Flattening the harder stones

[stitchawl]

I remember when you first posted that image - as I recall that was one of the neighborhood traveling sharpeners, pounds out a pile of kitchen cutlery per stop. Speculated at the time that if your stroke had an arc, and the stone had a matching arc, your edge is essentially flat. You described this gentleman as working the cutlery at a pretty high rate of speed and on a single stone. Once you get the hang of it, is probably a much faster and more natural method for most folks.

+1 :thumbup:

He did have another stone in his kit, a much courser grit to use when reprofiling, but I only saw him use it once in the several sessions that I watched over the years.

One further observation; as a professional, he spent a few minutes on each knife, putting on an excellent 'working' edge. As hobbyists, we might spend 30-60 minutes or longer on each knife, putting on a 'perfect' edge.



Stitchawl

 

[David Martin]

David, the point I was trying to make was that this sort of thing is the 'norm' that I see in Japan when I watch the professional sharpeners.
Because it's a hobby, many of us push things to absurd boundaries.
Stitchawl

Yes, I'm with you as I read about this absurdness all the time on this forum. In order to get a good edge the prevailing thinking is: we have to have our stones perfectly flat and have half a dozen stones. Building up to a zillion grits in order to get this amazing edge that's merely looked at. Something along these lines... Like you they'll mellow out. DM

 

[HeavyHanded]

+1 :thumbup:

He did have another stone in his kit, a much courser grit to use when reprofiling, but I only saw him use it once in the several sessions that I watched over the years.

One further observation; as a professional, he spent a few minutes on each knife, putting on an excellent 'working' edge. As hobbyists, we might spend 30-60 minutes or longer on each knife, putting on a 'perfect' edge.



Stitchawl

I don't normally do much sharpening for other people - the Mother in laws cutlery when it gets bad enough and the odd knife for a co worker. Recently did a knife from a buddy's kitchen set he rec'd some 20 yrs ago - had never been sharpened, 320 grit wet/dry followed by some stropping and it was cleanly shaving arm hair. Took less than 10 minutes. Also did a co worker's Griptilian, over a year of daily use and had never been sharpened since leaving the factory. Took less than 15 minutes and that was with a tutorial the entire way, stopping to show how to apply Sharpie etc and did all the serrations on the corner of the Washboard. This one I did an additional progression - 320, 600, strop, and was shaving arm hair, serrations could push cut paper.

I go a lot faster with an audience and working on someone else's cutlery, throw in a few bucks or the possibility of a sale and watch me go