Sharpening Systems

[Cobalt]

What sharpening systems do you guys use on your Busses?

I was wondering because I have tried so many different ones recently. I like the strop idea but I just can't get it down.

 

[mymindisamob]

Air Bleeder, I get it real tight, then just let the blades weight do the rest as I pull the blade across. I've taken nicks out of one of my SJTs several times now with this method.
I have been a EZ Lap and Norton Water Stone guy for many years now, but the Air Bleeder retired those, except for sharpening my woodworking tools.

 

[Progunner]

Air bleeder as needed. I used to be a sharpen it to death stone guy, but no more. I realized how much steel I was wasting over the years. Good thing that ended when I found Busse. Of course I don't have to sharpen my Busse knives like I did all those old knives.

 

[idahoskunk]

i use a sharpmaker and or ceramic rod, if i strop (i'm just now getting it after 2476 of your earth years) i make sure the strop is very tight and i only use the weight of the knife for pressure. keep the blade very flat to the leather.

i keep my ceramic clean using ajax or comet cleaner.

i think i sharpen every day or every other day, i leave my stuff on the counter and have another set in my shop, i see, i sharpen.

 

[papathud]

For the most part a round crock stick will keep the knives plenty sharp.

Use the crock stick to steel/strop the blade.

For a coarser more agressive slicer, I use an old round Eazylap Lots of "Toothy" goodness to be found there.

Hair poping sharp is great on a small knife, but is just there for my ego on a big chopper(There for my ego on a bunch of big Choppers) I do that to a big knife while I watch TV or have nothing better to do, not to resharpen to that extent while working clearing weed/brush chopping/splitting camp wood.

I got "The" Strop back before it had a name, and mostly used it to make sure any new knives being sold would shave, and it is great for doing just that.

On a working knife, if I have trouble getting or keeping it sharp I tend then to take the knife, cut/chop/slice wood for a bit, this tends to remove any existing wire edge, some times just chopping with a big Busse will bring a kind of sharp edge right up to hair popping air bleeding sharp.

To weird for reality, (I ended up Calling Jerry on the phone to explain to me how this was possible after is first happened with my first Steel Heart back when I was just a retail customer in the fall of 1999)

Knife not getting sharp enough to suit you? use it a while, work with it,,it may just sharpen itself while you beat it a bit.

edited for spellage

 

[Solstice]

Edge Pro for my smaller Busses and folders (no Busse yet). Strop or smooth steel to bring back the edge on the larger Busse and maintain the edge on my smaller knives. Just picked up a round arkansas black stone mounted in a wood handle. It works great to clean up a knife that has gotten nicks in it. Check out handamerican.com for round smooth steels and the arkansas version of this.

 

[Cobalt]

I still don't get the crock stick technique, I'll have to see it to see how it works.

Edge Pro? I've thought about buying that one, what do you like or dislike about it?

 

[Solstice]

I still don't get the crock stick technique, I'll have to see it to see how it works.

Edge Pro? I've thought about buying that one, what do you like or dislike about it?

The only draw back that I've found with the Edge Pro is that it doesn't do convex edges. So far using a smooth steel has worked to bring back the sharpness of them. The Edge Pro is everything you've ever heard about and more. No more guess work and once I've put a good edge on a knife, it mostly only requires simple maintance with a smooth steel to bring back it's razor sharpness. I really like the polishing tapes, you can use a 4,000 grit polishing tape on a blade and have a mirrior finish that is scary sharp. It also makes reprofiling a edge very simple. I can change the angle of a blade just with a simple adjustment. The pivot arm is long enough to do the thickest of blades. Right now I'm in the process of changing the edge profile of my Meaner Street. I want it to have a wider edge on it. Doesn't take long once you get the hang of it. Ben Dale offers great support also. I've had many emails replied by him on sharpening techniques and questions I've had on different edges and how to attain them using the Edge Pro. Top notch outfit and products.