How Do You Sharpen?

J

jasenXcore

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Mar 11, 2014
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I just made my first Becker purchase the other day, a BK2 to be exact, and now I'm looking into maintaining the blade. I haven't owned any knives before so I was wondering the proper procedure for sharpening this and other knives similar to it. I've been looking into Japanese stones, diamond stones, the Gatco and Lanksy sharpening system and so on a so forth. With so many option out there, it can be pretty overwhelming, especial for a newcomer such as myself.

So my questions is this: what is your preferred sharpening technique? I'm looking for something pretty simple, since I'm just beginning, and maybe eventually move into the more complicated techniques.
 
A Norton India stone and a little wd40. I don't do atom slicing sharp, plenty around here that strop though.

 
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Murphnuge said:
A Norton India stone and a little wd40. I don't do atom slicing sharp, plenty around here that strop though.

Click to expand...

I got to get me an India stone. My KO Worksharp isn't working out like I hoped.

That's a great sheath you got there, isn't it Murph?

Are those OD green scales or is that a trick of the light?
 
My wife and I share similar techniques which we share with eachother.
We both agree that you need to start and appreciate a quality manual hand job. Master a little bit of free hand before you move on and get instant and easy pleasure with a guided toy or fast machine. :eek::D;)

We use a Coarse Diamond for re-profile. The easy strokes to smooth out the marks.
Then your basic water stone or I just skip entirely to the Gray ceramics on the Sharpmaker followed by the whites.
Taking my time I then move to the flats of the whites and finish with some strop work.
This will give a nice hair popping edge, and will easily push cut news print.
Matt
 
Tdhurl1103 said:
I got to get me an India stone. My KO Worksharp isn't working out like I hoped.

That's a great sheath you got there, isn't it Murph?

Are those OD green scales or is that a trick of the light?
Click to expand...

I'm liking the sheath, it stays in my pack even though it has molle webbing. Hawk590 really made a discovery when he stumbled upon those. Do you have one?

Yes they are I dyed them. I used the peanut butter (coyote) stock handles and soaked them in the Rit for 20 or 30 min. They have a bit of a sunburst coloring pattern. The coloring varies with the thickness of the handles.

I should also add that I use a little stone from work occasionally. I'm by no means a sharpening guru, ask anybody. I've improved quite a bit in the last few years though.
 
Dimond steel sharpener from costco is awesome. It has four grits and a pocket sharpener for $20
 
I use an Arkansas stone for my scandi grind knives and sandpaper mouse pad combo for my convexed edges. If I really get a wild hair I may even strop on a piece of untreated leather (aka my belt lol). Works really well for me.
 
I was lucky enough to stumble across a Frictionite stone at a junk shop and that's the best ever made, but it was sheer luck. I like the fine India as well if I'm going to keep the V grind. It leaves a little "tooth" and will out cut a polished edge. I convex most everything though and it's just a few swipes on 1000 grit wet/dry and a few on leather with black compound to maintain the edge. Best advice is not to let it get really dull.
 
Use them til they get dull, then buy a new one. Once the pile of dull knives is big enough, I take a day off from work and sharpen them all on my KME.
 
hhmoore said:
Use them til they get dull, then buy a new one. Once the pile of dull knives is big enough, I take a day off from work and sharpen them all on my KME.
Click to expand...

This is brilliant. I wish I'd thought of it.
 
BellaBlades said:
My wife and I share similar techniques which we share with eachother.
We both agree that you need to start and appreciate a quality manual hand job. Master a little bit of free hand before you move on and get instant and easy pleasure with a guided toy or fast machine. :eek::D;)
Click to expand...

This could be the finest advice I've ever read on the internet.
 
I use hard and soft Arkansas stones with a little wd-40 then finish on a fine ceramic rod. I don't have a strop yet, but I'm looking into getting one
 
At home I touch up on a kitchen diamond steel.
In the field I carry a pull-through sharpener with ceramic rods and a credit card sized ultra-fine diamond sharpener.
 
I use one of these when I don't put a convex edge on my blades. Pretty hard to mess things up with the guides, plus it helps you get a feel for manual sharpening that you can use on regular stones once you get the knack. Includes coarse and fine diamond stones, a ceramic rod and a little bit of leather for stropping. And it's about the size of a paring knife

51coHPSfpLL.jpg
 
You may use water, or oil on a stone, but it will always have to be oil, or water for each particular stone. You can't stop with oil, then try water on the same stone. Oh, I tried it! Don't think I am better than my own advice. :cool:
I guess I like using stones. The Japanese stones look very interesting. I have been using Arkansas stones and an old Buck 2 stone oil kit. It makes me want a belt sander though some days. With the number of tools I use, sharpening is essential.
 
Murphnuge said:
I'm liking the sheath, it stays in my pack even though it has molle webbing. Hawk590 really made a discovery when he stumbled upon those. Do you have one?

Yes they are I dyed them. I used the peanut butter (coyote) stock handles and soaked them in the Rit for 20 or 30 min. They have a bit of a sunburst coloring pattern. The coloring varies with the thickness of the handles.

I should also add that I use a little stone from work occasionally. I'm by no means a sharpening guru, ask anybody. I've improved quite a bit in the last few years though.
Click to expand...

Yes I have one. I love it. I jumped on it when hawk590 found them. I'll have to try the green rit dye on the coyote handles. It looks do sweet.

on Topic: yes, I thought I could take care of all my sharpening needs with the work sharp. Well, it just isn't so. I'm in dire need of a good stone and some lessons.
 
imho it's worth to learn the sharpening skill on waterstones.
Takes a little more time then a sharpmaker or other system, but it's much more versatile.
You can sharpen any blade shape on any angle.... After the stones use a leather strop with some compound to finish your edge.

End result looks like this (pictured on an Esee 5, but on the BK it'd look similar)

Esee5_edge02.JPG
 
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