Favorite Sharpening Method/System

DMT three stone, sharp maker and a leather strop filled with the green compound. I do have a set of croc sticks that my dad gave me I keep in my garage
 
I use a KME Diamond system, I've added a 140 grit to re profile D2 with.
Bought some Bark river compound from Derrick and made some strops that fit into the KME.
 
I used to use an Arkansas stone many years ago. Then I used a more modern DMT diamond stone. Then I regressed back to the old boy scout stone I found in a box of stuff in the attic. Gets a nice razor sharo toothy edge on the blades.
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okbohn said:
Do you handle sharpening any different for traditional knives vs modern folders?
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There was only one question in the thread that would have kept this in the Traditional Forum instead of Maintenance. Since no one is addressing that question, off to Maintenance we go..


And awaaaay we go...

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I do handle traditional and modern knives differently. I think traditional knives don't work as well with the mechanical type systems, so I just stick to classic hand sharpening on a regular stone or diamond stone.
 
I use Congress Tools Moldmaster stones attached to the Sharpmaker rods for reprofiling, and the sharpmaker stones through ultra fine on all my knives. Then strop on leather. Definitely not the most efficient, but works for me.
 
Rebeveling Slip Joints in D2
  • DMT Aligner set from E Course to E Fine
  • Strop with white compound

Maintaining knives
  • DMT Paddle E Fine
  • Strop with white compound

Fixed Blades
  • Chorsa waterstones 400, 1000, 3000
  • Strop with white compound
 
DMT diamond stones. Also use some old Smith diamond stones and the odd Eze Lap diamond pocket stone or two that i have. I normally just do touch ups on my strop or on an extra fine diamond stone. Still have quite a few traditional stones but ain't used them in years. About 15 years ago i bought a Smith's knockoff of a basic Lansky system, used it once, and in the gun closet it stays. Old habits and stuff.
 
I reread the OP's question I don't treat modern and traditional different, I treat steels differently.

Up until about 2009 I sharpened with a system that had three stones mounted on a triangular base that sat on a stand. Just flip the triangle in the stand for a different grit. Marked course medium or fine, I wouldn't know the actual grit. I had a small pocket stone in a leather sheath I could carry with me if needed. I sharpened between 20 & 25 degrees per side, with 1095 & 420HC any more acute and the knife wouldn't hold an edge well. A quick hand sharping made sense when the edge had to be maintained regularly.

Then I discovered D2 & CPM154, that's when my whole system and mind set changed.
Modern or traditional I can sharpen to 18 per side & get a sharper better more durable edge.
Now I use a KME Diamond system, and sharpen to 1500 with two or three licks from a strop to finish up. I maintain with the 1500 or a few licks with Bark River black compound on a strop.
I've got a Extra Fine DMT Dia-Sharp Diamond Credit Card, just in case. That I've never needed.

In short it's not time efficient or practical to chuck a blade up in a fancy sharpening gizmo, if the steel has to be maintained during the course of a day.
Now if the steel will hold up for a few days then I save time and get a better edge as a bonus by using a fancy guided gizmo.
 
I use a 1"x42" belt for nearly every knife I sharpen (several hundred a week), single bevels I use stones to remove the burr and Borazon wheels to re serrate.
I like the versatility and efficiency of the belt machine and feel that it very difficult to visually see any difference than that of using stones for sharpening.
 
I still have the Sharpmaker I used for years before realizing I could achieve better results freehand. I use Eze-lap diamond plates for profiling and very fine grit sintered ruby stones for finishing and touch-up/maintenance. I have found I can visualize the angle best when holding the knife in my left hand and the stone in my right. I finish with soft feather strokes on the extra-fine sintered ruby stone.
 
My preferences and habits are geared very much toward portability and anywhere-as-needed convenience. This means I've spent most of my time working with pocket-sized hones; I always have a diamond keychain hone on me (DMT 'Mini-Sharp' in Fine), and also sometimes a DMT 'credit card' hone (or two, in Fine/EF). I've also liked SiC stones, so I've accumulated some pocket-sized versions of those as well. I've long been wearing a leather belt with some green compound on the inner (sueded) side; so that serves most of my on-the-go stropping needs, if/when I feel the need for it (I still often use a denim strop at home, with AlOx compound like 'white rouge'). I've been happy that my touch with the diamond and SiC stones has gotten to a point that I often don't need to strop after honing, save for a few quick passes on my jeans. :)

I have larger hones in 6" or 8" lengths, including SiC bench stones and DMT diamond plates. After building most of my habits on the smaller hones, the larger bench hones are an enjoyable luxury, when I've used them. I also use wet/dry sandpaper atop a granite reference plate occasionally, and am frequently reminded of how nice that works for some uses as well.


