How do ya'll keep your knives sharp?

[Stomper]

Your math is solid

Yup, with this one I don't even have to take my shoes off in order to count!

 

[shockd]

Going with the worksharp, seems like a great endorsement from you all. And perhaps a larger diamond block for home. Thanks for everyone's contribution here. Love it when people are enthusiastic about something and do not defer to the cheapest amazon trash.

 

[Joe13]

Sounds like you made your choice but I will toss in one more vote for the worksharp system.

It's way more then I need but I'm finding out people I know now want me to sharpen their knives as well.

I also like to recommend people at least learn how to sharpen a cheap knife on a stone - it's very satisfying to learn that skill.

 

[AK0perator47]

Any of them work… my suggestion is to intentionally dull a knife or buy one at a garage sale or flea market… then learn How to sharpen the knife… people that carry more than one knife are also the ones that have more than one way to sharpen them…

Hand stones… diamond stone… ceramic rods/stones… work sharp… power sanding belts… etc etc etc means nothing if you don't know how to get an edge… plus like already mentioned a coffee cup bottom can work… so can the back of ceramic wall tile… good leather belt (obviously can't be completely dull prior)… but I think you get the gist of it

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Any of them work… my suggestion is to intentionally dull a knife or buy one at a garage sale or flea market… then learn How to sharpen the knife… people that carry more than one knife are also the ones that have more than one way to sharpen them…

Hand stones… diamond stone… ceramic rods/stones… work sharp… power sanding belts… etc etc etc means nothing if you don't know how to get an edge… plus like already mentioned a coffee cup bottom can work… so can the back of ceramic wall tile… good leather belt (obviously can't be completely dull prior)… but I think you get the gist of it

100% agree. I'm no expert but imo any method you choose (like those mentioned by akoperator47) will work if you know how to do it. It's more a matter of what works for you and what you like.

Case in point I had to sharpen a machete and some other oddball knives that were horribly asymmetrical in their bevels from the factory. I secured my little orbital sander to a table and promptly got a very nice and consistent bevel on three long blades. Keys for me was consistency in the angle and taking the time to check the bevel often as I went. Not ideal of course but for the little reprofiling I do it was fast and worked great.

My #1 suggestion is to use a sharpie to color the bevel before you start. Really helps you see what areas are being removed and also if your angle is correct. Really experienced guys don't need it I'm sure but for the rest of us it's really helpful Imo.

Also FYI someone mentioned tormek. They make Tormek knock offs for $144. The gotcha though is u have to by attachments to get the most out of it which raises the cost. There is a thread on it somewhere I'll paste here.

Edit: Found it:

Great video on Tormek knockoff sharpeners and related tools

Guy did an excellent job on this video imo. I was looking for a machine method for reprofiling and came across the $140ish wen sharpener. This video helped a lot in learning about it. Not sure I'll buy one but I know I won't be buying a big $ Tormek for the small number of knives I have. Please...

www.northwestfirearms.com

 

[bentoncity]

Don't let your wife get ahold of them!

Dan

 

[Knobgoblin]

Don't let your wife get ahold of them!

Dan

Basically true of any household relatives.

Side note , a Henckles santoku does a great job edging a sidewalk. Just ask my mother in law.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Basically true of any household relatives.

Side note , a Henckles santoku does a great job edging a sidewalk. Just ask my mother in law.

Ida edged her sideburns.





Not really

 

[Knobgoblin]

Ida edged her sideburns.





Not really

It took a while for the details to surface.
My wife finally cracked, said it was supposed to be a big secret.

 

[belshawelk]

Coming from a long line of fish filleters. My dad did it for 37 years, my uncle, and myself for a living.

We only know two things, fish and how to sharpen a knife.

Stone, oil, and continual use on a steel.

 

[OutwardHound]

After much research I purchased a Worksharp Precision Adjust Sharpener. I does an ok job but honestly I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. There is definitely a learning curve. I found changing the abrasive plates to be a pain. I have played around with hand sharpening over the years but never really excelled at it, however, I think becoming proficient @ hand sharpening will serve me better in the long run. I have a small Smith sharpener with two ceramic rods that clip into pre set angle holders. The sharpener also has a small diamond plate sharpener which I use occasionally. After several passes on the ceramic I use two leather strops for fine tuning: one ruff texture with green paste, the other smooth. This system doesn't compare to a good stone but it is much more forgiving for a beginner and a good way to build that muscle memory which is so important to keep a correct angle. It is also slow and quiet, kind of 'zen-like'. Also, my little set up is very portable, everything fits neatly into a small cardboard box that I could just grab and go. I've read this somewhere, that the key to a sharp knife is to never let it get dull in the first place.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Coming from a long line of fish filleters. My dad did it for 37 years, my uncle, and myself for a living.

