Cliff notes version --> scroll down to the video
Sharpening serrations is viewed by some as impossible, others as more difficult than the results are worth, and a few as incredibly easy. Hopefully after reading this tutorial, you will find yourself laughing at the first two groups.
This guide is written for use with the Spyderco Sharpmaker. It is possible to use other triangle shaped stones, or possibly even the corner of a traditionally shaped sharpening stone. I recommend anyone who frequently uses serrated knives invest in a Sharpmaker if they have not done so.
The first thing you want to look at is does the serration pattern follow the curve of the blade. On my Spyderco Spyderhawk, pictured below, the blade has a dramatic curve. The serration pattern however does not follow this curve. The serrations are all parallel to each other, meaning this blade will not be sharpened like a plain edged hawkbill would, where you follow the curve of the blade. Imagine the corner of a rod going into the individual scallops. If you rotate the blade, they will not properly grind the scallops. They must be kept perpendicular to the ground, so for this knife you would just pull it straight through as if it were a wharncliffe blade.
Other serrated knives may have serrations that do follow the blade curve. This will use a regular sharpening motion.
So remember, serrated knives are not always sharpened like plain edge knives in that you follow the curve of the blade. Look at your serrations and determine whether they do or not, and then use the appropriate technique.
Most serrated knives are chisel ground. This means the edge is ground on only one side. If they are ground on both sides, you can use a 1 stroke per side then switch to the other side like a plain edge knife. If they are chisel ground, you have two options. You can sharpen the knife using 1 stroke per side, which will grind a tiny bevel on the backside and thicken the edge. This will provide a stronger edge, but it will require slightly more force to cut materials. The other option, which many companies recommend, is sharpen the edged side with a couple of strokes (3-5), then using a very acute angle (Close to flat to the stone), do one gentle pass on the non-edged side to remove the burr.
To find what angle you need to sharpen the serrations there are two easy ways to figure this out. You can coat the edge bevel with sharpie marker, then sharpen at a given angle, and afterward look at the edge bevel. Where the marks are ground away is where you are sharpening. If just the edge is being hit by the stone, use a more acute angle. If the top of the bevel and not the rest of the bevel, including the edge, is being ground, then use a more obtuse angle.
Alternatively you can do what I do. Setup your sharpening stone, then set the knife against the stone with a large serration scallop in the corner of the stone, then rock the knife back and forth. If you do it slowly and carefully, you should be able to feel the bevel "click" into place when it's set against the stone at the proper angle. Hopefully the video I show you will demonstrate this part clearly.
I find the majority of my serrated knives, especially Spydercos, are ground at a 15 degree angle.**
When sharpening a combo edged blade, the same principles apply, except when sharpening the plain edged part of the blade you will want to follow the blade curve. Also make sure you know whether the plain edged portion is chisel ground or V ground, and use the appropriate technique for the type of grind.
To sharpen the knife after figuring out the angle you need and whether or not to follow the curve of the blade, it's essentially the same as a plain edge blade. Just drag the knife down the stone and pull it towards you, using gentle, consistent motions holding the same angle for each stroke. You DO NOT need to individually sharpen each scallop.
One thing to note, since you will be using the corner of the stone, I advise stopping about 1/4 an inch before the tip contacts the stone. When you finish sharpening the blade, you can go back and freehand the tip area on the flats of the stone.
Also you can liberally rub compound onto the corner of a strop and use the strop like the corners of the stones. Or you could rig up a strop rod that will work like the triangle stone.
Consider the following knives:
If you look at the bottom knife, you will be able to see the serrations staying parallel to one another. On this knife you would tilt the blade with the tip pointing down some to align the serration pattern to the stone, then drag it down and pull towards you, not following the curve; essentially treating it like a wharncliffe. However on the middle knife, a combo edge Byrd Cara Cara, you would pull straight back along the serrations, then follow the curve on the plain edge portion of the blade.
*Here is a video demonstration of a serrated knife and a combo edge knife being sharpened. Note how I rock the knife back and forth when I begin sharpening, and listen for the "click" to find the angle. Might need to crank your volume.
[youtube]E2MPSicHMe4[/youtube]
*Note, I used a weird technique because I don't have two ultrafine rods. Normally I rotate the base 180 degrees when I sharpen the backside, but I didn't want to risk moving the sharpmaker out of frame.
**Let this be proof to this forum that thin edges can hold up to rough use. The Byrd Cara Cara is ground at 15 degrees, and is chisel ground. That means it's ground at 7.5 degrees per side, well under what most would consider acceptable for a using knife.
