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Fustrated and confused

2

23f

Joined
Sep 28, 2009
Messages
41
Ok guys I need some help, this is my first post so sorry if its in the wrong place.
I've been collecting, using and sharpening knives for a while now. Recently I have become flustered with sharpening kits and devices. I plan to buy either an Esse Junglas, Ontario RTAK II, or talk to custom knife maker Scott Davidson about a 10" blade similar to the other two. Needless to say this is for a SHTF scenario and I realize that carrying a table top mounted kit into the wild is futile and useless. So I began researching stones and stropping, something I never have attempted but am sure I could get the hang of. Ive mainly used crock sticks and had a Lansky and Gatco but sold them off, half the time I used the stones flat freehand anyway, so I guess I have tried free hand some and these systems do not lend themselves to large blades anyway and I dropped one of my crock sticks the other day and well it no longer is alive.

Long story short, what stones, grits, and strop do I need to get started in this freehand adventure. I'd like to keep it under $150 and really would prefer to stay away from oil. I've read coarse diamond stones are good but after that what? Please keep in mind I will have a 10" cutting edge to sharpen also and I plan to get the book The razor edge book of sharpening.

Thanks Sands
 
If I find myself three days of walking from the nearest cup of coffee, I don't think stropping my knife to a razor edge is going to be my first priority. Likewise, I'm going to ditch anything that isn't directly involved in keeping me warm and dry after about an hour on the road.

Thinking about this from a "travel light" perspective, I would carry a 320 grit or coarser diamond and a 400 diamond. Leave the strop at home.
 
My go to/ mobile sharpening kit consists of a cheap smiths double sided diamond sharpener. One side is coarse and the other is fine. I also have a small Arkansas fine stone with a small bottle of honing oil and a cheap leather barbers strop with white polishing compound. Total value of about $35 and I can get most knives shaving sharp with it.
 
I know it's a generic recommendation ... but have you actually tried a Spyderco 'Sharp Maker'?

They are popular for a reason. Better quality than the Lansky and Gatco kits, and very easy to use. It even comes with a DVD that not only explains its use, but actually SHOWS you with a real person in real time how to get excellent results with it... And it's only 1/2 of your allotted budget.

Also, it is self contained. You don't need to clamp/mount the apparatus to anything for it to work, and you can set it up on anything that is reasonably level. The base of the unit is also a secure impact resistant carrying case. Very portable.
 
+1 to the Sharpmaker.

It's not the be-all or the end-all. But in my estimation, it's a really good system to help you learn the "feel" to sharpening that many professionals talk about. I strongly recommend if you have to do serious sharpening, that you pick up the diamond rods, and I use the ultra fine rods regularly too. As mentioned, it's portable, and I bring it anywhere I expect there to be lots of knives that will need sharpening. Add a sharpie to the kit, and you're good to go.

Serious about the sharpie too. Color sharpie on the edge, and keep on sharpening until the sharpie is gone. That tells you that you've reached clear to the edge, which is the common reason beginners have problems sharpening.

After you've used that for a while, you'll get a really good sense for sharpening, and how it works. I was useless at sharpening about a year or two ago. Couldn't get a shaving edge to save my life. After using the sharpmaker for a while, I got a pretty good sense for sharpening, and now I usually use the rods freehand, and can do just fine with that, if I can't find the base, or use the paper wheel system that I prefer these days.
 
My entire sharpening kit consists of two diamond hones (the kinds with the dots), both measure 4.5" X 1". One is double sided course/fine (blue/red) and the other is extra-course (black). I use these for folders and fixed-blades. I could easily carry my "kit" with me in my pocket all day without noticing it.

I don't know what you mean about hand stones not being suitable for larger blades. I use mine all the time on blades up to the size of a full-size Kabar. I've used the extra-course hone to completely regrind the edge on a 5" blade with D2 steel.

You'll find people on this forum who are just as obsessive about their sharpening as they are about what steel their knives are made of or how much tourture their knives can take. Some people seem to want their knives so sharp that they can split atoms. I just want my knives sharp enough to cut things and it doesn't take much effort to get them that way. For me, usually a few strokes on a hone is enough to shave hair.
 
I never mean that hand stones arent for large blades, I was referring to the clamp type systems.

