Knife sharpening freehand in 2 easy steps

awestib

awestib

Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
1,647
Well, I finally did it. A short video showing how I like to shapen my knives. I am using a japanese kitchen knife with a VG10 steel core. It is dull at first, the final edge is good enough to slice phonebook paper and slightly tree topping my arm hair near my wrist (usually I use my chest hair for testing but I thought you guys would not want seeing me doing that "in public").

I use a blue dotted DMT diamond stone with a bit of soapy water, it can be done as easily dry which makes it very attractive for me for outdoor sharpening. The second step is using one sheat of printer paper loaded with white compound on HeavyHanded's washboard that he used in one of his sharpening videos. The base is just a 6 inch Norton Crystolon stone.

I appologize right from the start about the setup (M - this is a bit pathetic!). This was last night in our laundry room, the sink was somewhat in the way and the camera angle was awkward. Also, I still have quite a strong accent although I have been living in Canada for 8 years. Also, I was actually a bit nervous, being on camera! So, please ask if something is unclear.

Also, I am by no means a sharpening expert and this is actually only one way to do it. I tried to avoid any microbevels on this edge, at no point I (at least not intentionally) did I raise the angle. Sure, using a microbevel approach with a fine stone for instance, would make everything easier and faster, I guess. But I wanted to have a clean even bevel. With the printer paper and either black or white compound, I am able to maintain that edge indefinitely without the need to go back to a stone. This video is to support the recent postings of excellent videos by Magnaminous_G, bluntcut, HeavyHanded and Knifenut. I hope to contribute more (and with a better setup) down the road.

Here you have it (I warned you), and any suggestions, critic etc. more than welcome:

Link for smartphones etc.:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1Mlcnq29sU

Link for computer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1Mlcnq29sU

Thanks for watching!
 
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Good steady hands & angle! You sure make it look easy to sharpen a fairly difficult vg-10 steel knife.

Andy - thanks for sharing:thumbup:
 
Your technique seems familiar :D

I'd recommend waterstones to finish that style of blade but your results seem pretty good :thumbup:


[video=youtube;Z1Mlcnq29sU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?nomobile=1&v=Z1Mlcnq29sU[/video]
 
knifenut1013 said:
Your technique seems familiar :D

I'd recommend waterstones to finish that style of blade but your results seem pretty good :thumbup:


[video=youtube;Z1Mlcnq29sU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?nomobile=1&v=Z1Mlcnq29sU[/video]
Click to expand...

It does, doesn't it :-)
I love waterstones too Jason although I have had trouble having good feedback edge trailing. The washboard surface covered by one sheet of paper gives amazing feedback, even in the tip area!
 
Excellent video and technique shown. Is the glass you placed on the stone flat, or textured? I didn't quite catch that, and if textured, what is the advantage of that over flat and smooth glass? I see from your response to Jason that it was "washboard". Can you explain the reason for that? First time I have seen or heard of that.

PS. Your accent is no problem, even this old southern boy could understand every word. Great Job, and looking forward to more of your video's.

Blessings,

Omar
 
Andy,

Very nice video! If not because of right handedness, I'd thought Jason has a new video at his new home :D the motion is so familiar!

Around 10:50, I heard the burr ground off (correct?), also when stropping 12:45, another one. Obvious result when tested with paper, it was smooth!

Question & request:
- original linked discussion on the washboard please
- is the white compound same as bluntcut's balance strop?
- what is the benefit o this method compared to 'balance strop'?
- as end result, does the edge become 'mirror' as what I found, repeatedly going back to the strop slowly turns it mirror.
 
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Thanks guys!
Omar and Chris, the "washboard" was invented by our forumite "HeavyHanded", he himself did a video about it. Him and me had lengthy discussion about it. It is plexiglas that has a texture on it (grooves). The texture gives the right feedback. You would not feel whether you are on the bevel otherwise. In addition the right texture (and HeavyHanded has tinkered quite a bit with this) may keep the compound better distributed. Also the texture creates highs and lows that produce quite a bit of "micro pressure point" on the apex which in return "burnishes" it.

HeavyHanded named it washboard! Hope he is chiming in at one point.

Yes, I believe the white compound is very similar to what bluntcut used. Mine is the BRKT one. I like its pasty feel and with a little bit of oil it is quite easy to apply.

I have not used bluntcuts balanced strop. From my perspective, the washboard approach is very clean, you through out the paper after and have a new surface every single time. The main benefit is, there is no give to the washboard! No risk of rounding the edge and you can maintain your edge this way indefinitely unless you have major damage. I have the benefit of edge trailing strokes on non-fixed abrasive (as on waterstones) with much better feedback IMHO.

Not sure about the mirror edge since I never look at my edges this way but I assume if you used first black compound, then white long enough on this strop that you can get that mirror result.

Thanks guys!
 
Good stuff, great mechanics! Why does everybody else have steadier hands than me? Strong, fast results for a dull VG10 edge.

No problem understanding you either, makes me want a couple of DMTs. Right now I only have one dotted EF and a continuous EEF, neither of which see much use. I got away from diamond plates back when I used more recurve edges. Most of my EDU knives are fairly straight now...

The Washboard (started calling it that early on and haven't come up with a better nickname) is just as Andy describes. I called it that because if you come it on the corner or elevate the spine too high it feels like you're traveling over a washboard road. Basically a plexi plate that's been worked (in a 'proprietary' manner - had dreams of selling these but not sure there's any demand :D) to make high points. This keeps the compound from clumping where its being applied, seriously improves tactile feedback, and has the effect of making the strop surface very unyielding. Throw the paper away or recycle when it gets loaded up or damaged. Have taken V bevel edges that were extensively stropped on it and put them back to the stone - was able to grind a fresh edge from apex to shoulder almost immediately= very little if any rounding, even with moderate pressure. One look at the underside of a sheet of paper that's been used, shows how thin it becomes in use as the high points dig in. Use a couple sheets of paper for really coarse edges, scandi, or full convex. Big thanks to Andy for using it in your video.

My only other comment - you might give the knife a go on the washboard with a plain sheet of paper to finish it off - should improve it yet again. Maybe not enough to see on a video paper cutting test, but you should notice, and you have to do something with the rest of the sheet anyway.:)


Don't want to hijack, but for anyone interested, here's the link to a vid showing a little more of the washboard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB81vytRghU
 
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Nice. Thanks for posting. Just like Knifenut1013 stated, I've seen that technique with a water stone but not with a dmt. I have a dmt plate and I'm going to try that.

Have you tried it with a bushcrafting knife yet, ie a knife with a steeper bevel?
 
Excellent video, awestib! Nice movements. This is the kind of vid I can make popcorn for and watch all day. :) Great technique, great equipment, great results. :thumbup::thumbup: More vids, please!

HH, how come awestib gets a washboard and I don't? :grumpy: I want one! Make me one and send it to me.
 
Thanks M!
Alfred, a steeper bevel would just work as well! If you are thinking about a scandi though, then my technique is completely different. I would not use a diamond stone! My preference would be Waterstones, a Crystolon oil stone or maybe one of the jointing stones that HH discovered. Maybe it is worthwhile to do another scandi sharpening video!
 
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