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I **SUCK** at Sharpening! Dammit!
- Thread starter TheHorta
- Start date
But DMT Diasharp stones. Get a Coarse, Fine, X fine. Then get the Spyderco X fine ceramic for polishing. This is if you want to freehand. Buy all 8" stones, and you will be set. I still recommend the Sharpmaker.
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Actually, control is the entire reason why I freehand sharpen. Not sure where you're coming from.
What about honemeisters who finish with 60 strokes on the hanging strop? Do they end up with butter knives?
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- Jul 13, 2011
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I have to wonder if the Washboard isn't a hybrid guided system making me a big fat hypocrite. I can always argue that over time it improves freehand skill on other media....
HH
I own and use the Washboard, and it is not a hybrid guided system, in my opinion. There are no guides. You still have to control your angles and pressure. It gives excellent feedback and doesn't round off edges. I'd say it's more of an evolution of freehand.
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Homing razors is a totally different thing. The razor has a guide on the spine to control the angle. When I used a straight, I stropped it 40-50 laps on each side.
Perhaps you are able to strop something like a Spyderco military 60 times on a hanging strop and not round the edge. The other 99.9 percent of us can't.
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I own and use the Washboard, and it is not a hybrid guided system, in my opinion. There are no guides. You still have to control your angles and pressure. It gives excellent feedback and doesn't round off edges. I'd say it's more of an evolution of freehand.
Right there with you Mag .. :thumbup:
Jason B.
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Well.... I'm a stone junky and a professional sharpener, you sure you want that opinion
In your case I would go with my original recommendation and add a balsa wood strop (easy to make) with 1 Micron diamond spray. It will provide you will all the sharpness you will ever need for a folding knife and is always something you can expand on. Make sure to master it before you go looking for something else though.
When you feel like expanding I would recommend waterstones such as Nubatama, Naniwa Chosera, or Shapton.
More laziness/convenience.
Growing food is another poor analogy. Food is best tasting and best for you nutritionally the closer you get it to the hoof it was walking on or the ground it was growing in. Best from your own property. Else it's chemical and/or hormone laden with less nutritional value (especially once processed and bought by you in a bag or a can or, especially, a box).
DMT Coarse and Fine and an Arkansas Hard:
The DMT Diafold in blue (coarse)/and red (fine). You can find them for $25-$35:
http://www.dmtsharp.com/sharpeners/folding-models/double-sided-diafold/
An Arkansas Hard is much cheaper and can be found everywhere.
Then get a light oil for the hone. Sewing machine oil is fine.
You can use noncorrugated card board as a strop.
Try this in your front pocket. I've been using one for a couple of years.
http://www.flipsidewallet.com/
Dude, just stop.
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- Sep 15, 2009
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- 839
Everyone just agree to disagree and let's move on. I use both a DMT Magna Guide
for reprofiling and DMT Diafolds for everyday touch ups. Both methods have their place its not something that needs to be argued about. That being said I think an Edge Pro or Wicked Edge is a pretty big investment for someone just getting into sharpening, for under $50 something like the Lansky or DMT Aligner/Magna Guide might be a good alternative if he wants a guided system.
for reprofiling and DMT Diafolds for everyday touch ups. Both methods have their place its not something that needs to be argued about. That being said I think an Edge Pro or Wicked Edge is a pretty big investment for someone just getting into sharpening, for under $50 something like the Lansky or DMT Aligner/Magna Guide might be a good alternative if he wants a guided system.
I'm terribly sorry if I made anyone think that I look down on those who use sharpening systems, or that using a system is for simpletons. I don't want to start any fights. If I was a carver or used knives (specifically more than one) everyday, I would definitely buy a system, but at this point I like the setup I have and it meets my time available and sharpness requirements. If you have a sharp knife, it doesn't matter how it got that way.
Cheers,
Connor
Cheers,
Connor
Stop what? Pointing out faulty logic? Point is freehand sharpening is perfectly fine for the vast majority of knife users. It isn't an ancient art with no place in modern times. Same with growing your own food vice relying only on a supermarket and logistics chain.
To each his own. Have at it, I won't reply.
So I am pretty new to this whole thing, and this thread has helped a little before devolving into arguments. I do have some things I would like clarified.
I am leaning towards going the Spyderco Sharpmaker/ coarse DMT stone route.
First question, will the sharpmaker fine ceramic rods give me enough of a fine edge or should I invest in DMT fine grit stones as well?
Second, should I get the DMT diamond wetstone coarse or the DMT diasharp diamond stone coarse?
Thanks so much, this forum has helped me immensely in getting started with this new hobby.
I am leaning towards going the Spyderco Sharpmaker/ coarse DMT stone route.
First question, will the sharpmaker fine ceramic rods give me enough of a fine edge or should I invest in DMT fine grit stones as well?
Second, should I get the DMT diamond wetstone coarse or the DMT diasharp diamond stone coarse?
Thanks so much, this forum has helped me immensely in getting started with this new hobby.
Sorry there is some purse fighting going on. Instead of knives, there is talk of farming, and one's need to do this that or the other.
In answer to your question, get the Diasharp coarse, and the sharpmaker. Yes the fine rods are finer than a fine diamond stone. You will be able to put a pretty scary edge on, with those two tools. Get yourself a strop as well. I went to Tandy leather, and bought a 3' wide piece of leather, and made my own. I use bare leather mostly. Hope this helps. Duck if you see a purse coming.
Hey thanks so much!
Just one last question, is there a significant advantage to getting the 8" stone over the 6" stone?
Okay and I will have to invest in a strop. Would you recommend using a compound or not with the strop?
So much for one last question..
Thanks again!
Just one last question, is there a significant advantage to getting the 8" stone over the 6" stone?
Okay and I will have to invest in a strop. Would you recommend using a compound or not with the strop?
So much for one last question..
Thanks again!
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8" stone gives more working room, especially when you get to chefs knives, will remove more metal in one pass.
Strops vary, I prefer compound on my jeans, some guys like pressed horsehide, a whole slew of options, longer strops like longer stones are IMHO a better option.
Strops vary, I prefer compound on my jeans, some guys like pressed horsehide, a whole slew of options, longer strops like longer stones are IMHO a better option.