David
 
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I use three methods. Most often, probably 95% of all the sharpening I do is on a Kalamazoo belt grinder, using Norton "Blaze" ceramic belts at the coarse end, then 3M "Trizact" belts from Doug Rising at the upper end, finishing with one of several compounds on either leather or linen. I am a fan of convex edges, so all of this is done in the supported slack, just above the platen.

Next most common are a set of DMT DiaSharp credit-card plates that I carry around with me in my wallet. They're a bit on the heavy side for it, but I have Coarse, Fine, and Extra-Fine with me at all times. These get most use with buddies' knives, or any other sharp edge that isn't as sharp as it should be when I need it.

Third is my EdgePro Apex, upgrade with some Chosera stones. This gets the least use, primarily because it's the most time-consuming to set up and operate. It's use is relegated mostly to my nice kitchen knives, where I particularly want to be able to control the final finish level of the edge closely.
 
High carbide steels: DMT C/F/EF hones

Low carbide steels: Spyderco M/F/UF rods

Kitchen knives: King 1000/6000 combination stone.
 
Recently more and more japanese waterstones but I find it is quite a learning curve and that is where I am. Results are not as good as they should be just yet. More fun though!
 
Wow,Nice to know I'm not the only one who has learned to sharpen on a lot of different ways.I started on a 2 sided wet stone and a steel for touch up.After that a man I met shared paper wheels with me. I've got a set of water stones a few norton stones. I still enjoy setting down and doing a blade by hand.Brings back a lot of fond memories of my grandpa.Lately time being a factor I use my 2x72 belt sander and finish on a paper wheel.
 
A lot of it, I think, is picking the right method for the tool, the moment, and the use. The same sharpening method isn't going to be the best for everything!
 
I found that Zirconia Alumina (zirc) belts work much better and last longer than any ceramic including Nortons Blaze belts. I also use Trizacts to follow.
I order my Zirc belts bulk (50) from preferred abrasives.
Komitadjie said:
I use three methods. Most often, probably 95% of all the sharpening I do is on a Kalamazoo belt grinder, using Norton "Blaze" ceramic belts at the coarse end, then 3M "Trizact" belts from Doug Rising at the upper end, finishing with one of several compounds on either leather or linen. I am a fan of convex edges, so all of this is done in the supported slack, just above the platen.

Next most common are a set of DMT DiaSharp credit-card plates that I carry around with me in my wallet. They're a bit on the heavy side for it, but I have Coarse, Fine, and Extra-Fine with me at all times. These get most use with buddies' knives, or any other sharp edge that isn't as sharp as it should be when I need it.

Third is my EdgePro Apex, upgrade with some Chosera stones. This gets the least use, primarily because it's the most time-consuming to set up and operate. It's use is relegated mostly to my nice kitchen knives, where I particularly want to be able to control the final finish level of the edge closely.
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Obsessed with Edges said:
I've long been wearing a leather belt with some green compound on the inner (sueded) side; so that serves most of my on-the-go stropping needs, .
David
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Heh...you know you're obsessed with edges when the belt you wear on a regular basis has green compound on the inside. Quite a fashion statement. LOL

I've been served admirably for 25 years or more by the dependable ol' Sharpmaker. No worries about holding your angles or any of that. Curved or serrated can also be managed easily. Only hang up was a new knife needing a bit of reprofiling. A long, arduous project on Spyderco medium rods. Until recently this fly in the ointment was solved with a couple of coarse/medium waterstones, until I discovered the relatively new Spyderco Cubic Boron Nitride Rods. Nirvana!
 
ichor said:
Heh...you know you're obsessed with edges when the belt you wear on a regular basis has green compound on the inside. Quite a fashion statement. LOL

(...) Nirvana!
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That's actually been my 'best' strop as well, when used as a hanging strop for simpler carbon & low-alloy steels like 1095, CV & 420HC (the bulk of which I use & carry everyday).

I'd also entertained the thought of doing the same with white rouge compound, but it's too aggressive and would load up the belt too fast with messy swarf (not good for the waistband on my jeans). Gotta draw the line somewhere... :D


David
 
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