I put a micro bevel on my carpenter's hatchet, and on really skinny blades with softer steels like a flexing fillet knife. It gives the benefits of good geometry and a stable edge with a steel that couldn't handle a really acute edge without rolling.
I used to hate them, but i think my original micro was too steep. 20° in 20cv was absolute hell to remove the burr. I recently put one on my Bugout that’s 15-17° micro and I love it! As long as the knife still shaves phonebook paper I’m happy, and it should be interesting to see how long it lasts compared to the original 15° razor bevel.
I use microbevel in a different way. I sharpen kitchen knives with hardness from 55-60 HRC. Recommended sharpening angle for this hardness is about 15 degrees to avoid edge rolling too fast. When I do a microbevel instead of adding a higher angle microbevel on it I sharpen the knive at "low" angle, 10 degree and then add a 15 degree microbevel on top of it. It greatly increases cutting performance and has about the same resistance for edge rolling as a standard 15 degree edge. I could go more agressive on it even though its soft steel. A friend of mine with a lot of experience does Full Flat V Zero on 56 HRC knives. At this point the knive is not usable because anything will make egde roll. For durability he adds 18-20 degree microbevel on top. I will test this soon. The knives you use are very diferent, not sure how good this would be for you but for the kitchen knives I use microbevel is very useful for cutting performance.
Doesnt matter, Even if you do with 10° at the end, you're creating more resistance regardless if you increase or decrease angle in the end for microbevel it will still create another line after the bevel and thus increasing resistance as you slice it
@@ia6980 10 degrees with a 15 degree microbevel creates more resistance than 10 degrees by itself but you can't use 10 degrees on western knives because of steel is too soft for that. Comparing a 15 degree microbevel with a thick 15 degree edge the difference is huge.
I don't mind it. Edge maintenance between sharpening a couple passes on ceramic. Quick and easy. Fixes damage better than stropping. If you keep up with it and keep it really micro you can get away with not doing a full sharpening for a good long time before you lose much performance
Nice thanks for the comments, I usually do the same thing on a ceramic but i do my entire bevel, so i just hone my edge back, il use the rod if theres a lot of damage and im going to do a full sharpening soon any ways, I love how theres so many different ways and things that work for different people
@@NeevesKnives yeah. I do it less now that I have more knives in the rotation and more of them are quality steels. Sharpening 15-17 dps then just keeping the edge up on the sharpmaker at 20 did what I needed for a work knife. I got better sharpening equipment now also
I will generally sharpen a knife 17-19 degrees per side and use the 20 degree setting on a Sharpmaker for touch-ups if a strop doesn't handle it. I'm not practiced at freehand sharpening because I use a Wicked Edge, so I use this method since setting up the WE can be time consuming. Once an edge takes more than a couple passes on the ceramic rods at 20 deg, then I know it's time to do a full resharpening. Your channel has rekindled my interest in freehand sharpening though, so thank you for all the videos!
Thats amazing! I know after putting so much time into perfecting my technique, its seriously paying off, and a lot of times its purely therapeutic, and I like how theres so many little tricks people do and use that works for them, and it helps people that read the comments to get ideas that will help them.
As I commented in one of your latest videos (I say it again in case it's useful for somebody) I use micro-bevels with the knives I consider too thick behind the edge. I normally sharpen with Spyderco's SHARPMAKER at 20° per side. I get the sharpeness level I need at this setting, but if the knife is thick behind the edge, I sharpen it at 15° and then put a micro-bevel at 20°. This way I get a thinner knife, with the same strength I usually seek for.
Thats awesome Aitor and I appreciate the comment, was hoping you would watch and comment, I think it will help someone, we are all different in different places with lots of differences, its important for people to know what might help them, and thats what is so great about this community. Thanks bud
Hi Jared, never have done a micro bevel but figured you would do it just ss you showed. Ha, got that same Smith's stone. Keep spreading that knowledge.
I guess the weirdest edged knife I have is a randall non-catalog model fireman's special , very sharp in it's own right, but designed to cut thru seat belts and all of that. Neat information and video !
