Sharpening - How often?

C

ComputerSteve

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Feb 2, 2011
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I know the question ultimately depends on how much you use a knife. However, I just purchased my first 3 ESEE knives in February. I use the Izula II for EDC; opening boxes, breaking boxes down, cutting plastic tubing for tapping maple trees, carved up wood to make tinder for fires, heck, I even use it to cut up dinner. Even though it's everyday use, I didn't think I was being too hard on it, however it's lost a bit of it's sharpness. When I first got it, I could shave the hair off my air, and if I looked at it wrong I'd see a piece of my skin on the table. Now I can run my fingers over the blade and no worry of getting cut.

I figured I have to sharpen the knives sometime, and I looked around the forums for info. It seems the Spiderco SharpMaker is highly regarded, so I ordered one today. I just thought I'd ask how often the knives should be touched up to keep them at the top of their game.
 
I sharpen mine at the end of everyday. That way I never need to sharpen them. I use a ceramic rod and strop them, and I haven't had to sharpen a knife for longer than 5 minutes at anytime in recent memory.
 
I've had my 4 and Izula-II since christmas and I think I've sharpened each once or twice.

Make sure to watch the DVD that comes with the Sharpmaker at least once when you get it. The system takes a little getting used to, but you should be able to easily and quickly put a nice edge on knives after you get some practice.
 
The easy answer is whenever it needs it, but I found that stropping yr edc blade on a loaded leather strop at the end of the day reduces the frequency for putting it to a stone. If you're going to use the sharpmaker I'd suggest the ultrafine stones for final sharpening and for light touch ups between sharpenings. Good luck.
 
Well, they don't get dull on there own, so however often you are using it hard enough to knock the edge off.

My Isula went two weeks fine. The other day I was shaving chipping some epoxy off of a bead blasted concrete. When I got home from the out of town job, I put an edge back on it. Sometimes it is a twice a week thing for my Isula. My -3 has been sharpened twice in a month. My brother sharpens his nearly every day. He uses his like I do likes a clean edge. But we are both in demolition construction so I can guess ours are being used harder then some.
 
I used to sharpen mine quite abit, as soon as they lost that hair splittin' edge, they got the stones. Now, it when they get dull, and that is a subjective matter. Even my dull knives cut better than some "sharp" knives that folks carry. I rotate my EDC, but I always have a folder now, and a small fixed blade, either, Izula or ESKabar.

Rule of thumb is, when you can notice a sizeable difference in its ability to cut something, time for the sharpener.

Moose
 
Depends on the use. After light to moderate use I'll strop or do a light touch up then strop. For the most part that'll keep it from ever getting dull, i.e. it'll generally stay razor sharp or close to it. After a day of truly hard use I'll sharpen it up proper.
 
TheGame said:
I sharpen mine at the end of everyday. That way I never need to sharpen them. I use a ceramic rod and strop them, and I haven't had to sharpen a knife for longer than 5 minutes at anytime in recent memory.
Click to expand...

Can you use a ceramic rod on a convexed edge?
 
Hone frequently, sharpen less often is my rule. I find the strop to be the best investment of money, time, and energy to keep your edges very sharp. The strop allows for touching up an edge, without removing metal, well very very little if any.
With hard use, or lenghty use, a sharpening will be necessary.
 
Minimum for heavy use is once a day. For light use i may go a week. Depends on the steel as well. 5-10 swipes on the sharpmaker or 2000 sandpaper for convex and then strop and good to go usually.
 
the knife i use that day gets sharpened that night...i think its a great habit....a dull knife is a dangerous knife.
 
For me basically about once a week for anything in my collection that got some use.
 
Interesting responses here.

I sharpen my knife when it isn't sharp enough for the tasks I have. Needlessly grinding away metal because of a habit or a ritual seems superfluous.
 
I use light to check my edge after use, and if reflects light I steel it until it reflects no light and it completely cuts light which means the edge is in perfect shape. Then I strop it. If this does not get it done I will put a new edge on the knife with an extra coarse stone and work my way up the grits and finish with stropping. This rarely needs to be done unless the edge is really beat up or I am thinning out the edge from repeated sharpening.
 
I find the best way to keep a sharp edge, just like a good woman, is to stroke it often, gently with a ceramic rod weather she needs it or not. :)
 
A lot of good tips here. I got interested in the ESEE knives, but didn't put enough thought into the maintenance. Sounds like the SharpMaker, a leather strop, and some sharpening skills development and I should be able to keep my knives in peak condition.
 
The nice thing about the sharpmaker is that once you "graduate" to non-guided sharpening you can flip it over and use it like a benchstone.
 
I only have to use the stones once,when sharpening a new blade that did'nt come sharp enough for me.Then all I need to do after using a blade is to touch the edge up on a ceramic and a strop.In other words,I don't let my knives get dull.
 
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