Knife sharpening

[LEGION12]

 

[DRankin]

Who makes the diamond stones you prefer?

 

[Autonomous]

I bought a Spyderco Sharpmaker years ago as I needed something easily carried in my grip. It is not fast, but it gets the job done. Most of the diamonds have fallen off the sleeves but as I am only doing my own knives now, I don't need them anymore.
I finish with a leather strop.

 

[n5ama]

I have used a Lansky sharpener for years but probably not correctly. I start at the second highest angle with the medium diamond stone and then go to the medium stone when I can no longer see a reflection of a flat edge. I then go to the 30 degree angle with the medium stone for a few passes and finish up with the fine stone for a few passes. I’m sure this gives me a decent (not good) edge but is usually ok for me. I’ve never used the ultra fine stone.

I’ve never stroped my knife during or after sharpening to remove the burr. It would probably help if I did this but I’m not sure I would be able to maintain that extra sharp edge for long enough for it to make a longterm difference.

I never bother with keeping up with my wife’s kitchen knives because her knives are used to cut porcelain plates and granite counter tops. Her edge doesn’t last very long and so I wait until she makes a specific request which is made when the edge dulls to the same sharpness as the back of the blade. ;<}

BTW, my Benchmade folder with 154CM steel gets more effort than most of my other knives. I’ve had that knife for a number of years and it has served me well.

 

[schulze1]

This sharpener looks expensive.

 

[rtodd548]

I bought one of these several years ago, and it's taken the place of all my other sharpeners, including the Work Sharp.
https://warthogusa.com/product/vsharp-a4-knife-sharpener/

 

[ferider]

As a kid (6+ years, after being allowed to carry a SAK), one of my chores was to sharpen my mom's kitchen knives once a month. Not one of my favorite tasks now, but with a good stone it's gratifying, so I suggest to keep working with a whetstone for expensive knives. A good modern stone makes this much easier than it used to be:

For cheap knives, I use a small, variable speed belt sander that I bought on Amazon. The advantage over the Worksharp is that it's very practical to use for other small jobs around the house (cutting small screws, for instance).

When you use a belt sander (or Worksharp), make sure you go slow and cool with water / don't overheat the edge.

Roland.

 

[StrawHat]

Who makes the diamond stones you prefer?

I use diamond plates by DMT. They come in the larger sizes I prefer.

Kevin

 

[StrawHat]

I just finished the knife thread and found it interesting. I have several old (circa 1980's) Gerber knives and a couple of inexpensive knifes that need to be sharpened. I have tried a couple of whetstones but I find that I cannot keep a good angle. Has anyone worked with a fixed angle sharpener and if so which one? I have been looking a WorkSharp but maybe a Lansky fixed angle. What do you all use.

Your location is just SE of Cleveland. There are several sharpeners who operate in that area. Some do Farmers’ Markets, some out of the house and one works in grocery stores. You might go to one of them.

Kevin

 

[StrawHat]

I have been sharpening knives ever since I was about 10 years old. In the beginning I took a dull knife and made it even duller using a silicone carbide stone - or similar! lol! After I got married 46 years ago I bought a Lansky (or similar) system. Years later I bought the KME system which IMHO is way better, gave me great results but took way too long for each knife and replacement stones are costly. I then bought the Spyderco system and while it works well, it is basically only good for slightly dull knives. Start with a really dull knife and you will be there all day long! Along the way, (about 38 years ago) I purchased a really good set of 3 Arkansas Stones. Again, they can give great results if you have the muscle memory to hold a consistent angle, but take a while if doing multiple knives. They are also a bit more messy as I used them with honing oil.