Hmm, if Opinel or Mora is a Scandi grind, then I am making micro bevels :) I also think the Spyderco rod based sharpening system places a micro bevel when I use it on my kitchen knives between sharpenings.
It definitely puts a micro bevel and yes you are putting micro bevels on and in some cases you should but not always unless your wanting to, but scandi grinds either have zero grinds or micro bevels
I had heard of them but never tried to put one on. I can't think other than a really thin slipjoint any where else but not even sure about that. Would you do one on the Alien knife DX2 I believe that the kickstarter ends on 22nd. Being 8 thousandths behind the edge?? Even if rushed then I would use another one till I had the time to do it right.
They are more common on outdoor use fixed blades. For instance, Most Mora's come with a microbevel. This is done to add edge stability to a knife that will likely be pounded into wood, or may hit hard knots while carving.
Exactly what Timbo said, but no i wouldnt put one on the DX2 i sharpened it at 17 degrees and it was great, if i was worried id just change my angle to 20°
I don't usually freehand sharpen, but is it possible that putting a micro-bevel is more difficult for not very skilled sharpeners because of the lack of a previous somewhat taller bevel to serve as a reference for a consistent angle? I mean... The existing full bevel gives us feedback to know whether we're at the right angle. Right? With a micro-bevel there's almost no feedback, I guess... Am I right?
I bet you are right, with technique and great skill everything works better, and I dont doubt that at all, and looking at the Rockstead, wich is the best version of a micro bevel its hard to argue.
I don’t mind micro bevels. I haven’t really been using them though. Have tried it. It depends on the tools at hand. I plan on using them more though as I’m switching sharpeners soon. If you have means to put on a 17-17.5°, I don’t bother with a micro bevel. If your using a setup that only has a 15° and 20° option a micro bevel will have its place. In that case 15° for the right knives that also have steel that can hold the edge. 20° degrees on certain thin blade knives made of steel that can’t hold a thin edge (SAK) or thick behind the edge knives. Others that fall somewhere between those two setting 15° back bevel with a 20° micro bevel can provide better performance and longevity than the other two options in that case. The drawings are extreme versions of the loss of material. The micro bevel is usually just a few passes. You’ll get a dozen (few pass sharpens) before you need to do the back bevel again. If you strop regularly, you don’t do those quick sharpens regularly. It takes awhile. Plus most of us use multiple knives and are trying more and more. So you really don’t need to worry about it much.
Yeah since the video I started using micro bevels more, especially with certain steels at certain angles, and as maintenance to make edges go longer or that are experiencing micro chipping.
Yeah you should probably try to just Sharpen the micro bevel, even if you change it, as long as its a sharp bevel it should be Fine but i know what you mean
Very late response and prob already mentioned, while i dont like "additional microbevels" i LOVE them when they are planned in. For example 10dps transition bevel, with 15dps microbevel thst gives all the stability you need only where its actually required, while the 10dps transition gives greatly improved cutting ability. With the nice sideeffects of extremly fast touchups, wide possible grit jumps, and actually being easier to sharpen even for beginners, as you only need to focus to accurately hold and angle for a few swipes, while much less for for the thinning of the transition. I ofc wont force anyone to use them, but people are completly wasting their knives performance by sharpening on a single like 15dps bevel, and its kinda sad to see. Transitionbevel+Microbevel is one of the best ways to make a knive cut sicnificantly better, without the INSANE work it requires to do a full regrind.
Having gained my sharpening knowledge from Rooster, I'm not a micro bevel fan. If my edge is getting a little dull but still in good condition, I will touch it up on a finishing stone. If it's chipped, I'll do a full sharpening. Excellent discussion J-Rod. Keep those hands sexy AF, bro! 🤣
I don't like em as I feel they are a shortcut and unsightly, but resort to them for quick and dirty touch ups on a ceramic rod to last me enough to get to a regular sharpening, just like Jared. 😁
Thanks Robert, yeah usually im going to be sharpening soon anyway so im getting a little more life out of the edge before my sharpening, so hit it with the rod and keep it going a bit longer
Ok so i get it makes it stronger now i have a couple tops knives with micro bevels on them i do carry and use them daily... but should I take them down to a true scandi? 18 °inclusive?
