Decent Sharpening System for 8cr13 to s30v?

J

JDX

Joined
Mar 2, 2014
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The knives I own are:
Spyderco Resilience (only use for food prep)
Ontario Utilitac 2
Ontario rat 1
Buck 110
Kershaw Blur s30v
Kershaw cryo g10

Mainly budget knives, although I plan to get a manix 2, pm2, Griptillian or one of the spyderco sages.

I naively purchased a lansky pocket sharpener thinking that it would be all I needed, but it's only helpful with the 8cr13 blades. I love my blur, but the edge it has now is awful. Doesn't slice through paper. It rips through.

Since I'm not spending 400-500 dollars on knives, I'm not exactly looking for a top shelf sharpening system. But I definitely want to get the job done and get it done well.


Second part: how can I learn to use other sharpening systems? How can I eyeball a 20 degree angle? How many times to run the blade over the stone or rod? When do I strop? Are lubricants needed to keep the temperature down or not so much? Any advice would be great. I've looked at other threads, but the members either suggest an expensive sharpening method or they are sharpening expensive knives like a sebenza. Anyways, all help would be appreciated and thank you for reading!
 
Step 1...spend the time to read the sharpening sticky threads at the top of this sub forum. That's what I did a little over a year ago and can now put an edge on any of my knives with confidence. For sure not an expert...but for sure enjoying perfecting this skill.

BTW...I started with guided systems till I spent the time to learn freehand with stones or sandpaper. Now, there is nothing more rewarding then getting s killer edge on a knife.

Mike
 
I assume the stickies are the permanent threads in each subforum, correct? Also, are you saying you prefer stones?
 
Get a cheap silicon carbide stone, coarse-fine, and that's all you need.Silicon carbide sharpens everything fast,you can strop the knife little on piece of finer sandpaper or cheap ceramic stick.Practice is the key,I sharpen all my knives on my Norton economy stone,and touch it up on sharpmaker or dmt folding stick.Doesnt matter what you use practice is the key, and first make sure the knife is thinned out and has decent geometry and is not too thick behind the edge.When you reprofile the knife with silicon carbide,you can touch it up easily on almost anything.There is a lot of sharpening videos on youtube, you can look up Murray Carters videos ,and some other pple have useful and simple videos.It is not complicated,and you do not need expensive equipment.Some people spend a ton of money on sharpening systems,compounds,etc,and yes some of their edges on those gadgets are amazing,but I and a lot of other pple on this forum get hair whittling edges just with simple equipment.Only difference is cosmetics:).Good luck and keep practicing.
 
lonestar1979 said:
Get a cheap silicon carbide stone, coarse-fine, and that's all you need.Silicon carbide sharpens everything fast,you can strop the knife little on piece of finer sandpaper or cheap ceramic stick.Practice is the key,I sharpen all my knives on my Norton economy stone,and touch it up on sharpmaker or dmt folding stick.Doesnt matter what you use practice is the key, and first make sure the knife is thinned out and has decent geometry and is not too thick behind the edge.When you reprofile the knife with silicon carbide,you can touch it up easily on almost anything.There is a lot of sharpening videos on youtube, you can look up Murray Carters videos ,and some other pple have useful and simple videos.It is not complicated,and you do not need expensive equipment.Some people spend a ton of money on sharpening systems,compounds,etc,and yes some of their edges on those gadgets are amazing,but I and a lot of other pple on this forum get hair whittling edges just with simple equipment.Only difference is cosmetics:).Good luck and keep practicing.
Click to expand...

I really appreciate the in depth response. I think I'll do that. Thanks !
 
JDX said:
I assume the stickies are the permanent threads in each subforum, correct? Also, are you saying you prefer stones?
Click to expand...

Yes...but do what Lonestar1979 posted...good advice. Don't hesitate to come back and ask questions as you go along. And keep in mind the best system for you is the one you WILL use and the one that works for you.

