Is it possible to sharpen carbon composite?


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Olivier
Olivier
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Hi,

Do you think it is possible to sharpen a carbon composite blade?
I would like to try to make a straight razor blade or a kamisori blade but is it possible
to sharpen the edge like a ceramic blade?
If yes what composite is the best performer for this application?
Carbon, Kevlar, twaron?
Gelcoat or just resin?

Thanks for your help guys.
Kind Regards,
Olivier
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Dravis
Dravis
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In order to use a compressor for adding pressure to a mould, you will need a pressure vessel, capable of sustaining the 7 -10 bar overpressure.  Not easily obtainable, nor cheap ...

I do know that you will not get a better result than with mechanical pressure (clamps or heavy weights)

The people I know who have experimented with binding prepregs to steel, do not get the same bond strength as with mechanically compressed vacuum bagged hand layups

Titanium is even worse, its extreme natural corrosion resistance comes from it forming an Titanium-oxide barrier layer, literally in seconds, upon exposure to air.  This happens in its micro-porous surface cavities, so even sandblasting it does not help.  The only way I know to bind Titanium fully to epoxy is to "sand in" the epoxy with my diamond sanding block, wetted in ready mixed resin and hardener, then quickly rinsing my sanding block and bonding while the epoxy is still wet, and preventing oxygen from reaching the TI surface.  This process can give you nearly the same bonding strength as with stainless steel.
Carbon-steel is much easier.

The laminates I have made were D-2 rust resistant tool steel 1 mm thick, hardened and sandblasted to ensure god mechanical and chemical binding for the epoxy.

You will nver be able to sharpen pure CF to straight razor levels .. the material is not fine grained enough.  You will need hardened steel or Beta-Titanium alloys to do that. Beta-Ti-alloys are like rocking-horse-droppings-- Only one Knifemaker has it it the perfect form (Mission Knives) and even Beta-Ti is is not hard enough to keep a proper razor edge.  Carbon steel (the stuff that rustsBigGrin) is the only way.

Carbon-fibre "laminated" blades can be very tough and usable (and great looking!!) with either a stainless steel or carbon steel edge.  With a straight razor you hollow grind the edge, giving the blade quite a thick "spine" or back, this is a big advantage when using CF for the bulk of the blade-  The thin edge steel needs only to be exposed at the edge.

Stabbing knives can be made from pure CF, so some people carry them for "self defense" or as "last resort backups"  IMHO a purely stabbing weapon is an extemely poor type of "self defence" ..Pinch



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