That is up to you a lot of people like to just make the bevel into a zero grind, or you can continue the micro bevel, I would base it off how often you strop and how hard you are on it.
@@NeevesKnives I really would love it to be a true 0 scandi but it almost looks convex with a micro bevel..do you happen to have or own a mini scandi from tops?
I dont usually micro bevel my edges from any grind, and there is such thing as a zero grind, which in some cases is a scandi but not always, maybe your talking about an edge bevel, but then theres still a zero grind
@@NeevesKnives in my head a micro bevel is the cutting edge, scandi is zero grind, putting a micro bevel on a scandi grind makes it no longer a scandi grind, people say i have a scandi grind with a micro bevel, but what it actually is is a micro bevel with a high secondery bevel. Thats how i see it anyway 🙂
I liken it to choosing between ASAP (AsSharpAsPossible) and having a more durable working edge. Generally, what happens to an edge is it gets folded over or micro-chipped. Stropping pushes the folds back into alignment and restores the edge. If the edge is less acute (micro-bevel) it doesn't fold as easily so stays "sharp" longer. Less acute = fatter = less sharp = stronger. It's kind of a cheesy way to sharpen. Instead of sharpening to say, 17 degrees you brag about your 15 degree edge with 17 degree micro-bevel. Well, bottom line is the apex is still 17 degrees but the area immediately behind the edge is thicker and more supportive so it "lasts longer". IMO
I'm not a fan of them either. I understand why they might wanna put them on an outdoors knife, but even then I'm not really a fan. A lot of scandi grind knives have a micro bevel because they figure you're going to pound it through wood, but I much prefer a zero grind scandi. Either that, or like you mentioned, I convex them.
Yeah and i dont doubt that a perfect one doesn't work great but I find it easier to just do what i explained, and a convex edge is very strong and easy to strop, and if it needs a ceramic rod then ok, but I wouldnt doit before ive used it
There is a flaw in your argument as you contradict yourself. You say that instead of microbeveling just changes the angle of the edge say from 17° to 25° because if you continue to microbevel it will not be sharp anymore. But if you consistently micro bevel at 25° the entire edge eventually becomes 25° as you recommended. So i really dont see the problem so long as, microbevel or not, the angle of sharpening remains consistent at the cutting edge be it 25° or whatever. And a 17° edge with a 25° micro bevel will have less resistance than just a 25° edge. One or two 20° strokes on each side can soften that initial 'corner' making it like a convex for even less resistance.
Convex edges... sand paper on A cushy mouse pad to sharpen convex edges is VERY EASY. Convex w/ a stone is useless. Use this method instead. Strop with a belt pulled taught.
I would do that method with maybe a knife with simple steel that is a scandi grind, a convex is very very easy to do on a flat stone in hand I have many videos showing how, also most of the steels I sharpen require diamond to be properly sharpened. The sandpaper on a soft surface is something I teach for certain edges
Pretty sure the trm neutron and benchmade Saibu basically have a micro bevel since they’re so thin.. 😂 i suck at sharpening since it’s such a high angle it’s weird lol
It's awesome when these videos pop up when I'm taking a break on overtime . Thanks Neeves didn't even watch it yet and it's good
Lol thanks Mark 👊
I put a micro bevel on my carpenter's hatchet, and on really skinny blades with softer steels like a flexing fillet knife. It gives the benefits of good geometry and a stable edge with a steel that couldn't handle a really acute edge without rolling.
I used to hate them, but i think my original micro was too steep. 20° in 20cv was absolute hell to remove the burr. I recently put one on my Bugout that’s 15-17° micro and I love it! As long as the knife still shaves phonebook paper I’m happy, and it should be interesting to see how long it lasts compared to the original 15° razor bevel.
