I sharpened a knife using no more than flat benchtop stones !!
Ever since my strange Aquisition of Cutlery fetish started some 20 or so years ago I have wanted to be able to sharpen a knife "the old fashioned way" I just assumed though that it was one of those skills that was passed down from father to son and involved some ritual use of alcohol and dance and perhaps some praise bestowed upon some metallurgical god. We didnt do much hunting in the old country of my youth so I didnt have that influence to help either.(brooklyn)
Long ago when I studied medical technology I asked why we were taught to perform complicated labor intensive tests that had long since been relegated to computers and machines. "Because as a Med Tech you should know how to do them" was the reply. So as a knife guy I really want to know how to sharpen with nothing more than stones. I bought the Razors edge book to get a good understanding of the concept and mechanics and I got a cheap tri-hone from McMaster.
How did it come out ?
My Sebenza was toast. I couldnt get it to bite into an edge of a sheet of typing paper without dificulty. If I sawed a little back and forth it would catch but then when I tried to pull it through the rest of the paper it would go a bit then just bend the paper. It was the test subject.
After the sharpening the knife edge when viewed with a lope has more facets than a cut diamond. Oh well!
I have to practice holding that angle through the movement more. I was shooting for something around a measured 23 degrees but Im sure that fluctuated wildly. I did a circular motion on one side checking the other side with my fingernail until I had a hook pretty consistantly through the length of the edge then flipped it to the other side. Started withthe course and went through to the fine and tried to polish the fine edge at a slightly steeper angle as per the Razor edge book.
Performance
Well if I started the knife into an edge of typing paper I could just pull it through with one clean pull and the cut was nice and clean. I could also hold the edge of the paper out and by just hitting it with the knife edge I could whack off nice hunks from it cleanly cut. When I tried to shave the arm hairs it ?? shaved ?? Well not like my Busse or fowler that with a simple swipe cleans your entire arm but it did remove hair. Some scraping some cutting, Im sure everyone knows what Im talking about.
Thoughts
I got to this edge far faster than when I use my gatco system. Admittedly my gatco is years old and these stones were new. It is fairly easy to get to at least this edge and with some real practice it should be a breeze. TOward the end of my first try I was able to hold the angle pretty consistantly. Holding that exact angle through the movement although important is not the be all and end all. Like I said my edge isnt the prettiest under a lope but it cuts better than most. There is no magic invlved with doing this even though rythmic chanting and bansuri flute music probably couldnt hurt.
Sorry for the longish post but I know there have to be a bunch of others like me who have pondered learning this for a long time. If my very very City behind can take a sebenza to some inexpensive stones and get an edge anyone can.
Ha ha
Soon I get to be one of 'those' guys. You know the ones who seem to have some secret info.
"grandpa can you sharpen my knife for me"
"Sure son, go get THE STONES and while your at it bring the Rum, and the dancing shoes.
I got something to show you.
------------------
ALex
http://home.att.net./~a.boriqua
Ever since my strange Aquisition of Cutlery fetish started some 20 or so years ago I have wanted to be able to sharpen a knife "the old fashioned way" I just assumed though that it was one of those skills that was passed down from father to son and involved some ritual use of alcohol and dance and perhaps some praise bestowed upon some metallurgical god. We didnt do much hunting in the old country of my youth so I didnt have that influence to help either.(brooklyn)
Long ago when I studied medical technology I asked why we were taught to perform complicated labor intensive tests that had long since been relegated to computers and machines. "Because as a Med Tech you should know how to do them" was the reply. So as a knife guy I really want to know how to sharpen with nothing more than stones. I bought the Razors edge book to get a good understanding of the concept and mechanics and I got a cheap tri-hone from McMaster.
How did it come out ?
My Sebenza was toast. I couldnt get it to bite into an edge of a sheet of typing paper without dificulty. If I sawed a little back and forth it would catch but then when I tried to pull it through the rest of the paper it would go a bit then just bend the paper. It was the test subject.
After the sharpening the knife edge when viewed with a lope has more facets than a cut diamond. Oh well!
Performance
Well if I started the knife into an edge of typing paper I could just pull it through with one clean pull and the cut was nice and clean. I could also hold the edge of the paper out and by just hitting it with the knife edge I could whack off nice hunks from it cleanly cut. When I tried to shave the arm hairs it ?? shaved ?? Well not like my Busse or fowler that with a simple swipe cleans your entire arm but it did remove hair. Some scraping some cutting, Im sure everyone knows what Im talking about.
Thoughts
I got to this edge far faster than when I use my gatco system. Admittedly my gatco is years old and these stones were new. It is fairly easy to get to at least this edge and with some real practice it should be a breeze. TOward the end of my first try I was able to hold the angle pretty consistantly. Holding that exact angle through the movement although important is not the be all and end all. Like I said my edge isnt the prettiest under a lope but it cuts better than most. There is no magic invlved with doing this even though rythmic chanting and bansuri flute music probably couldnt hurt.
Sorry for the longish post but I know there have to be a bunch of others like me who have pondered learning this for a long time. If my very very City behind can take a sebenza to some inexpensive stones and get an edge anyone can.
Ha ha
Soon I get to be one of 'those' guys. You know the ones who seem to have some secret info.
"grandpa can you sharpen my knife for me"
"Sure son, go get THE STONES and while your at it bring the Rum, and the dancing shoes.
I got something to show you.
------------------
ALex
http://home.att.net./~a.boriqua