We only know two things, fish and how to sharpen a knife.

Stone, oil, and continual use on a steel.

This little guy?

Or something else

 

[monkeybutler]

Worksharp here too.

 

[Mono1]

My Process is Super Simple and requires Very Little Skill (so it's highly effective for someone like ME who has NO SKILL WHATSOEVER).


STEP ONE:




STEP TWO:



With Those Two Items and only a little practice you will develop a "Feel" that produces an Edge you can Shave with.

I was lucky to attend a Seminar years ago put on by the Editor of Blade Magazine. He presented microscopic images of a blade edge looked at from the end of the blade. Raising a "Wire" on that edge is key to everything. That raising is done with the Steel. And it needs to be done frequently. Because the wire gets "folded over" and has to be raised again. (Oh Jesus I guess this will go to the "Quotes Taken Out of Context" Thread).

Anyhow, I LOVE THESE FRIGGAN SMITH SHARPENERS SO MUCH THAT I HAVE FOUR. One is in the BOB:



Cheap, easy to use, effective and Wal Mart has 'em.

 

[Ruggedbert]

RUIXIN pro sharp
+ the work sharp pocket sharpener that comes with hex drivers

View attachment 1267824

I use the same one

 

[dplev4]

Another vote for worksharp. One at home and their hand-portable one for the field. But, I also use water stones for my Murray Carter kitchen knives and an Arkansas stone (soft) for my larger edged tools.

 

[matts]

Ceramic sticks are my fave for the quick touchup, i will occasionally use a file, die grinder, or bench grinder to repair a seriously damaged edge, most the time whetstone and crock sticks do it for me.

 

[dangerranger60]

Work sharp has done an acceptable job, But I finish on a leather strop.
One of my hobbies is wood carving. So I do a lot of sharpening.
The only power sharpener that worked and is reasonable in price is the Work Sharp. unless a knife has a chunk missing I only use the finest belts, and then finish on leather.
I'm looking for one of these.

Burke Complete Sharpening System

Sharpen better than most professionals with a Burke Complete Sharpening System. Use your Burke Sharpener for all your sharpening needs from knives to gouges and more.

hummul.com

But to justify it I'll have to sharpen others tools also. These are also great for sharpening lathe tools, chisels, gouges, and knifes.

 

[Dr Prepper]

@OutwardHound call me crazy but pretty much everything pew and knife related I like to have non powered methods for the coming blackouts. Oh wait they are already if you live in Commieforniastan "please don't plug in your EV's so you can't drive away from the coming flames!"

I have powered stuff but I have a healthy stock of hand manual/methods as well, like @Mono1 I keep my daily very simple and my method is kinda his two methods combined in one. I use a ceramic wheel like I said before. Its a v shaped wheel set at a angle so its kinda like the ceramic rods method that's popular but has a lot more mechanical force involved. Its REALLY fast just 4-5 passed back and forth and I change sides /angles to get the tip conditioned on both sides. I have been using this for years now, its a god send. No fuss no muss.
I have one of these in my BOB and would trust my life to it. Its not "shaving sharp" but it removes the least amount if material, I use it dry, but unlike the ceramic rods which I've never actually seen remove material, this will leave a tiny amount of dust on the edge to wipe off. Its perfect in the kitchen for idiot family members that use steak knives on hard kitchen plates etc.

Its extremely light (like weighs grams) and its very cheap.
IMO power tools of any kind used as the primary method will just consume the steel faster than need be.

My resume on this subject is I sharpened medical instruments. Amputation knives, osteotomes, bone chisels, scissors, currettes, ronguers, flex spine reamers, skin meshers, pretty much anything used in surgery "generals" and we had ISO standards to meet. Funny thing is when I started they stated how so few people they get in can sharpen that stuff and do the work load. So I guess I'm just special idk, I don't feel very special..
They also said they went through hundreds of people to find someone who could silver solder carbides.. I guess I'm special there too!

 

[Dr Prepper]

Work sharp has done an acceptable job, But I finish on a leather strop.
One of my hobbies is wood carving. So I do a lot of sharpening.
The only power sharpener that worked and is reasonable in price is the Work Sharp. unless a knife has a chunk missing I only use the finest belts, and then finish on leather.
I'm looking for one of these.

Burke Complete Sharpening System

Sharpen better than most professionals with a Burke Complete Sharpening System. Use your Burke Sharpener for all your sharpening needs from knives to gouges and more.

hummul.com

But to justify it I'll have to sharpen others tools also. These are also great for sharpening lathe tools, chisels, gouges, and knifes.

Looks like a pretty simple project. Could be made pretty cheap. First step find a cheap wheel barrow with the legs for the brackets. And a beat washing machine or treadmill for the motor. Your half way there.