Yeah it's definitely useful for many blades or certain edges especially on certain steels
I use microbevel in a different way. I sharpen kitchen knives with hardness from 55-60 HRC. Recommended sharpening angle for this hardness is about 15 degrees to avoid edge rolling too fast. When I do a microbevel instead of adding a higher angle microbevel on it I sharpen the knive at "low" angle, 10 degree and then add a 15 degree microbevel on top of it. It greatly increases cutting performance and has about the same resistance for edge rolling as a standard 15 degree edge.
I could go more agressive on it even though its soft steel. A friend of mine with a lot of experience does Full Flat V Zero on 56 HRC knives. At this point the knive is not usable because anything will make egde roll. For durability he adds 18-20 degree microbevel on top. I will test this soon.
The knives you use are very diferent, not sure how good this would be for you but for the kitchen knives I use microbevel is very useful for cutting performance.
Doesnt matter, Even if you do with 10° at the end, you're creating more resistance regardless if you increase or decrease angle in the end for microbevel it will still create another line after the bevel and thus increasing resistance as you slice it
@@ia6980 10 degrees with a 15 degree microbevel creates more resistance than 10 degrees by itself but you can't use 10 degrees on western knives because of steel is too soft for that.
Comparing a 15 degree microbevel with a thick 15 degree edge the difference is huge.
I don't mind it. Edge maintenance between sharpening a couple passes on ceramic. Quick and easy. Fixes damage better than stropping. If you keep up with it and keep it really micro you can get away with not doing a full sharpening for a good long time before you lose much performance
Nice thanks for the comments, I usually do the same thing on a ceramic but i do my entire bevel, so i just hone my edge back, il use the rod if theres a lot of damage and im going to do a full sharpening soon any ways, I love how theres so many different ways and things that work for different people
@@NeevesKnives yeah. I do it less now that I have more knives in the rotation and more of them are quality steels. Sharpening 15-17 dps then just keeping the edge up on the sharpmaker at 20 did what I needed for a work knife. I got better sharpening equipment now also
Question on a fixed sharpeners, are you not creating a micro bevel on the knife when you put downward pressure on the push rod. Love the channel.
I will generally sharpen a knife 17-19 degrees per side and use the 20 degree setting on a Sharpmaker for touch-ups if a strop doesn't handle it. I'm not practiced at freehand sharpening because I use a Wicked Edge, so I use this method since setting up the WE can be time consuming. Once an edge takes more than a couple passes on the ceramic rods at 20 deg, then I know it's time to do a full resharpening. Your channel has rekindled my interest in freehand sharpening though, so thank you for all the videos!
Thats amazing! I know after putting so much time into perfecting my technique, its seriously paying off, and a lot of times its purely therapeutic, and I like how theres so many little tricks people do and use that works for them, and it helps people that read the comments to get ideas that will help them.
As I commented in one of your latest videos (I say it again in case it's useful for somebody) I use micro-bevels with the knives I consider too thick behind the edge.
I normally sharpen with Spyderco's SHARPMAKER at 20° per side. I get the sharpeness level I need at this setting, but if the knife is thick behind the edge, I sharpen it at 15° and then put a micro-bevel at 20°. This way I get a thinner knife, with the same strength I usually seek for.
Thats awesome Aitor and I appreciate the comment, was hoping you would watch and comment, I think it will help someone, we are all different in different places with lots of differences, its important for people to know what might help them, and thats what is so great about this community. Thanks bud
I've not experienced a micro bevel. Good information sir! ✌️
Hi Jared, never have done a micro bevel but figured you would do it just ss you showed. Ha, got that same Smith's stone. Keep spreading that knowledge.
Smith has good stones, I like their quality for the price
Neat video vary *kool*. question: do you have a video/videos on RUIKE knives?
Yes, i think 3 different videos on reviews but i have them in many videos all together
@@NeevesKnives thanks I shall look into that 😁
This was awesome I always wondered about microbevels. Great video 👍
This video really helped thank you!
I guess the weirdest edged knife I have is a randall non-catalog model fireman's special , very sharp in it's own right, but designed to cut thru seat belts and all of that. Neat information and video !
Nice, im reviewing the ken onion work sharp right now and its got a bunch of setting for different edges like serrations and hook blades exc..
