Knife sharpening system

[Intheshop]

If you want to step up your game a bit.........And we're not "knife makers".But do a heck of a lot of sharpening on machine tooling and general shop equip(chisels,plane irons,lathe tools,etc.)

Look in lapidary supplies for a 3x8" expanding drum.Onto which goes belts of whatever grits you want.This,with a very basic "shelf" will do a great job for those wanting a nice hollow grind with minimal $$.

Then we go to bench stones....which come in different materials.Water,India,Arkansas,Ceramic,Diamond......using different stones for different steels.

Next is a quick trip across big buffer,giving final polish to cutting edge.

 

[gdnagle]

There's a power tool available that is essentially a mini belt sander with edge guides that a lot of people rave about.

Could be this is what you are talking about, Work Sharp WSKTS Knife and Tool Sharpener. Been looking at them and as you said good reviews but haven't bought it yet about $63 on Amazon.

 

[ralph7]

Could be this is what you are talking about, Work Sharp WSKTS Knife and Tool Sharpener. Been looking at them and as you said good reviews but haven't bought it yet about $63 on Amazon.

Harbor Freight has this or something similar.
Anybody like them?

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I like the old time hand job with a whetstone and a little spit!
Dick

Sure am glad you inserted " a whetstone and" in there

Seriously though, you can't beat the Lansky kits.

 

[Richard Simmons]

I have and use the following systems:

Spyderco Sharpmaker
Lansky diamond set
Wicked Edge sharpening system
Diamond and natural flat stones

Of these systems the Sharpmaker is the fastest and easiest for maintaining a shaving sharp edge on my daily carry blades with steels from 440C, 420HC, M4, S30v, ATS-34, etc.

The Wicked Edge works the best (for me) when it comes to blades that are very dull or in need of re-profiling. The Sharpmaker will work too but even with the diamond rods it can take a long time depending on they type of steel and how dull the blade is or how much you are trying to re-profile the edge.

 

[LouisianaJoe]

If you want to step up your game a bit.........And we're not "knife makers".But do a heck of a lot of sharpening on machine tooling and general shop equip(chisels,plane irons,lathe tools,etc.)

Look in lapidary supplies for a 3x8" expanding drum.Onto which goes belts of whatever grits you want.This,with a very basic "shelf" will do a great job for those wanting a nice hollow grind with minimal $$.

Then we go to bench stones....which come in different materials.Water,India,Arkansas,Ceramic,Diamond......using different stones for different steels.

Next is a quick trip across big buffer,giving final polish to cutting edge.

I have been using the 3X8" drum with a #2 Morse Taper on my wood lathe for years. I use it on anything from axes to knives. I have belts in grits from 80 to 800.
I have also used it to make knives.

I use a felt wheel with polishing compound to polish the edge.

 

[Delos]

Look at what the professionals use

Visualize a cheese sandwich.

Now visualize making a knife from a file in the center with softer steels on both sides.

The best knives and axes have very hard carbon steel center with softer steel on both sides.

They are generally sharpened with a stone or belt. The belt does not need to be diamond, just close.

The average utility knife is surface hardened and the surface hardening is removed during excessive sharpening.

Wood carving knives and butcher knives for meat are stamped out hard steel and very thin. Butchers us a "steel" to straighten the microscopic burs on the edge.

To answer original question: Stones are good. Great responses listed above. Average person sharpening hunting knives using the V bladed kind of sharpener do not have long lasting edges because surface hardness is removed with any aggressive sharpening (as a general rule).

Read up on Gransfors Bruks axes (sorry I could not find diagrams of construction).
Gransfors-Bruks Axes

And read about the layering when making samurai swords.

All that said, some of our modern steels in the hardware store are not your grandfathers steels.

But Canadian lumberjacks use axes like I first described. And stones or belt sanders to sharpen.