- Joined
- Feb 3, 2001
- Messages
- 32,359
My grandfather could put a razor's edge on his knife using a simple oil stone while I have hundreds of $ of sharpening equipment to achieve the same thing, what's changed?
First off he had a high carbon steel pocket knife of some unknown origin and nearly everyday he used it before he would put it on his night stand at the end of the night he would drag it across his stone a few times. I'm sure this contributed to the accelerated demise of his knife, still he was quite content with his knife and how he kept it sharp.
He could use a simple oil stone to put an edge on his blade but most of his knives only lasted 3-5 years and then he threw them into the kitchen drawer for grandma to use for cutting string or pieces of stray cloth.
I've got modern knives that are 20 years old and still have 90% of their blade and traditional knives that are over a hundred years old that have the same. My newer knives, (notice knives, plural), were made with miracle steels that held an edge forever but were way harder to sharpen while my older more traditional knives were typically made of high carbon steel. The trade off being on the newer steels being I didn't have to sharpen as much and my edges stayed sharper longer, I also had more knives to use so each individual blade lasted longer. On the older knives they were much easier to sharpen but were subject to the ravages of oxidation/rust.
Grandpa used to carry 1 pocket knife and he basically carried it to destruction, (that is to say till it was so over sharpened that when he couldn't get a razor's edge back in a few licks on the stone it was done). This is the reason I have all this sharpening equipment instead of one stone.
Sharpening systems, diamond hones, clamps, ceramic sticks, polishing tape, diamond spray, grinders and buffing wheels, (I also have traditional oil stones, wet stones and strops) these are the tools I use to attack and bring the edge up on my knives. Grandpa's stone was the size of a candy bar and usually sat in a little wooden box he made to hold it, my stuff takes up a small tool box.
One of the biggest advantage I had over him was I had several knives, the other advantage was a larger selection of modern tools to achieve the same goal.
Now I've been using collecting and sharpening knives for over 40 years and what I've learned is I don't really need all the tools I have, don't need the jigs, the clamps the fancy EdgePro, (don't get me wrong I want these tools I just don't need them) all I need achieve the edge I want is a good set of stones and my strop.
I've learned that there are three things you need to get consistent results no matter what you carry.
You need to practice, there is no substitute for muscle memory that comes from practice and I mean a lot of practice, (sometimes I spend hours a day sharpening my knives).
Next and equally important, a thing most people take for granted... learn what sharp is. So many people don't know what a sharp edge looks like, how can they expect to replicate something they have never seen. Get a good loupe and look closely at an edge that you think is sharp, once you know what sharp looks like you have a visual reference to compare to.
Lastly the proper stones for the steel you plan to put that edge on. My grandfather used one stone on one type of steel, he did it for 60 years and was good at it as a result of the reasons listed above, I've got more choices so I have more stones/hones but ideally a medium diamond hone with a medium wet stone and my strop will do 90% of the sharpening needs I have. You can sharpen super steels with old wet stones, it just takes longer, you can sharpen CV blades with diamond hones you just need to be aware that the diamond being harder will precipitate the premature wear off CV blades if you treat it like a regular wet stone.
The last observation I've made over the years is that most people tend to over sharpen like my grandfather, whether it's because the wrong tools are used or the wrong technique, (I notice most people push too hard when they sharpen, let the stone do the work, if your using the right stone you shouldn't need so much pressure) and I know I said lastly but one other thing I've learned in regards to technique, much like spray painting you need to continue your strokes past the end of your stone or strop because the natural tendency when you get to the end of the stone you roll your wrist as you lift the knife, this now drags the newly sharpened apex of your edge across the stone or strop effectively rounding the acute angle you just worked so hard to get. Watch yourself or better yet video yourself and watch from a different perspective how you sharpen, you'd be amazed at the obvious mistakes you make.
Now I don't proclaim to be an expert but as a mechanic I know when a procedure works or makes shorter work of an otherwise long and tedious process, having been a machinist I understand how proper tools and understanding the importance of proper procedures lead to consistent results.
Hope I gave you something to ponder and maybe a little insight into what it takes to understand how to get the results you want, not everybody's needs are the same working sharp and razor sharp have two current functions working on two different mediums and that's the other different between me and my grandfather, he had one knife to do it all and replaced it frequently, I have several to match the job and still have most of my knives in great working order.
