What sharpening method(s) do you use

Matthewd

Matthewd

Chief Gadget Officer
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
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389
Coming from a woodworking background, I need to ensure that my chisels and plane irons are razor sharp at all times.
Like many people, my first sharpening method was the "scary sharp" or sandpaper on granite/float glass.
After a while I was tempted by the tormek machine, but finally settled on waterstones. With these, I get a mirror polished edge and fast, consistent results. The drawbacks are that you create a messy slurry, and that are introducing water to steel - so this involves cleanup of the stones/sharpening area, and blades.
So I'm curious what methods you guys use to sharpen/hone your knives?

  • Spyderco system
  • Tormek system
  • Arkansas/whetsones
  • Diamond Stones
  • waterstones
  • sandpaper
  • leather strop
  • other mechanical devices?
  • am I missing anything else?
Ultimately, I find in woodworking that it is best to pick 1 method and stick with it. Unless you get pleasure out of the act of sharpening, the goal is to get it sharp and get it done fast.
Let's see what you use and the results that you get
 
I cheat and use an Edge Pro. Its spendy, but it turned me from zero to hero.

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Ben Dale's Edge Pro system. :thumbup:

Let me clarify, The Edge Pro was the one ya missed, I do 90% of my sharpenin' freehand on a 8" diamond hone.
 
Nothing like a good dual bit pull-through sharpener - carbide sets the edge and the ceramic side smooths it out. They have them for a few bucks at Wal-Mart. They have my thick hard use blades, Strider/Hinderer shaving sharp!

Other than that one I use a DMT magna guide with complete set of dia-folds for guided or freehand touch-ups. :)
 
I've tried a couple of systems that gave me some acceptable and some horrific results. I finally got around to learning to use wetstones. Once I learned to use them, the entire process of sharpening clicked in my head like someone turned on a lightbulb. Now I can pretty much use any abrasive within reason, to get a sharp edge.
 
For me, it's the
Spyderco Sharpmaker for touch up and maintenance-folders
DMT Aligner 4 stone system for general sharpening- folders
1X42 belt sander for the fixed blades 5 inch and over
everything gets the strop:)
 
powernoodle said:
I cheat and use an Edge Pro. Its spendy, but it turned me from zero to hero.

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Nice!! I just got an EP yesterday at a great deal but I'm about to sell it. I tried a Spiderco Manix 2 as my first blade and the edge came out crappy. I was trying to hold as consistent as I could but I could still see different bevels.

For the OP, I have an Worksharp and Spiderco Sharpmaker. I'm still pretty new to sharpening. My results with the Spiderco Sharpmaker are pretty decent. Takes a while if you have a pretty dull blade. The WS is pretty awesome. I did put light scratches on my Kershaw Blur's black finish from rubbing it against the guide. I will be taking the blades from now on. But other than that, the edges are great and really sharp.
 
I will not shun anything that gets the results the user wants...there must be a billion ways to achieve an edge.

I find myself making more an more of my own sharpening supplies these days.
 
eccvets said:
belt sanders and paper wheels here.
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matthewd, you should check into the paper wheels. a buddy of mine has a tormek that he uses on his wood chisels. i showed him some knives i sharpened on the paper wheels and he was amazed at how sharp they were.

i touched up the chisels he had just sharpened on the slotted wheel and he was even more amazed at how much sharper they were. here is my thread on the wheels. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=578787
 
I think I have every type of sharpening stone available(diamond, ceramic, crystolon, india, arkansas...)but the 8" DMT diamond continuous plates are the best for me. I use a sharpmaker for serrations but otherwise I freehand. I have tried clamp systems like lansky and dmt but prefer to freehand. There are too many variables with guided systems for me to get consistent results easily plus I think freehand sharpening is a good skill to have.
 
Depends on the alloy and what I am doing.

If I am changing an edge bevel angle, I use a DMT extra-coarse diamond stone, no matter what alloy it is.

For maintaining an edge:
- For alloys which don't have a lot of carbides, I use a Sharpmaker almost exclusively.
- For alloys which do have a lot of carbides, and especially for alloys which contain Vanadium Carbides, I pretty much stick to DMT stones. X-tra Coarse through X-tra fine. Though I will occasionally use the Sharpmaker on them.
 
Like Unit- I make some of my supplies, I have a homemade V sharpener (ya know, like spyderco :p), it is 24 incl I set it up with p240, p600, p1200, 1500 grit, 2000 grit and then strop with a wheel to a mirror shine- the microbevel is done with lansky crock sticks, then I strop by hand :D.
Id try the spyderco sharpmaker with a strop and diamond paste if I were you, you should get fantastic edges.
 
Method Champagne. ;)

I use a sharpmaker these days, for the most part. I just ordered the 4 sided (4STROKE) strop, which should improve my game a little. I only bought the sharpmaker (along with diamond and ultra fine stones) recently. Before that I used a DMT coarse bench stone (or my electric water wheel sharpener), and spyderco medium, fine, and ultra fine bench stones). I've been sharpening knives since I was 6 years old (I'm 32 now) and I'm pretty good at sharpening my knives without an angle guide. I tend to end up with convex edges when I sharpen with a bench stone, just because I don't do it perfectly. I like that. Even 15 years ago I was putting a polished edge on most of my blades. My grandpa got me into knives and knife sharpening and taught me how from that young age (some help from dad too).
 
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention - I prefer the sharpmaker to sharpening by hand, but mostly because it takes me less time. I don't really have to think about the angle and check my angle during the process. I'd say it takes me about 3-5x as long to sharpen a knife on bench stones.
 
I use a lot of different methods depending upon where I am, what knife I want to sharpen, and my mood at the time. All of them do the job that is required of them without trying to shoehorn them into doing what is not. You don't use a hammer for every job and still get proper results... same with sharpening tools.

All my knives get a yearly (or more) edge on the EdgePro Apex.
Plus.............
All my kitchen knives get a weekly touch-up on the Spyderco and daily strokes on a borocillicate glass rod.
I bring a DMT aligner clamp and sandpaper with me when camping, should the need arise while I'm in the field.
I'll occasionally use a RazorEdge clamp on very small pen blades.
I have a DMT plate that I carry in my wallet and use freehand when doing work outside the house.
Several blades get stropped using various compounds, and a few that get finished on a bare horsehide strop.

I do NOT believe that there is one method that is better than the others. Just different tools for different needs.


Stitchawl
 
I have been using the Wicked Edge Precision Sharpener for over a year now and I couldn't be happier. The edges are frighteningly sharp every time and touch-ups are a breeze. The knives are held firmly by its clamp and the precise position can be accurately repeated easily. Angles cane be set very precisely.
The selection of stones for the double paddles include diamond, Shaptons and Choseras...there are also leather and balsa strops with a fine variety of sharpening compounds to use with them
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Here is my TK2 Fallkniven knife with a 3G Powder Steel laminate blade done with Shapton Stones on the WEPS.
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Sorry for the quality of the shots! I will try to take some better ones soon.
I love my Wicked Edge Precision Sharpener.

Cheers
Leo
 
DMT diamond bench hones
A bunch of waterstones I can hardly pronounce the name to
Some sandpaper
A few bottles of compound
An last but not least a belt sander

All depends on what the steel wants :)
 
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