Sharpening Your Knives

[QuebecoisWolf]

Alright. I have some cheapo folding knives and I have some very nice knives. Lately, my Buck 110 has been losing its edge, my Gerber pocketknife has no edge at all, and I've got a 70-75 year old PAL RH 50 coming in that I plan on using as my camp knife at reenactments and it's probably going to be as sharp as a plastic spoon.

How do you guys get your edge back? Somehow, I learned how to sharpen ice skates, but not knives.

 

[sixfivesavage]

Best way to learn is get a stone and start using it. My father taught me but realy only did by letting me watch him and then telling me one day to do my own when I asked him to sharpen my knife. He said I have seen him do it enough, it was time I learned how. That was the best way. The knife will tell you if you're doing it wrong or right. You could asking get one of those gatco stone kits with the guide. I got a diamond one to sharpen my d2 knives since they were too hard to do on an Arkansas stone.

 

[Mickey the Dragon]

If you want to be a filthy cheater, get a Spyderco Sharpmaker. It's idiot proof, gets the job done quickly, and gets my knives sharp enough to shave with.

That being said, there's certainly value in learning how to sharpen a knife with a standard sharpening stone. The key is keeping a consistent angle.

Knife Center Sharpening Instructions

 

[rj1974]

To get a bad edge to good I have a old set of Smiths Arkansas stones that were my grand fathers . After I have a good edge I just use a good butchers steel for touch up when it needs it . If you dont let them get too far gone a butchers steel is great just a few swipes is all I do once or twice a week .

That said you have many different edge grinds out there all of which need a different sharpening technique . http://backyardbushman.com/?page_id=13 this is the most common grinds . I personally hate hollow grind they are a pain to sharpen unless you sit and sharpen until the hollow grind is gone .There is also the chisel grind not listed on there that is pretty common on knives now .

 

[DZ]

I use a DMT Aligner that works very well on all but my thinnest (from spine to edge) blades. When followed with a strop making a blade extremely sharp is very easy.

I also use a mousepad and sandpaper to sharp convex edges like that on my machete.

 

[llkoolkeg]

I use three different tools depending upon the condition and hardness of the edge in question. For course edges, I use a softer "regular" sharpening stone. For finer edges or harder steel, I use a hard Arkansas stone. For edge touch-ups or well-hardened steel, I use ceramic sharpening sticks. I try especially hard not to damage the edges of any of my Japanese-style blades as they do not have an edge bevel, i.e. the entire face of the blade must be sharpened all at once by one skilled in the art or an edge bevel will be inadvertently created. When sharpening, you must be very careful to put the proper angled bevel back on the blade as it had or should have had when originally sharpened. Is that at all helpful?

 

[QuebecoisWolf]

I use three different tools depending upon the condition and hardness of the edge in question. For course edges, I use a softer "regular" sharpening stone. For finer edges or harder steel, I use a hard Arkansas stone. For edge touch-ups or well-hardened steel, I use ceramic sharpening sticks. I try especially hard not to damage the edges of any of my Japanese-style blades as they do not have an edge bevel, i.e. the entire face of the blade must be sharpened all at once by one skilled in the art or an edge bevel will be inadvertently created. When sharpening, you must be very careful to put the proper angled bevel back on the blade as it had or should have had when originally sharpened. Is that at all helpful?

Dangerously helpful. It looks like I've got a lot of learning to do.

 

[Streetgang]

Lansky sharpener. It will get your knives razor sharp and is pretty fool proof if you follow the directions.
I also have a set of Norton waterstones I use for planes and chisels that I also sharpen knives and axes on.
The Lansky system requires the ability to follow directions and no developed skill for excellent results. Using a waterstone requires some aquired skill. My stones are 200, 1000, 4000 and 8000 grit and get a razor sharp mirror finish.
Finally stay away from anything that draws the blade edge across a surface perpendicular to the edge. Most sharpeners like that tear the metal off resulting in a micro (or worse) serrated edge that won't last very long.

Lansky Kit
Norton Waterstone Kit

What not to use:
Wustoff

 

[BlackBart]

Maybe "Dalton" will chime in, he without doubt makes the finest hand made knives on the East Coast. I imagine sharpening techniques would be nothing to him.

 

[BeltBuckle]

There are a bunch of methods out there to shorten the time it takes to get a decent edge. Some work better than others, depending on the blade. I've tried and abandoned any number of them. Some good advice above, but I've never seen anything to produce a better edge than a graded series of good stones.

I bought a santoku in a little shop outside Tsukiji in Tokyo years ago. Saw the shopkeeper take the blade I had selected, which was the sharpest I'd ever seen, and in 5 minutes with three stones and water (and 70 years of experience) honed the edge to the point that it made a flint scalpel look dull. I've reserved it only for sushi, but have never had to sharpen it since.

 

[SRD]

I use a Lansky (Streetgang already mentioned) to restore the edge,almost foolproof for getting the angle the same on both sides.I prefer stones for maintinence though.