A few years ago I decided to get serious about sharpening and I needed a method to sharpen knives fast and at the same time be able to make them razor sharp if I want to (depending on what knife I am sharpening). At the urging of StrawHat here on the forum, I bought a bunch of larger diamond stones (3" x 8" and 3" x 10") in different grits. Since buying them I have done many hundreds of knives, scissors, chisels, etc and they are IMO the absolute best way to go. The diamond stones last a very long time too! Someone doing sharpening just on their own personal knives will probably get decades out of quality diamond stones. A 325 - 350 grit and a 1200 grit are the two (course an fine) stones I'd get. Finishing the process with a good leather strop and that is all you will need IMO.

Learning to hold a consistent angle is way more important that the actual degree of angle you sharpen to. Anywheres around 15º-20º is good and 17º is what I sort of shoot for but never really check. For fine cutting knives I will lean towards the 15º and for your average knife about 17-18º. If the knife is a shop knife subject to rough work, I will even increase the angle a bit more to 22º - 25º, but again, I no longer measure the exact angle - I just go by feel now. The key is develop muscle memory to hold the angle consistent. There is no magic bullet other than to keep practicing, use your thumb and forefinger as an angle guide, and use a magnifying lens to make sure you are getting one consistent angle instead of many different facets.

I can usually sharpen a dull kitchen knife in about 7-10 minutes (including stropping). One that has been really abused and neglected and needs re-profiling obviously will take me longer - about 15 minutes. I know many can do it faster, but probably not better. When I sharpen a knife, I sharpen it to what it will be used for.

I know some buy the Worksharp products (a bit pricey to buy and get belts and parts for) but I personally do not like using a glorified motorized belt sander on fine knives. Sometimes I will use a belt sander to rough profile a knife that is in really poor shape and needs to be thinned a little. I then finish by hand on the diamond stones. Yes it can be quicker but most who use them exclusively more than likely cut the longevity of the knife down by removing too much metal each time it gets sharpened. On my own personal knives I never let them get really dull and I can put a razor sharp edge back on them in 30 - 45 seconds just with the diamond stone. A few licks on the strop and the sharpened knife is back in the block in a minute. Hand sharpening is a developed skill that many can do if they are determined. Some just want the easy way out. Whatever method or sharpening system you use needs to satisfy your needs, skill level, pocketbook and patience level. BTW, a diamond stone needs no real maintenance, requires no electricity, oil or water so it can be used anywhere.

Glad to hear you are still sharpening. We are a dying breed.

Kevin

 

[Smoke]

I carry this in my get home bag. I can get a serviceable edge with it but as I mentioned  I can't hold a consistent angle.



I have the same issue with this one I can get a good edge on it but I can't get a great edge on it and I can't do it consistently.

 

[chief38]

HINT: Anyone here as "fussy" - OK, or OCD as I am and wants to always have sharp knives in the block, stropping with a 4-6 micron infused leather strop greatly helps! I do this for about 20-30 seconds per knife and I use a 18" home-made strop with two sides. One side is the finished, smooth untreated side and the other is the rough out side with diamond infused compound on it. The diamond compound (if not a professional sharpener) will last well over a year or more. Someone like myself who sharpens many knives must clean the leather and retreat every 3-4 months or so depending on how much it is used. That process takes no longer than 10-15 minutes and is very easily done. Every knife I sharpen gets stropped. Most knifes in my kitchen block and on my workshop bench get stropped 20 - 30 seconds a week. This keeps them hair shaving sharp between their regular 6 month resharpening's. Knives rarely used get stopped much less of course, I am mostly talking about the ones used every single day.

Hey - gotta keep up my reputation of never being caught with a dull knife - lol!

BTW, I never use the green waxy compound! The diamond infused products are far superior and much less messy. They also last a long long time!

 

[Ronbow]

Having tried stones, Lansky, machines etc. I finally found the Spyderco sharpmaker.

One thing that I've learned is it's easier to touch up a knife than it is to do a full sharpening on one

And what Smoke posted is the last word in keeping a shaving edge on a knife. "Sharpening" removes metal and eventually overrides the bevel. Honing polishes the edge. I only have to use the fine ceramic rod on the Sharpmaker.

