Educate me on sharpening knives

[RicInOR]

Since you have described how to, I'll throw in the question

What is Sharp ?



Obviously, or maybe not, What is the right sharp for a Hatchet is different from a Fillet Knife.
Is different from your EDC.

 

[RicInOR]

Strope -

You might not think of this, but even something like an old blue jean can be used.

If you shave, and shave with a razor, you can strope those and extend their useful life.
Even this type:








PS this is a Dorco - which is the manufacturer of the Dollar Shave Club, available on Amazon.
( Although I /think/ the longest extension for least work comes from cleaning and drying after use. I can't prove that by the scientific method, tho )

 

[Joe13]

Since you have described how to, I'll throw in the question

What is Sharp ?

Sharp is the degree of the edge in relation to how well it cuts your intended material.

If it cuts straight thru thick leather then I'll call it good there. I'd rather sharpen or strop more often and have a steeper angle.

 

[RicInOR]

What does anyone think of this guys method?

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

^^looks like the same concept as a lansky. good to go. the angle is consistent and i think thats what matters most.

 

[IronMonster]

What does anyone think of this guys method?

I think that is a pretty shallow angle, something that would result in a working edge, not a performance edge. There is some magic in a really keen edge. I have a handful of custom made hand forged kitchen knives. I can get them sharp. Sharp enough that anyone who uses them is freaked out by how sharp they are, but I cant begin to get them as sharp as the guy who made them. I have sent them back to him a couple times and how they come back can only be described as magical. They fall through vegetables with no resistance, shave off meat so thin that its transparent. They only stay that sharp for a few months though and then I maintain them until my wife has abused them so badly they need more skill than I can offer.

 

[Member 5605]

Since the last post I made I have 'upgraded' my at home sharpening kit.

While the old kit using diamond stones of coarse and fine with the angle guide worked just fine:



This older system worked fine for me on smaller blades. It wasn't always so easy to get the longer kitchen knives touched up due to the length of the guide rod and need to do a two set sharpening session per blade that's over 4".

I picked up a Work Sharp from BiMart a month + ago when it was on sale for I think $50 and two extra belt packs for $6 each.


So I spent less on the device and two packs of replacement belts than the regular pricing of the unit by its self.

I've used this now to sharpen a wide variety of knives at the house. While it grinds to a convex shape that's perfectly fine with me. I run everything at shave able 20*. Once I've set the convex with their 220 grit belt it doesn't take much with the 6000 grit to polish and take the fold over and burrs off of the edge.

I regret not taking this with me to Sunriver a few weeks back at the rental house; a stick outside was sharper than the house knives and I'm glad I brought my hunting knife to chop veggies.

Work Sharp: out of 5
Ease of use for rookie: 4.75 (-.25 for learning curve)
Veteran ease of use: 5
Sharpness: 5 my error, will push cut paper 4.75 (-.25 for not getting a push cut sharpness on paper)
Speed: 5
Portability: 4.5 (-.5 for being power reliant)
Beyond sharpening just knives: 5 (tilt head to sharpen axes etc)
Size: 4 (due to being bulky and not laying flat like stones)

Caution to be used when at the tip. You can easily round/ruin your knife tip. I personally am not concerned but it will change the tip.

Would I buy another? Probably. Time will tell for durability. Though with this living in the house and being used 5-15 minutes per month to touch up a blade, it should last a while.

This frees up my stone set which uses a close 22.5* vs 20* on the WS as my travel so I'm satisfied.

 

[etrain16]

Since the last post I made I have 'upgraded' my at home sharpening kit.

While the old kit using diamond stones of coarse and fine with the angle guide worked just fine:
View attachment 285286
View attachment 285285

This older system worked fine for me on smaller blades. It wasn't always so easy to get the longer kitchen knives touched up due to the length of the guide rod and need to do a two set sharpening session per blade that's over 4".

I picked up a Work Sharp from BiMart a month + ago when it was on sale for I think $50 and two extra belt packs for $6 each.
View attachment 285287

So I spent less on the device and two packs of replacement belts than the regular pricing of the unit by its self.

I've used this now to sharpen a wide variety of knives at the house. While it grinds to a convex shape that's perfectly fine with me. I run everything at shave able 20*. Once I've set the convex with their 220 grit belt it doesn't take much with the 6000 grit to polish and take the fold over and burrs off of the edge.

I regret not taking this with me to Sunriver a few weeks back at the rental house; a stick outside was sharper than the house knives and I'm glad I brought my hunting knife to chop veggies.

Work Sharp: out of 5
Ease of use for rookie: 4.75 (-.25 for learning curve)
Veteran ease of use: 5
Sharpness: 4.75 (-.25 for not getting a push cut sharpness on paper)
Speed: 5
Portability: 4.5 (-.5 for being power reliant)
Beyond sharpening just knives: 5 (tilt head to sharpen axes etc)
Size: 4 (due to being bulky and not laying flat like stones)

Would I buy another? Probably. Time will tell for durability. Though with this living in the house and being used 5-15 minutes per month to touch up a blade, it should last a while.

