freehand sharpening 101

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Hou2008

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Nov 28, 2008
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I am thinking of getting a benchstone so that I can learn to freehand. What kind of stone should I get? Japanese whetstone? Arkansas stone? Diamond? Ceramics?
 
Personally, after having journeyed along the road of hand sharpening from carbodium through natural stones (oil and water), ceramics, etc, etc, etc, I'd go diamond if I had to do it all over again and simply save time and money. Make a strop and get some appropriate compound, too.

Get the longest ones you can afford and ideally some in other than flat shapes (to cover recurves and such).

If sharpening "gummy" metals, use crocus cloth on a planar surface. Cleaning that stuff from any stone is a PIA.
 
Thanks. In term of learning the correct angles and the feel, etc., do you think that diamond is still the way to go? I already have a 300 grit diamond and a leather strop (no appropriate compound, tho, I have the white compound but that's for polishing in with buffing wheel).

orthogonal1 said:
Personally, after having journeyed along the road of hand sharpening from carbodium through natural stones (oil and water), ceramics, etc, etc, etc, I'd go diamond if I had to do it all over again and simply save time and money. Make a strop and get some appropriate compound, too.

Get the longest ones you can afford and ideally some in other than flat shapes (to cover recurves and such).

If sharpening "gummy" metals, use crocus cloth on a planar surface. Cleaning that stuff from any stone is a PIA.
Click to expand...
 
I like a diamond [not too coarse ] for rough shaping then a Spyderco ceramic stone for finish sharpening.
 
Hou2008 said:
Thanks. In term of learning the correct angles and the feel, etc., do you think that diamond is still the way to go? I already have a 300 grit diamond and a leather strop (no appropriate compound, tho, I have the white compound but that's for polishing in with buffing wheel).
Click to expand...


Learning angles and such just comes with time.

I've gotten to the point where I just think most people have a natural angle they sharpen to and other angles are learned and come with experience (taking what we learn from reading, seeing, and doing into account).

Further as to angles, I don't think there is a "correct" angle; there are simply angles that work for specific tasks with specific metals. Determining the angles, again, comes with experience. For example, my regular carry "work knives" have rather acute angles that cut regular paper and flesh-like substances very well, but I know that heavier cutting will propably chip the edges; definitely not the angle I'd use for a knife intended to be used for chopping.

If you want to get angle specific, I have made cardboard wedges to "phantom" sharpen with so as to train my hands to maintain consisitency at (well, close to anyway) a specific angle.

But I'm more result orientated than many and am sure all but the most inept can acquire the skill of hand-sharpening if they simply take the time (and not get frustrated and quit - some metals I simply don't like to finesse to an edge - experience, again).
 
Everybody has their way, if it gets the job done,........... I like my Arkansas stones.
 
I picked up a 120 grit DMT (black) for re-profiling and the go to a 250 and then 600 on a EZE-LAP Diamond stone. Green abrasive compound on a strop to finish off with.
 
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Personally, I prefer a DMT coarse, followed by a Spyderco alumina ceramic med. and lastly a Spyderco alumina ceramic fine. The coarse DMT is only used for very dull edges, first time sharpenings etc. In my 25 years of knife sharpening experience, this is the most effective set up I have ever used.
 
Thanks, everyone, for your input. I already have a diamond coarse stone. So, I am thinking of augmenting that with a medium and a fine stone. What are your perferences between Arkansas and ceramic stones? I am interest in Japanese waterstone as well, but understand they wear quickly.
 
I use Arkansas stones. Everyone has a preference, and I like these. They are 8x2, and I have a set of 4. I do want to get something courser than the soft Arkansas to use for blades that are really beat up.
 
smitty0331 said:
Personally, I prefer a DMT coarse, followed by a Spyderco alumina ceramic med. and lastly a Spyderco alumina ceramic fine. The coarse DMT is only used for very dull edges, first time sharpenings etc. In my 25 years of knife sharpening experience, this is the most effective set up I have ever used.
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Exactly. !!

I also add the ultra-fine Spyderco ceramic to finish.
I like this system also because I can use them all dry.
If you can freehand, try these - you'll never go back.

-Ron
 
Yep. Spyderco ceramic stones seem to really pop a good edge when preceded by a coarse DMT.
 
I've heard good things about Spyderco ceramic stones and would like to try them, but how durable are they? Will they break if dropped, for instance?
I carry a sharpening stone with me on wilderness trips so durability is important.

Thanks.....
 
They will break if dropped, but that's nothing that wrapping in a t-shirt won't fix. Or maybe you could just get a cheapy to take on excursions. Smith's Arkansas stones are pretty cheap.
 
My carry sharpener is a Fallkniven DC4. It is a little short for my tastes but does a decent job of sharpening.

You may wish to consider one for trips.
 
If you really get into it (and don't mind spending the money), at some point you gotta try waterstones. Lots of good info here on them. And you can flatten them with the DMT's.
 
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