Question about sharpening different steels

G

GaryPham

Joined
Jan 1, 2006
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219
Hi, I got my first sharpener a few days ago, a cheap lansky multi sharpener

http://www.fatiguesarmynavy.com/store/item/FA2144

I decided to use my smith and wesson folder with supposed "44C" steel blade. Since I have never sharpened a knife before, I decided to test it on this knife to practice my sharpening skills. However, after many many hours of trying to sharpen this lil kinfe, I wasn't able to really get it that sharp. I don't know if it's because I'm sharpening it wrong, but I've tried many different ways of sharpening it and the blade won't get anywhere near razor sharp. Is this still because of my incorrect sharpening technique? or is it not possible to get an inferior steel (such as S&W chinese made "440C") to be razor sharp?

Thanks,

Gary
 
The problem is mostly the sharpener. This style/size of sharpener is more for emergency touch ups than for real sharpening. For serious sharpening you generally need two grits and a longer hone. If your short hone has a very fine grit it can (in experienced hands) take a knife that is only slightly in need of sharpening and get it sharp. It can't remove enough material to sharpen a seriously dull edge in a finite amount of time, even in experiened hands. If the grit is coarser you can eventually get a dull knife to be a somewhat sharp knife with a little hone like this. It will take a long time and you won't get a shaving edge.

If you need a cheap hone to get your knives from dull to sharp you should look for a simple two-grit aluminum oxide bench hone that is at least 6" long and preferably 8" or longer. You can find these at hardware stores. If they claim to be "oil stones" you will need to use something like oil or kerosene as a lubricant as you hone. If they don't say you can probably hone dry or with water. You want something with medium or medium-coarse grit on one side of the hone and fine or extra-fine grit on the other side.
 
PS. Aluminum Oxide hones will give you a finer finish than silicon carbide. Silicon Carbide hones tend to be cheaper, but I don't think they'd make you happy.
 
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