Sharpening serrations is viewed by some as impossible, others as more difficult than the results are worth, and a few as incredibly easy. Hopefully after reading this tutorial, you will find yourself laughing at the first two groups.
This guide is written for use with the Spyderco Sharpmaker. It is possible to use other triangle shaped stones, or possibly even the corner of a traditionally shaped sharpening stone. I recommend anyone who frequently uses serrated knives invest in a Sharpmaker if they have not done so.
The first thing you want to look at is does the serration pattern follow the curve of the blade. On my Spyderco Spyderhawk, pictured below, the blade has a dramatic curve. The serration pattern however does not follow this curve. The serrations are all parallel to each other, meaning this blade will not be sharpened like a plain edged hawkbill would, where you follow the curve of the blade. Imagine the corner of a rod going into the individual scallops. If you rotate the blade, they will not properly grind the scallops. They must be kept perpendicular to the ground, so for this knife you would just pull it straight through as if it were a wharncliffe blade.
Other serrated knives may have serrations that do follow the blade curve. This will use a regular sharpening motion.
So remember, serrated knives are not always sharpened like plain edge knives in that you follow the curve of the blade. Look at your serrations and determine whether they do or not, and then use the appropriate technique.
Most serrated knives are chisel ground. This means the edge is ground on only one side. If they are ground on both sides, you can use a 1 stroke per side then switch to the other side like a plain edge knife. If they are chisel ground, you have two options. You can sharpen the knife using 1 stroke per side, which will grind a tiny bevel on the backside and thicken the edge. This will provide a stronger edge, but it will require slightly more force to cut materials. The other option, which many companies recommend, is sharpen the edged side with a couple of strokes (3-5), then using a very acute angle (Close to flat to the stone), do one gentle pass on the non-edged side to remove the burr.
To find what angle you need to sharpen the serrations there are two easy ways to figure this out. You can coat the edge bevel with sharpie marker, then sharpen at a given angle, and afterward look at the edge bevel. Where the marks are ground away is where you are sharpening. If just the edge is being hit by the stone, use a more acute angle. If the top of the bevel and not the rest of the bevel, including the edge, is being ground, then use a more obtuse angle.
Alternatively you can do what I do. Setup your sharpening stone, then set the knife against the stone with a large serration scallop in the corner of the stone, then rock the knife back and forth. If you do it slowly and carefully, you should be able to feel the bevel "click" into place when it's set against the stone at the proper angle. Hopefully the video I show you will demonstrate this part clearly.
I find the majority of my serrated knives, especially Spydercos, are ground at a 15 degree angle.**
When sharpening a combo edged blade, the same principles apply, except when sharpening the plain edged part of the blade you will want to follow the blade curve. Also make sure you know whether the plain edged portion is chisel ground or V ground, and use the appropriate technique for the type of grind.
To sharpen the knife after figuring out the angle you need and whether or not to follow the curve of the blade, it's essentially the same as a plain edge blade. Just drag the knife down the stone and pull it towards you, using gentle, consistent motions holding the same angle for each stroke. You DO NOT need to individually sharpen each scallop.
One thing to note, since you will be using the corner of the stone, I advise stopping about 1/4 an inch before the tip contacts the stone. When you finish sharpening the blade, you can go back and freehand the tip area on the flats of the stone.
Also you can liberally rub compound onto the corner of a strop and use the strop like the corners of the stones. Or you could rig up a strop rod that will work like the triangle stone.
Consider the following knives:
If you look at the bottom knife, you will be able to see the serrations staying parallel to one another. On this knife you would tilt the blade with the tip pointing down some to align the serration pattern to the stone, then drag it down and pull towards you, not following the curve; essentially treating it like a wharncliffe. However on the middle knife, a combo edge Byrd Cara Cara, you would pull straight back along the serrations, then follow the curve on the plain edge portion of the blade.
*Here is a video demonstration of a serrated knife and a combo edge knife being sharpened. Note how I rock the knife back and forth when I begin sharpening, and listen for the "click" to find the angle. Might need to crank your volume.
[youtube]E2MPSicHMe4[/youtube]
*Note, I used a weird technique because I don't have two ultrafine rods. Normally I rotate the base 180 degrees when I sharpen the backside, but I didn't want to risk moving the sharpmaker out of frame.
**Let this be proof to this forum that thin edges can hold up to rough use. The Byrd Cara Cara is ground at 15 degrees, and is chisel ground. That means it's ground at 7.5 degrees per side, well under what most would consider acceptable for a using knife.
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