Yes Ive used a sharp maker by spyderco, thats the "crock sticks" I have, great system. But I did drop a "stick" and it bust into shards.
SO basically get coarse/fine/extra fine and have at it. I gathered that much. Whats all the talk about chosre, arkansas, japanese whet stones...etc. Is there any validity to some of these high priced stones or will a couple of hones from DMT work just as well.
And if it was misunderstood, I have the warmth, food, water etc for SHTF. Just thinking of keeping a good sharp blade.
Thanks sands
 
For on-the-go sharpening, I use DMT cards. There are three grits, they fit in my wallet and I can get a knife to shave using them. I can't remember the exact weight, but they're light enough that I don't really notice them in there.
 
DMT keeps coming up, definitely will be getting them....maybe a KSF strop in the future.

thanks guys
 
I like DMT's tabletop sharpening system for my home setup. So i can imagine their portable system (that meets your size requirements) is just as good.
 
23f said:
I never mean that hand stones arent for large blades, I was referring to the clamp type systems.
Click to expand...
My bad. I misread that sentence.

I've always heard that natural stones (Arkansa), because they are natural stone, can be uneven in their hardness and to avoid them. Though I'm sure that many will swear by them. Like I said, just something I've always heard.

I like the DMT's. I've been using them for years. One of the nice things about them, as opposed to stones (natural or man-made), is that the DMT's stay consistently flat. The surface of a stone will become uneven over time due to wear. The DMT's are also lightweight for carrying.
 
Well should I stay away from the coarse and extra coarse stones, read that the aggressiveness of those stones can really chew up, say 1095 steel. The more I research the more crossed I get. Too many choices, too little money. So say a medium and fine stone with a leather strop?

Posted this then your post showed up right after.
Yeah the leveling of stones is something that is swaying me away from natural stones. As Ive heard and seen deep valleys cut into Arkansas and oiled stones. My father in law actually uses an oval flat rock found in most rivers around here to sharpen his knives, albeit its not a highly polished refined edge but it works for him.
 
23f said:
Well should I stay away from the coarse and extra coarse stones, read that the aggressiveness of those stones can really chew up, say 1095 steel. The more I research the more crossed I get. Too many choices, too little money. So say a medium and fine stone with a leather strop?

Posted this then your post showed up right after.
Yeah the leveling of stones is something that is swaying me away from natural stones. As Ive heard and seen deep valleys cut into Arkansas and oiled stones. My father in law actually uses an oval flat rock found in most rivers around here to sharpen his knives, albeit its not a highly polished refined edge but it works for him.
Click to expand...
For basic cutting I recommend the blue and red DMT's (mine is double sided, blue/red). The blue is coarse and the red is fine. It's a good idea to have a coarse stone in case you need to sharpen out a chip in the blade. But if all you want is one basic sharpener for a knife that already has a good edge then I would say get the red DMT. I've never used the green DMT (extra-fine), and I don't think it's necessary for basic cutting chores. I can easily shave hair off my arm after using the red (fine) DMT. I wouldn't worry about removing too much metal from your blades with a DMT. They won't take off any more metal then you want them too. Light strokes is the key.
 
I am going to get a KSF strop with the green and black compounds and learn to convex some of my knives with a mouse pad and auto sand paper then just maintain them with some light stropping. Simple to do by hand and more portable. Cheap also.

We will see how easy it really is to do by hand. From what I have read, convex edges are more forgiving of hand sharpening.
 
coarse and fine... After doing some research and coming back and reading that then I know Im on the right track...heres what I have in my head...

6" Doubled sided Dia sharp coarse/fine stone, with possibly a Spyderco UF stone and Im going to make a leather strop with the green honing compound. Sound about set to you guys? Comes in at $90 or $45 without the UF stone, saw a guy on YT put a reflective edge with the UF stone, not that that really matters. Would the Coarse/Fine Dia sharp and the strop produce a great edge without the UF.
 
killgar said:
My bad. I misread that sentence.

I've always heard that natural stones (Arkansa), because they are natural stone, can be uneven in their hardness and to avoid them. Though I'm sure that many will swear by them. Like I said, just something I've always heard.
Click to expand...

Who ever you heard this from is not correct. Arkansas stones are very consistent in the hardness of their grade and are good stones as naturals go. They are slower cutting being a natural but a good polisher. DM
 
The SM is just a bad recommendation for the size blade you want to sharpen, contact area is too small and the abrasive is too fine. plus ceramics don't so that well with carbon steels, same goes with diamond.

For a "on the go" kit you want to keep it simple and if it was my choice I'd likely go with a combo Norton India or Sic stone and call it good at that. For more extensive sharpening "at home" it would be waterstones.
 
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