Sharpening a boning knife

[Phil705]

I made a boning knife for the local butcher out of A2, and he likes it. Says it lasts twice as long between sharpening as the cheapo stuff he buys. I asked how he sharpens it and he showed me how he puts it on a 1" belt grinder with 220 grit, gives it a pass or two, then to a buffer. He says he goes through one or two boning knives per hunting season (he does custom butchering for hunters). A lot of his knives are worn down to half or less from the original width.

I was sort of shaking my head at his using the belt grinder for sharpening, as I think he is losing a lot of steel. But it is fast, which is a priority for him.

But is there any other quick sharpening method he could use which would prolong the useful life of the knife? And maybe I should use 3V next time?

 

[richard j]

he can get a set of the paper wheels and use the slotted wheel to touch up his knives instead of working up a burr again each time. i helped a buddy butcher a few deer and that is how i touched up his knives when they got dull. how many times you can touch up a knife depends on how bad the edge gets between touchups.

 

[mete]

My boning knives are usually sharpened just with a butcher's steel .Only occasionally will I use a diamond rod or stone [especially the tip].
A belt grinder certainly wastes steel !