New guy question

[Mo2]

Send your knives either to the MFG or to a professional sharpener if you don't want to sharpen.

Else just get something cheap that you can touch up on a stone easy with some softer steel.

 

[Count Flatula]

One really crucial piece of advice that may or may not be relevant to you:

Sharpening knives and boozing is not a great combination for so many reasons. I like to sharpen and I like a drink, just not at the same time.

I quit drinking almost 23 years ago now and I still hate sharpening knives.

 

[Count Flatula]

Send your knives either to the MFG or to a professional sharpener if you don't want to sharpen.

Else just get something cheap that you can touch up on a stone easy with some softer steel.

No and no.

 

[Pilsner]

I quit drinking almost 23 years ago now and I still hate sharpening knives.

Haha Good on you, man.

What I do find with these ‘super steels’ is that once you have a really decent edge going on, then a loaded strop will bring back that edge to shaving many, many times before it’s time to go back to diamond stones for a new edge.

The only time my heart slightly sinks is my fortnightly, “I now have to sharpen all the kitchen knives again.” Damn, my wife and kids are hard on kitchen knives, but they are used to them being sharp...

 

[Count Flatula]

Haha Good on you, man.

What I do find with these ‘super steels’ is that once you have a really decent edge going on, then a loaded strop will bring back that edge to shaving many, many times before it’s time to go back to diamond stones for a new edge.

The only time my heart slightly sinks is my fortnightly, “I now have to sharpen all the kitchen knives again.” Damn, my wife and kids are hard on kitchen knives, but they are used to them being sharp...

I've seen all manner of advice out there saying that stropping is one of Gods graces.
Makes sense to me but I'm not really a display case guy. But I can strop with authority on the worksharp.
Think of it... A nice, shiny lawnmower blade for the Toro.
You're the KLM guy, right? How is it on s30v and s35vn?
CPM-20CV is the ultimate goal and I'll try it if I can get along with the KLM.

All families are rough on the stuff.
You can never make better memories.

 

[Pilsner]

I've seen all manner of advice out there saying that stropping is one of Gods graces.
Makes sense to me but I'm not really a display case guy. But I can strop with authority on the worksharp.
Think of it... A nice, shiny lawnmower blade for the Toro.
You're the KLM guy, right? How is it on s30v and s35vn?
CPM-20CV is the ultimate goal and I'll try it if I can get along with the KLM.

All families are rough on the stuff.
You can never make better memories.

I don’t have a KLM, but I hear they are good! I have an old WS, not the KO version, but I gotta tell you the WS guided system with diamond stones is really, really good and surprisingly easy. It’s a neat, simple design and it works.

 

[Count Flatula]

I use mine for my convex stuff.
I got a wild hair for a Khukuri some years ago and what with cold steel being what it is I sent off to Khukuri House in Kathmandu and got a Defender.
I got sent a $150 crudity but I ground the handle into something I could actually use as a handle and made a lanyard from steel cable that acts to force the handle into the hand, greatly reducing the fatigue I felt from using the old chicom truck spring.
I got a W.S.K.O. and the knife grinder attachment, too to sharpen the beastly thing and now my Khukuri and my whole ax family is happy.
But I ain't putting my other grinds on it. Maybe a Buck. I have lots of Bucks.

 

[Count Flatula]

You're the KLM guy, right? How is it on s30v and s35vn?

Sorry Pilsner, That was Mo2 who is supposed to be the KLM guy. You and he both replied and I didn't get it.
I've studied it all pretty hard and don't really need advice but what the hell, maybe Mo2 can add something I don't know.

 

[Bob6794]

Don't overcomplicate it, sharp is sharp. If that is your goal don't over think it. And if you simplify your sharpening method it will probably be quicker, I've been known to just use my coarse diamond stone and leave at that. It's far quicker than working through the grits.

 

[Count Flatula]

Don't overcomplicate it, sharp is sharp. If that is your goal don't over think it. And if you simplify your sharpening method it will probably be quicker, I've been known to just use my coarse diamond stone and leave at that. It's far quicker than working through the grits.

That's the best advice for me, thanks.
I'm used to my Bucks where after sharpening, I can happily butcher a deer without need for resharpening. Those are $50+- knives.
My new miracle steel knives are several hundred $. I like the notion of 'toothy works good' but whatever, they'd better be able to butcher a herd.
My new KME toy comes in the morning and then the real education will begin.

 

[strategy9]

Instead of cheap garbage steel, i'd say get a half decent chinese made Kershaw Scrambler to practice on. $25, still a nice enough looking beater, and Kershaw's 8crXYZ is at least far more constently heat treated to make for a decent entry level steel.

 

[Count Flatula]

Thanks but I only buy Chinese when I'm in the market for fish heads or jeans with non-existent crotch room.
I have an old Buck beater lying around somewhere.

 

[l1ranger]

i hated sharpening until I found guided systems.
I use a lansky, but am looking at others, maybe...at some point - have to stop buying knives and guns first.

if the steel is sharp to start - touching up with a strop, or the polishing tapes from KME, after using it will make "sharpening" easier - its really just maintaining at that point.

I don't see the need for the beast or extra course stones, unless you really ding up the edge or need/want to reprofile.
even then - I start with a medium (~300 grit) diamond stone and it makes it easy.

for my use in hunting, the medium and fine grit diamonds, with a quick strop after is really all you need. if you haven't neglected some maintenance stropping as noted, it shouldn't take more than 10 to 20 minutes to get it back to sharp.

use your sharpie, match your angle, remove your burr and go cut some more

on the other hand - I spent about 4 hours yesterday grinding way on my EDC to remove a chip

 

[Bob6794]

Just like the OP I dont always want to spend a lot of time sharpening. Sometimes it's just necessary, other times I enjoy it.

I recommended the 50grit for reprofiling so he could reprofile his blades to one angle for simplicity or reprofile work in general. Sometimes you just have to remove a lot of steel and that's boring and time consuming, more so if you hate sharpening. I own a 70grit diamond benchstone and while it's too coarse for me to use completely freehand, if I use it with a guide I can do majority of a blades reprofile work faster on it than anything else I can do by hand. I just wish DMT had something that coarse for my Aligner to make life easy.

 

[Mo2]

My question to you guys is; Does an Ares have enough flat area on the blade to get a firm grip on with the KME clamp for sharpening?
Looks close to me but I'm new.

Its possible it will work. I don't have any blades with a large swedge on the top like that.