Sharpening

TPVT

TPVT

Joined
Feb 14, 2012
Messages
5,768
Hi all.
So, i decided to start this post after reading John's "Ideas" post.

As you all know, i am relatively new to the knife marketplace. and boy...have i been sucked in. i tend to do that with my hobbies.

So, now i have some knives. And, i am starting to use them more and more. And, as such, i am starting to play around with various sharpening methods.

i read and youtubed a bunch before i got started.

I tried sandpaper. while i was able to get a knife fairly sharp, i had a few problems with it.
1) it kind of made a mess. i do not have a good workspace. so, i was doing this in my kitchen. ahhh...nothing like the fresh smell of WD-40!
2) go through a lot of sandpaper
3) i am just not very good at it.

of course, i realize i could practice, but on to the next method!

i tried the sandpaper on mousepad method for that convex JK Hiker i got from KYenglish. same problems as above. and i was definitely worse with the convex edge.

On to the next method!

Just yesterday, i got a DMT Diafold sharpener (red/blue - i.e. fine/coarse). i think i have found a winner. thoughts:
1) convenient. this is the foldable paddle-type model. so, it is portable (smallish/light)
2) easy to use. i was able to put an edge on all my knives with this without any prior experience.
3) it's quick.

On to the next method!

i also just received a strop and some green and black compound (the bricks). thoughts:
1) the hardest part was getting the compound on. maybe it is low quality compound (ordered the compound on ebay)(i special ordered the strop). dunno. it would go on very streaky. i.e. clumps...not all flat...bad. then i sanded it all off. and made sure the leather was nice and rough. that helped. i also saw a video that warming up the leather with a hairdryer helps (haven't tried this yet).
2) once i got a relatively even coating of compound on....i was able to bring each knife to an edge that was pretty good at cutting paper.
3) i was able to throw at least a half-decent edge on that hiker using the strop method.

i didn't go any further than the paper test. i.e. didn't try to get it to what some folks call "hair popping" sharp. I didn't spend a lot of time on it. but, i spent enough time where i am fairly certain if i spend a bit more time playing with the DMT stones and Strop that i think i have now found a "kit" that will work for me.

This is what i have been messing with (besides hunting materials for that LRK+ project). and, like i said...since John was asking, i figured i'd post something up.

i would be curious to hear how all the JK-ers maintain their knives.

thanks.
-todd
 
Blue DMT for me, been using it for years. I put the final touch on it with a 3M Scotchbrite belt on my 1" belt grinder.
 
a-ha! validation from the man himself! :) yeah, never used a diamond sharpener before. and, i was pretty impressed.
 
I’ve got several methods for sharpening; the oldest (by far) is a set of stones (medium and fine). I’m much better with the stones now, but it wasn’t all that long ago when I couldn’t get anything sharp with them.

A couple of years ago I bought several different diamond sharpeners. One is a cube, with differing grits, from Harbor Freight – it works surprisingly well (considering how cheap it is). Another is the red/fine DMT and the last one is a two-sided diamond plate from Hewlett. I like all three and use all three, but probably use the cube more than the others. This is likely due to the fact that it has a fairly coarse grit and can be used to remove more metal when necessary.

I have ceramic sticks that I use to get a very decent working edge (after the stones or diamond plates) and to maintain the edge.

Last year I made myself two strops; I load one with valve grinding compound and the other with a metal polish. Using these, I can get my edges hair-popping sharp with relative ease.

Thinking I was somehow missing the boat, I bought a Lansky system late last year. It works well, albeit a bit awkwardly at times, and will give the edge a mirror polish if that’s what you’re after.

Around the same time I bought the Lansky system, I bought a Work Sharp Knife Sharpener: it works very, very well; almost too well (if you’re not paying attention). There is a bit of a learning curve, but it will get your edges working sharp in a hurry (finish them to razor sharp on the strops).

For things like lawnmower blades, I use the same system I’ve used since I was a kid: a vise and a file. I’ve tried using a dremel tool, but didn’t really care for it and went back to the file.

For the most part I don’t need to use anything other than the strops or the ceramic rods, though I do occasionally use the diamond plates when I have a bit more metal to remove.

I do use the Work Sharp fairly often, but that’s almost always used when I’m sharpening kitchen knives for someone. It does a fine job – if you’re careful – in a very timely manner, but there’s something relaxing about sharpening my own knives by hand.

The Lansky system hardly ever gets used – I just prefer sharpening by hand or with the WS.

I have not tried the sandpaper method and at this point I doubt that I ever will. What I have now works for me and I’m completely satisfied with the sharpness of my edges.
 
i agree with you on the dremel vs. file grind on the mower blades. the dremel attachment is just so small....and it spins so fast....it's just hard to get exactly right. thanks for posting tahts.
 
For woodworking tools, I use water stones. For knives, I've been using the Spyderco Sharpmaker and finishing with a leather strop. I just got some belts for the belt sander so I may try to convex an edge shortly.
 
Cool thread,

I use a whetstone when I got the time, I'd prefer to get good enough on them I don't need much else but for speed I use a lansky, might try some of these other suggestions soon though, :p
 
If in the field, I bring my DMT diamonds but at home I use the Work Sharp system. It comes with belts in 80, 220, and 6000 grit but if you check out micro-surface.com you can find belts up to 12,000. I sharpen all my knives, custom, factory, kitchen, plus my axes and tomahawks. I have two tomahawks in 52100 steel made by Craig Barr and while I got a great edge on one using the DMT diamonds, the other was hopeless. No matter how much time I put into it, I just couldn't get it sharp. After about 15 minutes on the Work Sharp, I could shave with that sucker!
 
