Sharpening stones

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Lt.Col.Vortex

Joined
Jul 22, 2012
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I was browsing around and came across DT Knives. Great guy and lovely knives. Then I found his sharpening bit. I was stunned and quite ashamed that I had been "destroying" my blades all this time. Untill now I'd been free handing on a wet stone and it works fairly good but it wears down my blades. He got me thinking and now I'm not sure what sharpening stone to sue anymore. I know for fact I'll be building a rig similar to his, but that stone should I put in it?? I'm thinking of sticking with diamond stones such as he has, but whats your thoughts on sharpening stones???

[video=youtube;YOrPH6m34PE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YOrPH6m34PE[/video]

not a sponsor of DT Knives, I just love his stuff.
 
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Gee I wonder where he got the idea?
 
"People use a stone and think they get it right, but you just CAN'T get a sharp edge with a stone, so here's the correct way! This is the only way to get it perfectly sharp!"

"It's gonna be ten degrees then twenty five then... and then you've messed up the edge!"

Silliness. :rolleyes: I don't know much about this fellow, but he takes a bit of a daft attitude at a couple of points in that video. Yeah, a jig system is probably your only bet for making a perfectly consistent edge, but an edge doesn't have to be perfectly consistent, 100% symmetrical, and good looking to be sharp.

Browsing this forum reveals that there's an astoundingly diverse set of sharpening methods in use among knife nuts. Waterstones, Diamond Stones, Ceramic stones, V-rod systems, Paper wheels, Belt grinders, Edge-pro, Worksharp, Sandpaper on a mousepad, Strops, Cinder blocks, Butcher steels... People use all kinds of sharpening systems to great effect. It really doesn't matter what you do, or if your edges look good under a jeweler's loupe, so long as it does what you need it to. Using a stone doesn't mean you're 'Destroying' your blades.
 
Interesting video. Depending on if you already have the supplies available to you or not, I would suggest buyings a Lansky Diamond, Gatco, or DMT Aligner. Its the same fixed angle system except it holds the knife in place for you. Now what Im going to say next is not to upset anybody and this is not something I know from experience but just something I saw on a video that compared the Edge Pro and Wicked Edge systems. The Edge Pro is similar, but better quality and with tons of options for stones, to the system that is in this video. The knife is kind of laying there and you have to hold it, well on the video I watched (Jdavis on YouTube) he had talked about the edge not being completely consistent because of any slight movement in your hands, and when you flip the knife over you WILL change the angle slightly from one side to the other. Especially at the tip. All five systems I have mentioned have this issue though, the tip and sometimes the heel of the blade will be a different angle than the belly of the blade because the stone and arm have to 'reach' further to sharpen them. Depending on knife size there are some knives that will be almost perfect. The Wicked Edge is probably the best system if you want consistency, just because of the accessories that come with it. But again, Im not trying to upset anyone, Im not promoting WE and I dont own one. I do own a Lansky and assumed my edge would be perfect because of it, but the tips of a couple of my knives have thinner angles than the belly of the same blade.

Well good luck in whatever you choose. And if you choose to buy a system or stones for the system youre going to make, my advice would be to do alot of research on EVERYTHING. And if you do make a system, you could even make it compatible with stones and rods from other guided systems to make things easier. I saw one guy on here turn his Gatco into a Wicked Edge (kinda). But it worked for him, and thats really the bottom line, if it works for you then its a good system.
 
A stone hater that couldn't sharpen freehand so he says its the "wrong way", I've seen this before.

I like the part,

"It's not razor Sharp its hunter Sharp" (shaved arm hair) "look, razor Sharp!" WTF? Get the story straight.

I have a few videos myself, I seem to do fine freehand.....
 
Cool, its good to know that whatever stone I choose I cant really go wrong.


Ares1307, I agree with what your saying and your making sense, but as long as the angle stays 'consistent' and not necessarily the same on both sides you will still end up with a sharp knife. You can have 4 or 5 angel changes as you go down the blade on each side, but as long as those stay consistent there wont be a problem. He dose say that the angles aren't changing but thats not true, they are. But as long as you dont roll your edge or change an angle you just made your fine. The position that the knife is setting on his jig in the video, the tip is a shallower angle than whats closer to the handle. But as long as it stays that way its ok.

"People use a stone and think they get it right, but you just CAN'T get a sharp edge with a stone, so here's the correct way!..or at least the way I do it. This is the only way to get it perfectly sharp!"
 
Sounds like another OCD guy whos challenged by free hand sharpening. Be sure and set aside a place in your car for this device when you travel inorder to keep your knives sharp on a trip. While at it may as well make a special back pack to carry it camping. DM
 
Lt.Col.Vortex said:
Untill now I'd been free handing on a wet stone and it works fairly good but it wears down my blades. [/SIZE]
Click to expand...

You can't sharpen a knife without wearing it down, wether you're using a wetstone, lansky, sharpmaker whatever

"just CAN'T get a sharp edge with a stone" Well, maybe he can't. I'm pretty sure I can:rolleyes:
 
Lt.Col.Vortex said:
I was stunned and quite ashamed that I had been "destroying" my blades all this time. Untill now I'd been free handing on a wet stone and it works fairly good but it wears down my blades. He got me thinking and now I'm not sure what sharpening stone to sue anymore.
Click to expand...

When I first read this thread I read this part in a very sarcastic tone :p
 
Lt.Col.Vortex said:
Cool, its good to know that whatever stone I choose I cant really go wrong....
Click to expand...

Yes, learn to use a stone freehand and you can get a very sharp edge. Hell I just proved I could get hair whittling edges free hand with a stone I found by the river, in my Major Goal thread a few days ago.

The video is a bit over zealous in his sales pitch for guided sharpening, but it lacks evidence to support his claims against freehand on a stone. If he said, here's my home made, fool proof sharpening method that is much easier than learning to freehand, I would be ok wit that. Freehand sharpening is a learned skill, maybe he should try it sometime.


-Xander
 
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