need halp sharpening

D

dbdeath

Joined
Mar 12, 2003
Messages
49
idots guide to a razors edge. I have new found intrest in knives and a small collection to go along with it. Up until now my knives have been factory sharp but now I need toget my edge on. I am looking for the easiest way to get that razor edge back on different blade styles and matterials. Please guys don't make me spend too much money either. I have looked at Lansky and Razors edge but could use a little guidence from those with more experience. Thanks
 
dbdeath,
If you do a search on sharpening you will find tons of good info and opinions on all kinds of systems, set-ups and rigs. Also look at the FAQs for the article there. Word of warning you can spend several hours reading the threads, but well worth it.

Droopy
 
Everything droopy170 said, plus practice, practice, practice. I've sharpened nearly every edged tool I could get my hands on since I was ten years old, which means nearly ten years now. All of that practice means that now I can put on a decent edge with just a little pocket stone if that's all I have available. For the absolute best, screaming sharp edge possible, you pretty much need an Edge-Pro. But you can also do nearly as well with a ten dollar, dual grit bench stone from the hardware store, a fine grit ceramic rod and a lot of patience and practice. Also, make sure you read the sharpening FAQ here, it's very, very helpful. Also, if you can find "The Razor Edge Book of Sharpening" at your local bookstore or library, it's quite informative as well. Even if your library doesn't have it, ask if they can borrow it from another library in the area. That's what I had to do, which saved me from having to buy it. Reading all of these helps you to understand the principles and mechanics of sharpening, which is more important than having the best system IMHO. You have to understand what the goal of each step in the process is in order to know when to stop and move on to the next step. Once you understand that, you can get a sharp edge every time. Anyway, I hope this helps and good luck. Feel free to e-mail me if you want me to clarify anything I wrote here or just have any other questions.
 
thanks guys. was up late last night readed my search results. it sounds like roadrunner is right, practice, prctice, practice. bought a spycerco 204 this morning and put some acceptable edges on five knives so far. it seems quick and fiarly idiot proof. knives that were not as dull took a better edge. so i guess the key is to sharpen pretty often. thanks again and i will just keep on practicing.
 
This hasnt been mention in any of the recent posts on the Sharpmaker, so I'll bring it up now. If you can get some 100 grit SiC sandpaper and use binder clips to hold it on the rods, the Sharpmaker will cut very fast. I havent been able to find any 100 grit SiC, but I've been using some 100 grit Aluminum Oxide. It works, but seems a bit too course. Perhaps an intermediate step of 220 grit or so would work.
 
Buy a big, extra-fine arkansas stone or an extra fine waterstone.
Use BOTH with water, not oil. Arkansas can be used with oil or water, waterstones MUST be used with water.
Water will evaportae faster than oil from the stone, but this is desired, and it's less messy.

Practice, practice, practice. Keep a constant angle while sharpening. Do the work edge forward, initially with good pressure on the blade. as the blade gets proper edge, ease pressure. Do the last passes on the arkansas with no water, you'll notice the stone becomes more and more mirror like. Use VERY slight pressure on the last passes.
You may also want to strop the blade as a final pass or pass it spine forward on a block of fine grained hardwood smeared with a dab of metal polish paste.

Once finished, wash the arkansas with water. Do not wash waterstone nor wash the block.
 
practice is the major thing.

I've been sharpening for 14yrs... got my first when I was 5. all freehand. I can sharpen pretty much anything.

I have the 204 for serrations.

I can shave hair on the 500grit stone, cleanly on a 800grit.
 
Sharpening is easier than people make it out to be. You just have to be patient. All you are basically doing is making sure that you use the same angle on both sides of the blade, and take off the same amount of metal on each side. It's frustrating nowadays with the newer, high tech, more wear resistant steels, but if you keep at it, you will achieve good results.
 
I find that most people (not the guys here on the forums) don't even realise that a sharp knife is anything important. A lot of people have used their kitchen knives till they won't cut anymore, and THEN still wonder why they won't cut. Sharpening never even comes into the equation. In the "good old days" the majority of people carried and used knives on a daily basis, so sharpening was an early life skill, not unlike learning how to tie knots, how to skin a deer, basic first aid, agriculture etc. Also, NOTHING WAS THROWAWAY. Items like a good knife was hard to come by, so it was regarded with respect and care, and thus used and used and used till it died an honourable death from fatigue !

As others have said - practise. The specialised jigs make the practise less important for maintaining a consistent edge bevel angle, but thats where the expense comes into it. I also can't see myself taking a full sized sharpneing jig into the field. It could just be a soft Arkansas stone and a belt or sheath edge for a strop in the field. And those WILL DO. The main problem is with the new high-alloy, supersteels - those things can be a complete bastard to sharpen. The diamond coated hones are a saving grace of modern technology when it comes to superhard / wear resistant steels.

I'm definitely not bagging you or anyone else, just lamenting the state of the world we live in. I didn't learn to sharpen a knife myself till a few years ago. Rough stock removal - diamond coated hones in medium or Fine grades. Fine edge - medium ceramic crockstick Super fine edge (can shave) - fine ceramic crockstick. Shave scary sharp - strop.
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Cheers. Jason.
 
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