How good are you at sharpening your knives?

Hair whittling sharp with sharpmaker ultrafine and leather strop.
I used to freehand sharpening on a cheap combination stone. Shaving sharp on kitchen knives. As I acquired expensive folders, I got the Lanski clamp system to avoid accidental scratchs on blade and handle. The metal clamp tip scatch blade anyway, so I moved onto Sharpmaker. I got a DMT aligner clamp with one coarse stone for reprofile only, since I had accumulated some Super Steel that is wearing out my patience. I learned about leather stropping on BF, and had been sharpening much less now.
 
How sharp is a little hard to define sometimes, Sharp, Shaving Sharp, and Razor Sharp seem be good terms to use.
I can only get Shaving sharp after some good concentration on stones and sandpaper. I don't have a mechanical system.

Sharp: good enough for 98% of tasks, won't shave hair but will cut paper decently
Shaving Sharp: Obviously will shave, but not necessarily able to push cut paper
Razor Sharp: Only time you have to beware of every touch of the edge, cuts paper like magic with very little tearing sounds
 
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I'm pretty decent at it. I am new to sharpening folders though, when you've been sharpening 12" blades on kitchen knives, a 3" blade on a folder is strange.

My knives will push cut wax paper or rolled magazine paper. I don't think shaving is a good test because I've had dull factory edges shave....
 
I use the Gatco diamond system, which is decent. I can get shaving sharp edges every time, but I'll probably spend money on the EP sometime. As of now, I use the diamonds then the 1600 grit ceramic, then strop it on a Stropman Compact HD. Stropping has made all the difference.
 
Freehand w/ flat stones: Getting better every day, FAR beyond where I was when I started, still kinda hit or miss though I can at least get a good working edge

Sharpmaker w/ all rods + Strop with honing leather from woodcraft and green compound: Scary, razor, have to be very careful sharp. Worst I get with this combo is shaving sharp but can only push cut regular paper. Though on some knives I deliberately go with a coarser edge for toothiness and they are inherently not as good at shaving/paper cutting as the polished blades are.
 
I was good free hand after many years of practice. Then got a SharpMaker. I had good luck keeping knives sharp with a SharpMaker and the ultra fine rods. Takes a loooooong time to reprofile or sharpen a dull knife with good steel on a SharpMaker. I ended up getting a Wicked Edge. Took my sharpening to a new level.
 
I'd say I'm pretty good at it. All of my knives shave and will cut a tomato with nothing but downward pressure. I've never managed to get anything as sharp as an actual razor or treetopping sharp, I really find it hard to grasp people actually get fairly thick blades that sharp. Not even an actual razor blade has been that sharp in my experience.

Biggest key in learning to sharpen I've found is making sure you spend plenty of time raising am initial burr on the entire blade with a coarse stone, even on knives that are just moderately dull, and learning to feel the angle freehand. Eventually you can tell without a guide because the edge smoothly glides over the stones surface with no harsh grind feel.
 
Depending on the steel I use different methods. I have Arkansas stones lanskey etc. I don't know anyone in my area that can sharpen Like I can. I get em scary sharp. My friend catfish cringes when I split fingerprints in half! I can't tell u how many cussings I've received from the er lol. When u can get one to a fine reflective mirror edge that's pretty good.
 
gwgang said:
Hair whittling sharp with sharpmaker ultrafine and leather strop.
I used to freehand sharpening on a cheap combination stone. Shaving sharp on kitchen knives. As I acquired expensive folders, I got the Lanski clamp system to avoid accidental scratchs on blade and handle. The metal clamp tip scatch blade anyway, so I moved onto Sharpmaker. I got a DMT aligner clamp with one coarse stone for reprofile only, since I had accumulated some Super Steel that is wearing out my patience. I learned about leather stropping on BF, and had been sharpening much less now.
Click to expand...

Place black tape offer the area your clamping. I've done it for years.
 
I have been sharpening knives for a long time

I unashamedly use the DMT Aligner for my penknives with great consistant results

My skills are good enough to invest in some high quality waterstones and feel and see the difference in the sharpened results on my longer knives
 
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