Sharpening Lessons

[Anthony]

Hello Everyone,

Can anyone point me toward the best book, website, video, etc. for learning how to sharpen knives correctly?

My head is about to hurt from the plethora of strops, stones, kits, and other assorted sharpening stuff out there.

- Anthony

 

[Don Luis]

Start with the sharpening FAQs, follow the TUTORIAL / FAQs link on top of the page.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Start here,click me, than do a search on sharpening.

This should be enough to make your head explode, after that buy the biggest and best stones you can afford than, practice, practice.

 

[VampyreWolf]

for sharpening knives that are already sharp, the spyderco 204mf sharpmaker has an excellent boook and vid with it.

For sharpening freehand, you don't need expensive gear. I have a pair of $5 stones, and my 303MF.

 

[spyken]

if you're looking for a reliable, idiot proof set - the sharpmaker is the best. if your blade is a modern steel like VG10, S30V, 154CM - get the diamond stones - you'll need them for reprofiling.

btw, I sharpened my first knife freehand on $4 carborendum stones (the cheapest stuff in the market) - it was my kitchen knife....AND I made it shave hair!!! I'm really happy actually. I think it's all about making the bevels meet and getting rid of the burrs....

alas, I have the guts to try it on my nicer folders

 

[spyken]

I mean't I HAVEN'T the guts to freehand sharpen my folders on my el cheapo carborendum stone....

 

[ROBB]

Try Sreves Knife Sharprning Site.I believe the address is http://www.ameritech.net/users/knives/index.htm This site has more info on sharpening than any other I've come accross.Joe T's questions & answers are also excellent

 

[RLR]

Freehand all the way!

Buy a Norton Coarse and Fine Sandwich Stone (Black and Tan) and that should be enough. Coarse reprofiles, Fine sharpens and with pressure control you can get a toothy or smooth edge. Get a strop to touch up and you're golden.

 

[.45acp]

You might look at the Hand America site http://www.handamerican.com/products.html

I have a set of the 3" X 1” X 12" stones in hard, soft and surgical black as well as the Pro Combo hone for wet/dry sand paper and leather hones with and or without grit. The course paper is used to reprofile while the fine paper are used similar to a honing stone.

I personally prefer to sharpen free hand, that being said some of the preset angle(Spyderco) sharpening sets or jig (Lansky)type methods do produce outstanding results.

I have the Crocksticks you refer to, they are adequate but there are sets out there that have more versatility.


Good Luck