All I want for Chistmas is a sharpening system

Strigamort..build a 2x72 for knife making. You will waste away your youth doing it with a file! btw, this is the best sharpener there is. Takes about 30 seconds to get a knife to hair popping sharp from butterknife dull. 2 light passes per side to pull a burr on low speed, then hit on fine crock sticks a few licks.

ry%3D400
 
And to get professional looking flats and finish you will want one of these. Actually this may be the best sharpener with it's infinitely adjustable speed and reverse also.
It can be slowed to a crawl. Getting things truly flat will prove to be a bear in your knife making adventure!
ry%3D400
 
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You guys have all given me some really great tips and I appreciate it. I know that one of these systems isn't ideal to "learn" what the heck you are doing and how you should be sharpening knives. I am practicing free hand, at this point I am just meh... I don't really want to invest hours a night practicing, so it will take me a while to get to respectable. But until I get to there I want something that will put a real bevel on my nice knives that I don't want to practice free hand with.
 
Sticky said:
Strigamort..build a 2x72 for knife making. You will waste away your youth doing it with a file!
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+1 to this one. I am ready to move on from files myself! Asking my wife for a 2x42 for Christmas. The 2x72 is gonna have to come a ways down the road unfortunately...
 
Sticky said:
Strigamort..build a 2x72 for knife making. You will waste away your youth doing it with a file! btw, this is the best sharpener there is. Takes about 30 seconds to get a knife to hair popping sharp from butterknife dull. 2 light passes per side to pull a burr on low speed, then hit on fine crock sticks a few licks.

ry%3D400
Click to expand...

Already have a new 110/220 1hp Baldor. Just need to figure out if I want to use it or sell it. Supplies for my simple 2 brick forge are on their way.

Grinder looks great! Out of curiosity, why not a 3 wheel with a large contact?

The knives I'm wanting to make are simple wood carving blades. Really shouldn't take much to do them nicely.
 
I have different tooling arms one with a 8" contact wheel for hollow grinds(which I love), one with a 1" diameter wheel for notches and stuff, and a 5 incher, & a work table. I have a little mini gas forge too in my basement but have never gotten around to using it. I messed around and got married and have a kid now so I don't do much knife making really, or anything I used to do really.:rolleyes:
 
To get back on topic, I recommend learning how to sharpen by hand using benchstones. That knowledge can be applied anywhere and not require the use of any specialized tool. You could potentially use the bottom of a coffee mug, a stone you pick up in the woods, even stropping can be done on jeans or cardboard if you learn to control your angles.

I own and use an Edge Pro to set my initial bevels and then keep my knives sharp with benchstones.

If you are interested, I'm about to post a Spyderco SharpMaker for sale here along with the extra fine stones and the diamond stones.
 
Another cheap thing to do is build a wooden ramp at whatever degree bevel you want, lay a regular old Norton India combination stone, or DMT diamond stones on it, then just keep your knife blade flat and stroke into the ramp. works pretty good.
 
Sticky said:
I have different tooling arms one with a 8" contact wheel for hollow grinds(which I love), one with a 1" diameter wheel for notches and stuff, and a 5 incher, & a work table. I have a little mini gas forge too in my basement but have never gotten around to using it. I messed around and got married and have a kid now so I don't do much knife making really, or anything I used to do really.:rolleyes:
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Ah yes, I have 3 rugrats and a lovely wife. :) takes almost all of my time, but, as you know, it's worth it.

I have a couple of bars of 1095 that are driving me crazy just sitting there. Can't wait for the cement to dry on the little forge.

On topic- freehand is awesome. I really worked hard to get an even bevel on a cheap knife a couple of weeks ago. It's far from my sharpest knife, but it's well done.

My best edges are the ones where I regrind a blade flat to an almost zero grind, then convex with sandpaper. Not the best for heavier cutting, but certainly my sharpest.
 
I went all out and bought the edge pro professional model with the case...everything....even bought shapton glass stones for it. Now, I only use it on the occasional recurve/hawkbill with thin stones because I prefer freehand. I find freehand more satisfying and faster. I recommend learning and practicing freehand even if you decide on some sort of guided system. It takes time but is very rewarding and (can be) inexpensive.
 
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