Question about sharpening my INFI blades?

Grego

Grego

Joined
Apr 22, 2007
Messages
402
The sharpening systems made by Lanskey...in paticularly this one..
LSTCN.jpg


Sharpeners like the one in the pic, they use a V shaped tungsten carbide element to sharpen the blade, and I believe I heard that it was to a 22-24 degree angle. My question is this...if I use this on my INFI blades will it ruin the steel...or have some other negative effect on it?

The folks at Lanskey say that these sharpeners can be used on "high end" cutlery of many different varieties, but would like to get some opinions from you folks as well.

Thanks in advance.
 
No it won't hurt INFI, and works alright on a user/beater blade. I prefer sandpaper though.
 
Grego said:
The sharpening systems made by Lanskey...in paticularly this one..
LSTCN.jpg


Sharpeners like the one in the pic, they use a V shaped tungsten carbide element to sharpen the blade, and I believe I heard that it was to a 22-24 degree angle. My question is this...if I use this on my INFI blades will it ruin the steel...or have some other negative effect on it?

The folks at Lanskey say that these sharpeners can be used on "high end" cutlery of many different varieties, but would like to get some opinions from you folks as well.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
If the 22-24 refers to inclusive angle, that's pretty thin (less than 15 degrees per side). I would think you might need to re-profile the bigger Busse knives first to get the edge that thin, unless you just want to put a secondary bevel on. Generally, the way to sharpen is to determine the angle of the factory edge, and use the same angle when you sharpen. A fixed angle sharpener does not allow you to do that. Problem is that if you don't match the angle, you may actually be dulling the knife while you're trying to sharpen it. Or, you will find yourself having to grind on it a long time before you can actually sharpen the edge.
 
ive used similar systems with decent results on some of my non busse knives. something to keep in mind is that if you do happen to nick or roll the steel (not very likely) those things suck for working it out. but for a fast and nasty working edge i think they might work for you.
good luck,
josh
 
Another thing to consider about those sharpeners with the tungsten carbide inserts is that they tend to remove more steel than is necessary to sharpen. They will remove more edge, faster, than other systems, which will in the long run, mean you will run out of usable edge sooner and have to reprofile the knife edge.

I don't really like them. They tend not to make a smooth even edge. And leave like a wash board effect.

I use sandpaper/strop to keep my knives sharp. Quick, and easy, but does not remove hardly any steel at all. Just a few passes on the strop at night after the knife has been used. Hair popping sharp with no fuss.
 
Bigfattyt said:
Another thing to consider about those sharpeners with the tungsten carbide inserts is that they tend to remove more steel than is necessary to sharpen. They will remove more edge, faster, than other systems, which will in the long run, mean you will run out of usable edge sooner and have to reprofile the knife edge.

I don't really like them. They tend not to make a smooth even edge. And leave like a wash board effect.

I use sandpaper/strop to keep my knives sharp. Quick, and easy, but does not remove hardly any steel at all. Just a few passes on the strop at night after the knife has been used. Hair popping sharp with no fuss.
Click to expand...

Could you explain how you use the sandpaper?
 
George,

BFT is talking primarily about knives with convexed edges (which he loves). If you do a quick search her on BF, you will find MUCH info on convexing and using sandpaper and strops. Lemme see if I can dig one up...

ETA: Here's a thread I started to try and centralize some info on Convexing and stropping. It's not comprehensive by any means, but it is informative.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=566293

Here's one on the JRE strop I copped a while back:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=569868
 
Last edited:
i agree with bigfatty and richard.....those sharpeners remove way too much metal.....


i've used them on some of my beater kitchen knives, but i would never use them on my $500+ busse blades.....


and since the majority of busses have relatively thick edge geometries, it would take a long time to remove enough metal to get a good usable edge.....
 
I've never been able to make a good edge with them silly things. Almost as bad as trying to reprofile with a set of crockstix and a very dull blade. An exercise in futility.

Your best CHEAP bet is a good bench stone and some cardboard. What's the cardboard for? Get your protractor out and measure out some wedges with the proper angle on them. Now set the cardboard on your stone and lay your knife on the cardboard. Voila! You now know the proper angle to sharpen at. Use your thumbs on the back of the blade to keep that angle and sharpen away.

