Help W/DMT stones

gull wing

gull wing

Joined
May 4, 2002
Messages
2,536
I would like to learn how to "free hand" sharpen. I know there will be a learning curve.
NOTE:
I have an Edge Pro to profile, so all I need with the DMT's it to touch up the edge. I like a toothy edge, so I got the DMT 6 in FINE and X FINE.
It looked easy on the DMT video on youtube, heh heh, it's not. I got an already sharp knife and practiced, well it's dull now:o. I think I could learn something.
 
If you already have an Edge Pro, then you can do reprofiling and sharpening!

While I still recommend all knife-users and collectors to learn Free-hand sharpening, it won't be much of a use to you where you have an Edge Pro setup. I say learn it and use that on the field

What exactly is it you want help with?
 
rub the knife on the stone at an angle ...







sorry i had to do this .... :p
 
I learned by taking a beater fixed blade, and dulled it beyond belief, then put a razor sharp edge on it. Repeat, and eventually you get the hang of it. I did this about 20-30 times before i felt confident using it to sharpen some more of my more expensive knives.
 
Work REALLY slow. Lay the bevel on the stone and FEEL when the bevel is on the stone (no motion, just static). You should feel the knife "step" on and off the bevel as you hold it there and tilt it back and forth. Do this for a while and on several portions of the blade (belly, tip, etc.) Learn how the handle pitches and wanes as you move through the curve of the blade. NOTE: you are simply picking up the knife and setting it down at this point...you are not honing anything...rather just learning where the bevel is and how the knife needs to move to stay at that angle.

If you simply want a fast touch up, do this with the EF stone and tilt the knife ever so slightly off the front of the bevel (slightly higher angle) and stroke the stone with zero pressure for a few strokes (perhaps 5), then flip the knife and repeat.

Now do the same thing only alternate every stroke...do this 2-5 times per side with ZERO pressure...may be even un-weight the knife slightly.

Check the edge...ought to bite quick.


If it is really dull (it must not be...otherwise you would have something coarser than F ready to go), you might want to hone at the bevel angle and not address the micro yet. As you do, take a look with a lens after every couple strokes...you will see exactly what you did, and how you hit the bevel...you will likely not be perfect, but the scratch pattern feedback will guide you closer and closer to perfection...after 20 or so years you will be closer, but still not there;) That is what is fun about free hand...you can constantly improve. Jigs are great, but it is like buying a puzzle already put together LOL.
 
There are four keys to free hand sharpening. They are:

  1. Work one side at a time. Don't alternate back and forth. Work up a burr on one side, keeping a rough count of the number of strokes. I say rough because, depending on what the edge looks like to start with you may not do the same number on each side, not with your coursest stone anyway. Flip it over and repeat. Before leaving that grit, I work down in the number of reps on each side to shrink down the burr before leaving that size of grit. Work your way through whatever series of grits work for you.
  2. Practice.
  3. Practice a lot.
  4. Practice a whole lot.

Those are the four keys to free hand sharpening.
 
+1 for Unit's description. I would add the magic marker to color the bevel to easier see what you are doing.

As long as you set the edge bevel with the Apex and use the marker, you can't miss for long.
 
unit said:
Work REALLY slow. Lay the bevel on the stone and FEEL when the bevel is on the stone (no motion, just static). You should feel the knife "step" on and off the bevel as you hold it there and tilt it back and forth. Do this for a while and on several portions of the blade (belly, tip, etc.) Learn how the handle pitches and wanes as you move through the curve of the blade. NOTE: you are simply picking up the knife and setting it down at this point...you are not honing anything...rather just learning where the bevel is and how the knife needs to move to stay at that angle.

If you simply want a fast touch up, do this with the EF stone and tilt the knife ever so slightly off the front of the bevel (slightly higher angle) and stroke the stone with zero pressure for a few strokes (perhaps 5), then flip the knife and repeat.

Now do the same thing only alternate every stroke...do this 2-5 times per side with ZERO pressure...may be even un-weight the knife slightly.

Check the edge...ought to bite quick.


If it is really dull (it must not be...otherwise you would have something coarser than F ready to go), you might want to hone at the bevel angle and not address the micro yet. As you do, take a look with a lens after every couple strokes...you will see exactly what you did, and how you hit the bevel...you will likely not be perfect, but the scratch pattern feedback will guide you closer and closer to perfection...after 20 or so years you will be closer, but still not there;) That is what is fun about free hand...you can constantly improve. Jigs are great, but it is like buying a puzzle already put together LOL.
Click to expand...
For a beginner, would you do forth and back stroke in sections or try the whole edge "in one stroke" each time?
Thanks
 
That's a rather advanced technique and one that is harder to do on diamond stones. Even back and forth heel to tip strokes can be difficult without practice. Stick with single edge leading strokes lifting and reseting each stroke.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top