Bringing back the serrations

[kta2402]

I have some knives that I used a lot around the barn and well I found them back, I sharpened them and cleaned, lubed them. The pity is that they have serrations and I would really like to put back an edge on those serrations, I got that awkward triangle thingy on a lansky kit and I'm may be just just plain dumb or that thing doesn't work a bit.

Please I need advice to get my serrations back to cutting power.

 

[Roger999]

Start at a lower grit.

 

[kta2402]

Start at a lower grit.

come again, I start at a lower grit, but with what and how ? I don't know a thing about sharpening serrations

 

[Fluffster]

Wrap sandpaper around a wooden dowel that fits the serrations(chopsticks often work) and use that to sharpen.

 

[Hou2008]

I use the Sharpmaker for my serrated knives (also with triangle stone). The trick is to go slow and one serration at a time. It's a realy pain compared with straight edges. You can also sharpen the serration if you are willing to go for a wider angle, the resulting edge is not a fine, however.

Use a Sharpie to darken a few serrations. It helps you find the angle faster.

 

[kta2402]

I use the Sharpmaker for my serrated knives (also with triangle stone). The trick is to go slow and one serration at a time. It's a realy pain compared with straight edges. You can also sharpen the serration if you are willing to go for a wider angle, the resulting edge is not a fine, however.

Use a Sharpie to darken a few serrations. It helps you find the angle faster.

I'll retry it then.

 

[kta2402]

Wrap sandpaper around a wooden dowel that fits the serrations(chopsticks often work) and use that to sharpen.

Thats far from stupid, I'll give that a try, thanks

 

[Jason B.]

To sharpen serrations quickly (as long as there not damaged) you can use a ceramic stone like the ones from the sharpmaker and run it across the back side of the serrations until a burr is formed on the front. Then use a leather power strop to polish and remove the burr http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=220 its very fast and effective.

 

[ChapmanPreferred]

One note is the corner of the triangle must be able to fit inside the smallest serration. If that does not happen, then you will slowly grind away the serrations and not sharpen the edge. Hope this helps. Doug

 

[kta2402]

Well there it is, I tried the triangular thingy from lansky, a diamond sharpening rod from Lansky, and emery cloth wrapped around a pen.

- Lansky Trianquglar Stone : Made uneven edges, not really effective.
-Diamond Sharpening Rod : Worked well on small serrations, but not big enough for the big ones
- Emery cloth wrapped around a tube : Worked all around great, whether small or big serrations, easy to keep the angle, very effective. Within 10 mins I was able to put back an edge on my Gerber LMF II serrations to be able to push cut through paper, Used Coarse, Medium, Fine emery cloth and finished it lightly with sanding paper up to 2000 grit, a guy flitz polishing and than it just glided through the paper

Conclusion :
The best solution was the cheapest and it gave the best results, all and all I bought 5 dollars of paper and emery cloth. Wasted 50 bucks on a lansky sharpening set (might use it to reprofile blades), wasted 15 bucks on a diamond rod that is fine for quickly raising an edge on a blade but pretty bad sor serrations.

So thanks guys now I'll have more questions on other subjects.

 

[richard j]

i use the paper buffing wheel to touch up serrations. i have special grinding wheels to fix serrations that i cant touch up on the paper wheel. if you want to read more on them here is a thread i started http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=578787

 

[kta2402]

thanks but the thing is that I'm always moving around so carrying a power tool is a nono because of weight and because I don't really have a home. I need something lightweight that fits in a sutcase or backpack

 

[Fluffster]

Conclusion :
The best solution was the cheapest and it gave the best results

Isn't that often the truth!

 

[Josh K]

thanks but the thing is that I'm always moving around so carrying a power tool is a nono because of weight and because I don't really have a home. I need something lightweight that fits in a sutcase or backpack

Grab the Profile set from Spyderco. :thumbup:

 

[kta2402]

Grab the Profile set from Spyderco. :thumbup:

What is that, I'm in Quebec for the moment and I have to tell you that finding anything here, whether its good knifes or knife accessories, its near to impossible to find that is why I might stick to the economicaly simple sand paper and elbow grease technique.

