How many free hand sharpen?

knifenut1013 said:
Like most I've tried most systems but could never get the results like freehand, so I've stuck with what I know.

But.........

This thread is useless without pic's :D

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Click to expand...

I don't get results like this, but it's my preferred method.
 
I do. I don't get shaving sharp mirror-polished edges, but as long as I get an even and sharp working edge, I'm happy.
 
I do too. It's a nice skill to have and makes me feel even more self sufficient knowing I can sharpen my knives without guides and stuff. My grandfather didn't use anything more than an old coarse/fine crystolon stone and a smooth steel to get his knives "hair popping" sharp. He probably didn't think too much about precise angles or scratching up his knives either. They were tools, get them sharp and use them.

Don't remember where I read it, but what was said helped me.

1) If you can dull a knife free hand, then you can probably sharpen a knife free hand.

2) It's not a race, it's not about being fast, it's about getting it done.

Mike
 
I freehand sharpen, the stone in one hand, the knife in the other.
My father (RIP) taught me when I was eight, when he gifted me my first knife, a Gerber MK-1 about... 24 years ago - I still own it! I find freehand sharpening to be meditative, and comforting.

I mainly use a two-sided arkansas stone (medium/fine), though I occasionally reach for a DMT Fine diamond hone. I have my eye on a DMT extra extra coarse, in case I ever need to rebevel an edge (an eventuality that hasn't happened yet), but my set up right now works. I've got a couple pocket sized stones (a medium stone, and a diamond hone), and they come along when I go out hiking.

Funny thing is, my Dad's sharpening technique was... flawed. The blade was always scratched all over the place, and rather dull; probably due to sharpening under the influence! Also, his knife use was kind of questionable, I remember him breaking the edge of HIS MK1 (we each had one) trying to pry open a window. He'd be impressed with the shaving sharp edges I've been achieving, I think.
 
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