Peace and love folks, enjoy your Sunday.
First off he had a high carbon steel pocket knife of some unknown origin and nearly everyday he used it before he would put it on his night stand at the end of the night he would drag it across his stone a few times. I'm sure this contributed to the accelerated demise of his knife, still he was quite content with his knife and how he kept it sharp.
He could use a simple oil stone to put an edge on his blade but most of his knives only lasted 3-5 years and then he threw them into the kitchen drawer for grandma to use for cutting string or pieces of stray cloth.
I've got modern knives that are 20 years old and still have 90% of their blade and traditional knives that are over a hundred years old that have the same. My newer knives, (notice knives, plural), were made with miracle steels that held an edge forever but were way harder to sharpen while my older more traditional knives were typically made of high carbon steel. The trade off being on the newer steels being I didn't have to sharpen as much and my edges stayed sharper longer, I also had more knives to use so each individual blade lasted longer. On the older knives they were much easier to sharpen but were subject to the ravages of oxidation/rust.
Grandpa used to carry 1 pocket knife and he basically carried it to destruction, (that is to say till it was so over sharpened that when he couldn't get a razor's edge back in a few licks on the stone it was done). This is the reason I have all this sharpening equipment instead of one stone.
Sharpening systems, diamond hones, clamps, ceramic sticks, polishing tape, diamond spray, grinders and buffing wheels, (I also have traditional oil stones, wet stones and strops) these are the tools I use to attack and bring the edge up on my knives. Grandpa's stone was the size of a candy bar and usually sat in a little wooden box he made to hold it, my stuff takes up a small tool box.
One of the biggest advantage I had over him was I had several knives, the other advantage was a larger selection of modern tools to achieve the same goal.
Now I've been using collecting and sharpening knives for over 40 years and what I've learned is I don't really need all the tools I have, don't need the jigs, the clamps the fancy EdgePro, (don't get me wrong I want these tools I just don't need them) all I need achieve the edge I want is a good set of stones and my strop.
I've learned that there are three things you need to get consistent results no matter what you carry.
You need to practice, there is no substitute for muscle memory that comes from practice and I mean a lot of practice, (sometimes I spend hours a day sharpening my knives).
Next and equally important, a thing most people take for granted... learn what sharp is. So many people don't know what a sharp edge looks like, how can they expect to replicate something they have never seen. Get a good loupe and look closely at an edge that you think is sharp, once you know what sharp looks like you have a visual reference to compare to.
Lastly the proper stones for the steel you plan to put that edge on. My grandfather used one stone on one type of steel, he did it for 60 years and was good at it as a result of the reasons listed above, I've got more choices so I have more stones/hones but ideally a medium diamond hone with a medium wet stone and my strop will do 90% of the sharpening needs I have. You can sharpen super steels with old wet stones, it just takes longer, you can sharpen CV blades with diamond hones you just need to be aware that the diamond being harder will precipitate the premature wear off CV blades if you treat it like a regular wet stone.
The last observation I've made over the years is that most people tend to over sharpen like my grandfather, whether it's because the wrong tools are used or the wrong technique, (I notice most people push too hard when they sharpen, let the stone do the work, if your using the right stone you shouldn't need so much pressure) and I know I said lastly but one other thing I've learned in regards to technique, much like spray painting you need to continue your strokes past the end of your stone or strop because the natural tendency when you get to the end of the stone you roll your wrist as you lift the knife, this now drags the newly sharpened apex of your edge across the stone or strop effectively rounding the acute angle you just worked so hard to get. Watch yourself or better yet video yourself and watch from a different perspective how you sharpen, you'd be amazed at the obvious mistakes you make.
Now I don't proclaim to be an expert but as a mechanic I know when a procedure works or makes shorter work of an otherwise long and tedious process, having been a machinist I understand how proper tools and understanding the importance of proper procedures lead to consistent results.
Hope I gave you something to ponder and maybe a little insight into what it takes to understand how to get the results you want, not everybody's needs are the same working sharp and razor sharp have two current functions working on two different mediums and that's the other different between me and my grandfather, he had one knife to do it all and replaced it frequently, I have several to match the job and still have most of my knives in great working order.
Peace and love folks, enjoy your Sunday.
