Is it just tradition?

I just recently got into knives and sharpening, so I also just recently went through an internal debate on what sharpening system to buy into. After hours of research I had basically whittled it down to three options for sharpening: freehanded, guided, and contraption. They all have their benefits. The determining factor in my case was the fact that I don't lock myself in my house 7 days a week admiring my blade edges. I try to lead a more active lifestyle. Learning to freehand is the only way I could see that I'd be able to sharpen my knives wherever and whenever I needed them to be sharpened. I ended up getting a pair of DMT Diafolds. I think I paid $50 for the pair, and I have grits from course to extra extra fine. It took me about 2 hours of practice to be able to get a blade sharp enough to slice paper and about 2 weeks to get to the point where I could shave my arm hair.

This last weekend we went camping with my brother's family. I had done a bit of whittling and sat down and pulled out a Diafold. My brother looked a little puzzled and asked me what that contraption was. I showed him and within 20 seconds or so had my blade back to shaving sharp. He pulled out his Spyderco and mentioned how sharp it was when it was new. I grabbed it and spent about 5 minutes on it. When I handed it back he said "Wow, this is sharper than when it was new." I won't lie and say that this didn't make me a bit proud.

My guess would be that the people that are trying to help people that are new to sharpening are trying to answer questions honestly. They're not giving false answers because they are resentful of technology. When somebody asks what the best sharpening system is the answer is free handing. If somebody asked what the easiest sharpening system is the answer would probably be one of the contraptions. I say this because I can't honestly convince myself that a $200 gadget that only allows me to sharpen a knife if I have a workbench or an outlet is better than $50 worth of stones that allow me to sharpen whatever I want, whenever I want, wherever I want. And to top it off, if I decide I want to sharpen scissors or an axe or a lawnmower blade or any of the 100 other sharp tools I use I have to buy a new attachment or learn a new technique or maybe even buy a whole new contraption. With stones I can do all of those things with the same technique and maybe have go buy a $10 bastard file if I didn't already have one.

I like your analogies, but I think that they're a bit off. The analogy I like is that my diafolds are like my cell phone. I can take them with me and use them wherever I am. Your contraptions are like an old rotary phone. They are a lot simpler and they take relatively little knowledge to operate, but they are very limiting. I like to sit at a campsite and look up today's weather on my smart phone while whittling away with a sharp blade. You would rather be locked into a system that you can only use at home and only has one function. My grandmother is the same way, she just loves that old phone sitting on her end table. It's OK that we have different opinions, but don't mistake that for snobbery and don't mistake me for somebody that's been doing this my whole life and doesn't like change. You can see my Join Date, and you can find the threads where I was asking how I should start learning how to sharpen.
 
Cory Hess said:
...I think I paid $50 for the pair...

... that a $200 gadget that only allows me to sharpen a knife if I have a workbench or an outlet is better than $50 worth of stones ...
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You make decent points, but, just to be clear, let me articulate that the work sharp KTS only costs $70 through amazon, not 200.
 
I went to the hard ware store the other day, looking for something to sharpen my hawk bill with. There was a young guy that sounded great going on and on about the sharp maker. He even got it out and demonstrated it. He had the spiel down pat. So I asked to see his knife. It was not what I would call sharp. He said it was because it was some super steel, so it wouldn't get as sharp, or something along that line. There was another young guy at the counter who pulled out his Smith and Wesson pocket knife, cause "Joe (apparently the guy who "really knows knives") had sharpened it on the sharp maker the day before. He attempted to shave some arm hair, but just got dry skin. The first kid"demonstrated"the sharp maker for maybe 10 minutes in his knife, and it never got sharp. I do not doubt that you can get a good edge with it, but at least that kid could not. I ended up getting a ceramic rod for 3 bucks. It works great, my hawk bill is sharp, fast. And it was cheap. I like stones and strops cause you can get really sharp, really cheap.
 
W.M.B. said:
I went to the hard ware store the other day, looking for something to sharpen my hawk bill with. There was a young guy that sounded great going on and on about the sharp maker. He even got it out and demonstrated it. He had the spiel down pat. So I asked to see his knife. It was not what I would call sharp. He said it was because it was some super steel, so it wouldn't get as sharp, or something along that line. There was another young guy at the counter who pulled out his Smith and Wesson pocket knife, cause "Joe (apparently the guy who "really knows knives") had sharpened it on the sharp maker the day before. He attempted to shave some arm hair, but just got dry skin. The first kid"demonstrated"the sharp maker for maybe 10 minutes in his knife, and it never got sharp. I do not doubt that you can get a good edge with it, but at least that kid could not. I ended up getting a ceramic rod for 3 bucks. It works great, my hawk bill is sharp, fast. And it was cheap. I like stones and strops cause you can get really sharp, really cheap.
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Are you talking about the spyderco sharp maker? That isn't meant to put an edge on a blade, to my knowledge. It's meant to take an edge that's already there and make it better. I'm pretty sure you're supposed to use traditional stones beforehand. At least, that's what everyone I know with a sharp maker does.
 
Cory Hess said:
... And to top it off, if I decide I want to sharpen scissors or an axe or a lawnmower blade or any of the 100 other sharp tools I use I have to buy a new attachment or learn a new technique or maybe even buy a whole new contraption. With stones I can do all of those things with the same technique and maybe have go buy a $10 bastard file if I didn't already have one.
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Also, the work sharp can sharpen axes, shovels, scissors, lawn mower blades, or even be used to polish burrs off of pipes if you need it to. The grits that come in the base set are even graded for being able to polish wood to an extent. And it does all of these things with what comes out of the box. The cassette rotates to allow for easy grinding. Most of that is on the work sharp's official video on youtube, if you'd like to see for yourself.
 
thedancingsousa said:
Also, the work sharp can sharpen axes, shovels, scissors, lawn mower blades, or even be used to polish burrs off of pipes if you need it to. The grits that come in the base set are even graded for being able to polish wood to an extent. And it does all of these things with what comes out of the box. The cassette rotates to allow for easy grinding. Most of that is on the work sharp's official video on youtube, if you'd like to see for yourself.
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Your starting to sound like a salesman, I haven't seen the snobbish behavior you speak of coming from the old timers, we don't care what you use to sharpen your edges with, spend $5, send $500 but you'll never convince me that knowing how to free hand sharpen, maintain an edge and do it with some basic stones and skill is snobbish.

All those things you say you can do with a WS, with a little practice you might be able to do to some degree of skill but you know what? I can do the same with a file and 2 stones and there's nothing snobbish about it. I didn't learn how to do it in 10 minutes, I've spent 40 years to get here and probably another 40 God willing still trying to get there.

Enjoy your technology,I know I do, every tool has its place but nothing can replace experience. One last comment from me, I don't recall seeing anyone address the calming, therapeutic effect of free hand sharpening, for me it's a kind of therapy and always has been. There is something so satisfying about putting a keen edge on a knife with nothing more than a good stone and reasonable skill. Don't put down the old ways till you've become proficient to duplicate the same results free hand as some of the "snobs" do that and maybe you'll get more people on your side. I know I can get the same results or better using your way, I'm all for modern technology but can you get the same results I do my way?

You're entitled to your opinion and I'll respect that but I'm also entitled to mine. I'm not a sharpening snob, (I'm still not sure what that is) but I am passionate about knives, knife culture and the maintenance of knives, for lack of a better word how about we just call them passionate enthusiasts?
 
I wasn't specifically speaking of the work sharp. From what I've seen it looks like a fine machine. To be honest I regret the tone of my last message. I just got a little frustrated reading through this thread and seeing what I took as a disrespectful approach to the idea of there being value in having skill in freehand sharpening. I think it's great that there are tools out there that let just about anybody achieve a great edge on their knives. I also don't think that this diminishes, in any way, the value of being a skilled freehand sharpener. I downright resent the fact that anybody would be disrespectful enough to insinuate that somebody that donates their time to trying to help others learn this skill are doing so because they wasted their time learning the skill and want to feel important.

I'm sorry that somebody made you feel like you were looked down upon. I don't see how starting a thread denouncing freehanding and comparing it to riding a horse instead of driving a car is any better. Don't make the same mistake that they did. They have their thing and you have yours. Both groups could probably learn a thing or two from the other. Putting each other down doesn't do anybody any good. I apologize if anything I said offended anybody.
 
Tradition and being stubborn has little to do with it:

Work Sharp produces convex edges. Many prefer V edges so NO it is not "just tradition", it can be about preference.

It rounds tips too easily and the extra attention/care you do to avoid rounded tips offsets the "easiness" of the system as compared to other methods.

Some super steels takes too long to re profile and have to go high speeds for extended periods...which can ruin the heat treat, and it actually takes me faster reprofiling with diamonds on an EP for example.

The metal dust produced scratches the blade while sharpening and when you tape it up to avoid scratches, drawing the blade (sharpening on the machine) becomes a little less accurate and more cumbersome compared to not having tape applied. Also make sure you wear a simple mask to avoid breathing metals.

It's a cool system and it works well. It has its pros and cons just like the rest of them. This isn't Set it and Forget it Star Trek sharpening that produces exactly what you want every time.
 
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fetzer85 said:
How you gonna sharpen your knives when the power goes out, bro? Worse yet when the SHTF?!

Lol, I have a KOWS and enjoy using it. I also have a few stones which, to this point, I haven't been able to do well enough for my liking.

If the power goes out (and stays out) I'll have plenty of time to learn how.
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I'll use the Worksharp manual sharpener. Works amazingly well and is simple. While the plug is working, I'll sharpen the night away with my worksharp. So good!

Worksharps and the like are no different than Lansky sets, the Spyderco rods, the this set and that set. Set up right, follow directions, knife is sharp. Still simplified preset angle sharpeners. Unless you are using a flat sharpenin stone with no angle guides, you're using a crutch to do it right. My crutch is my Worksharp. I'm ok with that.

And yes, I CAN sharpen with stones, I just don't find it therapeutic like some folks do. I occasionally do for practice, but not for fun.

BTW, what happens with your poo don't hit the fan? You and so many others will be weeping over your bug out bags of ridiculous stuff...
 
thedancingsousa said:
Are you talking about the spyderco sharp maker? That isn't meant to put an edge on a blade, to my knowledge. It's meant to take an edge that's already there and make it better. I'm pretty sure you're supposed to use traditional stones beforehand. At least, that's what everyone I know with a sharp maker does.
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Well, the salesman seemed to think it was a stand alone system, not needing the other stones. His words were impressive, but his knife was dull.
Yes, it was spyderco.
 
Lots of references to the SM here? Well IMO that's a very Poor example. I find the SM harder to sharpen a knife with than doing it the "traditional" freehand way with a good set of stones..YMMV
 
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There's nothing wrong with preferring to do it freehand on some stones. I never said that. The snobbery I referred to in the OP was when someone goes out looking for ideas and instead of explaining all the options and their pros and cons, someone responds with a very short message that reads along the lines of, "Forget everything and spend a lot of time learning to use stones." I started on stones. Most anyone will, considering their widespread availability. But they aren't always the best sharpening system out there.

Does a bike run when I don't have gas for my car? Sure, but does that make it better than my car? Not until I run out of gas. The fact is that the worksharp is an elegant piece of technology that sharpens knives well with minimal effort. There's nothing wrong with traditional sharpening methods, when used correctly. There's also nothing wrong with the work sharp, when used correctly.

Just to be extra super clear, I never said and never intended to say that using stones and learning stones is snobbish. I said that assuming that stones are always superior to any other method is snobbish.
 
T. Erdelyi said:
I don't recall seeing anyone address the calming, therapeutic effect of free hand sharpening, for me it's a kind of therapy and always has been. There is something so satisfying about putting a keen edge on a knife with nothing more than a good stone and reasonable skill.
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My biggest problem sharpening freehand is disposing of the metal dust on my chest and belly after I lie on the floor in front of the TV sharpening.
 
davek14 said:
My biggest problem sharpening freehand is disposing of the metal dust on my chest and belly after I lie on the floor in front of the TV sharpening.
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I can't quite wrap my head around how that works. Is the stone on your torso and you on your back? I mean, different strokes for different folks, I guess.
 
thedancingsousa said:
I can't quite wrap my head around how that works. Is the stone on your torso and you on your back? I mean, different strokes for different folks, I guess.
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Emery cloth double sided taped to a flat piece of steel in one hand and the knife in the other. Relaxing and slowing down while doing it like that I actually do a better job than with the abrasive stationary.

Usually it's the final stages if I'm doing it like that with the greater metal removal being done while standing. Although I did sharpen the serrations out of an EKA knife with an old semi-already-ruined stone in front of the TV once. Suffice it to say I was bored.

I hope you meant the "different strokes" as a joke 'cuz it was good.
 
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Simpler is almost always better. No reason to complicate knife sharpening. The gains just aren't there. Where new technology in pocket knife sharpening has shown great benefit is in sharpening materials (diamond, ceramics, etc), not in gadgetry.

What amazes me here is not "free hand sharpening snobbery". What amazes me is how big of a deal is made here out of sharpening to begin with (regardless of the method or gadgets used). It just isn't that difficult a skill to learn (regardless of the method or gadgets used). It truly is a basic skill which millions before us have learned. Almost every man and boy can learn to do it to.
 
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leghog said:
...Almost every man and boy can learn to do it to.
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When I was a kid growin' up in the 60s every girl learning to cook and taking home economics and every woman with her salt in the kitchen, which was most women back then could sharpen a knife. You're right it wasn't a big deal but that typical household skill that transcended gender has been lost to the Ginsu knife mentality, lots of pointy little serrations is all you need to keep your knife sharp, then when it won't cut a ballpeen hammer anymore you buy a new one for $19.99 and if you order now we'll send you two for the price of one, just pay separate processing and handling. :rolleyes:
 
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