I am learning how to work with this 154CM. It is hard and heats up fast when grinding, but man does it ever take a sharp edge. The Bird Dog is such a nice EDC slicer and small game knife. All it needs to be perfect is a little TLC on the edge. Here is mine with the factory edge.


As you can see, it is a little rough for this type of knife. So I reground the edge with a 120 grit. Then I went to 180. Then 40 micron, 15 micron, and final polish with 9 micron. This took me about 15 minutes on the belt sander. Now the edge is worthy of this very fine little knife.

Sweet looking edge on that...looks really sharp too.

It will shave easily. I am very impressed with this steel. I know it will take longer to do this edge without a belt sander, but I would encourage owners of the BDLE to take the time to put a good edge on it. The knife is worth the effort and will be so much more useful when sharp.

Nicely done Vic! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Thanks, Tom. Thanks for the knife, too. I do hope that more of these 154CM blades are on the way. I used to hate ATS-34 and other high end stainless steels because they tend to be hard to sharpen with an ordinary bench stone. To make things easier, a diamond coated stone would be the way to go if you're doing it by hand. Then you could use finer grits for polishing the edge. This is some pretty hard steel, but it takes a very sharp edge.

I'm glad you like the knife! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> And thanks for the tips on sharpening as well. Like you, I would like to see more of this steel used by the Yard! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

I think that knife is way underrated.Of course it hasnt been distributed widely yet. I think when that one hits the store it should be a huge hit.

Well I said that I wouldn't mention these until they were released, but I know that quite a few dogs got them from the Blade show. There is one of the 154CM blades that I should have gotten, and that is the 4" version of the HCLE. I am still hoping that more knives in this steel are on the way. It's a good steel.

Man that thing looks sharp, or maybe I should say super sharp, and I'm sure it is too! That blade you sent to me recently was scary sharp!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

You are the undisputed Master of Sharpness! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

I've been a lot more impressed by the HCLE than I thought I'd be. My HCLE also had the rough grind you showed in your picture Vic. I took a white ceramic rod to it followed by a quick stropping and got the best of both worlds: super hair popping sharp yet retains the toothier edge I prefer.

I didn't reprofile the HCLE 'cuz it doesn't seem like it's going to need it. That edge is very sharp now.

I found my HCLE to be very obtuse about 35 degrees <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />. I started on it with the lansky and took a break until I got the new edgepro and now once I am done at the yard I am putting a good sharp edge on it. I think because it is such good hard steel I should be able to run it quite thin ,like about 20 degrees with no worries possibly even less.

Well I spent the time between posts working the hell out of the HCLE on the edgepro. It is much improved but still is not as sharp as I would like it.
It will take a little more work. [censored] that is some hard steel.