Knife Sharpening Redux - Japanese Water Stones (video)

[Magnaminous_G]

In my first sharpening videos I posted a while back, I got a lot of great responses with tips for improving my sharpening. I integrated all the excellent advice I got and made a new sharpening video here below, posted for your viewing. Hope you enjoy. Any comments, questions, advice, or tips are highly welcome. Here is my original thread with the first sharpening videos: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...st-sharpening-video!-(and-water-stone-review)

Please watch in HD

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[Jason B.]

With the 1k you could add a little water such as the water on the blade after a rinse, and whats left on your hands. Hard to really say without being right there but for the time on stone I probably would have added a few drops of water every few minutes.

With the 6k you didn't need a mud but it gave the bevel that nice dull polish and helped to refine the scratch pattern faster. I would have (because of the steel and hardness) used the 6k with lots of clean water, no mud, and used edge trailing strokes from the very start. Letting the metal swarf build on the stone surface will leave a higher gloss finish and a little different sharpness that at times will make a sharper edge. It would be much faster too.

The stropping looked good but I think is saw a burr on the face side of the blade for about the whole length. Drag the edge like you are stropping on your finger nail, if it scrapes your nail surface while being pulled backwards then you have a burr. If the burr is too large stropping will just polish the burr which will make it easier to see under bright light.

Great improvement! Don't know if I should give you any more tip's though
My case and sak need a touch-up, I think I'll record that, give ya a better comparison.

 

[Magnaminous_G]

Great improvement! Don't know if I should give you any more tip's though

Your tips are always welcome, and if you've got 'em, then keep 'em coming! I am always looking to improve.

The stropping looked good but I think is saw a burr on the face side of the blade for about the whole length.

Yeah, I had a burr the whole time, a very tiny one that didn't really catch on the paper at the end, but I could tell, and it gave me some minor frustration. I even comment on it at the end of the last video. I didn't know how to get it off, though, since it felt like I'd already done all I could do on the stones. Or did I? That was the frustrating bit, actually: not knowing how to resolve the problem. Before I tried the new water stone techniques, I usually would finish by running the edge through some soft wood or a felt deburring block and strop on the chromium oxide-loaded strop to knock the burr off cleanly. I'm still not able to do that with only the stones alone. Do you have any advice? Should I have spent more time with edge-trailing strokes on the 6k stone? Used lighter pressure for a longer period of time? Raised the angle a hair?

I would have (because of the steel and hardness) used the 6k with lots of clean water, no mud, and used edge trailing strokes from the very start.

You mean, start with edge-trailing strokes? But then I wouldn't go back to edge-leading strokes, so you mean do the whole 6k stone with only edge-trailing?

Hard to really say without being right there but for the time on stone I probably would have added a few drops of water every few minutes.

Noted!

My case and sak need a touch-up, I think I'll record that, give ya a better comparison.

w00t! New video!

BTW, happy birthday, man.

 

[BluntCut MetalWorks]

Mag - very nice sharpening presentations. Demonstrated smooth steady movements and a truck load worth of patience.

IMO
1K: SAK has a soft blade, so raise burr for both side should takes a minute or 2, especially the blade is in good condition.

6K: look like you grind off enough metal that you don't even need the 1K grind - alot of swarf. (maybe require experience or just my MS) if you pay a close attention to the sound, you can hear the high-pitch sound of burr/wire vibrating. that sound persists throughout 6K - i.e. a wire is still there, which exactly why newsprint slicing is not quiet/smooth.

Strop: (a maybe) reduced the wire size but the apex is not 100% free of burr/wire. The edge with folded wire still thin enough to speed slice newsprint but probably won't give a clean push cut.

I mainly use edge-leading strokes, so my suggestions wouldn't compatible with your style & mentor's style.

 

[Magnaminous_G]

Mag - very nice sharpening presentations. Demonstrated smooth steady movements and a truck load worth of patience.

Thanks

IMO
1K: SAK has a soft blade, so raise burr for both side should takes a minute or 2, especially the blade is in good condition.

Agreed, but this was a factory grind that was uneven and had some deformities; I had to spend at least a little time to correct those.

6K: look like you grind off enough metal that you don't even need the 1K grind - alot of swarf. (maybe require experience or just my MS) if you pay a close attention to the sound, you can hear the high-pitch sound of burr/wire vibrating. that sound persists throughout 6K - i.e. a wire is still there, which exactly why newsprint slicing is not quiet/smooth.

The 6k is very smooth and didn't take a lot of metal off. I think the "swarf" you mentioned was mostly slurry/mud that I build on purpose that got dark with the passes, but I don't think it was removing a great deal of metal. I agree that I had a burr at the end; a tiny one that was annoying me. I need to work on my technique to knock it off on the stones before going on to the bare leather. This was the hardest thing for me to "get," because I'm used to finishing with my deburring felt and a Strop Block, which eliminates the burr. I've got to practice a lot more. Any advice is highly, highly welcome.

I mainly use edge-leading strokes, so my suggestions wouldn't compatible with your style & mentor's style.

I do have mad respect for knifenut, but a wise student learns from any master who can teach him and help him improve. Tell me about your edge-leading technique. Or better yet, make a vid. I tend to learn visually, and "seeing" what you're talking about is very useful for me.

 

[HeavyHanded]

Nice vid, only things I noticed that you might wish to consider -

more observation - I do not have those stones, but the 1k should be capable of regrinding/correcting the apex very quickly. Stopping more frequently to check how and where you're progressing might be well worth the time.

Also, those sweeping movements will increase the need to lap the stone flat more often, makes it very tough to use the entire stone surface. At least on the 1k you might consider mechanics more similar to Murray Carters 1k grinding and save the sweeping motions for the 6k. Speaking for myself I have a much easier time of maintaining consistent bevels when I use a much shorter stroke.

Good stuff - makes me want a set...

 

[Magnaminous_G]

Nice vid, only things I noticed that you might wish to consider -

more observation - I do not have those stones, but the 1k should be capable of regrinding/correcting the apex very quickly. Stopping more frequently to check how and where you're progressing might be well worth the time.

Also, those sweeping movements will increase the need to lap the stone flat more often, makes it very tough to use the entire stone surface. At least on the 1k you might consider mechanics more similar to Murray Carters 1k grinding and save the sweeping motions for the 6k. Speaking for myself I have a much easier time of maintaining consistent bevels when I use a much shorter stroke.

Good stuff - makes me want a set...

Appreciate your taking the time to watch and comment. Yeah, I tried stopping and checking more frequently on these videos, but I could do it even more, I guess. Not sure, though; I felt like I was checking enough, but maybe I wasn't paying enough attention. I do tend to get a little too into the "zen" of sharpening. I'll re-watch the Murray Carter DVD's again to check the technique you're talking about. Heck, gives me an excuse to watch them again! As for the stones, I think that you will not regret it if you get them. Very smooth, very good feedback, and a joy to use.