Hmm, if Opinel or Mora is a Scandi grind, then I am making micro bevels :) I also think the Spyderco rod based sharpening system places a micro bevel when I use it on my kitchen knives between sharpenings.
It definitely puts a micro bevel and yes you are putting micro bevels on and in some cases you should but not always unless your wanting to, but scandi grinds either have zero grinds or micro bevels
I had heard of them but never tried to put one on. I can't think other than a really thin slipjoint any where else but not even sure about that. Would you do one on the Alien knife DX2 I believe that the kickstarter ends on 22nd. Being 8 thousandths behind the edge?? Even if rushed then I would use another one till I had the time to do it right.
They are more common on outdoor use fixed blades. For instance, Most Mora's come with a microbevel. This is done to add edge stability to a knife that will likely be pounded into wood, or may hit hard knots while carving.
Exactly what Timbo said, but no i wouldnt put one on the DX2 i sharpened it at 17 degrees and it was great, if i was worried id just change my angle to 20°
I don't usually freehand sharpen, but is it possible that putting a micro-bevel is more difficult for not very skilled sharpeners because of the lack of a previous somewhat taller bevel to serve as a reference for a consistent angle? I mean... The existing full bevel gives us feedback to know whether we're at the right angle. Right? With a micro-bevel there's almost no feedback, I guess... Am I right?
I bet you are right, with technique and great skill everything works better, and I dont doubt that at all, and looking at the Rockstead, wich is the best version of a micro bevel its hard to argue.
I don’t mind micro bevels. I haven’t really been using them though. Have tried it. It depends on the tools at hand. I plan on using them more though as I’m switching sharpeners soon.
If you have means to put on a 17-17.5°, I don’t bother with a micro bevel. If your using a setup that only has a 15° and 20° option a micro bevel will have its place.
In that case 15° for the right knives that also have steel that can hold the edge. 20° degrees on certain thin blade knives made of steel that can’t hold a thin edge (SAK) or thick behind the edge knives. Others that fall somewhere between those two setting 15° back bevel with a 20° micro bevel can provide better performance and longevity than the other two options in that case.
The drawings are extreme versions of the loss of material. The micro bevel is usually just a few passes. You’ll get a dozen (few pass sharpens) before you need to do the back bevel again. If you strop regularly, you don’t do those quick sharpens regularly. It takes awhile. Plus most of us use multiple knives and are trying more and more. So you really don’t need to worry about it much.
Yeah since the video I started using micro bevels more, especially with certain steels at certain angles, and as maintenance to make edges go longer or that are experiencing micro chipping.
Supposedly my Tops MSK 2.5 has a micro bevel although it's supposed to be a scandi grind? Kinda worried about sharpening it...
Yeah you should probably try to just Sharpen the micro bevel, even if you change it, as long as its a sharp bevel it should be Fine but i know what you mean
OMG you have a Rockstead is that a real one or a fake
Very late response and prob already mentioned, while i dont like "additional microbevels" i LOVE them when they are planned in.
For example 10dps transition bevel, with 15dps microbevel thst gives all the stability you need only where its actually required, while the 10dps transition gives greatly improved cutting ability.
With the nice sideeffects of extremly fast touchups, wide possible grit jumps, and actually being easier to sharpen even for beginners, as you only need to focus to accurately hold and angle for a few swipes, while much less for for the thinning of the transition.
I ofc wont force anyone to use them, but people are completly wasting their knives performance by sharpening on a single like 15dps bevel, and its kinda sad to see.
Transitionbevel+Microbevel is one of the best ways to make a knive cut sicnificantly better, without the INSANE work it requires to do a full regrind.
Having gained my sharpening knowledge from Rooster, I'm not a micro bevel fan. If my edge is getting a little dull but still in good condition, I will touch it up on a finishing stone. If it's chipped, I'll do a full sharpening. Excellent discussion J-Rod. Keep those hands sexy AF, bro! 🤣
😆 I try
I don't like em as I feel they are a shortcut and unsightly, but resort to them for quick and dirty touch ups on a ceramic rod to last me enough to get to a regular sharpening, just like Jared. 😁
Thanks Robert, yeah usually im going to be sharpening soon anyway so im getting a little more life out of the edge before my sharpening, so hit it with the rod and keep it going a bit longer
Ok so i get it makes it stronger now i have a couple tops knives with micro bevels on them i do carry and use them daily... but should I take them down to a true scandi? 18 °inclusive?
