@@RobertCugno There's a button under the video with the word "Thanks" and a love heart with a dollar sign in it. If you press it it allows you to make a donation to support the channel. I receive 70% TH-cam keeps 30%. Donations are appreciated but I feel better receiving tips when I share something that specifically helps you make money. Thanks for asking.
I mean it does depend on how hard the blade is. Below 60HRC it's fine, and it's also about the binding in the stone. It might be able to sharpen a 65HRC Magnacut knife, but the stone will get small quickly.
@ I'd love to try. These films are quite popular and informative. People want to know. No one else is testing the SG against super hard knives. I've sharpened HRC65 knives on here before though. Mostly jap chef knives though.
@@Snarlacc Believe it or not, it has little to do with the hardness of the steel and more to do with the hardness of the carbides in the steel. You can easily sharpen a White #1 steel knife at 66HRC, on a Japanese natural stone for instance. The abrasives in those (quartz/silica) come in around 7 Mohs. Aluminum oxide, the abrasive in most man made sharpening stones, comes in around 9 Mohs.
@@lars43771 We are talking about carbide rich steels here though not plain carbon, and the hardness of the steel itself does matter here too, higher hardness, generally higher abrasion resistance. And higher abrasion resistance means harder on the abrasive so a 58HRC Magnacut might be sharpenable with aluminium oxide, but try the same at 65HRC. Yes, the carbide type also matters, 60HRC D2 is much milder on abrasives than 60HRC S90V, but general hardness matters as well. Soft D2 isn't much worse on abrasive than other stainless steels, hard D2 will dish out stones pretty fast. Less about the hardness of the particles and more about the bonding of the particles. I mean Corundum or Aluminium Oxide is a Mohs 9, 60HRC steel is a Mohs 6,5 or 7 and the carbides at HRC70-80 are a Mohs 9 as well, the strength between particles is much, much lower. You are able to sharpen many super steels with low end stones, they are just used up quickly.
@@nicolbunyan3203 lotta fun and judging by the numbers of views since release, you guys like this theme too. Thanks for your support and encouragement.
This is literally the exact video I have been waiting for I have a few high-end pocket knives as well as a high-end set of super steel kitchen knives.. right now I use a hapstone, with a mix of CBN and Diamond Stones but have been looking at getting a T8
@iSharpen your channel is quickly becoming one of my favorite to watch as far as sharpening I'm interested to know why you use the diamond plates instead of the tormek stone grater?? Also interested in knowing why you stick with the regular grindstone instead of diamond wheels?
The SG wheel *can* sharpen many "super steels," but because the carbides in the wheel are softer than the vanadium carbide in super steels, you're really better off using diamond or CBN on those blades. You will get longer lasting edges that way. That's according to the testing by Knife Grinders Australia.
@@BladeLabMiami I'm looking forward to finding it's limits. I'm sure it has some but I've yet to be presented with a tough hunting knife that doesn't grind away with the SG. I'm sure it's out there though.
@@iSharpen Just for fun, I might give it a go on one of my Maxamet or Rex 121 blades. Those are loaded with Vanadium carbides and hardened to 69-70 hrc.
Yes, I'm eyeing off as set of chinese CBN wheels (from the suppliers everyone else buys them from). I had a bad experience with my 1,000 cbn that flaked off almost immediately (now wrapped in kangaroo tail) but I am curious. I just love the way the SG stone feels. It could be argued I'm addicted to it. I know it's uneconomical but I still get 400-500 knives out of one so it's still very profitable.
Thanks Baz. great video. Im curious about the "rolling over the edge when honing" surly the steel is much harder than the leather. I get that the bur is loose(ish) and can be removed by "wiggling/breaking it away from the apex". My actual question is How long can the edge really last if the leather is bending "rolling over" the edge? Thanks again for all your great content!
@@Riaan1906 I have serious doubts about the theory of edge rolling. If a knife edge could be rolled that easily by rubbing it in leather then it wouldn't last very long in actual use. I think when people think they've "rolled the edge" what they're experiencing is the actual burr root still on the edge. Could be wrong though.
