Life's simple little pleasures !

T

TwinStick

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Jan 21, 2011
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I have just finished resharpening my entire knife collection, which was no easy task. Pocket knives, EDC knives, HD Outdoor knives, Kukri knives, KLO knives, Kitchen knives. I have been doing this on & off for about a month.

All hair popping sharp now. Which is the next level for me. I have always been able to get knives sharp, just not hair popping sharp. It is truly a joy for me to prepare food with a razor sharp knife. Just a simple little pleasure for a lifelong knife guy. My wife won't even use them for a few weeks after I sharpen them, which is ok because I do the majority of the cooking anyways. I enjoy it.

My sharpening arsenal:
Course/fine stone (had it since about 7 yrs old).
Tormek T4 Bushcraft (for fixing seriously uneven factory grinds on thick blades).
Gatco diamond sharpening system.
Ceramic sharpening sticks.
12" double sided strop w/green compound on 1 side.
1x30 belt sander (used for rough edge).
14" Butchers steel .

I use them all, at different times for different reasons.

I didn't think my BK&T blades could be any sharper but I was wrong, because they are. Found a few with a few pinhead size rust spots on the edge. They sharpened right off. Made me like my Becker's even more !

Beckerhead #103
 
I've never been overly good at sharpening. Sad but true. Good enough for what I use them for, I guess, but I've never been able to get them shaving sharp. For one, I don't have the patience for it. My dad used to spend hours sharpening his knives. They were always hair popping sharp.
 
By far, my most used sharpening supplies is the Gatco Diamond system and my ceramic sticks.

I forgot to mention that I have a Dexter Russell IM313 oil stones and I bought an extra 3 stone holder for it & put a 1000, 3000, 6000 grit water stones in it. I use the oil stones for problem child knives. I use the water stones for my kitchen knives, after they are already sharp. I have also found that some steel does not want to be taken to the enth degree but seems to prefer a toothier edge. I am certainly no expert but it seems that way to me.
 
Wow!
What a great thread!
I love a sharp knife and most times I love the process of sharpening a knife.
It’s kind of a zen thing for me. Get in a groove and rock and roll.
I’ve used the Spyderco Sharpmaker for years now. It’s great at “maintaining” an edge. The diamond rods are a must if the edge needs a lot of work.
For my kitchen knives I use a shrewd carbide sharpener and then use the sharpmaker on my good knives.
There’s nothing like getting a wire edge and then working it down to a fine edge. Very satisfying.
 
Nothing is more rewarding than working diligently and having a scary sharp blade at the end! I found wet/dry sand paper on a marble block followed by stropping on polishing compound embedded on a cardboard strip to be extremely effective.
 
Thanks to 91 for recommending DMT. Been using em now for some time and haven’t looked back at any other type stones. They work with all types steel. I use the crap out out of em and they show no signs of wear :thumbsup::thumbsup:I just use a wet paper towel to occasionally wipe the surface while sharpening.
49E03986-85E6-411E-92AA-5A75A956E656.jpg
the mineral oil I used under the scales on the 24s yearly touch up 😁
 
Xr6x said:
Thanks to 91 for recommending DMT. Been using em now for some time and haven’t looked back at any other type stones. They work with all types steel. I use the crap out out of em and they show no signs of wear :thumbsup::thumbsup:I just use a wet paper towel to occasionally wipe the surface while sharpening.

the mineral oil I used under the scales on the 24s yearly touch up 😁
Click to expand...

This is the way. (diamonds, not DMT specifically.)
Also good to make sure your edges are regular.
 
daizee said:
This is the way. (diamonds, not DMT specifically.)
Also good to make sure your edges are regular.
Click to expand...
Yes! Diamonds are the way :). Know doubt there’s faster and more expensive ways to sharpening. So far I’m happy with the way DMT wet stones preform. Definitely a couple of steps up from the Arkansas wet stones I was used to using.
I do my best to make sure my edges are as even and sharp as I can, not sure if they are regular 😆
 
I also gotta say, even though the prices are crazy, I have never seen more knife sharpeners than are out now. Seems like a new one comes out every other month.

That's why sometimes simpler is better and a skill worth having, is knife sharpening. Probably the 2nd oldest skill, lol.
 
As much as I enjoy sharpening knives I get more joy from from getting out of my car and being greeted by a beagle on the porch
 
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