What's your best sharpening tip

Crag the Brewer said:
What magnification? I think I need something too
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This is the one I have and I've had it now for about 3 years, works great, no problems. Light has 3 different brightness settings, I leave mine on the highest cause I aim it where I need it while sharpening when I'm not looking through it. It's a great tool, cheap and I love it. Helped me out a lot when I first started sharpening cause it will DEF show you your mistakes but I like that, I want to be better. On the other hand, it can drive you crazy too.

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Letoff said:
This is the one I have and I've had it now for about 3 years, works great, no problems. Light has 3 different brightness settings, I leave mine on the highest cause I aim it where I need it while sharpening when I'm not looking through it. It's a great tool, cheap and I love it. Helped me out a lot when I first started sharpening cause it will DEF show you your mistakes but I like that, I want to be better. On the other hand, it can drive you crazy too.

qbqukQB.png
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Haha...thank you , I'll maybe buy it for myself for Christmas.... practice makes perfect.

I'm actually really happy with my edges, but I have a lot of higher end orders for next year, and I really have to be on the top of my game!

Thanks.
 
Cementite said:
Start coarse enough for the edge you're trying to sharpen. It's a lot easier to hold your bevel angle consistent for 10 strokes than 10,000 strokes.
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This is a good one. Start coarse enough, and don't switch grits until the current grit has completed its task. Expecting to clean up that last little rough spot with the next finer grit never seems to work for me!
 
killgar said:
My advice- Don't over-think it. Don't obsess over your edge. You don't need to be able to whittle an eyelash hair. You don't need a lot of fancy equipment.

After all, what are you really going to use your knife for? It's not like you're going to perform retinal surgery with your pocket knife. :)


Of course I understand that for some/many people, sharpening, and the pursuit of THE PERFECT EDGE is all part of how they enjoy knives, and that's fine, more power to you. But for the average knife user who wants to just be able to put a sharp edge on their knife, my advice stands.



.
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You are very reasonable. So I'd like to ask you a question. I use a lanskey system attached to my work bench. I always use same angle for both sides. However, when I check the edge by running my thumb over both sides the resistance is always greater on one side. What might I be doing wrong? Thank you!
 
jbib said:
You are very reasonable. So I'd like to ask you a question. I use a lanskey system attached to my work bench. I always use same angle for both sides. However, when I check the edge by running my thumb over both sides the resistance is always greater on one side. What might I be doing wrong? Thank you!
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I’ve used a Lansky since I was a teen and the results are always what you described.
I was never able to clamp the blade evenly. Sharp, yes..but that unevenness was teeth gritting annoying!
I bought a new clamp with rubber grips. I bought the bench stand. I bought more grit stones. I tried their leather strop. I used painter’s tape on one side of the blade to even it.
I tried different tightening stragety. Nothing worked.
That’s why I went to diamond stone hand sharpening, and never looked back.
 
jbib said:
You are very reasonable. So I'd like to ask you a question. I use a lanskey system attached to my work bench. I always use same angle for both sides. However, when I check the edge by running my thumb over both sides the resistance is always greater on one side. What might I be doing wrong? Thank you!
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I've never used a Lanskey system, I have only ever sharpened freehand. Others who use a Lanskey would be better able to help you.
 
killgar said:
I've never used a Lanskey system, I have only ever sharpened freehand. Others who use a Lanskey would be better able to help you.
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I've always thought a system that guided my hand would be better than my free hand effort. I'm going to give it a try on a user.
 
jbib said:
I've always thought a system that guided my hand would be better than my free hand effort. I'm going to give it a try on a user.
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I was hoping to link you this suggestion & pic, but it’s above my pay grade.
On suggestion from T Twindog . Cut a ramp to 17*, 20*, whatever you want your angle to be.
Place your stone on the ramp. Hold your knife level as you shave the stone. Holding the handle with one hand, index finger to guide the blade, shave away from you.
It was an instant success for me. Try as I may, I’ve never mastered hand sharpening on a flat stone.
 
GmpaJim said:
I was hoping to link you this suggestion & pic, but it’s above my pay grade.
On suggestion from T Twindog . Cut a ramp to 17*, 20*, whatever you want your angle to be.
Place your stone on the ramp. Hold your knife level as you shave the stone. Holding the handle with one hand, index finger to guide the blade, shave away from you.
It was an instant success for me. Try as I may, I’ve never mastered hand sharpening on a flat stone.
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Thank you to everyone for your advice.
 
Start with a coarse stone. Angle control isn’t that important. Use a microbevel. This will get the edge sharp. One that is easy, then worry about making them look good.
 
The best tip I could give is use a Sharpie to make sure you are getting to the edge. Also, make sure you raise a burr and then have some magnification and light to really see what you are doing.
 
Practice, practice, practice.

Get a bunch of cheap knives. They're very easy to come by. You can find them at thrift stores, garage sales, or purchase them from lots on flea-bay. Learn by practicing on those junk knives. If you ruin one, who cares? It costs you basically nothing. Cheap knives are also easier to sharpen because the steel is softer.

You might also end up finding an actual valuable knife in all of that junk, or maybe just a knife which ends up becoming your favorite beater knife.

Ignore people who tell you that you *need* expensive and/or ridiculous sharpening gadgets. They're either morons or they are trying to sell you on something. Treat them like a door to door salesman or a stealth marketer. Or someone from Amway.
 
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