Poll: Do you sharpen your own knives?

Do you sharpen your own knives?

  • Yes. I sharpen freehand.

    Votes: 140 62.2%

  • Yes. I use a guided sharpening system.

    Votes: 92 40.9%

  • Yes. I use crock sticks or Spyderco Sharpmaker etc.

    Votes: 80 35.6%

  • Yes, I use a powered sharpening system (belt, paper wheels, etc.)

    Votes: 40 17.8%

  • Nope. Not gonna do it.

    Votes: 1 0.4%

  • Not now, but want to learn.

    Votes: 7 3.1%

  • Yes, I use a pull-through style sharpener.

    Votes: 5 2.2%
  • Total voters
    225
John Juranitch's book really helped me to understand freehand sharpening. For 10-12 years now I've been sharpening the same way, taking
a dull blade to a coarse stone and setting the bevel and removing the burr. Then on to a finer stone to refine it some and clean off the burr.
Sometimes a little stropping but most of the time I can remove it on a finer stone. That's it, 2 grit freehand sharpening. DM
 
Guided and freehand for me. I'm planning on upgrading to a wicked edge at tax time. I have a Smith's guided sharpener, some old freehand stones and a leather strop now.
I'm able to get an edge that will easily shave arm hair with what I have. Every now and then I get lucky and can get an edge to tree top a few hairs here and there.
 
abcdef said:
Freehand, but always scratch the blade. It's not as bad with hollow ground as with flat. Would it help if I covered the upper sides of the blade with tape?

I have a Sharpmaker, and even some diamond rods, but have never been motivated to try it. I watched the video. Is it as easy as Sal make it look? Sould I try it on some cheapo's?

I am a real sad sack in this area.
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Yes you can tape the flat area and that will help prevent scratches there. If it's due to you laying the knife too flat that should solve it. If you're not doing that but still get scratches, that's usually because whatever stone/hone you're using to sharpen is shedding grit and it's getting rubbed around between the knife and the stone. Tape will help with that too. I recommend Kapton (polyimide) tape. It's very thin and pretty abrasion resistant.

The Sharpmaker is great for knives that are already set to the correct angle, but not so good if you need to shape the bevel - caveat: if you have the diamond or CBN triangles it is WAY better for that.
 
I was also thinking - why don't the guys who need help learning post up their location, and if any of us more experienced fellers are local we can give them a hand?
 
For me it's the Work Sharp Ken Onion for bevel setting (I have the Blade Grinding Attachment but generally prefer the original unit); Sharpmaker (including UF stones) and homemade strops of denim-on-(large size) paint stick with compound (usually Ryobi "H") for touchups.

I have no skill at freehanding and have tried several guided systems---WE, EP, KME, Lansky---but nothing has worked as well for me as the above. The nice thing about sharpening is that there are so many roads to the same destination.

Andrew
 
I have a KME Gen II Diamond Sharpener on the way. I have lots of dull knifes to practice on all winter
 
I also freehand touchup on the Sharpmaker rods. i am quite good at turning a sharp edge into very sharp.

But horrible at reprofiling. I have tried reprofiling with coarse diamond dmt and suck at it. For some reason all I can ever do with diamonds is destroy my edge and leave it terribly chewed up. I use virtually no pressure other than the weight of the knife so I have no idea what is going on.
 
Eli Chaps said:
I posted a link to this thread in the General Discussion section. I hope that is okay with everyone.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/poll-do-you-sharpen.1611108/
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Came here because of the link. I stop by MTE periodically, but it’s not in my routine scan pattern.

Like AFAustin AFAustin , I use a WSKO and Sharpmaker. If the edge is too far gone for the Sharpmaker, I use the WSKO with blade guide and go 17.5°, then microbevel &/or maintain on the Sharpmaker. The combo has been working very well for me.

I’ve gotten proficient enough with the WSKO to keep an even secondary bevel, but still sometimes have difficulty raising a burr all the way to the tip. I’m also still sometimes tip-challenged on the Sharpmaker. That last quarter inch is a bugger for me!

I’m waiting on a paycheck from a side job to pick up a KME. I have a few nicer knives I want to keep tighter control with. Plus, it’s kind of a kinfe geek sort of thing. :cool:
 
Freehand on knives that aren't new. "Razor Edge Systems" clamp on blade guides for my custom knives. DMT DiaSharps, Atoma, Spyderco ceramics, Japanese waterstones, Crystolon, India, and even a translucent Arkansas! Anyone in the San Antonio area is more than welcome to come by if they would like guidance on sharpening. No pun intended!

If the blade is too thick or needs major repair, 120 grit Blaze belt on the TW90 makes quick work. Even a slightly worn 120 grit belt laid flat and clamped down on a piece of 1/4" glass (or other flat surface) will cut a bevel in NO time freehand.
 
Night Rider said:
I have a KME Gen II Diamond Sharpener on the way. I have lots of dull knifes to practice on all winter
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If you haven't already, I always encourage people find Dean O on YouTube. He has some outstanding KME videos including upgrading knobs and such. He hasn't posted in quite some time but his vids are still there.

And if you ever have questions, I'd be happy to help if I can.
 
Eli Chaps said:
If you haven't already, I always encourage people find Dean O on YouTube. He has some outstanding KME videos including upgrading knobs and such. He hasn't posted in quite some time but his vids are still there.

And if you ever have questions, I'd be happy to help if I can.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tip chaps:thumbsup: That takes a lot of guess work out of the way.
 
I don't understand what the % is based off. Because if you merely add up the first 3 numbers it comes up to 152%.?
I thought the numbers were based on a 100% total.? DM
 
I've been doing my own sharpening since early teenage years so at 53 now it's been quite a while. I've used multiple types of sharpening tools, but never anything powered on a knife.

Have sharpened tools and blades using tools mant times over the years, hand and electric planer blades, drill bits, chisels, axes and hatchets, hoes, mattocks, pickaxes, machetes, ditch bank blades, lawn mower blades, chainsaw chains, etc. It takes various equipment for sharpening these types of tools; files, grinders, belt sanders, various stones of multiple sizes and grits. If you use tools more than a little bit you need to learn how to maintain them and sharpening is part of routine maintenance required.
 
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