoors6429]

Hey thanks for watching! Glad it helped someone haha. With any sort of diamond stones especially the Beast, adding more pressure seems like it will cut faster but you can really damage your stones and your edges by doing that. Smooth and graceful is always best with sharpening. Most of the time when I am sharpening with any stone, I apply a fresh layer of sharpie to the bevel with each stone type or grit change. I do this so that I can identify the most minimal amount of pressure needed to remove the sharpie in a uniform way, and then that is the amount of pressure I stick with for that grit or stone. I then repeat that straight away when I move to the next stone or grit because it will change depending on grits and what types of stones you're using each time. This can add time to a sharpening job sometimes but I find that never going past that minimal level of pressure needed gives me VERY crisp and sharp edges. I'd rather invest more time in my sharpening than try to get it done faster and really mess up my stones or have carbide tear out on my edges or something. Hope that helps!

[@Griff33]

That helps a lot. Thank you

[@rangerjonoutdoors6429]

Thanks for watching!

[@mikejoseph8392]

The best way to check is to use a jewelers loupe 10X hexagonal

[@abc456f]

Starting with one side at 15° and the other at 28°...1. How are you determining those angles? 2. How are you confirming that both are at 15°? Thanks very much.

[@rangerjonoutdoors6429]

An electronic angle finder cube is usually the easiest way for me. Thanks!

[@user-pm7pw1tl3t]

Its not the kme fault its the bad blade design for no resharpening alot of blades have designs that make it hard to sharpen due scales no choil ect.