A few years ago before I got my variable speed grinder I was presented with a problem: How to set a fresh edge on heat treated steel without blowing the temper. After some head scratching and a trip to the machine shop supply I came up with this:
When doing this it's important not to apply too much pressure, and it will probably not work on very hard or very wear resistant steels like s30v, m390, 20cv, ect. It is quite effective though for repairing damage and sharpening knives with no edge whatsoever. The small mill file leaves quite a nice finish and one could jump straight onto a 400 grit stone afterwards. Anyways, hope this helps some folks out who don't have access to a grinder. These pictures are a few years old now so please excuse the poor quality.
Edge pro files
- Kit Craft
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Re: Edge pro files
Interesting, thank you for sharing. I seen a fellow do something like this on youtube but he made his own setup rather than using an edge pro.
Re: Edge pro files
Cool idea. I guess these are for pretty soft steels? I didn't think a file would cut hardened steel effectively.
Re: Edge pro files
Yea if it's really hard steel like low to mid 60's it's better to just get some diamond plates (more than one) and go to town. The way modern files are made actually helps in a way, the outer layer is extremely hard, almost like a carbide coating or something, while the inner layer is soft as butter. Generally you can tell how well the file is going to work by how well it bites in on the initial cuts.