Newbie sharpening questions

FettWillKill

FettWillKill

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2012
Messages
470
I've been having trouble lately getting my Boss Jack and TGLB shaving sharp. I was able to do it for a while with a ton of patience and a honing steel, but that tool has long since gone. I currently have a Smith's diamond combo with 250 grit on the coarse side and 750 grit on the fine side. I'm not sure if it has to do with lack of patience, inferior tools, technique, or a combination of the three (and/or anything else I may be missing). If anybody has any input (which I'm sure some of you do :D) as to method, technique, or just general advice I would really appreciate the help.
 
Sharpie marker on the edge. This will show you exactly what part of the edge your stone is hitting.

Garth
 
Hone it until you get a burr. Then strop it off or use a polishing steel to finish the edge and voila. You must get the burr. If you don't, you're not actually honing the very edge.
 
RobStanley said:
Hone it until you get a burr. Then strop it off or use a polishing steel to finish the edge and voila. You must get the burr. If you don't, you're not actually honing the very edge.
Click to expand...

Exactly Right! The Burr is the key all the metal under the burr has been removed to the point that only the "Foil" burr remains....Take an old Leather belt dress it with "Flitz" or "Semi Chrome" polish and Strop the burr off...LAZER RAZOR
 
Obviously technique is the first thing to get right, but be aware, 750 grit isn't that fine. You need to polish the edge after that to get to shaving sharp. A strop and compound or a sheet of glass and some micromesh sheets, will take it up a few notches.
 
Garth Reckner said:
Sharpie marker on the edge. This will show you exactly what part of the edge your stone is hitting.

Garth
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i took this advice about a week ago, my results are getting insane, i cut myself about 4 times already, its bitter sweet :) i couldn't sharpen a butter knife a week ago, now im making busses into razor blades, i use a 600 grit diamond stone(softly) i found you don't need to go hard, then i strop on 1200 grit sand paper till it starts to feel smooth, then i move to 2000 grit sand paper same thing, when it feels smooth on that its usualy ready to clean shave youre face, then i finish up on a polish strop with some compound and make myself a mirror finished razor edge, i find all i need to do is strop on the polish strop at the end of the day and it bring the razor right back, although i did some good rolling to the blade yesterday hitting some nails in the wood , so il probably give it the royal treatment tonight, good luck hope some of this information helps
 
The sharpie thing helped me out ALOT. I'm also mainly using a Spyderco SM and at first needed to get rid of the shoulders on most of my knives. That seemed like I was getting nowere.
 
Wow, thanks for all the input guys! I'm on my way out to get beer right now, so things should be gettin moving pretty shortly. I'll keep yall updated!
 
FettWillKill said:
Wow, thanks for all the input guys! I'm on my way out to get beer right now, so things should be gettin moving pretty shortly. I'll keep yall updated!
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Once you are ready for advanced sharpening just pick up a bottle on tequila. Then the fun really begins.

Garth
 
The tequila method is definately not for the beginning sharpener. It takes years to perfect.

Garth
 
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