With diamond compounds on a strop, too much pressure and too steep of an angle you can definitely round the edge. I experienced this when I was learning to sharpen and becoming more familiar with harder abrasives.
@@KyleEdwards-rl5xt did you see it under a microscope? I’d have to see it to believe it. I can imagine it with a really soft knife but with a proper hard knife I still find it hard to believe. If a knife can be rounded just by rubbing on leather it would be useless in real use. I’m not saying you’re wrong. It just doesn’t make sense and doesn’t ring true to me.
@iSharpen not under a microscope but by using a bess sharpness tester, comparing and contrasting. I wouldn't consider rolling but more so rounding. Most steels I use aren't soft either. I use alot if spyderco knives(usa). Diamond is very fast cutting. Chromium oxide is obviously much more forgiving. When I switched to all diamond abrasives was when I realized how inconsistently I was holding my angle. Diamond requires very little pressure when sharpening. When I strop I literally just use the weight of the knife. Initially I was putting pressure because that's what I was used to with Chromium oxide.
Thanks. It's pointless. I've never had it improve sharpness. All it does is waste time and make it look pretty. The slight toothiness of a 960 grind helps cut stuff too.
Have you tried the new Tormek knife angle jig? Game changer. Also, I can send you files for a goniometer if you've got someone to 3D print it. Also a very helpful tool.
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the new angle setter. Seems like a lot of unnecessary faffing around and wasting time for no extra benefit when the existing tool does the job perfectly in 1 second. Time is money in a commercial operation. I've seen the gonimometer and it could be an interesting tool for checking angles but again I'm not convinced it's needed. Personally, I think too much emphasis is put on exact edge angle. We may need beer for further discussion on knife angles. 😉
@@iSharpen I'll crack a beer here, you crack a beer there, we'll figure out the time difference and make it happen! Have a great day, Baz. As always, thanks for your insight.
Hey baz Steward here in Naples, Florida on my wife's TH-cam channel. Have you ever seen these knives? They're advertising them here in the US a lot called Coolina I believe is the name. They look like something out of Conan the barbarian movie. Big heavy, crazy knives. Those would be interesting for you to sharpen. Has anybody ever sent you knives from the US to Australia to sharpen and then you return them to the US? Just curious???😅
@@cynthiabrandt679 not yet. But I'm open to the idea. Shipping a knife to the U.S. costs about AUD$55-$65 it'd want to be a pretty special knife. No, can't say I've seen those knives.
Oh yeah Tormek always wins as long as you go at it long enough. I have no issues with doing 64 hrc cruwear and such on it either, but if the steel is too hard or theres too much carbide in it then at some point it starts to get weird when you go to use it. Its not really noticable while sharpening, but the cutting feel is just... off? Ive been told its because while you eventually can abrade down the carbides, it kinda rounds them off. Then again I mostly use CBN and just use the SG wheel for testing/fun or when I want to save the CBN wheel some abuse. There is a crossover point where the CBN just gives better results, but im not sure where that point is so far
Interesting. I don't get much super steel work but if I did I'd possibly consider investing in some CBN wheels. The one I did buy started risking off when thin 10 minutes so I'm currently not a fan when the SG is so versatile. Then again, I'm old.
@@iSharpen Yeah I know how you feel about them, which is such a shame to me. I have several grits of them that ive had for almost 2 years now and they show no sign of slowing down. Paul from Alexandria Knife Sharpening says his are 5 years old, no sign of wear or delamination. I guess the one you bought was a lemon or something? Delamiantion seems to be such a rare problem that I cant help wonder what the previous owner used yours for, it does say spesifically not to use water in the manual. Anyway I feel like im trying to push something you dont want on you, I dont mean to. I just think you may be missing out on something you might actually love because of a bad experience. Then again, having to wear a respirator kinda sucks a bit haha
@ yeah, I have limited experience and it was all bad. But I just love the way the SG wheel works. I know it wears out pretty fast and is expensive but I still get 400-500 knives out of one so the economics works for me. I just love how it feels. I almost ordered a full set of CBNs from China but something about them just doesn't sit right with me yet. Maybe that'll change in the future. Maybe I'll surprise everyone. Maybe I'll get a CBN sponsorship deal. I am a little curious but not enough to spend thousands of dollars on a set quite yet.
