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
Exactly. If you want to know the correct percentages you'd have to tabulate the votes by checking each individual category and seeing who voted for what. The listed percentages are the percent of the total voters who voted for each option. So if we had 100 total poll participants and the percentage on freehand was 75% that means 75 people of the total 100 selected that option.
 
kreisler said:
E eKretz So how do we know how many people have participated in the poll?
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Oh, and if you want to know the total number of respondents, just do the math on the percentages with one of the options. They should all lead you to the same number.

For instance, currently we're at 79 votes and 69.3% on freehand. So take 100÷69.3×79 and you get 114 total participants.
 
I voted for the top three. And when, where, why, depends on the situation. Take a single knife that I like, and carry (or plan to carry) often. So to be precise.....it all depends. If the edge was well set out of the box, then I just have regular maintenance. So touch-ups done either freehand pocket stone, or with Sharpmaker....then strops. Depending on what's available.

If an edge out of the box is not even, and/or near my preferred angle, then it'll get the full treatment. Edge set to my preference on either my KME (first choice), or EdgePro. I don't know if it's scientifically correct or not, but to me, my edges just seem to be easier to maintain, and last longer with simple maintenance, if I start with a perfectly set edge to begin with. By that I mean as close as possible to exactly even from side to side, and tip to heel. Probably just my imagination (with bit-o-ego), but it seems that my own edges last five times longer with simple stropping, or fine grit triangle sticks and a strop, than with many less-than-precise factory edges. Theoretically, an apex is an apex....where the cutting magic happens. But with a touch of OCD, cosmetics can sometimes take on some pretty scientific qualities. :D
 
I set my bevels with the WE and maintain with the sharp maker and diamond paste strops.
 
Bevel set using guided system then maintained with stropping and/or ceramic rod depending on how much attention the edge needs. I freehand only a few fixed blades as I tend to slowly convex the edges after several sharpenings. My freehand work still comes out nice and sharp, but I definitely need more practice.
 
A few things are freehand if I am forced too but, I use the Sharpmaker more than anything else. Also, have a Lansky system if I need to reprofile a blade or if it is badly damaged.

I reach for an old kitchen steel quite often. It saves me the setup time on the SharpMaker and Lansky.

I own some knives that I don't use much but they will be done freehand if and when they ever need sharpening.
 
eKretz said:
For instance, currently we're at 79 votes and 69.3% on freehand. So take 100÷69.3×79 and you get 114 total participants.
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I am not confident E eKretz that this maths does the trick. I'd prefer to copy paste the lists of nicks and delete the duplicates with my software, however the commas aren't co-copied. Never mind then.

Maybe now a new interesting poll question could be "How often do you use your guided system anymore?"

The reasoning behind this question is the transitioning and that we have been evolving in our craft/activity. I wouldn't wonder if owners have been growing tired of using their system (after several months or a couple of years passing by) and really don't use it actively/regularly anymore as they used to/loved to.
 
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For small touchups i use the sharpmaker and strops. For big fixes, chips, tip damage, angle change, ect. I have my friend put a crazy mirror edge on it with his WE.
 
kreisler said:
Maybe now a new interesting poll question could be "How often do you use your guided system anymore?"

The reasoning behind this question is the transitioning and that we have been evolving in our craft/activity. I wouldn't wonder if owners got tired of using their system (after several months or a couple of years passing by) and really don't use it actively/regularly anymore as they used to/loved to.
Click to expand...

I never used it much even when I first got it. It's more like an expensive talisman sitting alongside the workshop sink which provides comfort in knowing it's there in the event I need it.
 
Blues said:
which provides comfort
Click to expand...
See? That's what i meant :p

There has to be more owners who transitioned (or started ;)) into using the guided system less and lesser over time.

Btw i'd like such an expensive talisman.:thumbsup: My made in china system is too cheap.:poop: More a contraption than a talisman. :rolleyes:
 
Free hand with bench and hard Arkansas stones. No strop just stones, very sharp and works for me (can slice through newspaper) that’s sharp enough for what I do.
 
kreisler said:
I am not confident E eKretz that this maths does the trick. I'd prefer to copy paste the lists of nicks and delete the duplicates with my software, however the commas aren't co-copied. Never mind then.

Maybe now a new interesting poll question could be "How often do you use your guided system anymore?"

The reasoning behind this question is the transitioning and that we have been evolving in our craft/activity. I wouldn't wonder if owners got tired of using their system (after several months or a couple of years passing by) and really don't use it actively/regularly anymore as they used to/loved to.
Click to expand...

Math doesn't lie...
100% ÷ 64.4% x 121 votes = 187.9 voters
100% ÷ 43.1% x 81 votes = 187.9 voters
100% ÷ 37.2% x 70 votes = 188.2 voters
100% ÷ 16% x 30 votes = 187.5 voters
100% ÷ 0.5% x 1 vote = 200 voters
100% ÷ 2.7% x 5 votes = 185.2 voters

As you can see, the larger numbers are more accurate since the given percentages are rounded, but it's pretty clear that there were 188 voters as of now at this point.
 
I use the spyderco sharpmaker. But admittedly, I have not had 100% success with the sharpmaker. There are a handful of knives that have eluded me and i cannot for the life of me get sharp with the sharpmaker. Typically these tend to be knives that did not come properly sharpened.
 
I do free hand touchups on appropriate media for the job. Because I'm a machinist, it's an OCD thing for me to know a 15° bevel is actually 15°, and a 17° micro is truly that. I use a guided system to set these bevels initially. Then I'm freehanding for several maintenance sharpening.
 
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