Trying to put an edge on "cheap" steel.

I have had great success using this on anything from a broadhead to a axe.
https://speedysharp.com/

I've got a couple of these. One on my desk, one in the truck. All I've used for several years now. FWIW, they have gone up in price, I paid about $25 each

Amazon.com: Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener, Model Number WSGFS221 : Tools & Home Improvement

I'm not familiar with that steel. But many Taiwan made knives are quite good

It sure sounds like a poor heat treat, but maybe some others can suggest potential reasons for not taking an edge. I would try using a fine stone instead of coarse, if you haven’t tried that yet. Some steels are soft enough that a coarse stone continually makes a burr with each pass.

Keep going if it was super dull it will take longer than you think to get the edge back. Get some magnification and look at the sharp edge, compare it to a know sharp edge, with just a 3-4X magnification you can see a sharp edge from a dull edge.

The heat treat can be crap and you should still be able to put a passable edge on it. I made a corn cutter from the blank panel of a electronics rack and was able to put a passable edge on that low-medium carbon steel.

I’d say you just need to spend more time with the coarse stone you use. Dont try to refine the edge, just coarse and then strop and it will offer the best longevity in my opinion.

Diamond stones are too aggressive for soft steels. They are removing so much material that you undoubtedly have a big bur opposite the side on the stone, and the bevel is not symmetrical.

make sure you examine the edge with a magnifying glass, to see what you are doing!

I use the one on a Swiss Army knife, works great, and is of the correct magnification.



And, find old whet stones. These Arkansas/washita stones are what you need for a final honing. If you have to use your diamond stones, use the fine grit, and get the bevels even and symmetrical. And then, remove the bur with the washita stone.

I was going to suggest a cheap stone, since it is a cheap blade.

I just can not resist these openings!

seriously though I might go so far as to make some on this board run screaming into the dark by suggesting a fine file to get it to the right shape, an old red brick with water on it every few strokes, and the bottom of a ceramic coffee cup.

If the steel is so poor that the fine file is pulling “threads” off the edge… give up. Spend the money you might spend on sharpening supplies to buy a new knife.

-kBob

Shapton Waterstones!

And the will to achieve Zen with them!

How bad do you want to sharpen them? It can be done but may require some different methods than what you’re used to using.

What equipment do you have available and what procedures have you tried so far?

If it was sharp once it can be sharp again. As stated, it might mean doing something different from what you usually do.
First thing I would try is small circular strokes instead of longer straight strokes.

I normally don’t disagree with slamfire. But I do in this instance. I use both dmt diamond stones and various Arkansas stones. I don’t think diamond is too aggressive, but it needs to be used with the understanding that it cuts faster than natural stones. I would use a coarse dmt and then a washita or soft Arkansas stone, Not the other way round.

I’d say a soft Arkansas is between a coarse dmt and a fine dmt, as far as grit.

It takes some different approaches but I learned to sharpen soft steel on a blade of unhardened cold rolled and annealed 1095. HRc was in the low 20s I think. It held an edge better than expected but nothing like hardened steel. The questionable blades here can undoubtedly be sharpened again.

My recommendation would be to avoid diamond stones and use something like a coarse India stone from Norton.

Lightly cut into the stone a couple times to remove the old steel that’s seen rough use. If this isn’t done, it can cause frustration. I’ve seen very old and heavily used edges almost get sharp then just flake off.

After this sharpen on the coarse stone at an angle slightly lower than normal until you have a very small burr. Then cut into the stone and repeat one more time. That should ensure the used material is gone.

Now that you have a small burr it’s time to go back to diamond stones and take advantage of their ability to cut with very low pressure. Choose the grit you want, coarser is better for me here. Raise the angle back to your normal angle and make very light alternating passes. Yes this makes a microbevel. You have to make a new edge without forming a new burr. The pressure should feel like if you used any less, the knife wouldn’t be touching the stone.