Sharp Edges on Zildjian Hi-Hats

I had the same with my new bought K Custom Dark Hihats. Sanding the edge with 400 grit sandpaper solved the problem. You just do what the factory should have done... BTW, my new bought K Light Ride has the same sharp edge. Seems to be normal with newer Ks.
 
UPDATE: I called Zildjian customer service & told them about the problem. They asked me to send the cymbals in for evaluation, which is fine because I have another pair of hi-hats I can use for gigs. FedEx should get them there by Monday. We'll see what happens...
 
UPDATE: I called Zildjian customer service & told them about the problem. They asked me to send the cymbals in for evaluation, which is fine because I have another pair of hi-hats I can use for gigs. FedEx should get them there by Monday. We'll see what happens...
They'd better send you some swag for your efforts! A nice splash would be a deal-maker, wouldn't it? Don't forget to get your shipping charges back, too.

GeeDeeEmm
 
Don't take a FILE to your K's!! Another writer had a Great idea. Take them off, go to a Guitar Center, (Of whatever), and compare your edges to theirs. I've been playing 45+ years, and have had many a drum stick eaten by my hi hats. I'm a hard hitter, and I play them high. It's how I prefer it. My Zildjian K hi hats don't feel sharper than my Sabians, but I do go through more sticks. No biggie. If you don't like them, Sell them, as they hold their value well. A file is a Really bad idea! It will ruin the sound. Hell I don't clean my K's, let alone, sand, of file them!
 
Don't take a FILE to your K's!! Another writer had a Great idea. Take them off, go to a Guitar Center, (Of whatever), and compare your edges to theirs. I've been playing 45+ years, and have had many a drum stick eaten by my hi hats. I'm a hard hitter, and I play them high. It's how I prefer it. My Zildjian K hi hats don't feel sharper than my Sabians, but I do go through more sticks. No biggie. If you don't like them, Sell them, as they hold their value well. A file is a Really bad idea! It will ruin the sound. Hell I don't clean my K's, let alone, sand, of file them!
Oh trust me, I have no intention of doing that! I figured maybe Zildjian could round the edges for me a bit, because they're the experts and they have the proper equipment, (That's what I'm hoping anyway!) Another thing I had considered was getting a Z Custom "Dyno Beat" hi-hat battom and making a pair of K/Z hats. The Z is brilliant finish and has fully rounded polished edges, which might help my sticks last a little longer.
 
Don't take a FILE to your K's!! Another writer had a Great idea. Take them off, go to a Guitar Center, (Of whatever), and compare your edges to theirs. I've been playing 45+ years, and have had many a drum stick eaten by my hi hats. I'm a hard hitter, and I play them high. It's how I prefer it. My Zildjian K hi hats don't feel sharper than my Sabians, but I do go through more sticks. No biggie. If you don't like them, Sell them, as they hold their value well. A file is a Really bad idea! It will ruin the sound. Hell I don't clean my K's, let alone, sand, of file them!
I'd challenge anyone to be able to tell the difference in sound once the edge has been gently smoothed - preferably with a block and very fine emery cloth. (I agree that a file is probably a bit much.) It doesn't take much to take the sharp edge off because bronze is pretty soft - just a pass or two. Trust me, NO ONE will be able to tell, and you'll solve the problem of your sticks getting so chopped up. Eventually those edges will smooth out over time anyway - it's NOT going to affect the sound if you just round the edge a bit.

I did that with a pair of Dream Bliss crash cymbals I picked up. There was no discernable shift in the sound.
 
I have a pair of Stagg DH fat hats (similar to K/Zs) and my sticks were getting chewed up. I noticed there were sharp points so I went to Lowes and got 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper. I went lightly around the cymbal edges.
 
I have a pair of Stagg DH fat hats (similar to K/Zs) and my sticks were getting chewed up. I noticed there were sharp points so I went to Lowes and got 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper. I went lightly around the cymbal edges.
Thinking back, that may have actually been what I used - it was a very fine grit because all I wanted to do was to take the sharp edge off - as little metal removal as possible.
 
Thinking back, that may have actually been what I used - it was a very fine grit because all I wanted to do was to take the sharp edge off - as little metal removal as possible.
Yes, very lightly and honestly there will be no sound loss/difference.
 
Are you hitting with the stick shoulder? That wears out sticks quickly no matter how “softly” you hit.
 
Dude, just do what several others have said - take very fine grit wet/dry automotive sandpaper and a block and lightly, and I mean lightly, take the sharp edge off. The problem will be solved for a few bucks and 10 minutes of time. You don't even have to tell anyone you did it - NO ONE will know the difference.
 
Dude, just do what several others have said - take very fine grit wet/dry automotive sandpaper and a block and lightly, and I mean lightly, take the sharp edge off.
+1
Did that to my K Custom Dark Hihats with either 400 or 800 grit and nobody including me could ever see that it has been done. Unhearable too - it‘s what should have been done in the factory anyway.
 
Sounds like technique might be part of it too.
I could see where if you stood the cymbal up on end and hit the edge it might chew up sticks,
but with normal playing with the hi hats in the normal position, I've never chewed up sticks.
I know people who shred sticks at the rimshot impact point too - I'll dent sticks up there, but IMO there comes a point where hitting harder brings dimished returns, and you can get more than enough volume from a rimshot via technique.

I'll chew up sticks on the hats some too, but I don't shred sticks - when my gig sticks get relegated to practice sticks, eventually that area will get thinned down to a point where they don't feel quite right (and usually by the point the tips are getting pretty chipped up too) and that's when I toss them and rotate sticks again. If I used bigger sticks it probably wouldn't be an issue, but I used Vater Manhattan 7As and maple Vic Firth SD4 Combos.
 
The customer service rep from Zildjian emailed me back yesterday and said that he could provide me with a UPS shipping label so that I may ship the cymbals back to the factory to be re-edged. Hopefully this will be the solution to my problem!
 
The customer service rep from Zildjian emailed me back yesterday and said that he could provide me with a UPS shipping label so that I may ship the cymbals back to the factory to be re-edged. Hopefully this will be the solution to my problem!
The customer service rep from Zildjian emailed me back yesterday and said that he could provide me with a UPS shipping label so that I may ship the cymbals back to the factory to be re-edged. Hopefully this will be the solution to my problem!
Or...you could take the sharp edge off of the cymbal yourself in less than 10 minutes.

I'm not sure why you seem to be so against doing that. If they re-cut the edges, they are going to take more metal off than that, and that WILL change the sound of those cymbals.
 
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