Mike
 
these steels are not hard to sharpen,even s30v,which is great performer once you thin the edge out.Geometry and thickness behind the edge is what makes your knife perform, and if its too thick like on most production knives it wont cut well and will be hard to sharpen.
 
Personally, I don't like the Norton SiC stone. It's coarse even on the fine side and the edge in just ok and not that easy to obtain a crisp sharpness. I find that either a lot of stropping or a ceramic rod is needed to follow it up. I do like the Norton India stone and it's great for entry level, the edge is still coarse but much more crisp than the SiC stone so obtaining sharpness is much easier. Following with a strop is also much easier and takes the sharpness to a very high level.


I like waterstone myself, and would recommend the Shapton Pro 1k. Fast cutting and lots of grit options if you want to expand.
 
JDX said:
The knives I own are:
Spyderco Resilience (only use for food prep)
Ontario Utilitac 2
Ontario rat 1
Buck 110
Kershaw Blur s30v
Kershaw cryo g10

Mainly budget knives, although I plan to get a manix 2, pm2, Griptillian or one of the spyderco sages.

I naively purchased a lansky pocket sharpener thinking that it would be all I needed, but it's only helpful with the 8cr13 blades. I love my blur, but the edge it has now is awful. Doesn't slice through paper. It rips through.

Since I'm not spending 400-500 dollars on knives, I'm not exactly looking for a top shelf sharpening system. But I definitely want to get the job done and get it done well.


Second part: how can I learn to use other sharpening systems? How can I eyeball a 20 degree angle? How many times to run the blade over the stone or rod? When do I strop? Are lubricants needed to keep the temperature down or not so much? Any advice would be great. I've looked at other threads, but the members either suggest an expensive sharpening method or they are sharpening expensive knives like a sebenza. Anyways, all help would be appreciated and thank you for reading!
Click to expand...

Feel the way the blade drags on the stone, if you're hitting the right angle, it feels smooth, if you're not, it's rougher and noisey. If you're a noob to sharpening, I wouldn't go reprofiling. DMT diafold or a smith diamond combo works great for budget stones on s30v, and everything else. Your run it over the stone until you get a bur. You can feel for this by running your fingernail down the opposite edge you sharpened, it should catch. Once you've got one along the entire edge, start going for light passes at no more than 10 per side, check that the bur is gone by cutting paper off the coarse stone, then switch over to the fine side. Keep going side to side with it until the blade scratches have been eliminated from the coarse, finish with 3 strokes per side and a very light pass and you should be mostly bur free.
 
No wanting to sound like a control freak but I use my KME along with a protractor (which I purchased for $8) to get precise agles every time. Consistency and practice are what will make you proficient at sharpening. I will agree that the system does not really matter as long as you practice enough but the use of the any of the angle controlled systems allow all of us to have scary sharp knives.
 
Spyderco Sharpmaker + Ultra Fine Triangle Stones (for polishing the edge) + Diamond Triangle stones (for re-profiling). Holes in base are angled at 15dps and 20dps.

Lansky 4-rod Turn Box with Medium\Fine ceramic rods (LCD5D) + Lansky 4-rod Turn Box with Medium Diamond\Fine Ceramic set (TB-2D2C). The pre-drilled holes in wooden base are 20dps and 25dps.

dps=degrees per side
 
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Practice on cheap dollar store knives on a cheap Norton stone, later on , you can buy something better, like waterstones etc.I have few, rarely use it.My favorite is Norton silicon carbide stone fine and coarse,i ALSO HAVE other combo stone sil carbide and fine india.Maybe that's what you should get its around $20.Knife finished on india stone has plenty of bite and is shaving-hair splitting sharp too.
 
Best sharpening system is a 4 part system

Sharpening stones of some sort any we'll do

Your right hand

Your left hand

And the willingness to lean the art of sharpening

Boom.

No sharpening system in the world will ever beat hand sharpening.

Best of luck

ZTD
 
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