@@iSharpen That makes sense and is why I say I dont want to push this on you. Like you said in another comment here, super steels are kinda rare to get in and the vast majority of the super steels I sharpen are my own. Which makes sense, enthusiasts buy those and most enthusiasts want to sharpen their own knives
I@iSharpen I meant to say the belly of the knife to the tip. Yes, I like your method, but trying to get my grip, pressure and movement down. Your really informative. Thanks
@@markbaliel1472 Just guessing, but if you struggle with blunt tips its usually because you either lift too much or because you let the point drop off the stone
@@markbaliel1472 Trying to be helpful at least! When I think of it, theres a third option that could give you blunt tips or "wolf ears" at the tip too. If you pivot the belly/tip outwards instead of upwards, that can give some of the same "symptoms". If you have one of those laser levels or something similar that can put an imaginary straight line on your stone, I like to think that the edge should always be as close to that line as possible. If you do that, then 99% of your technique should be correct on its own. As far as tipping the point too much or the wrong direction, the best tip I have is to pay attention to the sound edit: also, try to pay attention to the actual edge bevel often. If its uneven thickness (without the knife being bent of course) or gets weird facets on it, it means you are doing something inconsistent
There are a lot of fake myths about the Tormek. I've busted several of them. There are some much harder supersteels than S35VN which the SG wheel might struggle with but for now it's been a stellar wheel that's handled everything I've ever thrown at it included full ceramic knives, even wood. I ground an ebony bowie knife on one...lol Still got it unfinished. You can see it behind me on the wall under the word "sharpening" on the round wooden logo plate.
@@charlesg5085 You know what's better than a T8? A used T8 that you picked up for a bargain. I bought both of mine used, second hand. The second one I actually got paid to buy because it came with so many accessories that I sold them for a profit. The first one came with it's own trolley and a heap of jigs and only cost me $650 so probably only paid about $100 for the T8 itself. Keep an eye on all the used marketplaces/craigslist/gumtrees...etc. One will show up. Have cash ready. No need to buy retail.
I plan on getting t8 in 2025, and getting Fine wheel, plan on keeping main 250 stone wheel as coarse wheel getting DF 250 fine wheel. Then 2026 get DE 250 extra fine wheel. Reason is I think I would prefer to change wheel rather than regrading between coarse and fine as this will wear down main 250 much faster then keeping wheel at coarse.
Yeah, it dies wear down the wheel for sure. Then again I still make $5-7k per wheel so it's not a big deal for me. The diamond wheels are not suitable for commercial use due to the water conditioning, sensitivity and contaminating of real world use but for the occasional hobby use it might be fun to have one. Great to hear your getting a T8. You'll love it.
I’ve been watching other people sharpening knives, you are, by far, the most informative, interesting and talented one out there! Keep it up!!
Wow! Thanks for the encouragement Robert!
@ I wish I could do more….cause you deserve it!
@@RobertCugno there's always that "SuperThanks" button 😉 but your encouragement and kind words are very appreciated.
@ where’s that?
@@RobertCugno There's a button under the video with the word "Thanks" and a love heart with a dollar sign in it. If you press it it allows you to make a donation to support the channel. I receive 70% TH-cam keeps 30%. Donations are appreciated but I feel better receiving tips when I share something that specifically helps you make money. Thanks for asking.
Your videos are getting better and better! That thumbnails rocks! Even your editing is improving. Keep it up Baz!
Thanks man!
That edge you put on there looks great!
Beautiful precise even high quality durable edge. Exactly what the customer needs.
Lookin good there Baz! Love the knife! Stupidly sharp like everything that leaves your shop!
@@randomfpv22 sharper than the sharpest thing...
Awesome job Baz
@@johnclarke8180 thanks John.