 

[bioman]

Well there it is, I tried the triangular thingy from lansky, a diamond sharpening rod from Lansky, and emery cloth wrapped around a pen.

- Lansky Trianquglar Stone : Made uneven edges, not really effective.
-Diamond Sharpening Rod : Worked well on small serrations, but not big enough for the big ones
- Emery cloth wrapped around a tube : Worked all around great, whether small or big serrations, easy to keep the angle, very effective. Within 10 mins I was able to put back an edge on my Gerber LMF II serrations to be able to push cut through paper, Used Coarse, Medium, Fine emery cloth and finished it lightly with sanding paper up to 2000 grit, a guy flitz polishing and than it just glided through the paper

Conclusion :
The best solution was the cheapest and it gave the best results, all and all I bought 5 dollars of paper and emery cloth. Wasted 50 bucks on a lansky sharpening set (might use it to reprofile blades), wasted 15 bucks on a diamond rod that is fine for quickly raising an edge on a blade but pretty bad sor serrations.

So thanks guys now I'll have more questions on other subjects.

Any pictures of this emory cloth? Where can I pick it up? Thanks.

What 3M grits do you guys suggest for knife sharpening? I was thining 120->300->1200->2000 which would be equivalent to x-course, course, fine, x-fine.

 

[kta2402]

Any pictures of this emory cloth? Where can I pick it up? Thanks.

What 3M grits do you guys suggest for knife sharpening? I was thining 120->300->1200->2000 which would be equivalent to x-course, course, fine, x-fine.

Emery cloth you will find it at any hardware store, its kind of like sand paper but it doesn't rest on paper, it rests on a cloth look at the back at you will see a pattern of textile, it will feel heavier, thicker and more resistant than sand paper. It doesn,t rip like sandpaper when coming in contact with the serrations. it often comes in fine medium and coarse grit.

For sharpening knifes, I now use the mouse pad with sand paper on it, I reprofile and bring back the bevel with a lansky sharpening set using coarse grit only. then I convex the blade on the mouse pad using the following sand paper grits 220->400->800->1000->2000 this gives mirror finish, for super smooth finish I rub some flitz on a cardboard and rub the blade on it. I just used this method on my Gerber LMF II and now it just glides through paper and push cuts tomatoes with its own weight. Its cheap and very transportable.

 

[bioman]

Emery cloth you will find it at any hardware store, its kind of like sand paper but it doesn't rest on paper, it rests on a cloth look at the back at you will see a pattern of textile, it will feel heavier, thicker and more resistant than sand paper. It doesn,t rip like sandpaper when coming in contact with the serrations. it often comes in fine medium and coarse grit.

For sharpening knifes, I now use the mouse pad with sand paper on it, I reprofile and bring back the bevel with a lansky sharpening set using coarse grit only. then I convex the blade on the mouse pad using the following sand paper grits 220->400->800->1000->2000 this gives mirror finish, for super smooth finish I rub some flitz on a cardboard and rub the blade on it. I just used this method on my Gerber LMF II and now it just glides through paper and push cuts tomatoes with its own weight. Its cheap and very transportable.

Would it be possible to reprofile using a lower # (100 or less) sand paper?

Are you freehanding? If not, how do you determine the angle?

Thanks.

 

[kta2402]

Would it be possible to reprofile using a lower # (100 or less) sand paper?

Are you freehanding? If not, how do you determine the angle?

Thanks.

You can use sand paper, i use higher grit sandpaper to touch up the rough scratches that the emery makes, but it often snags and rips on the teeths.

I'm kinda freehanding, I might say freebatoning I used the method the guys told me on the forum a cylinder (wood, pen, whatever fits) that covers the tooth diameter and I use the "sharpie method" to find my angle.

The guys from the forum have been of great help, thank y'all

 

[Broos]

Grab the Profile set from Spyderco. :thumbup:

This is what I use to sharpen the very few with serrations I have. Or here is another set, much cheaper, that was on a site linked in another thread here. Good deal though unfortunately they don't have the tear drop shaped stone in the Spyderco set.

http://www.leatherstropcompound.com...DCEC8D.qscstrfrnt03?categoryId=1&productId=19