This frees up my stone set which uses a close 22.5* vs 20* on the WS as my travel so I'm satisfied.

For the price, it looks like that would be worth the investment. Over 2,200 positive reviews on Amazon - pretty impressive.

 

[Member 5605]

For the price, it looks like that would be worth the investment. Over 2,200 positive reviews on Amazon - pretty impressive.

I'm hesitant to get the 'new fangled' thing and I always want consistency. Which is why I had angle guides on the old set.

Work Sharp is also the same group who makes the Drill Doctor and made in Oregon is a +

 

[etrain16]

I'm hesitant to get the 'new fangled' thing and I always want consistency. Which is why I had angle guides on the old set.

Work Sharp is also the same group who makes the Drill Doctor and made in Oregon is a +

So can I assume you would only use this for a blade that truly needed to be 'sharpened', and not one that perhaps the edge is just folded over a bit from use? I'm no sharpening expert, but I've understood the term 'sharpen' will involve removing material - whereas you can often restore a sharp blade with a hone or even a strop.

And, is there an angle guide on this tool? Or is it pretty much by eye?

 

[Member 5605]

So can I assume you would only use this for a blade that truly needed to be 'sharpened', and not one that perhaps the edge is just folded over a bit from use? I'm no sharpening expert, but I've understood the term 'sharpen' will involve removing material - whereas you can often restore a sharp blade with a hone or even a strop.

And, is there an angle guide on this tool? Or is it pretty much by eye?

While I'm no expert..... The angle guides do the work. I don't freehand.



I will touch up with the 6000 grit. If I feel it needs it. Also does an amazing job polishing the edge.

I used to use the steel in the knife block but this is just as easy and no loss of angle.

 

[ditchtiger]

All I've used since the mid 70's are ceramic sticks.
http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/L...er-P105.aspx?gclid=COHC5Nmx5MsCFRSFfgod4koD9g
All you need to do is keep the blade vertical.

 

[Larrabee]

If I can sharpen knives like a pro, so can you: KME Knife Sharpening System

 

[Joe13]

All these gadgets to do what a little practice would do to build the skill to do it free hand.

My sharpening kit is a diamond flat stone and a leather strop with some polishing compound on it.

Works for my small pocket knives all the way up to a 9" Tops Anaconda and Machetes.

 

[ditchtiger]

Mine is free hand.

 

[maddog]

I use the Workshop and it puts a very sharp convex, or apple seed edge on the blade, but that means reprofiling a flat, scandi, or hollow ground blade like most commercial knives come with. So having messed up a few blades trying to do as others have successfully done here, I'm looking at one of these Extra Sharp outfits EXTRA SHARP KNIFE! -SHARP KNIVES WITH KNIFE SHARPENING KIT BY EDGE PRO (http://www.extrasharpknife.com/page/173181) out of Union, Oregon.


Found this on line:

Nutnfancy does a review on his Edge Pro

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I use a pair of Chefs Choice sharpeners for my kitchen knives and, sadly, the wife's also. One is for an Asian, narrow angle bladed knives and one for western style, wider angle blades.
I don't have time to sharpen cooks knives! We have too many and the wife can dull a fresh blade just by being in the same region as it! She can not use my blades. The Chefs Choice's are self explanatory. They run about $130-150 each, will put a razor edge on a knife easily and in short order!

Gosh, all the other knives, axes, tomahawks and everything else! I own dozens of stones or devices, each fills a special niche, or general use! After 25 years machining and 12 as a chef I can pretty much sharpen anything. So, I suggest a Tripple Stone set and a leather hone or strop. The stones are set in a frame and spin through a cutting oil bath in a box. The desired stone, course, medium or fine, locks in the top position for use. A strop is easy! Get a thick old belt and rig it to hook the buckle on a nail or cup hook so you can reverse it. That is, turn the shiny or rough side up as needed! Next work cutting compounds into the leather. I like jewelers rouge on the smooth side and automotive valve grinding compound on the course side. Utube can show the strokes and such. Holding the same angle is key then strop off the "wire edge."

 

[Larrabee]

All these gadgets to do what a little practice would do to build the skill to do it free hand.

My sharpening kit is a diamond flat stone and a leather strop with some polishing compound on it.

Works for my small pocket knives all the way up to a 9" Tops Anaconda and Machetes.

I've tried to hone my sharpening skills without success (bad pun alert). For me, a good edge requires mechanical assistance. The KME is a good gizmo.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Mine is free hand.

Where do they sell that?
















:duck

 

[Ura-Ki]

I have had the advantage of an old logging uncle teach me how to hone every thing from pocket knives to ax heads BY HAND on quality India Stones! Most times I can get and keep a razor's edge on any thing I sharpen! For my kitchen knives, I use that Work Sharp belt sander to get and keep my knives "kitchen Sharp" but for things like my hunting blades, or fish blades, I prefer honeing by hand and stroping!