Spyderco Forums

Hi

New to this forum.

I got a Military in S90V that I use for hunting.
Guttes and slaughtered two roe deer with it - great knife for the job :)

The knife was still able to shave hair after the job :D

My question is - What kind of edge would be best to give this knife for tasks like this - hunting?

I have also ordered a PM2 in Maxamet that I also plan to use for hunting. Hope that this metal will be able to hold an edge for a long time.

For sharpening my knives, mostly carbon knives, I have a diamond stone in grit 400 and 1000 - also have a pink Translucent Arkansas that I use on other knives. Do I need more sharpening stuff for these steels?

Looking forward to any advice on the matter :)

Cheers,

MasterDiver

Welcome to the forum MasterDiver!

I’d go 400grit on a 30deg primary bevel and if you have a SharpMaker you can maintain it with a 40deg micro bevel off the medium (brown) rods. :)

I always sharpen to the finest grit available. In my experience a finely polished edge will always last longer than a toothy, lower grit, edge. A polished edge also feels easier to strop up to scary sharp again after use. I haven't used a knife on an animal for a few years though so that sort of thing might work differently from what I've experienced (mostly is wood, cardboard, plastic and such).

Good luck and welcome!

I really have trouble deciding on this one and often carry a blade sharpened each way.

For my s110v I'll often end on a DMT coarse (320 grit) or DMT fine (600) then minimally strop afterwards for final burr removal and overall refinement. The stropping does not remove the coarse scratch pattern or the bite on the edge. For this I now typically use 1 micron diamond compound as advised by Shawn (deadboxhero/big brown bear), but sometimes I'll use 0.5, and I've been experimenting with 30 micron powder as well to really preserve the tooth at the edge (depends on what i think I'll be cutting.

For my 204p military I'll go DMT coarse, DMT fine, DMT extra fine, then 3 micron Tormek additionally loaded with 3 micron diamond powder. Then I'll just go as far as I want to with the polish. But even when I polish, I still keep the scratch pattern going directly from spine to edge to preserve bite.

I DO think a fine edge GENERALLY lasts longer than a toothy edge. However, a toothy edge can certainly outperform a fine edge and be more enjoyable to use (cuts are easier, especially slicing) in many instances. There are even instances where a toothy edge can last longer too, but generally it doesn't in my experience.

I also generally feel that the high vanadium steels are good candidates for coarse/toothy edges. I don't think low carbide steels keep a useful toothy edge nearly as long.

I have done both with s90v. For some reason i end up liking a 3 micron finish on that steel after using a 600 grit stone. I just like the way the edge feels. I may fully remove the 600 grit scratch pattern or I may preserve it some. Again it depends on what I think I'll be cutting. I think any finish within this range would be good for hunting. Just my 2 cents.

I run mine at 18dps; 400-600 grit.

This past season used the Manix 2 & South Fork with the specs listed above :spyder:

Hi all

Thank you very much for all the input on the grit for the S90V. I am thinking about getting a DMT D8F Fine 25 micron/600 mesh. would also try some stropping - but I have never done this before. How is the Wicked edge system and the different things from them for this? I like the angle set-up they have seems easy.
Have been sharpening all my knives by handfor years and think it is time for next level sh.....t :D

Any thoughts on the Maxemet steel for hunting - getting one next week and will try the factory edge to start with.


Cheers,

Master Diver

MasterDiver wrote: ↑

Tue May 22, 2018 2:02 pm

Hi all

Thank you very much for all the input on the grit for the S90V. I am thinking about getting a DMT D8F Fine 25 micron/600 mesh. would also try some stropping - but I have never done this before. How is the Wicked edge system and the different things from them for this? I like the angle set-up they have seems easy.
Have been sharpening all my knives by handfor years and think it is time for next level sh.....t :D

Any thoughts on the Maxemet steel for hunting - getting one next week and will try the factory edge to start with.


Cheers,

Master Diver

The Wicked Edge is a nice setup for sure but expensive. I like the KME for a controlled system.

Wicked edge looks like an excellent system. Just be sure to end on some downward swipes to get a scratch pattern going from spine to edge (perpendicular to edge) for extra bite. The way I see people use that system puts the scratch pattern nearly parallel to the spine, which yields hardly any microscopic "serrations". These little teeth certainly augment cutting aggression.

Stropping is simple. Just use the same angle you use when sharpening. Watch a few YouTube videos by "Michael Christy" and you'll get an idea as to how it's done. Although he often takes the edge to extreme fineness (0.005 micron or 3.2 million grit), you really just want to remove the last bit of burr from the apex of the edge. The rest is essentially just polishing the edge (I don't want to downplay the usefulness of a fine edge but it isn't always necessary to go that far on the strops). The burr should virtually be gone after your last stone (multiple very light alternating passes), but no one's perfect. Stropping makes burr removal easier.

I like about a 400 grit 30 inclusive bevel then touched up at 40 on the Sharpmaker.

Greetings and welcome to Spyderville "MasterDiver" :) Believe me you are among friends because I also use a C-36 Military for most of my hard cutting chores that need a plain edge to work with. And many of us are lobbying for a full Spyderedged version of the C-36 Military to return to the main line up.

My main EDC Millie model has M390 blade steel which I dearly love to work with. But I also own and use a couple of S90V blades and I'm a big fan of many of Crucible's great blade steels. Often I've found that for skinning jobs of wild game or domestic farm animals I get a somewhat toothy edge by just using Spyderco's "FINE" stones ( not Ultra-fine). For some reason that grit seems to penetrate hide better with that micro-toothy edge. S90V really takes a great edge for knives used in sporting and/or outdoor uses.

I have a wide array of sharpening stones and sharpening tools but most often I end up using one of my Spyderco sharpening stones to do most of what I use my C-36, M390 Military for. And again we welcome you to the Forum :)

Copy the 90 degree angle on the 600 grit micro serration/scratch pattern :) This is how I use the 1000 grit I use now and the translucent Arkansas stone.

I have seen the videos by Michael Chriaty -. that is next level sharp edge - would like to be able to do that one day. Think the wicked edge pro kit with alle the different stones and strops would help me here. It is due to him I bought the Military S90V with CF and titanium frame lock - the Military to end ALL military :spyder:
How about a Military in Maxemet?

It would be interesting to see how a edge like that would last on a wild boar with sand on the belly and thick skin.

The Military did a great job on the field dressing and the slaughter ond filleting on the meat.

Good to hear that other people are using S90V for hunting.





Cheers,

Master Diver

MasterDiver wrote: ↑

Tue May 22, 2018 2:02 pm

Any thoughts on the Maxemet steel for hunting - getting one next week and will try the factory edge to start with.

Maxamet might not be the greatest steel for hunting.

Maxamet isn't a stainless steel, so it has a greater chance of corroding/staining/rusting. (How much, I'm not exactly sure.) Blood is very good at inducing corrosion/stains/rust.

Something to keep in mind is, after using it for something wet or bloody, clean the blade off and dry it off. Don't let it soak and dry on its own.

Hopefully you can try it out and let us know how Maxamet does for you.

Well I have been using mostly forged carbon knives for hunting and they do stain and get carbon spots - its OK I am a user and trigger puller NOT a collector :D

Looking forward to testing the Maxamet para 2 and a Mule that I might get my hands on.

I have been using a Jim Hammond hunter and a James Behring knife for hunting and a old SOG Tomcat in 440C. But I like to lightness and design of the Military and think a large folder is more my style then a fixed blade riding the hip. Only when I hunt wild bore or on driven hunts I will have a large fixed knife :eek:

Cheers,

Master Diver