Knife/steel to learn sharpening

[hfrog355]

Please recommend a knife and/or steel for me to learn to sharpen on.

I've had a Sharpmaker for about 8 months. I got ok with using it, but never really produced really sharp knives. I just recently got my hands on an Edge Pro Apex. I spent about an hour and a half trying to sharpen a knife and it went so-so, not great. I feel like part of this is because the knife I was using (for the EP anyway) is an S110V Manix 2. I realize this probably wasn't a great choice to learn on.

I want to be able to put really sharp, finished edges on blades, but if I don't see myself improving, I know I won't keep at it. I want to give myself the best chance for this hobby to stick, so I'm looking for a good knife to learn on.

 

[Jason B.]

I would try and grab a Cold Steel knife with AUS8 blade steel, with their recent switch to XHP the AUS8 models are going for cheap. AUS8 steel is very easy to sharpen and takes a scary sharp edge easily.

 

[Twindog]

Both of those systems can give your blades very sharp edges, so you might want to spend a little more time on sharpening theory. Then move to thin blades made of relatively soft, low-wear resistant steels -- maybe a cheap slipjoint.

Invest in a good loupe and learn to use a sharpie. Once you see the results of your work, you can improve quickly, but you need to see the results for feedback.

 

[bucketstove]

um, go into the kitchen, find the thinnest paring knife you have, give that a try (say 5-15min of sharpening)

 

[unimogbert]

+1 on the Sharpie and enough magnification to be sure you are seeing that the Sharpie has been ground off to the very edge.
Be sure the waterstones are really wet before you start. 15 min submerged kind of wet.
Any carbon steel knife should serve for practice. Not your best knife.
Read some things about creating the burr then grinding it off from the other side. And about reducing pressure as you finish with a given stone.

There is a series of videos on You Tube where the inventor of the Edge Pro shows how to do it. Posted under the name 'Kris McFadden' I think.
Search on Edge Pro then look for that poster. Lots of good info on how to use it.

 

[drebs]

Sharpie-ing the edge is key. I'm somewhat new and just got to where I can get any knife shaving hair with the grain and S curve push cutting phone book paper. So the problem I just learned to master is burrs, feel even the tiniest burr. Meaning the knife will still be shaving hair but your feeling a micro burr. Just run your thumb off the edge of the blade and it should feel glass smooth on both sides coming off.

As far as the sharpie with an edge pro what your looking for is the sharpie is being taken off on the whole blade. None left at the top which means you will be too obtuse on your edge folding or extremely burrin the edge to one side or the other. And if there is a bit at the bottom your not catching your apex on your blade which is where the edge meets.

So after running many steels now by for (for me) the easiest to put an edge on the my chaparall cts-xhp takes a scary edge but loses it fast. The S30v for me is a little more work to put a hair whittling edge on. Last invest in a leather strop and some compound for finishing just my 2 cents

 

[hfrog355]

I would try and grab a Cold Steel knife with AUS8 blade steel, with their recent switch to XHP the AUS8 models are going for cheap. AUS8 steel is very easy to sharpen and takes a scary sharp edge easily.

Then move to thin blades made of relatively soft, low-wear resistant steels -- maybe a cheap slipjoint.

um, go into the kitchen, find the thinnest paring knife you have, give that a try (say 5-15min of sharpening)

So after running many steels now by for (for me) the easiest to put an edge on the my chaparall cts-xhp takes a scary edge but loses it fast. The S30v for me is a little more work to put a hair whittling edge on. Last invest in a leather strop and some compound for finishing just my 2 cents

Thanks. This is what I'm looking for.

I understand the sharpie use and have a loupe. I'm looking for suggestions for a knife and/or knife steel that is easy to sharpen so I know my methods are effective.