Learn me.... Knife sharpening...

Among all the other thing I am bad at is knife sharpening. I swear when I am done the knife is not any sharper than when I started. (And sometimes I think worse..) I have the fancy sharpeners with the blade clamp and different stones. I have the kind with the "diamond" sticks that you drag the blade through. I have the old fashioned kind of sharpener with the steel discs that you drag the blade through. I used to have the stick that came with the kitchen knife set. Handle fell off and I don't know where that is... Even had one of those motorized jobs. That would grind the edge off in no time... So, please steer me in the proper direction and educate me in basic knife sharpening...

HF grinder with the wheels replaced with paper knife sharpening wheels, polishing compound.

I been satisfied w/ Lansky, NP.

spend big money on these http://www.danswhetstone.com/

and give them to your grandchildren.

I've been happy with those yellow $9 things you get at the hardware store with the 2 stones in a V. Doe a good job and blades cut from both side. Dont work on blades with only one side tapered.

Ahh, the "Arkansas Stone." Sold commercially to chew up tool steel. I've got one of those about a foot thick and 12 foot underground. Try boring a hole through one sometime. It laughs at tungsten carbide. When you pull up the drill bit/stem, it looks like it's been polished on a lathe. Fun times.

Anyway, this kinda stuff: http://www.grizzly.com/products/8-Razor-Sharp-System/G5937 works for me. There's also a slow turning wet stone system out now, and a belt sander with different belts and a quick change system works well too.

I must have a dozen different sharpening tools/systems. Ceramic "stone," diamond hones, the stick things, Arkansas stones, etc. The wheels work best for me.

Dr. Hess wrote: I must have a dozen different sharpening tools/systems. Ceramic "stone," diamond hones, the stick things, Arkansas stones, etc. The wheels work best for me.

This is very insightful. I find stones work best for me. My grandpa handed down a ultrafine hard black stone to me that he used to put an edge on his razor right before the strop. I love it and wouldn't trade it for the world.

I have had success with EZ-lap diamond stones as well. There are so many devices out there that finding one that works for you can he a complete pain. Find the right angle to hold things and being smooth wihtout a guide is tough. I've heard good things about the spyderco sharpmaker.

I would like to try the paper wheels, I have heard great things. I've also seen people use the 1x30 Harbor freight belt sander with some light grit belts finishing with a leather belt coated in compound.

I have been very happy with my Chef's Choice sharpener for kitchen knifes. My dad used one of these on his Buck hunting knifes:

Those things are like straight razors. Takes some skill, but you could do brain surgery with his skinner.

I have a razor strop too. I use it for touching up Mach 3 disposables to extend their useful life. I don't use a straight razor anymore. Too slow and requires too much dexterity at 0600.

pinchvalve wrote: Those things are like straight razors. Takes some skill, but you could do brain surgery with his skinner.

Brain surgery typically uses the vacuum cleaner more than the knife. Just FYI.

I have never used scary sharp, but it seems like a good idea for a beginner with low cost to buy in.... The recurring costs might be a bit high.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scary_sharp

pinchvalve wrote: I have been very happy with my Chef's Choice sharpener for kitchen knifes.

I have one of those. The guy who designed those (and the granten edge carvers, with the vacuum-breaking hollows ground into the sides of the blade) was a buddy of my dad's. I use the Chef's Choice to get a quick rough shape to the angle. Then I use a plain, 2-sided whetstone about 2"x5" and a couple drops of salad oil to really finish off the edge. I also have a ceramic crock stick that I use to true up the edge between sharpenings.

I use a stone for knives.

I use a belt sander or hand grinder for chisels in the field.

I use a Grizzly wet grinder followed by a diamond hone for my timber framing gouges and slicks (giant chisels about 2' long sharp enough to shave the hair off your arm).

It does take a little time to learn. It is mostly about 1- holding VERY consistent angle and pressure, 2- even application to both edges, and 3- Being VERY patient.

