Hand Sharpening guide for bench stones

I

IH_784

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May 29, 2021
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Does anyone make a mechanical guide for hand sharpening a knife? Something table or bench mounted so that the knife could be kept on the same place repeatedly? I’ve got three Atoma diamond stones and I’d like to learn a proper angle/technique.
 
Sharpal angle pyramids come in a 2-pack. One pyramid has a magnetic base for sticking on the surface of diamond plates, and the other pyramid has a rubber base which is kinda iffy. Each pyramid shaped angle guide has 4 different angles. They are 14, 17, 20, and 25 degrees.
 
You can make a simple visual guide by folding a piece of printer paper. But in the end, I think it just takes a bit of practice. Eventually you will get used to holding the knife at a fairly consistent angle. I started with my least valuable knife, and worked at it for quite a while. Then, I slowly worked my way through every knife in the house, including my expensive kitchen knives. You'll get there eventually. :)




Edit: Just wanted to add that I recently picked up a KME guided system. I've had very good results using a honing guide with my chisel and plane blades, so I wanted to try some type of a guided system for knives, just to see what kind of results I get. So far, I like it. But the only time I seem to get better results than hand sharpening, is when I'm trying to put an edge on a longer (say 6" and up) knife. For my smaller folders, I seem to do just as well by hand.
 
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Many years ago, Buck used to make what was essentially a beefed up spring clip that rode on the stone surface behind the blade. Honemaster? Was okay if you wanted that particular angle, but my uncle wore one out over about 25 years.

By that time, you’d think he’d no longer need it.

Parker
 
Thank y’all for the replies. I’ll try them out and see what I can do. I can get a knife sharp. I just want a better angle and to not screw up the finishes on my knives lol. I guess a KME or wicked edge is in my future.
 
catspa said:
Many years ago, Buck used to make what was essentially a beefed up spring clip that rode on the stone surface behind the blade. Honemaster? Was okay if you wanted that particular angle, but my uncle wore one out over about 25 years.

By that time, you’d think he’d no longer need it.

Parker
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I've used a Buck Honemaster for decades. There are similar angle guides available -- I think Razor Edge makes one. Another idea, which I haven't tried, is to tape a coin on each side of the blade. It just occurred to me that super magnets might work, too. They're cheap (I see them at the Home hardware store) and come in various thicknesses.
 
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IH_784 said:
Does anyone make a mechanical guide for hand sharpening a knife? Something table or bench mounted so that the knife could be kept on the same place repeatedly? I’ve got three Atoma diamond stones and I’d like to learn a proper angle/technique.
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Try getting hold of a Hapstone T1, it's a knife clamp guide for bench stones.
 
I've used the DMT aligner clamp for many years, little painter tape for a solid grip and you're good to go. Angle adjustments are not very good but if you take notes from the T1 its an easy fix.
 
Natlek said:
watch this
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Interesting concept. Looks good for larger kitchen knives, but I wonder if they make different type of knife holder that would work with smaller knife blades, such as a SAK. Or if your blade isn't a type of steel that can be held with a magnet.
 
IH_784 said:
Thank y’all for the replies. I’ll try them out and see what I can do. I can get a knife sharp. I just want a better angle and to not screw up the finishes on my knives lol. I guess a KME or wicked edge is in my future.
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I can get knives sharp freehand, but the angles are off and the edge bevels don't look very good under magnification. I also have a tendency to freehand at 20dps on one side and 17dps on the other side. With my Wicked Edge WE130 I get beautiful perfect edge bevels. I also have the attachments to put fine bevels on my chisels and scissors.

DEK1-1a.jpgCold Chisel-1a.jpg
 
Glad to read Jason's experience and down side to the DMT, as I'm transitioning some of the older kids from guided to "free hand."
Twindog, it seems to me holding horizontal is part of the begineers free hand journey, and any assistive / adaptive tool should physically support the hands movement (difficult for some), to simplyfy skill building. But of course, your reminder gets me thinking half cocked, (old single action vernacular) of angled wood block stone bases, where hand is holding knife and moving horizontally... which has the least cognitive load DMT / TI guides like physical guides or tilted stones?
It might be better to keep stone horizontal for the sake of gross motor coordination at first, then swtch to reference only angle guide parked at each end of stone for fine motor skill building later in learning curve (holding horizontally is definitly harder then holding vertically, thus
(in part) the Sharpmakers great success). Each individual's coordination, proclivities, and prior knowledge / practices certainly make a difference.
 
An even better guide... The classic Mora knife. Its large bevel laid on the stone will move in the exact way all knives will move down a stone. Its motion, plus the experience of grinding a large bevel will give you more that any guide could, IMO. Its also the cutting tool that taught me to control angle through pressure and not muscle stabilization.
 
I just make a mark on my thumb with a sharpie. My angles certianly aren't perfect but my knives get extremly sharp and hold an edge just fine.
 
I apologize for not staying up to date with this thread. There’s been a lot of great Information passed here. I’ll look for a Hapstone T1. Thank y’all!
 
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