The Difference Between Burr, Wire Edge, and Foil Edge on Hard Steels
Stop Calling Every Flaw a "Burr" You've got an edge that won't cut paper. So you blame the burr. But actually, you've got three different villains up there. Hard steels—t…
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Home/Steel Metallurgy and Burr Formation
Steel Metallurgy and Burr Formation
8 articles
How Steel Carbides Change the Way Japanese Knives Sharpen on Water Stones
Your Water Stone Doesn't Care About Steel "Type" Everyone wants to talk about whether you bought White #2 or Blue #1 or some fancy powdered steel. Here's the thing. Your…
Why Heat Damage During Sharpening Is Rare on Stones but Still Possible
Your Stone Isn’t a Refrigerator Everyone thinks water stones are immune to heat damage. "It's wet," they say. "It stays cold." Sure. And your car stays cool because the p…
The Burr Removal Methods That Work Best on Powder Metallurgy Steels
PM Steel Burrs Don't Play by Normal Rules Carbon steel burrs are wimps. You sharpen to 1000 grit, give it a couple swipes on a strop, and they fall right off. But powder…
How Chromium, Vanadium, and Tungsten Affect Sharpening Speed
Your Stone Is Lying to You Ever wonder why some knives glide across a stone like butter, while others feel like you're sanding concrete? It's not always your angle. It's…
Why Burrs Hang On Longer in Wear-Resistant Steels
Your "Super Steel" Blade Is Lying to You You finally caved and bought that powdered metallurgy chef's knife. Vanadium, niobium, the whole periodic table. You spent an hou…
What Burr Formation Tells You About Heat Treatment Quality
Your Knife Is Telling You Something. Are You Listening? Here's the thing: I used to blame my sharpening stones. Every time I dragged a blade across the stone and felt a r…
Simple Metallurgy Concepts Every Advanced Sharpener Should Actually Understand
Stop Worshipping Steel Charts You can recite Cr, Mo, and V percentages like a parrot. That doesn't mean you understand why the blade cuts the way it does. Steel charts ar…
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