Notice!!!! sharpening is not an art, its a mechanical skill.

[Warbyrd]

Wow, all i wanted to do was get some tips on sharpening my knives. I guess I'll just keep doing it the way I've been doing it. It seems to work pretty good. Just thought maybe I could learn something. Never really thought about art and stuff like that. Thanks

 

[SBaker34]

A skill can take hundreds or thousands of hours to develop if you have the ability in the first place so I'm not sure why what you call it matters. Unless you consider art something that cannot be learned

 

[jpm2]

I had been following this thread with interest. My background in in the visual arts, I taught painting, drawing and printmaking and currently work at a major museum. IMO art can take many forms of expression but having skills does not always translate into art.
I believe anyone can learn to draw or paint if applied to it; but even a good drawing or a good painting does not always make a work of art. I suppose is the same with many human endeavors, we can transcend whatever is that we make, musical instruments(Stradivarius) cooking (a new recipe) and yes, knife making and sharpening into art. However,someone with great skills to copy a Picasso or a Rembrandt remains a skillful copyist and not an artist.
By the way, there is school of art & design in Boston that includes knife making in its course offerings.

This is the best post here that explains the difference 'tween skill and art.

I don't have an artistic bone in my body, but can make a very sharp edge. It's simply physics, materials, analytical thinking, and skill - no imagination needed.

 

[Fred.Rowe]

As I am the OP I would like to thank each of you for taking the time to post your comments.

This thread was posted as encouragement to those who find sharpening daunting. I know how you feel and all of us that can sharpen today, know how you feel, for there was a time when we could not produce a sharp edge.
Thats the point to this, it was daunting to everyone of us in the beginning. But now that we have found a method that works for us, it is easy. Whether you free hand like JasonB or work your "magic" like Heavy Handed or grind and sharpen using very specific angles as I do, its the end results that count and everyone can find a path to take that will both satisfy your personal situation, with the end result being a sharp edge.

I've spoken with JasonB and we, collectively believe that this forum is best served by both of us working to make knife sharpening more accessible for everyone.

Thank you for the civil and informative exchange Jason.

I know I can speak for most on this forum that we are happy to share what skills we have acquired over the years.

Thanks again for joining in the discussion, Fred Rowe---Bethel Ridge Forge---

 

[singularity35]

When I first started to explore sharpening and sharpness, one old member here often discussed things with me and he made even cutting tests sound more complicated and sharpening seem to be esoteric. While I had no way of disagreeing, I thought everything he said was BS. He even had some sharpening vids on YT so must know what he's talking about.

While I probably still can't sharpen as well as that guy, I have achieved most of my sharpening goals already and though I still can't get that perfect edge, I can sharpen well enough for my uses and even for some show off edges. These days, I KNOW that what he told me then was indeed BS.

Yourstruly,
Singularity35