JackHammer said:
If in the field, I bring my DMT diamonds but at home I use the Work Sharp system. It comes with belts in 80, 220, and 6000 grit but if you check out micro-surface.com you can find belts up to 12,000. I sharpen all my knives, custom, factory, kitchen, plus my axes and tomahawks. I have two tomahawks in 52100 steel made by Craig Barr and while I got a great edge on one using the DMT diamonds, the other was hopeless. No matter how much time I put into it, I just couldn't get it sharp. After about 15 minutes on the Work Sharp, I could shave with that sucker!
Click to expand...

just checked it out JH. interesting. ultimately, i would like to invest in a belt grinder, but that prob won't happen anytime soon.
 
I have a Sharpmaker, DMT Diafold, a DMT Aligner, Lansky bench stones (diamond) and I also have a sandpaper/1000 grit mousepad that darkmatter (John) gave me at one of our gatherings -

I mostly have used the Diafold in the past for sharpening my JK's - and I get very good results by hand.

The Aligner is great, but many of my JK's are too thick to use in the clamp for the tool -

The Sharpmaker is good if the knife has a decent edge and just needs touched up -

I just bought the Lansky bench stones at Blade for a great price (thanks Lansky!) so I'll be using these to sharpen up my knives soon.

Darkmatter gave me a cool sandpaper / mousepad and I have used it to put the final edge on my knives several times - it works GREAT - I get more noticeable results from that pad than with my strop.

I also have some 15 degree wood blocks that I use when I use my bench stones to aid in consistent alignment when going by hand - I will be using these with my Lansky stones when I do my first sharpening session with them.

http://www.iammoon.com/albums/knives/sharpening/index.html

best

mqqn
 
PGeo00 said:
For woodworking tools, I use water stones. For knives, I've been using the Spyderco Sharpmaker and finishing with a leather strop. I just got some belts for the belt sander so I may try to convex an edge shortly.
Click to expand...

I've been using the same, a sharpmaker and a strop. I have the ultra-fine stones that spyderco sells separately, and for the most part, I barely ever use the jig sharpmaker comes with, and just do a couple of circles on each side of one stone, on the flat part, and then strop the edge.

My JK knives are the only ones I have in O-1 tool steel, and they hold an edge much better than my other knives. :)
 
mqqn said:
I have a Sharpmaker, DMT Diafold, a DMT Aligner, Lansky bench stones (diamond) and I also have a sandpaper/1000 grit mousepad that darkmatter (John) gave me at one of our gatherings -

I mostly have used the Diafold in the past for sharpening my JK's - and I get very good results by hand.

The Aligner is great, but many of my JK's are too thick to use in the clamp for the tool -

The Sharpmaker is good if the knife has a decent edge and just needs touched up -

I just bought the Lansky bench stones at Blade for a great price (thanks Lansky!) so I'll be using these to sharpen up my knives soon.

Darkmatter gave me a cool sandpaper / mousepad and I have used it to put the final edge on my knives several times - it works GREAT - I get more noticeable results from that pad than with my strop.

I also have some 15 degree wood blocks that I use when I use my bench stones to aid in consistent alignment when going by hand - I will be using these with my Lansky stones when I do my first sharpening session with them.

http://www.iammoon.com/albums/knives/sharpening/index.html

best

mqqn
Click to expand...

hey andy.
thanks for all the great pics. can you explain how you use the wood blocks to guide? do you just the blade on it and run the whole thing down the stone? thanks.
 
Hi Todd -

I set the stone on the block - with the taper of the block advancing away from me, and then I just hold the blade as level to the table as possible and swipe it gently up the stone - This make sort of an alignment rig for your sharpening - I made one block at 15 degrees and one at 20 degrees.

best

mqqn
 
mqqn said:
Hi Todd -

I set the stone on the block - with the taper of the block advancing away from me, and then I just hold the blade as level to the table as possible and swipe it gently up the stone - This make sort of an alignment rig for your sharpening - I made one block at 15 degrees and one at 20 degrees.

best

mqqn
Click to expand...

Brilliant! don't think i would have thought of that. thanks.
 
Thanks TPVT for starting this thread, I've been meaning to ask this same question to the guy's here.

Currently I mostly use a set of crock sticks. I have tried the sandpaper on a mousepad, with mixed results. and I have a ceramic rod that I use on occasion also. I really need to make myself a strop of some kind.
 
kyturkey said:
Thanks TPVT for starting this thread, I've been meaning to ask this same question to the guy's here.

Currently I mostly use a set of crock sticks. I have tried the sandpaper on a mousepad, with mixed results. and I have a ceramic rod that I use on occasion also. I really need to make myself a strop of some kind.
Click to expand...

I aims to please! :D Thanks for the post kyturkey. though, i did have to look up what crock sticks were. :o
 
Sorry might should of described it. Mine has a wood base (unmarked) with two ceramic rods that stand up in one set of angled holes. Very similar to the Lansky turnbox style, except my rods don't store in the wood base. I've had pretty good results with it.
 
kyturkey said:
Sorry might should of described it. Mine has a wood base (unmarked) with two ceramic rods that stand up in one set of angled holes. Very similar to the Lansky turnbox style, except my rods don't store in the wood base. I've had pretty good results with it.
Click to expand...

no worries man. you're not supposed to know what i don't. whaaat? :) i'm wicked good at the interweb. ;)
 
Sharpmaker for touching up, DMT's and strop. Most times just strop on newspaper wrapped around a block.
Stropman compunds are preety good.
 
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