Grit preference for first sharpening?

[Leif]

So I have carried my para 2 for about three weeks, and even though I have honed and stropped it I feel like it is time for its first sharpening. The edge is still in fairly decent condition, and I won't be changing the angle. I can pick from a DMT Coarse, DMT Fine, and Spyderco's Ultrafine. Which grit would you go for first sharpening? Do you start at coarse and polish it all the way or do you go straight to the ultrafine? Or do you leave it coarse, or fine?
So many options :D what do you do?

[Invective]

It depends what I am going to be doing. If I want to reprofile the edge, which I usually do to all my new knives, I'll go straight for the diamonds. This way I set the bevel so I know for sure what the angle is approximately, and then I can touch it up with the mediums, fines, and UFs from then on.

For a Para2, I'd make sure the bevel is where I like it, then sharpen on the medium rods (DMT fine for you I believe) as I like S30V to have a nice toothy edge. I don't care about polished bevels so I usually only use my UF rods on SuperBlue or kitchen knives to get a fine edge

[Holland]

I would try a few passes on the fine stones and see where that leaves you first

[jackknifeh]

So I have carried my para 2 for about three weeks, and even though I have honed and stropped it I feel like it is time for its first sharpening. The edge is still in fairly decent condition, and I won't be changing the angle. I can pick from a DMT Coarse, DMT Fine, and Spyderco's Ultrafine. Which grit would you go for first sharpening? Do you start at coarse and polish it all the way or do you go straight to the ultrafine? Or do you leave it coarse, or fine?
So many options :D what do you do?

Not knowing the condition of the edge I think you could start with the DMT fine grit. You say the edge is in pretty good shape. I really doubt if you could get anywhere with the Spyderco UF. That stone (grit) is only useful once the edge is already very sharp IMO. It will do a great job of refining and smoothing a sharp edge.

Personally though, I'd start with the coarse DMT. Sometimes the metal right at the edge needs to be removed so you have fresh steel at the edge. This can improve edge retention in the future. Also, you could lower the angle just a bit without much effort. Then use the fine DMT and the UF if you want to.

Another thought that may help you a lot is start with the UF stone just to see if it helps. If not you will know in the future when a knife is about as dull as yours is now if the UF stone would work. If it doesn't seem to be sharpening much it means the edge is too dull for an UF stone. Move to the DMT fine and see how it does. Compare the steel removal with how the UF stone did. If it gets the edge sharp again with about 10 strokes per side you won't need the coarse stone. But,,, if it doesn't, then use the coarse DMT. By doing this you will learn how your stones perform on whatever steel is in your PM2.

Hope this helps.

Jack

[Zenith]

Try the fine stones, 10 passes per side. If the edge is not improved go to the coarse. Otherwise you are just wasting your time IMO.

[RealKnifeUser]

Start with the coarsest stone and stay on one side until you detect a bur. Then do the same to the other side of your bevel. Alternate strokes on each side until edge is cleanly apexed. Repeat with the next finest stone you have, and do it all the way up through the grits. Apply a microbevel if you wish. This, in my experience, produces great edges. Be sure to use the sharpie trick.
- Ryan

Edit: I don't know how moving from a DMT fine to the Spyderco UF would work. Have not done it myself but it seems like a pretty big jump in grit size.

[jackknifeh]

Start with the coarsest stone and stay on one side until you detect a bur. Then do the same to the other side of your bevel. Alternate strokes on each side until edge is cleanly apexed. Repeat with the next finest stone you have, and do it all the way up through the grits. Apply a microbevel if you wish. This, in my experience, produces great edges. Be sure to use the sharpie trick.
- Ryan

Edit: I don't know how moving from a DMT fine to the Spyderco UF would work. Have not done it myself but it seems like a pretty big jump in grit size.

DMT fine to Spyderco UF is a big leap. I will go from DMT fine to Spyderco fine and like that a lot. The UF Spyderco stone is really a fine grit stone IMO. It is estimated at approximately 4500 grit in the "Unified grit chart" on BF and CKTG. In fact IMO it's a finer grit than most people want. The fine grit does a great job and leaves a smooth enough edge but still a little bit toothy which most people seem to like. The Spyderco fine stone is estimated around 2700 grit which IMO is just over the line from toothy to smooth. I think the DMT extra-fine to Spyderco UF is doable. But with diamond stones a big issue is how much the diamond stones have been broken in. Once they have been broken in properly they are like much finer grits than when they are brand new.

Jack

[PocketZen]

The first time I sharpen a factory edge I start with the courses grit possible. Why? Simply, the edge was ground at the factory with a belt grinder. I sharpen by had with flat stones. It has been my experience that the first time I sharpen I am still reshaping the edge. Some areas of the factory edge will be lower, some will be higher, the edge may not be ground evenly both sides, etc. All that would cause frustration when trying to sharpen the edge evenly on the finer stones. After I sharpen the knife the first time and establish an edge I can maintain, I do not need to return to the course stone unless I get some major damage. Considering you are using DMT stones and it is S30V it would not take to long on the course to establish a good edge. Have fun!

[Revival]

Im always starting with the lowest grit possible. I prefer to reprofile to the the angle I prefer. I am not experienced enough to know what grit to start at and dont want to waste time either. I prefer to set my own edge from the first time and eliminate the guess work.

[jackknifeh]

The first time I sharpen a factory edge I start with the courses grit possible. Why? Simply, the edge was ground at the factory with a belt grinder. I sharpen by had with flat stones. It has been my experience that the first time I sharpen I am still reshaping the edge. Some areas of the factory edge will be lower, some will be higher, the edge may not be ground evenly both sides, etc. All that would cause frustration when trying to sharpen the edge evenly on the finer stones. After I sharpen the knife the first time and establish an edge I can maintain, I do not need to return to the course stone unless I get some major damage. Considering you are using DMT stones and it is S30V it would not take to long on the course to establish a good edge. Have fun!

I recommend reading the above post again. That way I don't have to type it again. :) Good info. Most Spyderco's come very sharp but that doesn't mean the edge was ground evenly in a number of ways as stated. So sometimes the only way to keep it sharp is to use an angle that is higher than is preferred right at the edge. So, re-profiling the entire edge is a good idea in this case.