Well done! Especially at that angle. S35VN is one of those steels that you can still get by with on a regular aluminum oxide stone.
I think the SG is more capable than everything thinks.
I mean it does depend on how hard the blade is. Below 60HRC it's fine, and it's also about the binding in the stone. It might be able to sharpen a 65HRC Magnacut knife, but the stone will get small quickly.
@ I'd love to try. These films are quite popular and informative. People want to know. No one else is testing the SG against super hard knives.
I've sharpened HRC65 knives on here before though. Mostly jap chef knives though.
@@Snarlacc Believe it or not, it has little to do with the hardness of the steel and more to do with the hardness of the carbides in the steel. You can easily sharpen a White #1 steel knife at 66HRC, on a Japanese natural stone for instance. The abrasives in those (quartz/silica) come in around 7 Mohs. Aluminum oxide, the abrasive in most man made sharpening stones, comes in around 9 Mohs.
@@lars43771 We are talking about carbide rich steels here though not plain carbon, and the hardness of the steel itself does matter here too, higher hardness, generally higher abrasion resistance. And higher abrasion resistance means harder on the abrasive so a 58HRC Magnacut might be sharpenable with aluminium oxide, but try the same at 65HRC. Yes, the carbide type also matters, 60HRC D2 is much milder on abrasives than 60HRC S90V, but general hardness matters as well. Soft D2 isn't much worse on abrasive than other stainless steels, hard D2 will dish out stones pretty fast. Less about the hardness of the particles and more about the bonding of the particles. I mean Corundum or Aluminium Oxide is a Mohs 9, 60HRC steel is a Mohs 6,5 or 7 and the carbides at HRC70-80 are a Mohs 9 as well, the strength between particles is much, much lower. You are able to sharpen many super steels with low end stones, they are just used up quickly.
Nice looking knife. Your sound is excellent.
Audio makes a huge difference. Looking forward to your new audio sound.
@iSharpen Thank you for sharing what you are using for your excellent audio sound.
Nice knife Baz and you always get whatever it is very sharp Thanks for the education 👍
@@nicolbunyan3203 lotta fun and judging by the numbers of views since release, you guys like this theme too. Thanks for your support and encouragement.
and you are rockin; those bevels!
This is literally the exact video I have been waiting for I have a few high-end pocket knives as well as a high-end set of super steel kitchen knives.. right now I use a hapstone, with a mix of CBN and Diamond Stones but have been looking at getting a T8
@@Wickedscreams18 that's so awesome to hear thank you and good luck. By a T8!
@iSharpen your channel is quickly becoming one of my favorite to watch as far as sharpening I'm interested to know why you use the diamond plates instead of the tormek stone grater?? Also interested in knowing why you stick with the regular grindstone instead of diamond wheels?
The SG wheel *can* sharpen many "super steels," but because the carbides in the wheel are softer than the vanadium carbide in super steels, you're really better off using diamond or CBN on those blades. You will get longer lasting edges that way. That's according to the testing by Knife Grinders Australia.
@@BladeLabMiami I'm looking forward to finding it's limits. I'm sure it has some but I've yet to be presented with a tough hunting knife that doesn't grind away with the SG. I'm sure it's out there though.
@@iSharpen Just for fun, I might give it a go on one of my Maxamet or Rex 121 blades. Those are loaded with Vanadium carbides and hardened to 69-70 hrc.
This is what I save my Tormek Diamond wheels for and I have used CBN as well in my experience the standard stone takes to long for my business
Yes, I'm eyeing off as set of chinese CBN wheels (from the suppliers everyone else buys them from). I had a bad experience with my 1,000 cbn that flaked off almost immediately (now wrapped in kangaroo tail) but I am curious. I just love the way the SG stone feels. It could be argued I'm addicted to it. I know it's uneconomical but I still get 400-500 knives out of one so it's still very profitable.
Thanks Baz. great video. Im curious about the "rolling over the edge when honing" surly the steel is much harder than the leather. I get that the bur is loose(ish) and can be removed by "wiggling/breaking it away from the apex". My actual question is How long can the edge really last if the leather is bending "rolling over" the edge? Thanks again for all your great content!