Sure the systems are nice. But you really CAN sharpen with a bench stone with a bit of patience and some cardboard wedges.
 
I'mGatMan! said:
George,

BFT is talking primarily about knives with convexed edges (which he loves). If you do a quick search her on BF, you will find MUCH info on convexing and using sandpaper and strops. Lemme see if I can dig one up...

ETA: Here's a thread I started to try and centralize some info on Convexing and stropping. It's not comprehensive by any means, but it is informative.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php

Here's one on the JRE strop I copped a while back:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php
Click to expand...
Oh, OK, that makes more sense. Yeah, I just started learning how to sharpen convex edges. I've had an Edgepro for V edges and it works great. But I have a belt sander and belts on the way--per Hossom's recommendations--to try my hand at convex edges.

For some reason your links don't work for me. :confused:
 
Dennis in MA said:
I've never been able to make a good edge with them silly things. Almost as bad as trying to reprofile with a set of crockstix and a very dull blade. An exercise in futility.

Your best CHEAP bet is a good bench stone and some cardboard. What's the cardboard for? Get your protractor out and measure out some wedges with the proper angle on them. Now set the cardboard on your stone and lay your knife on the cardboard. Voila! You now know the proper angle to sharpen at. Use your thumbs on the back of the blade to keep that angle and sharpen away.

Sure the systems are nice. But you really CAN sharpen with a bench stone with a bit of patience and some cardboard wedges.
Click to expand...

Can you get a little more detailed about this? Someone once tried to tell me a little about this but he could never make it make any sense.

George...those links are fixed now. Sorry about that. :rolleyes:
 
I'm not graphically inclined or I'd draw it out. If I could, and you were looking at the setup from the side, it would look something like this:

_>\_______ where > is the wedge and \ is the knife

Basically you make a triangular wedge (get thick cardboard or it'll be flimsy as you stand it up) and get a proper angle on the narrow point of the triangle. I think I've got a 14 degree and a 20 degree wedge.

Now rest your blade flat on the bench stone. Lift the spine up and slide that wedge underneath so that the flat of the blade rests on the wedge and the wedge rests on the block. You are now holding your blade at the measured angle. (Within reason - we can argue flat grind vs. saber grind all day - precise isn't as important as CONSISTENT.)

Use your thumb rested on the spine AND the block to hold the angle. (Don't hold too tightly - you'll muck it up easier.) Remove the wedge and you now are holding the blade at the consistent angle.

The trick is when you work the OTHER side of the blade. I stink at doing this off-handed. But I just go slower and it works fine.

If you think you might be going astray, push the wedge in again and see if you've come up or down on your angle.
 
i also don't like them, but i haven't had much experience with them removing too much metal. they take forever to do any reprofiling whatsoever. in fact, they really aren't any good for anything except a light touch up if you have a tiny bit of dulling. and as was mentioned earlier, you can't change the angle on them, so unless you don't care about that or have an edge that happens to be the same angle exactly, you probably don't want to use it. imo, they were made for cheap kitchen knives
 
Balislinger said:
Could you explain how you use the sandpaper?
Click to expand...

If those links work, they should give you all the info you need.

If not, you can take a mousepad (or leather backing if you like). You take the sandpaper and lay it on the softer backing, then pull the knife across the sandpaper, spine first, so the edge is dragging. This will round out the edge, and eventually you get a nice sharp edge that is very easy to maintain shaving sharp by simply matching the angle, and stropping it backwards on the strop with polishing compound on the leather.

My kit consists of various grits of sand paper, a mouse pad, and a square sheet of glass to tape the sand paper to (above the mouse pad) to keep it all in one place.

My strop is simply a broken belt cut into even lengths, and glued on a square piece of wood all 4 sides, with a rough handle carved out

the edge on this ss was hair popping sharp after a little while stropping. The edge is still a v grind in this picture. (later I went and straightened the edge, and went full convex with it)

IMG_0990.jpg


you can strop a v edge profile and still get it hair popping sharp. Over time, the continued stropping will round out the edge bevel too, but it can take a really long time.

here is another link with simple instructions, and pictures to look at.
http://www.barkriverknives.com/convex.htm
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top