Knife Sharpening

[Drail]

Yup, Ed Juranich's book is an excellent reference. Old school methods that flat out work.

 

[Dean C.]

That's one thing!

Another is when someone doesn't understand that the bevels have to actually meet to make an edge. They will have two shiny surfaces, then then a relatively thick strip of untouched metal where the edge would form if the bevels met.

Another quick tip, when sharpening put sharpie on the bevel of the knife to ensure you actually get everything.

 

[catalyst]

I would recommend the EdgePro Apex. The EdgePro is a bit pricey to get into (~$200) -- but my experience has been that you can get great results in a fairly short amount of time. I also think it takes much less time to learn to use it than it does to learn to sharpen freehand. I have used a Sharpmaker, bench stones, and a Lansky system, but I get far better results with the EdgePro. It took me a while to work up the courage to use the system on some of my more expensive knives, but once I did, I never looked back. I regularly sharpen steels of all kinds - 440A, S30V, ZDP-189, ELMAX -- and have been able to get good results on all of them fairly quickly. I am not sure I would trust my blades to a sharpening service unless they had a great reputation -- I've heard too many horror stories. I agree with those that said it is better to learn to do it yourself.

 

[Dean C.]

A more detailed comparison than I care to write on the Edge Pro VS the Wicked Edge systems for those interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGo3pKhp6L8

The wicked edge can now get a higher polish due to the new kangaroo leather strops coupled with the micron level diamond sprays. The video is a hair bit dated but most of the info is very good. Its obvious which system most of the INGO sharpening people use IMHO and with good reason.

 

[catalyst]

A more detailed comparison than I care to write on the Edge Pro VS the Wicked Edge systems for those interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGo3pKhp6L8

The wicked edge can now get a higher polish due to the new kangaroo leather strops coupled with the micron level diamond sprays. The video is a hair bit dated but most of the info is very good. Its obvious which system most of the INGO sharpening people use IMHO and with good reason.

I have heard a lot of good things about the Wicked Edge, and it does have some advantages over the EdgePro. It can be a considerable time-saver (and less fatiguing) to be able to grind on both sides of the blade at the same time. Reprofiling a particularly hard steel on the EdgePro can get old pretty quickly. I think they are both good systems, though.

 

[VGFsirius]

My personal favorite is the Razor Edge System ... Razor Edge Systems - Knife Sharpening Systems ... buy a starter kit with stones and guides, watch the videos, and you're home free ... this is an easy system to use. I only use the 8" stones with this system.

Even easier is a motorized belt system like Work Sharp ... Work Sharp Tools ... also very easy to use and FAST. I don't like it as much as the Razor Edge System, but when you're sharpening a bunch of kitchen knives for your in-laws, the Work Sharp can't be beat.

Best of all both these systems are dry systems.

I have to second the work sharp system. I researched for months, and finally bought the Ken Onion edition. worth the $160 I spent on it.

 

[Hop]

I'm pretty sure the Benchmade booth was using a Work Sharp to do free sharpening during the NRAAM. It makes me wonder if Benchmade knive come from the factory with a convex edge.

 

[Drail]

Every Benchmade I have owned or sharpened did not have a convex edge from the factory but there is no reason you can't grind one convex.

 

[cbseniour]

Try the Work Sharp knife and tool sharpener. I've been doing my own knives for ever and this is the easiest and most reliable system I have found.

 

[1DOWN4UP]

A 2 in. X 6 in. (minimum) bench stone to start, either natural Arkansas/Ouchita (medium grit) or a man made diamond stone (diamond stones cost more but never wear down and become non flat). Use oil on the natural stones and water on the diamond stones. Place a piece of non slip mat (Lowe's, Menards, Home Depot) under the stone so it won't move while you use both hands to hold the blade. Use light pressure and hold the blade at about a 20 degree angle. The whole trick is to maintain the same angle on every stroke. Eventually you will raise a burr on one side and then remove it with one last stroke on the opposite side. There are numerous articles on the internet and Youtube.

That pretty much is the way i was taught.I'm guessing to get the burr,you are going away from the edge first,and after the burr breaks,you start going toward the edge. That is the way I clean up the edge first.

 

[Ward250]

Perhaps a good place to ask, but i can't find anything I'm searches. What methods/tools/techniques do you guys use for checking your blades after working on them. I assume there are ways to identify dull stretches? Burrs? I've always just trimmed a clean sheet of 20# paper but figured there are better ways to find the flaws in a newly sharpened blade. ???

 

[Dean C.]

Perhaps a good place to ask, but i can't find anything I'm searches. What methods/tools/techniques do you guys use for checking your blades after working on them. I assume there are ways to identify dull stretches? Burrs? I've always just trimmed a clean sheet of 20# paper but figured there are better ways to find the flaws in a newly sharpened blade. ???

Just feel along the bevels on each side, you will be able to feel any burrs on one side or the other.

 

[Ward250]

I guess I've been too hard on my hands. I see guys touch a blade and accurately predict how well it will perform on caping an animal. Me, I can't tell without using it a while. I was hoping there was some common standard of sharpness test I could use from one blade to another. I think I'm guilty of over sharpening my share.

 

[grunt soldier]

Most standards that can be used from one blade to the next are simple. Will it shave you. and then thin slicing paper. start with standard notebook paper then work your way down to phone book paper and if you got it very good some toilet paper

really though there is probably some standard test you can find if you google it. however I just stick to the above mentioned tests and I know how sharp it is.

 

[rhino]

Probably not cost effective for the home user, but . . .

Sharpness tester

 

[Ward250]

Well I'm hanging my head in defeat. Just checked a few forshner blades that I worked on last week and there isn't one in the lot that will cut hair off my arm. Wife asked qwhat I was doing, told her I sucked at sharpening knives, she said don't walk toward the light. In hindsight, it looked like I was cutting my wrist.

 

[rhino]

Well I'm hanging my head in defeat. Just checked a few forshner blades that I worked on last week and there isn't one in the lot that will cut hair off my arm. Wife asked qwhat I was doing, told her I sucked at sharpening knives, she said don't walk toward the light. In hindsight, it looked like I was cutting my wrist.

How well a knife will shave arm hair is also related to how polished the edge is, which does not always translate directly to ability to actually cut things.

Another simple test is to lightly drag the edge across your thumb nail (be very, very careful). If the edge slides without scratching your nail, it's not very sharp. If it "catches" and slices a little groove in your nail, it's probably plenty sharp enough to cut most things.

When I am sharpening, I know I am done with my coarsest abrasives when the edge will cut fingernail. Then I refine it until it pops arm hair.

 

[Ward250]

Excellent info! Thanks! I think I will bite the bullet and get a good sharpening system to offset my lackluster performace on the stones.

 

[rhino]

I just saw some results from a Ken Onion WorkSharp last night and I was impressed. I can get the same or better results by hand than it or any other machine, but the thing saves time. It can reprofile an edge in a few seconds that would take me hours or more to do by hand. Of course, that also means that it could destroy a blade pretty quickly if you don't use it properly, but nothing is "free."

 

[VGFsirius]

I always recommend practicing on cheaper knives. WSKT aren't that bad, you just have to go slow, and be careful with the tip.