Knife Sharpener

GSO1962

GSO1962

Joined
Nov 16, 2013
Messages
1,659
I actually did a search, but could not find any recent threads on sharpening Beckers. I've tried several different systems on various knives over the years, but wanted to poll the experts here to see if there is one overwhelming favorite, or if opinions are like certain parts of your anatomy?
 
I am by no means an expert. I sharpen my convex BK2 on a set of Japanese water stones, works very well. My BK9 I use ceramic. I still have the V grind on the BK9. Don't know if I want to convex it yet.
 
For my large outdoor knives I like my Worksharp. Puts a nice edge on it and convexes too. Smaller blades, I go with a lansky sharpener that's kinda like a cheap version of a spyderco sharpmaker. I also have a cheap leather belt and some rubbing compound for stropping.
 
For my v-grind knives I really like my Sharpmaker. For convex grinds, sandpaper on a mouse pad & compound on a leather strop (I believe the Knives Ship Free website has some tutorials on convex sharpening).
 
The new Worksharp is freakin Awesome. For V grind, I would say DMT aligner, or for a nicer one, KME. The DMT is great dont get me wrong, but the KME is pretty top notch.
Theres also Wicked Edge if you want to spend even more. Fantastic system, but Pricey.
 
The Kabar Becker 1095 blades aren't that hard and diamond stones aren't really necessary. For touch up, I like the V sharpeners (ceramic rods). I use DMT Diamond bench stones the most for lot for different knives. I have grits from coarse to very fine. I prefer to do my sharpening by hand rather than using the systems and angle guides.

While at the manufacturer's day at the big Tennessee knife store, Ethan suggested the inexpensive Norton india Stone (coarse and fine grit). Bought one and it works well with 1095. I think the next time I visit the store, I'm going to buy a couple of the smaller versions for possible field carry from time to time.

I have a Lansky sharpening system that I seldom use.

Never tried Sharpmaker as they are expensive as far as I'm concerned and I have always been able to sharpen my knives sufficiently without one. The Sharpmaker does have some appeal however.

If I get really frustrated with a particular blade, sometimes I'll pull it through the Chef's Choice electric sharpener if the bar steel isn't too thick. This doesn't happen often, but it happens and using this amounts to a quick re-profile of the edge geometry in this situation. I will use it on inexpensive kitchen knives for a quick touch up since the unit sits in my kitchen. I use a lot of the inexpensive Victorinox knives in the kitchen along with some Case (bought years ago) and Old Hickory (also bought years ago).

So, if I had to use only one, it would be the DMT diamond bench stones (large double sided ones). But I have been impressed with the Norton India Stone as it sort of fits my history as I essentially used similar stuff as a kid.

Just starting to play around with stropping. I generally don't care if I have a knife razor sharp and having a slightly toothly edge appeals to me for general cutting. But, it's fun to see what kind of an edge you can achieve at times. They get so sharp that you don't even notice them cutting you if you make a mistake until you see the blood running.
 
I started out with a Norton stone. It worked well for me.
I have since moved on to the Sharpmaker by Spyderco and I have not looked back.
I purchased diamond rods for the system and they work well if an edge needs re profiling.
I also purchased the ultra fine rods. No need to strop afterwards.
It's important to remember with the Sharpmaker, it's designed to maintain an established edge.
If your edge geometry is other than 30 or 40 degrees, you may have a small task ahead of you in re profiling the edge. Thats where the diamond rods come into play.
I wouldn't recommend the Sharpmaker without diamond rods.
 
I use my Worksharp on large blades and an old Carborundum whet stone on the smaller stuff. I basically draw the line by deciding whether I'll be chopping or batoning. Anything too small to chop or baton with gets sharpened on the whet stone. Everything else goes to the Worksharp.
 
Absolutely nothing I have ever tried (including things like the spiderco sharpmaker) gets small blades as sharp as my Lansky - perhaps this is because with the lansky there is no freehand varaiable (the blade is fixed and the stones slide on rails in a guide...no wobbly hand mistakes like you can get with a sharpmaker). This would be great for bk-14's etc. That said you cannot use it on a large fixed blade with good results. For large blades, a large multigrit stone seems to be the way to go. I can't get them quite as sharp as on a lansky, but can still get them to shave hair off my arms.

For my big blades (like a bk2) I use an el-cheapo harbor freight 4 sided diamond hone ($12)to take care of any really bad crap I've done to my blade first - surpsingly, this cheap hone does well...followed by a set of nice norton waterstones (not so cheap at $140 for the set).
 
I used sandpaper and a mouspad, switched to a Lansky and now I've got a DMT Aligner. That last system works really good and you can get it for a really good price.
 
Jonny1280 said:
I started out with a Norton stone. It worked well for me.
I have since moved on to the Sharpmaker by Spyderco and I have not looked back.
I purchased diamond rods for the system and they work well if an edge needs re profiling.
I also purchased the ultra fine rods. No need to strop afterwards.
It's important to remember with the Sharpmaker, it's designed to maintain an established edge.
If your edge geometry is other than 30 or 40 degrees, you may have a small task ahead of you in re profiling the edge. Thats where the diamond rods come into play.
I wouldn't recommend the Sharpmaker without diamond rods.
Click to expand...

+1

With small difference. I didn't buy diamond files,instead,I use Moldmaster stones.
 
1x30 HF Belt sander. Belts from 120 grit up to 1.6 micron. Loaded leather 1x30 belt for stropping.
I find it a fast and easy way to get my blades as sharp as I need them.
It can also be a fast and easy way to ruin a knife so practice with a non-sentimental knife first!
Cheap and useful tool to have in your shop.
 
for maintenance, i have settled on a ceramic rod (kitchen sized) and then finish on my leather belt (i.e. pants). i also sometimes strop with the compound. depends on the edge.

i am not an expert. it really comes down to trial and error and personal preference. finding what works best for you is half the fun. good luck.
 
Wife just picked me up a WS KOE yesterday. Don't get it until Xmas though. It was on sale.

I was seriously considering a KME. And I was just about to pull the trigger on it, but the website said the KME's base plate was a separate purchase. Don't really understand that, anyway, that was around the same time that the WSKOE video was posted in the snark thread.

So, that's how I decided to get what I got.
 
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I have been thinking about one of those WE KOE and you said that your wife got it on sale? Can you email or PM me where she got the deal at? Thx.


Tdhurl1103 said:
Wife just picked me up a WS KOE yesterday. Don't get it until Xmas though. It was on sale.

I was seriously considering a KME. And I was just about to pull the trigger on it, but the website said the KME's base plate was a separate purchase. Don't really understand that, anyway, that was around the same time that the WSKOE video was posted in the snark thread.

So, that's how I decided to get what I got.
Click to expand...
 
For me, it's the Work Sharp first, KME second, then Japanese Waterstones. I prefer most of my Beckers with convex edges.
 
Mostly just strop my knives... Stropping works wonders. diamond compound, green compound, bare leather. it works.

I also have the worksharp regular version and i use it for blades that really need some work, but as long as i strop them after use they seem to keep on shaving. On the work sharp i never use the coarse belt, and only make 1 or 2 passes with the medium belt if any at all. I use the fine belt most the time.

The trick is to never let them get too dull. then honing them just takes a few minutes on a loaded strop.
 
Not an expert, but I've found the worksharp to be the easiest, fastest most consistent tool for sharpening edges. Plus, I like 'em convex.
 
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