Sharpening

[frontiertom]

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

TPTV...
I know what you mean on the getting sucked in with hobbies! I guess the first hobbie I ever started was any kind of vinyl records, and music in general! Used to be, in my younger years, and probably to this day if I got into shopping centers more, I had to avoid the front doors of those record shops! I would have to walk down the centers middle isle on the other side! If I got close to the door of that record shop, it would suck me in there every time! Then I knew I was going to go home and have a big fight with the old woman! LOL! Now days, I guess you probably can't find a vinyl album in those places!

ft

 

[mykel m]

Good post,
Here's my 4 cents.....
Diamonds & ceramic are pretty much what I have used for the last couple of decades or so.
Before diamonds became popular it was natural stones of course,but I prefer diamonds for their durability or wear resistance.
Meaning they don't develop the dishing that a natural stone will wear into after prolonged use.
I also have one of the cheap 4 sided diamond blocks that works great for removing dings or knocking down too steep shoulders on an edge.(I prefer a thinner edge)It has 200-600 grit plates & after the 200 I use a ceramic rod or the cone in the first pic for the final paper shaving edge.I also have some of the little paddle types from ezlap that are great for throwing into a pack/bag.They range from 1200-150 grit,all you'd need to maintain an edge in the field.I used it on my HBXL last Memorial Day weekend.
Before ceramic rods came out I used plain leather,usually the side of my boot or my belt for the final edge.
When I was a kid we(my adopted father,brother & I) sharpened our knives on a 2 sided stone by spitting on it & pushing the blade around in a circle or oval pattern.I wouldn't think of doing it now,but it worked.
That stone had the dish from wear,but like I said,it worked fine for our pocket knives.
Thinking about it,I guess we were actually putting a slight convexed edge on our knives with that old stone.
Now days I can get a nice edge without the spit & get it much quicker with diamonds & ceramic.
That's one of the things I like about diamonds,no oil or spit is needed to keep the pores of the stone open for optimal performance.Just dump the dust off in the trash or rinse them off after use.

I lucked out on the ceramic cone in the first pic.It came off a sand blaster & was the inner nozzle where the blasting media came out.Very wear resistant stuff!
It is the best touch up sharpener I have.A few licks on it and a dull blade is paper shaving again.
Notice I said paper & not hair shaving,I got tired of bald spots on my arms,it's bad enough my head is bald,I don't need bald arms too.

I did make a strop recently & bought a package of different rouges to try out,but have been hesitant because I don't need another step in my sharpening process & don't really need a polished edge either.(I'm lazy like that,the less work the better)

 

[TPVT]

thanks frontier tom and mykel. good stories. and, thanks for the detail myke. appreciate it.

 

[mykel m]

thanks frontier tom and mykel. good stories. and, thanks for the detail myke. appreciate it.

I forgot to mention that I do use a mousepad & sand paper for the knives that have convex edges like the sweet Hiker I just got from you.
Thanks again for that one Todd.

 

[TPVT]

I forgot to mention that I do use a mousepad & sand paper for the knives that have convex edges like the sweet Hiker I just got from you.
Thanks again for that one Todd.

i'm glad she went to a good home. enjoy!

 

[TPVT]

so, i was at the hardware store yesterday evening, and i noticed they had a cheapo smiths 6" benchstone (doublesided - course/fine) for $6. i had to pick it up and try it out. i haven't used a stone since i was a kid.

i mention this because i was really having a hard time getting a good edge on my LRK+. i use a DMT diafold (course/fine) paddle for all my knives. i like it. works great. BUT...for some reason, i just could not get that LRK+ as sharp as i wanted with it. tough knife!

well...i'm working at home today and just took it to the stone for my lunchbreak. and, i'll tell ya what....i hit that LRK+ on that stone...about 20 laps on the course and about 40 laps on the fine....then "stropped" on my pants leg...and it is pretty doggone sharp. i'm impressed.

 

[KYenglish]

cool, I use one of those simple stones from time to time, sometimes nothing works though and I just have to leave it alone for a while and admit it's me, I had the hardest time getting a good edge on the JKTK the other day and had to leave it for 24 hours, when i came back it sharpened up just fine, I think i just get a mental block for it sometimes.

 

[TPVT]

cool, I use one of those simple stones from time to time, sometimes nothing works though and I just have to leave it alone for a while and admit it's me, I had the hardest time getting a good edge on the JKTK the other day and had to leave it for 24 hours, when i came back it sharpened up just fine, I think i just get a mental block for it sometimes.

agreed. i'm sure the DMT would work fine if i actually knew what the heck i was doing. but, saw how cheap that stone was and had to compare. i liked it. i may even go back for the 8".

P.S. my TK is coming soon!

 

[mykel m]

Smiths are good,I have a 2 sided smiths that stores in the handle,I keep it in my camp box along with a ceramic rod.(and all my other camp kitchen stuff)

You might as well get the 8" if the price is right,you can't have too many sharpeners stashed around.

 

[Junglas]

Great thread, I read it carefully and planning my strategy. Great info guys.

 

[TPVT]

Great thread, I read it carefully and planning my strategy. Great info guys.

thanks junglas. i will keep this thread going then!

rainy day and decided to try yet another technique....well, an add-on really. i bought a ceramic rod...like one you would see in a knife block. and boy...what a difference! sharp!

so now...in summary...i do...
1) fine DMT or oilstone. (i will use course first, as necessary)
2) ceramic rod
3) pants leg

i'm getting there guys. thanks for all the advice (special thanks to myke for posting about the ceramic "finisher"). i actually have 1 and 3 micron borazon slurries coming, as well. and yes...i like to experiment.

 

[Junglas]

There's a wealth in information here! I have it bookmarked

What type of set up would you guys recommend for me? Before winning Peter and Mykel giveaway, my knife collection was a Mora Companion and a Spyderco Tenacious. I just used a cheap basic kitchen stone to sharpen the Mora from time to time. I know they say scandi knives are easy to sharpen, but some how I managed to screw that up! lol. My Tenacious is still kinda sharp and I've been toying with the idea of investing in a better sharpener. I'm on a very tight budget. The plan was to save up and buy the Lanksy 3 hone sharpening system- course, med, and fine. But know that I have a that awesome ViKtim on the way, I decided to upgrade to the the Lanksy 5 hone deluxe- extra course, course, med, fine, and extra fine. And sometime in the future, pick up a leather strop. I found the Lanksy deluxe system for 33 dollars, free shipping and no taxes!

I'm heading in that direction because I'm really horrible at sharpening, the fixed angles will help me and that system isn't expensive. If you guys have any advice on alternatives, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks fellas.