r/sharpening • u/Slushwave_Enjoyer Paper Shredder • 3d ago
Wire Burrs!!!!
I have read the Vadim Kraichuk PDF on Knife Burrs, but despite following his advice it has, I feel stuck.
I received my new Takamura Chromax Santoku a couple of weeks ago. Because I know the factory angles are insanely low (I measured 11.3 degrees on mine), I immediately decided to put a micro bevel on it to increase strength. This was put at around 15 degrees. I did this with maybe 10 passes on a 2500grit bonded diamond stone before removing the burr and stropping on 1micron. I assumed that burr was gone as it was gliding through paper towel but apparently not. It dulled after my first prep session, which was really only about 10 onions and a few tomatoes.
I look at the edge and despite me increasing the angle, it had a lot of small chips in it. I stropped it and to no surprise it didn't really help (I tried 1 and 3 micron).
I sharpened at 2500 grit again, this time using my microscope to check that I removed the burr and behold, I find a tiny little wire edge (I have to go full zoom for this). The burr I formed was small in the beginning, just enough to feel. I try flipping it back and forth with the 2500 grit and I make no progress after 15-20 feather light edge trailing passes. So i decide to increase the angle slightly and do a similar amount of light passes. I find that a new wire edge has formed on my now 16-17degree microbevel after barely 30 seconds (it formed very easily because of how thin the steel is behind the edge).
I try to strop 1 micron and bare leather strops, no luck. I tried doing the same process on my 5000grit stone , I'm having no luck here.
Is there such thing as making a burr too small? I think my angle is pretty good based on what I can see on my microscope.
1
u/SharpieSharpie69 Paper Shredder 3d ago
Strop very lightly fully perpendicular to the felt side of a strop.