@@Riaan1906 I have serious doubts about the theory of edge rolling. If a knife edge could be rolled that easily by rubbing it in leather then it wouldn't last very long in actual use. I think when people think they've "rolled the edge" what they're experiencing is the actual burr root still on the edge. Could be wrong though.
@@iSharpen Thanks Man, I agree with you. It is a strange science this sharpening thing. Thanks for the great videos
With diamond compounds on a strop, too much pressure and too steep of an angle you can definitely round the edge. I experienced this when I was learning to sharpen and becoming more familiar with harder abrasives.
@@KyleEdwards-rl5xt did you see it under a microscope? I’d have to see it to believe it. I can imagine it with a really soft knife but with a proper hard knife I still find it hard to believe. If a knife can be rounded just by rubbing on leather it would be useless in real use. I’m not saying you’re wrong. It just doesn’t make sense and doesn’t ring true to me.
@iSharpen not under a microscope but by using a bess sharpness tester, comparing and contrasting. I wouldn't consider rolling but more so rounding. Most steels I use aren't soft either. I use alot if spyderco knives(usa). Diamond is very fast cutting. Chromium oxide is obviously much more forgiving. When I switched to all diamond abrasives was when I realized how inconsistently I was holding my angle. Diamond requires very little pressure when sharpening. When I strop I literally just use the weight of the knife. Initially I was putting pressure because that's what I was used to with Chromium oxide.
Thanks Baz the knife is amazing!
Cool! Thanks for letting me sharpen it.
Nice work! Why did you skip the Japanese waterstone?
Thanks. It's pointless. I've never had it improve sharpness. All it does is waste time and make it look pretty. The slight toothiness of a 960 grind helps cut stuff too.
Nice job!!
Have you tried the new Tormek knife angle jig? Game changer. Also, I can send you files for a goniometer if you've got someone to 3D print it. Also a very helpful tool.
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the new angle setter. Seems like a lot of unnecessary faffing around and wasting time for no extra benefit when the existing tool does the job perfectly in 1 second. Time is money in a commercial operation.
I've seen the gonimometer and it could be an interesting tool for checking angles but again I'm not convinced it's needed. Personally, I think too much emphasis is put on exact edge angle.
We may need beer for further discussion on knife angles. 😉
@@iSharpen I'll crack a beer here, you crack a beer there, we'll figure out the time difference and make it happen! Have a great day, Baz. As always, thanks for your insight.
Hey baz Steward here in Naples, Florida on my wife's TH-cam channel. Have you ever seen these knives? They're advertising them here in the US a lot called Coolina I believe is the name. They look like something out of Conan the barbarian movie. Big heavy, crazy knives. Those would be interesting for you to sharpen. Has anybody ever sent you knives from the US to Australia to sharpen and then you return them to the US? Just curious???😅
@@cynthiabrandt679 not yet. But I'm open to the idea. Shipping a knife to the U.S. costs about AUD$55-$65 it'd want to be a pretty special knife.
No, can't say I've seen those knives.
👍👍👍👍
Oh yeah Tormek always wins as long as you go at it long enough. I have no issues with doing 64 hrc cruwear and such on it either, but if the steel is too hard or theres too much carbide in it then at some point it starts to get weird when you go to use it. Its not really noticable while sharpening, but the cutting feel is just... off? Ive been told its because while you eventually can abrade down the carbides, it kinda rounds them off.
Then again I mostly use CBN and just use the SG wheel for testing/fun or when I want to save the CBN wheel some abuse. There is a crossover point where the CBN just gives better results, but im not sure where that point is so far
Interesting. I don't get much super steel work but if I did I'd possibly consider investing in some CBN wheels. The one I did buy started risking off when thin 10 minutes so I'm currently not a fan when the SG is so versatile. Then again, I'm old.
@@iSharpen Yeah I know how you feel about them, which is such a shame to me. I have several grits of them that ive had for almost 2 years now and they show no sign of slowing down. Paul from Alexandria Knife Sharpening says his are 5 years old, no sign of wear or delamination.
