Help with shapening!

C

Cb1997

Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Messages
33
I have a question, let's say my knife was getting dull as I use it. To resharpen it would I use a steel and then a strop?
People say that sharpening on a wet stone is supposed to be done about 1-2 times a year so what should I do instead of using a wet stone all the time?
 
I much prefer dry stones, but you need a stone to resharpen the blade. The steel just realigns the edge, and the strop is a finishing process for an already sharp edge.

The key is to hold a constant angle, with the angle of the stone matching the angle of the edge. Then you sharpen until you get a burr, which is where the very thin wire edge folds over. Raise the burr on both sides, and carefully remove it.

Because you don't know how to sharpen, you might try a guided system. The Sharpmaker is simple, but time-consuming if your edge is especially dull or if the edge has to be reprofiled (changing the angle of the edge to match the angle of the stone).

Search around here. There are lots of threads about sharpening. Practice what you learn on a cheap knife. Then, as specific issues arise, people here will be able to give you more useful advice.

Welcome to the forum.
 
Sharpening could depend upon a variety of factors. How dull is the knife? If the knife has truly become dull then a steel won't really do anything to help you out, and a strop won't have much of an effect either.

What kind of sharpening equipment do you have available? For that matter, how skilled are you with using that equipment? Many stones can be used dry, but some stones do require water or oil. Do you have enough practice to sharpen freehand? Or would you prefer to use a guided system? How much money are you willing to spend to acquire any sharpening equipment that you don't already have available?
 
Ive read online that you are supposed to sharpen a knife only 2 times a year and use a steel for the rest is this true? Also how many times do you shapen your knife on a stone a year? By the way I would be shapening a kershaw chill.
 
I have a wet stone and I am good enough to get my blade to shaving hair sharp. I am sharpening a kershaw chill and is is still sharp but not sharp enough to slice though paper well.
 
It all depends on how much the knife is used.
 
Without having physical access to your knife, it's hard to make a determination of what's going wrong.

It's possible that you have a wire edge--a wire edge can shave hair, but won't perform well when actually in use. You might not have properly formed an apex along the entire length of the blade. When slicing this usually becomes more apparent.

You might also not have your secondary bevels set at an acute enough of an angle. I've sharpened knives to 60 degree inclusive angles and they could shave hair, but they weren't very good when actually put to use.
 
There are many different approaches that people take to sharpening knives, and each approach can change depending on the knife in question and the duties that pertain to it.

Everyone has personal preferences and expectations that dictate the when a knife is at a satisfactory level of sharpness as well -sharp enough to be called sharp. Some people prefer their knives to be rough and barely sharp... Others prefer a perfect polished edge with almost no imperfections... And there are others who prefer something in between.

I once knew a girl who thought ketchup was spicy. She would probably call a butter knife sharp as well.

The bottom line is that it isn't sharp until you are proud enough to call it so.
 
When sharpening a knife does it take a lot of steel off? Is it enough to notice over time? Lastley I know it depends on the grit. I have a fine grit stone.
 
The chill has that Chinese steel...8cr13mov? Whatever it is, it is very easy to sharpen with a good set of stones.

I sharpen my knives when they dull.
 
We have a forum for sharpening, so I moved this there.

Some knife users need a constantly sharp edge, but they don't want to wear away the blade by sharpening them too much. So they learn to steel them to keep a good working edge without removing material. Butchers are a good example.

For ordinary pocketknives, sharpening doesn't have to be a big deal. A small stone -- stone, diamond, or ceramic -- can maintain a decent edge by lightly buffing the blade's edge periodically. A strop will also do nicely. Learn the different possibilities and you will see which work best for which knife.

If you are going to end up with several knives of different levels of steel and manufacturing quality, it might pay to invest in a Spyderco Sharpmaker to maintain those edges. It is also a good way to learn to understand the sharpening process.

Anyway, welcome to Bladeforums! Glad to have you here. I hope we can help you get up to speed. :)
 
For me, 'sharpening frequently' means stropping. For any particular knife I might be using or carrying, this means I'll make a few passes on the strop after a day's use. Usually on leather with fine compound, like chromium oxide (green) or 1 micron diamond paste. At this level of abrasiveness, most edges can be easily maintained for a long while, without removing much metal at all. Beyond that, if stropping isn't getting it done, I'll take 'baby steps' down in grit, in a slightly coarser direction. In my habits, that usually means using something like 1000-2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper. A little more speedy, but still not excessively aggressive. I very seldom take a blade back to the hard hones, unless I'm dissatisfied with the bevel itself, and want to create a new one. Getting the initial bevel just right, makes a huge difference in the 'maintainability' of the edge afterwards. The geometry (shape) of the bevel has an enormous impact on the durability of the edge, more so than anything else.
 
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I only use a steel on my kitchen knives. I think because the edges are so thin, they roll easier. The steel doesn't actually sharpen the edge, it just straightens it back out. But if you do that too much, you really thin that edge out. Then you need a resharpening. For a good, high-quality kitchen knife, your information sounds correct. You shouldn't have to sharpen them more than once a year or so, even with daily use.

But for other knives like pocket knives, utility knives, bushcrafting knives, you might have to sharpen more often depending on use... and you probably won't be using a steel. Just my 2 pesos. :D
 
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