Sharpening!

S

StickyVortex

Joined
Aug 9, 2004
Messages
24
I just bought my first knife recently and now I need to sharpen it! I have a stone but its my fathers it its probably upwards of 20 years old. I'm not sure of the proper technique/equipment that I need. Any advice?
 
StickyVortex, welcome to Bladeforums. What kind of knife did you get?

The FAQ that JDEE referred to are the BladeForums.com Knife FAQs with a lot of good basic background information, including sharpening.

Since you have no experience to begin with, I also suggest you consider buying a Spyderco Sharpmaker. This is an almost fool-proof system, and it comes with a booklet and a video to teach you how to use it, not just for knives but every other cutting tool out there.

By reading the FAQ and following the Sharpmaker instructions, you will soon understand what happens when you sharpen a knife, and then you'll probably be able to pick up your father's stone and get some use out of it, too. :)
 
I have a Sharpmaker and it is a great and simple system. Having said that however, if I had it to do all over again (or had an extra $125 laying around) I'd probably dive in all the way and buy an Edgepro. From the reading I've done around here and elsewhere this is just about the best you can get (unless you're into serrations - then stick with the Sharpmaker).

Also, assuming that you will soon experience actually making a knife SHARP for the first time (i.e. you're a sharp virgin) - welcome to the club. You'll never forget the first time.

Buy band-aids

SCDUB
 
I haven't used a Sharpmaker, I prefer the rod-guided systems as they are more useful if I need to re-profile an edge.

I would also recommend a search for "convex edges" as I have recently put one of these on a (basically convex ground) Falkniven U2 with great success.

Greg
 
Having been sharpening my own blades for the last 30+ years I've come to notice a few things in regards to what you use to sharpen a knife. Diamond hones remove massive amounts of steel and sharpen a blade fast but even with the finest hone you will still need to finish your blade on a strop or ceramic hone to smooth out the edge. Always sharpen at the desired angle,(between 17-24 degrees, depending on the thickness of the blade) till you get a wire edge on one side, (the best way to feel for this is to slide your thumbnail from the spine side, or back of the blade towards the edge) when you encounter a wire edge it will feel like a little lip has formed where the wire edge has rolled over. Next sharpen the opposite side till you achieve the same result. Done on a Fine Diamond Hone, finish off by repeating the process using lighter pressure on each subsequent stroke and the wire edge will become smaller. When the wire edge is barely noticeable with your fingernail. Finish with a leather strop and stropping compound by applying a reasonable amount of force and dragging the blade backwards on the leather at a slightly less angle than you sharpened,(the leather will actually curl around the edge of the blade and wear off the wire edge) after a few strokes on the leather on both side you should have a finished edge. When the edge of the sharpened blade is rested on the smooth part of your thumbnail it will dig in, (bite into the nail with no additional pressure), Your knife should now be shaving sharp.

Diamonds are more aggressive and faster than wet stones or oilstones but will accomplish the same results with a smoother more polished edge, and depending on the grit of the stone may take a lot longer. The key either way is repetition, the more you perform the same task your brain starts memorizing the pathways through your body needed to accomplish this task. Eventually holding an angle, smoothness of stroke, all become second nature, and the task becomes easier. That’s why it always looks easier when someone else whose good at it does it.

My way is not the only way but it works for me, if you feel confident enough to attempt your own blades, start on a cheaper knife that your not afraid of ruining, and remember it’s easier to sharpen a knife that’s not dull, than to sharpen one that is. So don’t wait till your knife won’t even cut butter before you dress up that edge. LOL

PS as for my preference I prefer a diamond hone just because I think it's quicker, and more versatile I can accomplish the same thing with one hone by just varying pressure to the blade as I sharpen.
 
I have a Lansky sharpening system, and it seems to do a good job on my knives. I see quite a few recommendations for the Sharpmaker.

What are the principal differences between the Lansky sharpening systems and the Spyderco Sharpmaker? Is the Sharpmaker really superior to the Lansky? Is it the stones, method used to sharpen blades, or what?

Thanks,

KP
 
The Sharpmaker is quicker and simpler, and works very well at touching up knives that are in basically good shape, that is, that have a good edge bevel, and are not too dull.
 
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