I guess the one you bought was a lemon or something? Delamiantion seems to be such a rare problem that I cant help wonder what the previous owner used yours for, it does say spesifically not to use water in the manual.
Anyway I feel like im trying to push something you dont want on you, I dont mean to. I just think you may be missing out on something you might actually love because of a bad experience.
Then again, having to wear a respirator kinda sucks a bit haha
@ yeah, I have limited experience and it was all bad. But I just love the way the SG wheel works. I know it wears out pretty fast and is expensive but I still get 400-500 knives out of one so the economics works for me. I just love how it feels.
I almost ordered a full set of CBNs from China but something about them just doesn't sit right with me yet. Maybe that'll change in the future. Maybe I'll surprise everyone. Maybe I'll get a CBN sponsorship deal. I am a little curious but not enough to spend thousands of dollars on a set quite yet.
@@iSharpen That makes sense and is why I say I dont want to push this on you. Like you said in another comment here, super steels are kinda rare to get in and the vast majority of the super steels I sharpen are my own. Which makes sense, enthusiasts buy those and most enthusiasts want to sharpen their own knives
I just purchased the Tormek T4. Still having trouble with the bell to point. Resulting in a blunt point.
I'm not sure what a bell is. Do you start tip first like I show?
I@iSharpen I meant to say the belly of the knife to the tip. Yes, I like your method, but trying to get my grip, pressure and movement down. Your really informative.
Thanks
@@markbaliel1472 Just guessing, but if you struggle with blunt tips its usually because you either lift too much or because you let the point drop off the stone
@@kvernesdottenThanks, I appreciate the feedback.
@@markbaliel1472 Trying to be helpful at least! When I think of it, theres a third option that could give you blunt tips or "wolf ears" at the tip too. If you pivot the belly/tip outwards instead of upwards, that can give some of the same "symptoms".
If you have one of those laser levels or something similar that can put an imaginary straight line on your stone, I like to think that the edge should always be as close to that line as possible. If you do that, then 99% of your technique should be correct on its own.
As far as tipping the point too much or the wrong direction, the best tip I have is to pay attention to the sound
edit: also, try to pay attention to the actual edge bevel often. If its uneven thickness (without the knife being bent of course) or gets weird facets on it, it means you are doing something inconsistent
Wow did not expect this. I have always heard you need diamond to sharpen these
There are a lot of fake myths about the Tormek. I've busted several of them. There are some much harder supersteels than S35VN which the SG wheel might struggle with but for now it's been a stellar wheel that's handled everything I've ever thrown at it included full ceramic knives, even wood. I ground an ebony bowie knife on one...lol Still got it unfinished. You can see it behind me on the wall under the word "sharpening" on the round wooden logo plate.
@iSharpen I want a t-8 sp bad. You are talented.
@@charlesg5085 You know what's better than a T8? A used T8 that you picked up for a bargain. I bought both of mine used, second hand. The second one I actually got paid to buy because it came with so many accessories that I sold them for a profit. The first one came with it's own trolley and a heap of jigs and only cost me $650 so probably only paid about $100 for the T8 itself. Keep an eye on all the used marketplaces/craigslist/gumtrees...etc. One will show up. Have cash ready. No need to buy retail.
@iSharpen Fantastic advice. Looking for one now.
I plan on getting t8 in 2025, and getting Fine wheel, plan on keeping main 250 stone wheel as coarse wheel getting DF 250 fine wheel. Then 2026 get DE 250 extra fine wheel. Reason is I think I would prefer to change wheel rather than regrading between coarse and fine as this will wear down main 250 much faster then keeping wheel at coarse.
Yeah, it dies wear down the wheel for sure. Then again I still make $5-7k per wheel so it's not a big deal for me. The diamond wheels are not suitable for commercial use due to the water conditioning, sensitivity and contaminating of real world use but for the occasional hobby use it might be fun to have one.
Great to hear your getting a T8. You'll love it.