I've had many sharpeners over the years, in pursuit of that good edge. None of them worked very well for me. Then I learned one crucial concept that I'd missed for forever. Pressure. I'd never used enough to make any sharpener work worth a darn.

When using a stone, use downward force like you're trying to slice through it. Doing that let me finally start getting an edge. Going back and force on each side of the knife let me work that lead edge back and force, breaking it off.

Finally stropping. That's a darn important step for a superbly fine edge. It's the difference between razor sharp and just sharp. I use a steel for this myself, because I find it quicker and easier than a leather strop. A few quick back and forths and the lead edge of that knife blade is aligned.

I'll use a steel quite a bit when skinning and butchering and such. For many times the dulled knife is suffering from nothing more than a bent lead edge. A few quick passes backwards on the steel and it's once again pointed straight and the knife is again sharp.

For general knock around "sharp" I find the old fashioned ring type sharpener very convenient and easy to use.

We've a few of them sitting in the skinning area along with the knives and steels. It changes feel quite distinctly when it's finally sharpening the blade. At first the knife blade slides through like there's no resistance. Then, you feel it catch the knife and there's a scraping/grinding tug involved. At which point with a few more tugs, you've a workably sharp knife. Again, using pressure like I'm trying to slice through the discs. It gives a B grade edge very quickly consistently and easily.

I have used the Lansky system for years. I like it because I can put different angles on the knife depending on what it is used for.

Dr. Hess wrote:

pinchvalve wrote: Those things are like straight razors. Takes some skill, but you could do brain surgery with his skinner.

Brain surgery typically uses the vacuum cleaner more than the knife. Just FYI.

So my dyson was a good investment?

SVreX wrote: It is mostly about 1- holding VERY consistent angle and pressure, 2- even application to both edges, and 3- Being VERY patient.

This is all you need to know. It's a skill, you have to practice. A lot.

Don't discount your materials either. Good knives will make a better edge.

mndsm wrote:

Dr. Hess wrote:

pinchvalve wrote: Those things are like straight razors. Takes some skill, but you could do brain surgery with his skinner.

Brain surgery typically uses the vacuum cleaner more than the knife. Just FYI.

So my dyson was a good investment?

Yeah. Run some clear plastic tubing to some duct tape on the end of the Dyson hose and you'll be in business.

Now this is no E36 M3: The greatest brain surgeon in the world, a man who after you shake hands with him you don't wash your hand for a week, who basically invented modern brain surgery told me that he could tell what was tumor and was was normal brain by the sound it made when he sucked it up.

Anyway, I have one of these: http://www.hunterhoner.com/

I bought it from my custom knife maker, Dawson. It does OK on anything but the most super-hard knifes. Good on my Dawson Pocket Knife(my latest go-to knife):

although my Stainless Dawson "99 Hess" (yes, that's the model number, stamped in the blade) is a little hard for it.

Lansky system, add in a leather strop if you want scalpel sharp.

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Deluxe-5-Stone-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8IEA4

The old fashioned "wet stone" works best for me.

I have found those "V" type sharpeners, regardless of material, have a tendency to wear out the blade when used excessively.

rumors on the internets is that these http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=diamond+sharpener

diamond hones from harbor freight are not terrible for less that $15 they are worth a shot. I haven't picked up one yet.

I use a Craftsman sharpening stone: Coarse one side/ Fine on the opposite. Once you have the knives sharp: Use a Sharpening steel in the Kitchen. (Diamond coated rod/spatula tool) The stone(s) remove material to sharpen the edge. The Steel hones the edge and re-aligns the edge. When the knives are sharp: we can go about 2 years between using the sharpening stone.

Haven't checked, but I am sure that there are Utubes for both processes.

Rog

I've used a Spiderco for 40 years and haven't seen anything as simple, idiot resistant or does such a fine job.

It works on all kinds of knives, actually set up for scissors and fish hooks too. The first time you do a knife it's a bunch of work to get the angle set, but the next time you sharpen it, just a few licks and you're back to caring brains.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDjIQzibgM