It finally happened ... Knowledge + Experience = Peace Of Mind

[J Thomas]

I noticed the favorite kitchen knife needed a sharpening, out came the Shapton Glass 500 grit stone. Apply water use various stroke styles, grab some paper, slice... good.

I know it can be better ... grab the Spyderco Medium Benchstone add soap, water and a few, super light, edge leading strokes dropping the angle more acute each time ... sliced some paper ... better.

Time to gild the lily. Spyderco Fine, soap, water, extra-super light edge leading strokes, up-back, up-back, paper, slice ... there we go, my best. (Rolled the last piece of paper into a tube and then sliced the top off the tube ... ziiiiip). =) Boy that's fun.

...

The above took about 6 minutes to do this morning and about 2 years to learn.

...

Thank You all for your help these past years. For too long I did not know how to sharpen. I read a lot, watched a lot, called folks, e-mailed, DVD's, books, and a bunch of frustration. So much paper cut over time with not ever knowing why it would or would not cut. Now I know enough to finally be at peace with my knife sharpening.

...

There is a calmness to knife sharpening now ... it's a special feeling. So much more to learn and refine, but for now, I know I can sharpen a knife freehand and it's not too shabby.

Special Appreciation to Jason B., Peter Nowlan, Bill DeShivs, and Josh of Razor Edge Knives.

Thank You - John

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[BITEME]

Congrats brother it's taken me a while myself....occasionally I will get a knife that has an uneven grind from the factory usu.near the ricasso it throws off my game till I see it,then I know I'm in for a little extra work

 

[J Thomas]

Thank You.

That extra work throws you when you're not sure what to do or how to do it.

Now, "I can fix that, and I'll need "such & such" to do it." Man! I like that feeling.

 

[awestib]

... grab the Spyderco Medium Benchstone add soap, water and a few, super light, edge leading strokes dropping the angle more acute each time ...

Good for you John! I don't understand what I quoted above though. You take a finer stone and drop the angle? How can you hit the apex if you drop the angle?

And with "... up-back .." I assume you mean you increase the angle a bit (microbevel) and than back to "main" cutting bevel to reduce the microbevel further?

 

[Wowbagger]

I noticed the favorite kitchen knife needed a sharpening, out came the Shapton Glass 500 grit stone. Apply water use various stroke styles, grab some paper, slice... good.

I know it can be better ... grab the Spyderco Medium Benchstone add soap, water and a few, super light, edge leading strokes dropping the angle more acute each time ... sliced some paper ... better.

Time to gild the lily. Spyderco Fine, soap, water, extra-super light edge leading strokes, up-back, up-back, paper, slice ... there we go, my best. (Rolled the last piece of paper into a tube and then sliced the top off the tube ... ziiiiip). =) Boy that's fun.

...

The above took about 6 minutes to do this morning and about 2 years to learn.

...

Thank You all for your help these past years. For too long I did not know how to sharpen. I read a lot, watched a lot, called folks, e-mailed, DVD's, books, and a bunch of frustration. So much paper cut over time with not ever knowing why it would or would not cut. Now I know enough to finally be at peace with my knife sharpening.

...

There is a calmness to knife sharpening now ... it's a special feeling. So much more to learn and refine, but for now, I know I can sharpen a knife freehand and it's not too shabby.

Special Appreciation to Jason B., Peter Nowlan, Bill DeShivs, and Josh of Razor Edge Knives.

Thank You - John

.

Way to go !
Hey . . . while you have the paper rolled into a tube try shaving a layer off the side of the tube without cutting all the way through it. = Next progression of sharpness.
If you can get a layer to shave off in both directions the edge isn't rolled and there is no bur.
Do this for the whole length of the edge . . . from a six minute sharpening session . . . and I bow to you Grass Hoppa'.