Fixing an Uneven Edge after Bad Sharpening

U

uglyjoe

Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
4
Hi Everyone,

I don't post here often, but I use this site a lot for info. Here's my problem. I used a cheap knife sharpener (Smith's CCKS 2-Step Knife Sharpener) for my knife and found to my utter horror that after a few hearty strokes through it the blade edge which looked perfectly fine before, was now uneven. It doesn't look destroyed but it if you look closely at the point it is now uneven and if you look at the bevel it is larger on one side than the other. My question is: Can I fix this myself by simply sharpening one side more than the other to even the bevel using a much better quality sharpener or will this take something more to fix? Thanks ahead for any suggestions.
 
Yes a stone will work, but some more info will help us give you a accurate recommendation, depending on what steel it is, I would lean to sandpaper on a hard wooden block. Use a sharpie to color up the edges to help you see where you want to remove material. A hardbacked appropriate sandpaper is a great cure for lots of edge related issues.
 
Thanks for your replies. The steel is 1095 carbon steel. it's the Ontario Tak-1. i am not very confident in my abilities to actually sharpen a knife freehand. just not very experienced. could either of you (or anyone else who reads this) make some recommendations for a sharpener that helps maintain the correct angle? i was thinking of using a lansky sharpener or something in that style.
 
There are several sharpening systems out there that will give you a consistent results, though most are a considerable investment. If you think you would eventually like to get into freehand sharpening, you can pick up a DMT Aligner for about $15, which will allow you to sharpen freehand while keeping a consistent angle. You can use it with a sharpening stone, sandpaper on a hard surface, etc. Once you are comfortable with the guided sharpening and the path that the blade takes across the range of motion, it is easier to transition to true freehand.

http://www.amazon.com/DMT-ABG-Aligner-Blade-Guide/dp/B00004WFUR

Dave
 
SunOfAtom said:
There are several sharpening systems out there that will give you a consistent results, though most are a considerable investment. If you think you would eventually like to get into freehand sharpening, you can pick up a DMT Aligner for about $15, which will allow you to sharpen freehand while keeping a consistent angle. You can use it with a sharpening stone, sandpaper on a hard surface, etc. Once you are comfortable with the guided sharpening and the path that the blade takes across the range of motion, it is easier to transition to true freehand.

http://www.amazon.com/DMT-ABG-Aligner-Blade-Guide/dp/B00004WFUR

Dave
Click to expand...

That should work well, under the circumstances (not being comfortable w/freehand). A hard & flat surface & some sandpaper (wet/dry type) at 220-320 grit could get the job done pretty quick, and wouldn't break the bank. If you wish, you could follow with higher grits to a finish level that suits your preference. 1095 steel is very straightforward to grind & hone, and doesn't need any special abrasives or tools. DMT has a video demonstrating the basics of using the clamp with a bench stone (substitute a hard wooden block & sandpaper for the stone):

[video=youtube;iZOM_3Xi8O0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZOM_3Xi8O0[/video]

With a relatively large & thick blade, the larger honing surface will remove more steel much faster. I'd recommend firmly affixing the sandpaper to the hard backing with some glue or temporary adhesive. It'll perform more like a stone this way (use glass under the paper if you can; it really starts to feel and even sound like a stone), working more aggressively and maintaining a crisper edge while doing so.

If you're willing to invest a little more, a silicon carbide stone such as Norton's Crystolon should also work very well, used this way, or a large diamond bench hone (obviously more $$).


David
 
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