Mixture of techniques!

[J-P SAN]

Lately I have been using 60 mesh sandpaper on glass to set the bevel, "scary sharp" style stropping motion and then continue actual sharpening on stones by 'traditional' edge leading stroke. Sometimes I like to finish with steel followed by denim strop with white compound. I was wondering if anyone else mixes sharpening methods and styles like this. I'm interested in hearing other peoples methods and ways to sharpen, as I consider myself to be still at 'finding myself' stage of sharpening and LOVE to try new ways.

 

[awestib]

Yep, I go back and forth between different sharpening mediums a lot and wonder whether I ever settle with one easy option. I try though to keep consistency with what I do, no matter what medium. For knife sharpening I currently favour a crystolon stone (usually fine side which is about 300 grit?) with oil, remove the burr on same stone but dry, then refining on HeavyHanded's washboard with paper and compound (recently stepped away a bit from leather/denim strop and compound. Using my spyderco sharp maker as the standard for angle control - I even put the sharp maker in a vice, making it dead horizontal with a level - I noticed quite a degradation away from sticky after a bit of stropping and quite some work needed to reproduce a burr). Good enough for my needs (kitchen, "bushcraft"). Not sure right now which stone I would like if I wanted to sniff it up a notch that has the same convenience and predictability as the Norton Crystolon. A good splash and go waterstone (1000 grit?) may be the answer or an extra fine DMT diamond stone? Not sure.

I use a different technique all together on my axe/hatchet. I hold the tool in one hand and bring the stone to the edge with the other hand. I use a 6' blue DMT bench stone (the higher ones) for this but the DMT Diafolds work great for this too. One of the reasons why I don't recommend the diafolds as a field sharpener for knives since I need a stone stationary for knife sharpening, even if it is one of those credit card sharpeners that I can put down on the ground/tree. The handle of the diafolds gets in the way.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I do it all the time. It's rare when I stay with only one tool, abrasive type or method all the way through. These days, I'm more likely to set a new bevel on a diamond hone (very fast, easy on the hands with minimal pressure, very predictable results, easy to clean up), followed occasionally by some finish-tuning and gentle convexing on wet/dry sandpaper, then followed with hard-backed stropping using white rouge on linen or grey AlOx compound on denim. At times I'll even skip the wet/dry paper, if the finish coming off the diamond hone suits my needs for the steel and the use of the knife.


David

 

[J-P SAN]

I believe that possessing number of techniques bring variety and fresh feel to any hobby.