How did you learn to sharpen?

Catmouth

Catmouth

Joined
Apr 3, 2012
Messages
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This might not be a Becker only post but since the only blades of note I have are Beckers I figured I would post here.

How did you learn to sharpen a knife? Did your dad teach you? Read a book? Youtube? I know practice is the key as with anything that takes skill but I find myself never getting the knife as sharp as I would like. How much pressure? What do you look for when inspecting the edge? Diamond stone, whetstone, water block? Should I need my BK2 to split hairs?

Just curious
 
I first was around sharpening knives when I was maybe 5 or 6. I would always go out hunting with my Dad and Grandpa and they both always carried a large hunting knife on them. After they had used them my Grandpa would always take the knives how and sharpen them himself. He is a career Airforce man, so he had been doing this for a very long time. I first learned to freehand from him, but I basically sucked at it. So it was something I never really did. My dad was the same way, he would always use the push pull sharpeners and call it good. When I first started getting into knives the first thing I got was a Spyderco Sharpmaker (great product) and I used the hell out of that thing. Eventually I started to straight razor shave so I needed a set of hoans to keep my edges right. At this point I figured I may as well learn how to freehand! I spent hours and hours on youtube watching different videos and finding out what would work best. I have a pretty large collection of stones now going from 100-15000 grit.

I personally love my water stones. I know a lot of people really like Diamond but I find it to be a little to aggressive and more for reprofiling my edges.


As far as technique goes, I kinda have my own style. I make very small circular motions as I work my blade down the block. I don't really ever let my knives get dull so I don't need to press very hard and I just start on my 1k and work up to the 8k. The 8k is overkill for a utility edge but I really like my knives to be sharp and have a nice mirror polished edge. Every night when I get off of work I hit my knives on a green pasted strop I have (about 30000 grit) then one a plain leather. I really keep my blades lasting for a longer time!
 
I haven't...I just hit everything with a diamond rod. I can get em shaving sharp, but I would by no means say "I know how to sharpen". Unfortunately my 3 years spent working in a meat shop only taught me how to use the electric sharpener and a steel lol.
 
Haze240 said:
I haven't...I just hit everything with a diamond rod. I can get em shaving sharp, but I would by no means say "I know how to sharpen". Unfortunately my 3 years spent working in a meat shop only taught me how to use the electric sharpener and a steel lol.
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Really? I have had some friends that worked in meat processing at slaughter houses and those fools could put a scary edge on a knife with a rock and stick I swear.

I have never been a big fan of electric sharpeners, or push/pull sharpeners. They just take soooo much off the blade. I keep a field push/pull on my keys incase of emergency but I have never actually tested it.


Rod and clamp systems really are great for some who can't freehand the best!




Oh almost forgot, I do have a paper wheel set up in my shop but I have not used it much.
 
it helps enormously to see it done. I watched.
That and putting an edge on a new knife being made - that'll larn ya a thing or two.
You're basically hand-grinding the edge. patience.

Hold the knife edge-up just below eye level. Look across the edge with some light behind it. Flat spots will show up as bright reflections along the edge. Work 'em out.

-Daizee
 
Read a book.

Called, "Sharpening Made Easy" by Steve Bottorff

It was well written, without any extra stuff. I was always good with math and geometry, which is foundation in which sharpening a knife begins. After I read it, I bought a guide system, and went to work.

10yrs later, its still one of the best primers I've ever seen on sharpening out there.

Before that, I gave it my best at freehand, which was taught to me by one of my family elders. On Sundays, mamaw would cook a chicken dinner, and after we ate, the old men would sit on the porch, drink coffee, smoke cigs and whittle. More than once a stone came out, and sharpening was done. Since I was a kid, I wasn't allowed on the porch, but I could watch from afar.

Moose
 
I'm still pretty much a beginner, though I can consistently get a shaving sharp edge on a blade now.

I got a Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener. It's basically a mini belt sander and puts a nice convex edge on a blade. I do it freehand now, I don't bother with the guides they include. And I use a leather strop that I made to polish up the edges.

The thing about the WSK&TS is that it speeds up the process, so you can see what takes a lot longer by hand within a few strokes. Then you can try to replicate it more slowly once you know what you're going for.
 
A combination of youtube videos, books and trial & error. Clich has a good youtube video on sharpening the Bk2. You may want to check that out.

Don't get me wrong, though. I have a LONG way to go...
 
DylanMW said:
Really? I have had some friends that worked in meat processing at slaughter houses and those fools could put a scary edge on a knife with a rock and stick I swear.

I have never been a big fan of electric sharpeners, or push/pull sharpeners. They just take soooo much off the blade. I keep a field push/pull on my keys incase of emergency but I have never actually tested it.


Rod and clamp systems really are great for some who can't freehand the best!




Oh almost forgot, I do have a paper wheel set up in my shop but I have not used it much.
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Don't get me wrong, I can put a hell of an edge on most knives using the diamond steel, leather belt, and a bit of work, and I can bring an unusable edge back using a whet stone, but compared to some people on the forums here...I've never "learned" to sharpen to that kind of level. I can make it sharp, just don't ask me what angle it is other than "Steep" or "not so steep".

Also trying to learn my my Lansky system drove me nuts. I was ready to drop kick the whole rig out the window.
 
Haze240 said:
Don't get me wrong, I can put a hell of an edge on most knives using the diamond steel, leather belt, and a bit of work, and I can bring an unusable edge back using a whet stone, but compared to some people on the forums here...I've never "learned" to sharpen to that kind of level. I can make it sharp, just don't ask me what angle it is other than "Steep" or "not so steep".

Also trying to learn my my Lansky system drove me nuts. I was ready to drop kick the whole rig out the window.
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LOL Haze420. Did/Do you learn how to use the Lansky system or find it a hindrance?
 
I'm not to bad at sharpening as I can get most/all of my blades shaving sharp but like everything I just say f!ck it and give it a go. Sandpaper and a leather strop for me most of the time since many of my blades are convex...If not then a water stone. Theres alot of youtube videos out there and also practice, its the only way you'll succeed.
 
I learned reading the forum and watching the Jerry Fisk videos. All of mine are done free hand on a belt sander, stone, or sandpaper and strop.
 
Trial and error. Use diamond hones and the Work Sharp. The only knives that work on the Work Sharp for me (with the guides) is the BK2 and BK9. Everything else I rotate it to tool mode and free hand with the Work Sharp. Then put the final edge with the medium grit side of the Smiths Diamond hone they sell at Wally World.
 
Catmouth said:
LOL Haze420. Did/Do you learn how to use the Lansky system or find it a hindrance?
Click to expand...

Honestly I couldn't stand the lanky system. I tried it on everything from pocket knives, chefs knives, my Beckers. The only thing that came out of it with a decent edge was my 14. The setup requires 3 hands too. Just was not for me, I had better results freehanding with the supplied stones. The whole kit is pretty poorly made too, you spend most of the time bending the wire rods to the correct angle, and I found the screws and knobs got in the way constantly.
 
I sharpen on a belt sander. I learned from all of the info on Youtube, this forum, and many other forums. I can sometimes get a hair whittling edge with my system.

Good thread! :)

Erd
 
Yes, definitely the Fisk video changed everything for me (knife sharpening portion starts about 2:20 in):

[video=youtube_share;DzBSjQFWyhM]http://youtu.be/DzBSjQFWyhM[/video]
 
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