That is up to you a lot of people like to just make the bevel into a zero grind, or you can continue the micro bevel, I would base it off how often you strop and how hard you are on it.
@@NeevesKnives I really would love it to be a true 0 scandi but it almost looks convex with a micro bevel..do you happen to have or own a mini scandi from tops?
I dont but know many folks who do
Thanks again for another instructional video; have accidentally done microbevels several times by not getting the full edge done, can be frustrating.
Mistakes are going to happen, its all apart of the passion
The only grind with no micro bevel is scandi grind?
I dont usually micro bevel my edges from any grind, and there is such thing as a zero grind, which in some cases is a scandi but not always, maybe your talking about an edge bevel, but then theres still a zero grind
@@NeevesKnives in my head a micro bevel is the cutting edge, scandi is zero grind, putting a micro bevel on a scandi grind makes it no longer a scandi grind, people say i have a scandi grind with a micro bevel, but what it actually is is a micro bevel with a high secondery bevel. Thats how i see it anyway 🙂
I liken it to choosing between ASAP (AsSharpAsPossible) and having a more durable working edge. Generally, what happens to an edge is it gets folded over or micro-chipped. Stropping pushes the folds back into alignment and restores the edge. If the edge is less acute (micro-bevel) it doesn't fold as easily so stays "sharp" longer. Less acute = fatter = less sharp = stronger. It's kind of a cheesy way to sharpen. Instead of sharpening to say, 17 degrees you brag about your 15 degree edge with 17 degree micro-bevel. Well, bottom line is the apex is still 17 degrees but the area immediately behind the edge is thicker and more supportive so it "lasts longer". IMO
Thanks Len well put
too me in my use microbevels just dont cut as well
I'm not a fan of them either. I understand why they might wanna put them on an outdoors knife, but even then I'm not really a fan. A lot of scandi grind knives have a micro bevel because they figure you're going to pound it through wood, but I much prefer a zero grind scandi. Either that, or like you mentioned, I convex them.
Yeah and i dont doubt that a perfect one doesn't work great but I find it easier to just do what i explained, and a convex edge is very strong and easy to strop, and if it needs a ceramic rod then ok, but I wouldnt doit before ive used it
Great video ty bro ! Think I’m good off a micro bevel lol
I think they are ok to tune your edge in between sharpenings if needed
There is a flaw in your argument as you contradict yourself. You say that instead of microbeveling just changes the angle of the edge say from 17° to 25° because if you continue to microbevel it will not be sharp anymore. But if you consistently micro bevel at 25° the entire edge eventually becomes 25° as you recommended. So i really dont see the problem so long as, microbevel or not, the angle of sharpening remains consistent at the cutting edge be it 25° or whatever. And a 17° edge with a 25° micro bevel will have less resistance than just a 25° edge. One or two 20° strokes on each side can soften that initial 'corner' making it like a convex for even less resistance.
Convex edges... sand paper on A cushy mouse pad to sharpen convex edges is VERY EASY. Convex w/ a stone is useless. Use this method instead. Strop with a belt pulled taught.
I would do that method with maybe a knife with simple steel that is a scandi grind, a convex is very very easy to do on a flat stone in hand I have many videos showing how, also most of the steels I sharpen require diamond to be properly sharpened. The sandpaper on a soft surface is something I teach for certain edges
@@NeevesKnives ok I'll look into it, anytime iv done it, it looks trashy with all the marks on the blade at diff angles n stuff. I'll check it out
Pretty sure the trm neutron and benchmade Saibu basically have a micro bevel since they’re so thin.. 😂 i suck at sharpening since it’s such a high angle it’s weird lol
Hey congrats on the WIN!!
I find MBs only useful on tools., And only if needed on a zero.
Good point