- Joined
- Feb 3, 2001
- Messages
- 32,359
It's not snobbery, in this case it's promoting understanding of the entire concept of sharpening the blade, New technology is a great thing but if all you know is the new technology and in the case of sharpening get fantastic results from your WS for example do you really know how to optimize your results?
This applies to knife sharpening, photography, auto repair, sure you could put your camera on full auto and get beautiful pictures, you could clamp your blade in a Lansky and get great edges but I'm sure if you understood all the concepts involved and learned from the beginning how to get a sharp edge on your knife or a great picture using your basic camera equipment think of how much better it could be.
My daughter's bf is a really good photographer he's great at manipulating digital media and getting the results he eventually wants by tweaking with the software. His argument to me was what difference does it make if he understands how the old focal plane shutter cameras worked, how the different settings along with the different types of film gave you an infinite variety of possible results.
I finally got him to put down his Canon Rebel and pick up my F1, after 6 months of shooting real film and having to understand how everything affected the final picture, he learned. He learned the basics and how to use the understanding of how his equipment evolved thus being able to exploit to his advantage every aspect of his new equipment. Plus the next time he was handed an older camera he knew how to get the best results from the equipment he had available.
Same applies to sharpening knives in my opinion, I have most of the sharpening systems out there, I learned how to sharpen old school and evolved with the equipment so when someone asks my opinion I tell them learn how to do it with the minimal equipment available and when you have to 2"X72" slack belt grinder or a 8" water stone you'll get the best edge possible because you understand the evolution of the process and equipment. At that point you can make an educated decision as to what method you want to use to achieve you desired end result.
I think like most who support learning free hand sharpening in the case of the OP versus using the WS to do a major reprofile of a blade your best bet would be to do it old school at first.
One other thought, power tools used to do a job that can be done by hand by someone who's not proficient in the task either way will find that the use of power can magnify errors and accelerate mistakes to the point where you've ruined your blade, something that takes a lot longer when done by hand.
Some advice will be given by elitist techno snobs but when I give my opinion is because I've tried most of the different ways of doing things, I've made my mistakes and learned from them so when asked for my opinion I try to impart the knowledge achieved through experience to the person asking the question.
There are many ways to skin a cat but there's only one best way at the time your skinning it. The more you know, the more options you have available to you to get the best results in whatever you're trying to accomplish.
This is the last thing I'll say on this subject, you should never ask someone's opinion then discount it because you don't like or agree with it, you'll find yourself working alone and figuring things out by yourself quite often. My Old Man used to tell me, "...you can always learn something from anybody, even if it's how not to do something."
Best of luck in your quest thedancingsousa.
This applies to knife sharpening, photography, auto repair, sure you could put your camera on full auto and get beautiful pictures, you could clamp your blade in a Lansky and get great edges but I'm sure if you understood all the concepts involved and learned from the beginning how to get a sharp edge on your knife or a great picture using your basic camera equipment think of how much better it could be.
My daughter's bf is a really good photographer he's great at manipulating digital media and getting the results he eventually wants by tweaking with the software. His argument to me was what difference does it make if he understands how the old focal plane shutter cameras worked, how the different settings along with the different types of film gave you an infinite variety of possible results.
I finally got him to put down his Canon Rebel and pick up my F1, after 6 months of shooting real film and having to understand how everything affected the final picture, he learned. He learned the basics and how to use the understanding of how his equipment evolved thus being able to exploit to his advantage every aspect of his new equipment. Plus the next time he was handed an older camera he knew how to get the best results from the equipment he had available.
Same applies to sharpening knives in my opinion, I have most of the sharpening systems out there, I learned how to sharpen old school and evolved with the equipment so when someone asks my opinion I tell them learn how to do it with the minimal equipment available and when you have to 2"X72" slack belt grinder or a 8" water stone you'll get the best edge possible because you understand the evolution of the process and equipment. At that point you can make an educated decision as to what method you want to use to achieve you desired end result.
I think like most who support learning free hand sharpening in the case of the OP versus using the WS to do a major reprofile of a blade your best bet would be to do it old school at first.
One other thought, power tools used to do a job that can be done by hand by someone who's not proficient in the task either way will find that the use of power can magnify errors and accelerate mistakes to the point where you've ruined your blade, something that takes a lot longer when done by hand.
Some advice will be given by elitist techno snobs but when I give my opinion is because I've tried most of the different ways of doing things, I've made my mistakes and learned from them so when asked for my opinion I try to impart the knowledge achieved through experience to the person asking the question.
There are many ways to skin a cat but there's only one best way at the time your skinning it. The more you know, the more options you have available to you to get the best results in whatever you're trying to accomplish.
This is the last thing I'll say on this subject, you should never ask someone's opinion then discount it because you don't like or agree with it, you'll find yourself working alone and figuring things out by yourself quite often. My Old Man used to tell me, "...you can always learn something from anybody, even if it's how not to do something."
Best of luck in your quest thedancingsousa.
