Almost ready to go back to Arkansas stones

B

BLM4L

Joined
Jan 19, 2006
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My question is if there is a truly great guide to free hand sharpening?
I have tried multiple rod systems, guides, etc. and still am not happy with the results.
Want to go back to the Arkansas stones, but need some good advice on free hand work. Wish to finish off with a leather strop. Any ideas?
 
Mastersmith Murray Carter has a video that is very good. He uses waterstones, but the same techniques should apply. I should note that when I use that method on Arkansas/oil stones, the knife heats up really fast. It shocked me the first time I experienced it because my finger was blistered and I didn't know why.
 
I doubt you created enough heat hand sharpening a knife! Pressure and abrasion cause blisters.
Bill
 
Bill DeShivs said:
I doubt you created enough heat hand sharpening a knife! Pressure and abrasion cause blisters.
Bill
Click to expand...

Actually you can. Sharpen a knife by placing your fingers over the edge the way Carter shows in his video on a dry stone or sandpaper... if you go very fast at all... the knife will quickly become too hot to touch.
 
My opinion is that the art of real sharpening is being lost. All the new gadgets are good to some degree I guess. To really enjoy the knife hobby, there is nothing like practicing the art of sharpening.

Get a couple of cheap knives to start with on whetstones. You probably will not get very good edges on them, but that isn't the point. It is to train you how to find your angles and get an eye for what you need to be doing.

If you get a blade HOT from whetstones, you are doing it ALL WRONG. You would need to be going real fast and real fast is NOT CORRECT. If you are doing it fast enough to heat the blade, there is no way you could be holding your angles correctly.
 
It's not really a debate... I have done it. Even Carter mentions it in his video, when he's demonstrating sharpening on a brick I believe, that the blade is starting to heat up. And I'm sure he's holding a correct angle, and not going very fast.

Like Louisiancook said, it's kind of surprising when it happened. But it did happen. And I'm confident enough in my sharpening to know I wasn't doing it "all wrong" and speed and angle control had nothing to do with it.
 
louisianacook said:
....I should note that when I use that method on Arkansas/oil stones, the knife heats up really fast. It shocked me the first time I experienced it because my finger was blistered and I didn't know why.
Click to expand...
Been there done that and I was totally shocked when it happened. Does still happen only now it doesn't surprise me.

I haven't had it happen with true water stones though.
 
I agree with the suggestion of the Murray Carter video. Did wonders for me.
 
cbwx34 said:
Actually you can. Sharpen a knife by placing your fingers over the edge the way Carter shows in his video on a dry stone or sandpaper... if you go very fast at all... the knife will quickly become too hot to touch.
Click to expand...


That is exactly what happened. Very weird the first time you experience it.:eek: I would have thought the oil would have cooled things down, but nope, it got very hot very fast. I have gotten to the point where I go can pretty fast initially, edges always turn out very nice, so I doubt I am doing anything wrong.
 
I know it's hard to believe but under the right conditions a knife blade will heat up while hand sharpening. Most people will never have this happen to them as they sharpen very slowly.

Why does heat build up? First there's the pressure, the type of abrasive, the lubrication (or lack thereof) and the speed of the sharpener combined with the condition of the sharpening medium. For instance, heat build up would never happen while using waterstones correctly no matter how fast you sharpen, but, would easily happen if the waterstone was used dry. I'm sure the same would be true for an oilstone that is running a little dry as well. Combine the right stone, or even lack of lubrication, someone who uses a lot of pressure, and is very fast at sharpening and all (or some) of these conditions line up just right and here comes the heat.

Lee (Louisianacook) is a very adept hand sharpener (I know as I've seen his work) and he likely goes very fast (back & forth) due to his level of experience. Lee, like many benchstone free hand sharpeners, doesn't use the "take all day slice a piece off the stone method" but rather the much more efficient push/pull method. On the issue of holding your angle steady you would be amazed to see what can be done after many many many hours of practice.


--Dave--
 
Everybody has their own methods, but I can see no reason to even touch the blade while sharpening.
You guys are beating a dead horse, here. Sharpening with a bench stone is not difficult-once you have acquired the finesse.
The people who are trying for the most scientifically sharp edge possible are on an academic adventure, and I can understand their compulsiveness, but simple knife sharpening is not any harder than learning to use a screwdriver or writing your name.
For normal use, hair shaving sharp is plenty sharp and it can be easily attained by hand on the proper stones.
Bill
 
Hi Bill,
For my part in this I don't want to discount anyone's abilites to sharpen, that wasn't my point at all. I'm in total agreement that everyone has they're own styles/techniques and I'm sure they work as good for them as my techniques do for me. Who's to say what is better or who is better? Not me, that's who. I simply wanted to state that heating a blade can happen when hand sharpening.

I hope nobody took offense.


--Dave--
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Everybody has their own methods, but I can see no reason to even touch the blade while sharpening.
You guys are beating a dead horse, here. Sharpening with a bench stone is not difficult-once you have acquired the finesse.
The people who are trying for the most scientifically sharp edge possible are on an academic adventure, and I can understand their compulsiveness, but simple knife sharpening is not any harder than learning to use a screwdriver or writing your name.
For normal use, hair shaving sharp is plenty sharp and it can be easily attained by hand on the proper stones.
Bill
Click to expand...

Just wondering. WIth the Arkansas stones does anyone have a recommendation for three different grades/grits, and which order to use them in? For example, would hard, then soft, and then black or translucent be good? I have forgotten the order it has been so long.
 
louisianacook said:
Mastersmith Murray Carter has a video that is very good. He uses waterstones, but the same techniques should apply. I should note that when I use that method on Arkansas/oil stones, the knife heats up really fast. It shocked me the first time I experienced it because my finger was blistered and I didn't know why.
Click to expand...

I am not sure where to get the video. Any idea who carries it?
 
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