General sharpening questions

B

Blade_Crazy

Joined
May 26, 2011
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704
Sorry if any of this is redundant to past posts;

I have and am still learning how to hand sharpen my knives, most of them are Case CV or SS the exceptions are a Sage II in s90v and my real reason for asking a GEC 85 in 1095.

How do I;

1) Keep my bevels even on both sides,
2) Verify that I don't have a wire edge,
3) Strop properly (do I need paste and what not)

My sharpening kit is a DMT diamond set (course, fine, extra fine) and an old piece of leather to strop with. I do not use the guide I free hand it (at least im learning too).
 
I'd get some compound, any kind will do (flexcut gold, BR black or green, DMT paste, HA spray). Mostly because edge cleanup coming off of diamonds can be a bear without some experience. But you've got everything you need. Some will say diamonds are overkill for Case CV or Trusharp and 1095, but you can sharpen just fine with them. On to your questions:

1. Practice. It is impossible to describe it to you because your body mechanics will be unique to you (how you hold the knife, how you complete the stroke, etc.). It does help a lot to inspect your bevels very carefully after you move onto a new stone. This will let you see how you're hitting the angles on each side. You'll make corrections as you sharpen more knives, and you'll see what your mechanics are making you do (and how to correct them). A Goniometer is a great piece of technology if money is not an issue. It lets you very precisely measure your angles and even the degree of convex you are putting on them. A loupe (10 - 25X) lets you see your scratch patterns and apex very clearly. Watching vids by knifenut (MrEdgy81 on YT), Murray Carter, etc., paying close attention to their mechanics can help tremendously.

2. This is easier than people think. A wire edge acts like a burr, for the most part. You can feel it. However, if your knife dulls after a few cuts, that's another good sign you have a wire edge. Making sure to completely replace a scratch pattern from a previous stone all the way to the apex, and nailing down your deburring technique is the key to never dealing with a wire edge. Again, a loupe is your friend while you're learning. I use my loupe all the time. Now I just know, but the loupe was a great learning tool.

3. Stropping is another oft-misunderstood concept. It should be very limited. Basically, you should be creating your edge and getting it clean enough (burr free, no wire edge, fully apexed to the scratch pattern of your last stone) just from stone work. The stropping just teases a little more out of the edge. It should be done with light pressure, not exceeding the angle of your sharpening (i.e., not more obtuse), and should noticeably improve the fineness/sharpness at the edge after just a minute or two. That tells you you did good stone work and your knife was ready to benefit fully from stropping.
 
I have done a bit of practice and can put an edge on my knives.... I just tend to feel as though I can pull a better edge than I am. Thanks for the advice, Its much what I expected (practice) I will certainly look into the loupe (has already made it on my Christmas list)

So then what is the compound for?
 
The compound acts as a grinding/polishing agent to further abrade the edge.

Blessings,

Omar
 
Magnaminous_G said:
I'd get some compound, any kind will do (flexcut gold, BR black or green, DMT paste, HA spray). Mostly because edge cleanup coming off of diamonds can be a bear without some experience. But you've got everything you need. Some will say diamonds are overkill for Case CV or Trusharp and 1095, but you can sharpen just fine with them. On to your questions:

1. Practice. It is impossible to describe it to you because your body mechanics will be unique to you (how you hold the knife, how you complete the stroke, etc.). It does help a lot to inspect your bevels very carefully after you move onto a new stone. This will let you see how you're hitting the angles on each side. You'll make corrections as you sharpen more knives, and you'll see what your mechanics are making you do (and how to correct them). A Goniometer is a great piece of technology if money is not an issue. It lets you very precisely measure your angles and even the degree of convex you are putting on them. A loupe (10 - 25X) lets you see your scratch patterns and apex very clearly. Watching vids by knifenut (MrEdgy81 on YT), Murray Carter, etc., paying close attention to their mechanics can help tremendously.

2. This is easier than people think. A wire edge acts like a burr, for the most part. You can feel it. However, if your knife dulls after a few cuts, that's another good sign you have a wire edge. Making sure to completely replace a scratch pattern from a previous stone all the way to the apex, and nailing down your deburring technique is the key to never dealing with a wire edge. Again, a loupe is your friend while you're learning. I use my loupe all the time. Now I just know, but the loupe was a great learning tool.

3. Stropping is another oft-misunderstood concept. It should be very limited. Basically, you should be creating your edge and getting it clean enough (burr free, no wire edge, fully apexed to the scratch pattern of your last stone) just from stone work. The stropping just teases a little more out of the edge. It should be done with light pressure, not exceeding the angle of your sharpening (i.e., not more obtuse), and should noticeably improve the fineness/sharpness at the edge after just a minute or two. That tells you you did good stone work and your knife was ready to benefit fully from stropping.
Click to expand...
That about does it
 
Yes, the compound is applied to the strop, often comes like a crayon, and is just rubbed on the leather enough to show up on a portion of the strop. No need to apply too much, as a small amount goes a long way. Just use one color/type on the strop. Most use the green on their strops as it is a medium/fine compound.

Blessings,

Omar
 
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