Ats-34?

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Ol' Badger

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I just received a knife (Meyerco Blackie Collins design) Tanto blade. My question is this. The blade is very sharp, but how do I sharpen this type of steel? All my current knives are made from a softer steel that I can sharpen with a stone. But how does one go about sharping a TANTO made out of ATS-34 steel????
 
According to all the reading I just did, it's pretty much the same as any other steel for sharpening. Diamond stones, ceramics, regular systems, Scary sharp...Pick your favorite.

Beyond being very tough stuff, the biggest difference makers talked about with ATS-34 was how it worked when you were forming it into your chosen configuration. Apparently it's notorious for chewing up sanding belts and grinding wheels.
 
I have several blades in ATS-34 (Japanese steel) and the US equivalent, 154-CM. I just sharpen as usual with the Spyderco Sharpmaker. Harder steels like the ATS-34 or 440V take more passes on the sharpener, but the advantage to them is that you don't have to sharpen as often. It's a fantastic steel with the right heat treat. Enjoy.
 
If your knife made of ATS is harder than your others, it has more to do with the way it was tempered and heat-treated than anything else. The composition of the steel doesn't have that much to do with it--possibly the maker felt ATS was tougher than those steels at the higher hardness level so he felt safe making it harder (thus able to hold an edge longer) but that's about it.

If by "tanto" you mean an "American Tanto" style, it's actually quite easy to sharpen. You just have to remember that there are two separate edges there, and you can't sharpen both in one stroke. So sharpen the edge from the tip to the corner to your satisfaction on stones as you normally would, then stroke the longer edge until it's right, and you'll have both very sharp.
 
ATS-34

I have been able to get very good results out of a Spyderco Sharpmaker, but ATS-34 has the ideosyncracy of readily forming a wire edge.

Try using 10 alternating strokes as opposed to the 20 recommended in the Sharpmaker's manual.
 
Try using 10 alternating strokes as opposed to the 20 recommended in the Sharpmaker's manual.

Heh.

This is for those of you who don't have the luxury of handing your knife to rennaissancemann and asking "Can you get this thing sharp for me?"

Seriously, I would take whatever sharpening advice he offered; he can get knives uncannily sharp. From $30 CRKTs to $1000+ customs, I trust him with mine...
 
renaissanceman gives good advice. I've found that I have to treat certain steels a certain way on the Sharpmaker. I've even determined that, on some blades, I get good results by making the last 20 or 30 strokes from bottom to top (of the rods) instead of top to bottom. Puts a finer finished edge on some blades.
 
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