Recommendation? How do you protect your carbon steel knives when sharpening? (Edge pro?)

[googlebutt]

For those who sharpen using a system like the edge pro, how do you protect your carbon steel knives from scratches AND corrosion/tape stains?

I'm actually using a Hapstone with AO stones which require water, and I've stained carbon steel knives while using tape in an attempt to protect from scratches. The tape traps moisture against the blade.

I'm considering heavily waxing the bevel or oiling before using masking tape.

 

[Wowbagger]

All my knives are users. They get some slight abrasion and certainly get patina from use. Even my brand new Buck 102 in 5160 which has only seen very slight food prep use and immediate washing and drying (I am not attempting to get any patina on it in the least) is showing some very slight brown marks here and there).

Knives that get used get marks and patina. Them that don't . . . well . . . they don't need sharpening.

I'm considering heavily waxing the bevel or oiling before using masking tape.

I don't think I am understanding right but where ever you put wax the tape won't stick. Waxing the "bevel" if it is the sharpening bevel is going to put a water resisting coating on your ?water stones? . . .
Someone here recommended clear, fairly heavy thickness (quality) box tape. He is a professional sharpener so you might try that. He likes it much better than regular masking tape or blue painter's tape. I have no experience with it.

I have seen others use electrical tape. Again I have no experience with that.

Heck, my knives are lucky if I wipe off the place the blade rests between stone changes.
The sides of my knives have some marks but my sharpening bevels are mirrors and that satisfies me. Sure I have toothy edges to, incase I have to cut a rope . . . if I have to . . . I guess.

PS: probably your best bet is to free hand and to strop. I mean if you aren't using the knives hard doesn't matter if they have those funny rounded over edges; still tree tops . . . right ?

 

[Sonnydaze]

I use green tape...painter's tape or Frog Tape. I tape "most of the blade" on both sides of course. It doesn't take a very long time to sharpen a knife on the Edge Pro, so I have never experienced any problem. Most of mine are stainless, but I also have carbon steel knives that I carry.
I suspect that "too much time" might be your problem. I have tape on a knife for no more than maybe 1-2 hrs at most...

 

[googlebutt]

Good points. I'm actually using the Hapstone to set my edge and sharpen on the knives that I make, so I suppose they're on there longer than a touchup. I'll try changing the tape throughout the process with drying/oiling as I go.

 

[Wowbagger]

Oh these are new knives that you make (and sell ?).
That's why knife makers hand grind on a belt and buff the edge.
Doesn't mar the knife and gives us knife buyers something to be happily cross about and we can then put on our "special" personal edge while harumphing to our selves the whole time.
Why change tradition ?

 

[Wowbagger]

I'm actually using a Hapstone with AO stones which require water, and I've stained carbon steel knives

For the plain high carbon blades you could use honing oil on your stones rather than water. That will stop the staining.
Wipe the sharpener blade support religiously. Buy old bed sheets to tear up for rags. I think you can even buy these in bags.

 

[googlebutt]

For the plain high carbon blades you could use honing oil on your stones rather than water. That will stop the staining.
Wipe the sharpener blade support religiously. Buy old bed sheets to tear up for rags. I think you can even buy these in bags.

Regard the belt grinder, I've use it in combination with my grinding jig (not ready to freehand that, risky) and it actually works great. In order to use my jig, sharpening has to be done before the handle goes on. I'd like to avoid this because it increases the danger when making the handle and sheath, but it's not the end of the world to be honest, I know how to get around it. Just feel it's best practice to put the edge on last.

I didn't know about honing oil as a replacement for water! The stones I have say that you must soak them prior to use, should I still do that with water, and use honing oil during the process?

 

[Wowbagger]

 

[Wowbagger]

The stones I have say that you must soak them prior to use, should I still do that with water, and use honing oil during the process?

Sorry . . . I was looking up that last vid while you were posting to me.
First off I love water stones, the soak 'em type as well as the splash and go.
I don't like oil stones and have stopped using them. Some very experienced people here love oil stones and using thicker mineral oil on them and can say why exactly.
If I were forced to use "oil" I would use kerosene because it is water like and really gets into the stone to wash out the pores. I won't though because of the smell though I have used kerosene quite a bit for taking cosmoline off equipment.

At any rate I would bow to the guy in the vid's opinion.
To prevent the "rust" / staining of the blades I would probably use ONLY oil (no water) on the stones you use for the plain high carbon blades.

 

[Wowbagger]

Just feel it's best practice to put the edge on last.

One thing you could do is do all the grinding and sharpening first until you get a decent edge.
Then to make the knife safer to put on the handle and make the sheath you could use the APEXING technique of pulling the edge across a stone as if you were slicing the stone. That puts a microscopic flat spot where the edge is.

From there it is pretty easy to bring the edge back by free handing. The APEX freehand sharpeners sharpen until there is no shiny glint left on the edge but before putting a bur on the edge. It is fast to get the edge because the time consuming task of making the geometry of the sharpening bevel or Primary Sharpening bevel, if you will, has been done and all you have to do is put on the final secondary bevel to create the cutting edge.

Not the way I sharpen; I only use one sharpening bevel to the edge.
Another vid . . . same guy . . . but explaining the Apex Sharpening method.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Might have a look at the following linked thread, regarding using oil on some waterstones. Some of them are made with a 'magnesia' binder, which is apparently water-soluble and enables the stone to release fresh grit as it should. Using them with oil inhibits the stone's ability to release grit and refresh itself, and therefore changes how well (or even if) it'll work anymore without frequent lapping or resurfacing. Resin-bonded waterstones may be OK with oil, per the linked video earlier. But some stones might not be. Proceed with caution...

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/waterstone-heresy.1512538/

I've seen it suggested here before, to control rust/corrosion issues with waterstones and carbon steel blades, that adding a little bit of baking soda to the water helps to minimize rusting. Keeps it a little bit alkaline, which helps neutralize the acidic iron + water + oxygen reaction causing rusting. Not sure how well it works, but it's food for thought.

 

[Wowbagger]

a little bit of baking soda to the water helps to minimize rustin

Nice one !

Using them with oil inhibits the stone's ability to release grit and refresh itself, and therefore changes how well (or even if) it'll work anymore without frequent lapping or resurfacing.

Heck many of us lap fairly frequently the Shapton Glass stones anyway to get the right tooth and to clean the surface. I believe Josh of Razor Edge Knife Sharpening Service here in the forums said he pretty much resurfaces his stones before every sharpening job.

Pretty quick to do with the Diamond plate standing by.

Interesting about the magnesia binder; thanks for that info !

 

[basetta70]

I do sometimes sharpening of straight razors made by carbon steel using waterstones and plenty of water during the whole sessions, usually 15minutes and never had issues with rust.
Using razor for real deep shaving it will take over 30mins in contact with water and again no problems if you wipe off water and moisture.