 

[Phenix]

I just finished the knife thread and found it interesting. I have several old (circa 1980's) Gerber knives and a couple of inexpensive knifes that need to be sharpened. I have tried a couple of whetstones but I find that I cannot keep a good angle. Has anyone worked with a fixed angle sharpener and if so which one? I have been looking a WorkSharp but maybe a Lansky fixed angle. What do you all use.

The only knife sharpening “rigid system” I have any experience with was the Lansky system 45-50 years ago, and it worked well enough. 99% of the probably the many hundreds of blades I have sharpened was done without fixtures or power tools.
I have always been somewhat puzzled by the number of people who are baffled as to how to sharpen a knife.
It’s not rocket surgery. I have taught two different boys aged 12 and 13 to do it, and do it well. All that is required is a little patience, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail.

 

[Phenix]

HINT: Anyone here as "fussy" - OK, or OCD as I am and wants to always have sharp knives in the block, stropping with a 4-6 micron infused leather strop greatly helps! I do this for about 20-30 seconds per knife and I use a 18" home-made strop with two sides. One side is the finished, smooth untreated side and the other is the rough out side with diamond infused compound on it. The diamond compound (if not a professional sharpener) will last well over a year or more. Someone like myself who sharpens many knives must clean the leather and retreat every 3-4 months or so depending on how much it is used. That process takes no longer than 10-15 minutes and is very easily done. Every knife I sharpen gets stropped. Most knifes in my kitchen block and on my workshop bench get stropped 20 - 30 seconds a week. This keeps them hair shaving sharp between their regular 6 month resharpening's. Knives rarely used get stopped much less of course, I am mostly talking about the ones used every single day.

Hey - gotta keep up my reputation of never being caught with a dull knife - lol!

BTW, I never use the green waxy compound! The diamond infused products are far superior and much less messy. They also last a long long time!

I have a few diamond hones that I have been using for over 20 years that are still going strong. The coarseness of them seems to have decreased very slightly but it’s not a big deal.

 

[Chipsdad]

My wife bought a Work Sharp for my birthday years ago. The thing burned up last year (bearings) and I called the company. They asked if I wanted another one, and sent one free.

 

[StrawHat]

Having tried stones, Lansky, machines etc. I finally found the Spyderco sharpmaker.

And what Smoke posted is the last word in keeping a shaving edge on a knife. "Sharpening" removes metal and eventually overrides the bevel. Honing polishes the edge. I only have to use the fine ceramic rod on the Sharpmaker.

Yes but, eventually they will need to be put on stones to restore them. I use DMT flat diamond stones. I also use one of two honing rods, a diamond one or a ceramic one. I advise my customers to buy one or the other but most of them prefer to bring their knives to me 2-3 times a year. Lucky for me I guess!

Kevin

 

[Turn4811]

I have a 17 degree V block ceramic rods that I will hit weekly for my EDC that keeps it razor sharp. I also service the action if necessary. The kitchen knives get a ride on it ever so often as well.

If I ever get any nicks in the edge my neighbor has a belt sander for the blades. When he was a younger man he would work the gun shows and swap meets sharpening knives for extra money. The belt sander does a great job on scissors as well. It has an adjustable angle guide.

 

[Bald1]

I’ve always used a Lansky. When I started playing around with axes/hatchets I started using a BuckTool 1”x 30” belt/disc sander. Now I use it on knives as well.

 

[pathillyer]

I've used Crock Sticks for over 50 years - kitchen knives, shop knives, carry, and just stupid big knives. I have a little packable version in my get home bag.

 

[ggibson511960]

I have whetstones, a Lansky, a Worksharp and a Warthog. I'm not particularly skilled with whetstones, but can make do. The Lansky is way too much trouble to set up. The Worksharp is fiddly to set up and puts a convex edge on blades, okay for light honing but no good for shaping. The Warthog is always ready, always precise and fun to use.