 

[2SAM22]

If you want to be a filthy cheater, get a Spyderco Sharpmaker. It's idiot proof, gets the job done quickly, and gets my knives sharp enough to shave with.

Easy is good. I love my Sharpmaker.

 

[MikeTF]

There are a bunch of methods out there to shorten the time it takes to get a decent edge. Some work better than others, depending on the blade. I've tried and abandoned any number of them. Some good advice above, but I've never seen anything to produce a better edge than a graded series of good stones.

I bought a santoku in a little shop outside Tsukiji in Tokyo years ago. Saw the shopkeeper take the blade I had selected, which was the sharpest I'd ever seen, and in 5 minutes with three stones and water (and 70 years of experience) honed the edge to the point that it made a flint scalpel look dull. I've reserved it only for sushi, but have never had to sharpen it since.

 

[A. Wayne]

I have cermic Crocksticks, both coarse and fine. They work well for me.

 

[NathanJ]

I use the edgepro apex.

http://www.edgeproinc.com/productsapex.html

 

[smokey]

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/26036-knife-maintenance-and-sharpening/

read this in entirety, research more about steel, grain, carbides and tempering to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the steel you are sharpening(for example, in a steel as tough as d2, you can get away with a steeper angle because the edge won't roll as quickly as with softer steels....which makes up for d2 taking a crappier edge than some other steels). Next, decide what angle, edge profile and finish you want. You may not want a completely mirror polished edge if you're using the knife to cut things like peppers or hard-skinned veggies. Some micro-serrations may actually help cut better in that speciffic task.

The easiest way to put a standard v-edge, chisel edge, or double-beveled edge on your pocket knives is the lansky kit. It's worth it to pay a little extra for the diamond stones.(as an aside, synthetic stones are almost always going to be more consistent than natural stones, and generally clean up easier with soap and water). the diamond lansky kit will last longer(i've worn the middle out of the standard stones on my old kit), cut faster, and generally put a nicer finish on the edge. Be sure to insert the guide-rod into the stones, lay the stone face-down on a flat surface, and then tighten the screw to ensure consistency in stone-angle from stone to stone. You may also have to bend the guide-rod up or down until it lays flat on the surface with the stone since some stones appear to have the hole drilled slightly imperfect to perpendicular.

Keep in mind with the lansky kit that heavy pressure isn't needed and that putting heavy presssure on the end of the stone will bend the guide rod and change your sharpening angle...effectively rounding over your edge.

If you're interested in a more katana-like efficiency in slicing through media in a very durable, yet sharp edge, it's hard to beat a convex edge. The best way to sharpen a solid convex edge seems to be a good belt-sander with various grit belts. It's fast, fairly easy to maintain a given angle and can put a nice edge on. Just be aware than any time you rapidly sharpen something(especially with power tools) you run the risk of damaging the temper of the steel at the edge. If you see a blue color-change on the burr, you're getting too aggressive on the sharpener.

to finish the edge on the belt sander, or the lansky, I just use a leather belt with polishing compound in it backed by a wooden desk. I go back and forth from side to side using a consistent pressure and gently drawing the blade towards me as i go. The problem here is that if you push too hard or polish too long, you'll round the edge over(especially with soft steels sensitive to edge rollover). After polishing off the remaining burr, i dress the edge with glass(basically just softly move the edge over it as if i was trying to slice a thin layer of glass off) to undo any rounding and give the edge a slight double-bevel to return the nice crisp edge.

At basspro, we use a wheel. It's definately fast, but much more difficult to sharpen correctly. There are few behind the counter that can put a consistent edge on a knife without rounding the tip over(happens when you push in to the stone too much and don't draw it away and through smoothly towards the end of your pass), screwing up the temper, or creating waves in the edge from uneven pressure during the pass. The other thing done incorrectly is that the lack of a guide means you cant cut the blade into the stone and are left allowing the stone to push material up to the edge instead of cutting it away. That being said, I can still make most peoples knives sharper than they've ever been with that wheel at work(ask popgunner, done a few of his emmersons)

http://www.zknives.com/knives/articles/knifesteelfaq.shtml
also, read this over and over again to give you a better understanding of your knife.

 

[Winged Pig]

I use the edgepro apex.

http://www.edgeproinc.com/productsapex.html

+1

 

[rondon600]

If you want to be a filthy cheater, get a Spyderco Sharpmaker. It's idiot proof, gets the job done quickly, and gets my knives sharp enough to shave with.[/URL]

+1 on the Spyderco Sharpmaker. All of my knives are shaving sharp (just ask my left index finger!)

 

[kstone803]

Work Sharp Knife and Tool sharpener. Easy to use and fast. Also micromesh makes dozens of different belts for it. I sharpened everything in the house when I first got it. Best 70 bucks I spent in the last 30 days. I got mine at bass pro but they can be had online for a little less.

http://www.worksharptools.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=90

http://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-WSKTS-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B003IT5F14

 

[Jester1341]

i use a lansky five ston kit, LOVE IT!!

john