where/how do you sharpen?

hardheart

hardheart

Joined
Sep 19, 2001
Messages
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I sharpen sitting/reclining in a chair. The stones/strop/steel are held in my left hand, or rest on my leg. Sometimes I'll put the 2-3" wide ones in a stone holder and rest that on a 12" floor tile which sits on my lap. I put the waterstones on the tile so I don't get wet. I stand when stropping, couldn't tell you why. I hold the strop block/watercolor paper in my left hand.

I don't have a table with enough free space or of the right height to set this stuff down, and it just feels a lot more in control to me.

 
I sharpen sitting in front of my 1x30" sander, with all the belts in the top drawer of the stand it's mounted on, the bucket of water behind the sander, a shop towel on my left thigh for wiping off said water, and a table to my right to place the knives on as I work on them.

And touch ups happen standing in front of the kitchen counter using the lansky crock stick sharpener, or sitting at my desk with a strop.
 
I sharpen sitting on a sofa, with the stone or strop on the coffee table. Lets me easily get on top of it. If this gets tiring I'll stand and sharpen on the workbench (countertop height). Sanders and the infrequently used EZE sharp jig sharpener are on the workbench. I'll often do strops & blade refinishing on the leg.

And Merry Christmas!
 
When I use benchstones, they're held horizontally in a vice thats fixed to a desk. I'll sit in a chair and lean forward over the hone as I sharpen.

For some reason, I like to use the Sharpmaker at about countertop height while standing up.
 
In the basement using a workbench for the sander, stones (water and diamond), strops, and the rare EdgePro and upstairs for the Sharpmaker. Everywhere for the DoubleStuff and Duo-Fold.
 
I use a 2 x 42 belt sander with 600 grit to get the final edge on knife, then switch to a grinder with two cardboard wheels. One wheel impregnated with a 1200 grit the other wheel I use a buffing compound. This is all mounted on a work bench in my shop where I build all my knives. If I am going to the field, I usually sharpen up to three or four knives to take with me. If one gets dull, I just switch. I do have two diamond hones also to carry with me, but can't remember the last time I used them...
 
I normally sharpen with the Sharpmaker in the shop, standing at the bench. For convex sharpening, I use the same bench but sit in a swiveling tall stool. I usually strop while standing there at the bench, but I have stropped in the recliner, while watching UFC!!! (makes for some pretty sloppy stropping, I've noticed) ((( :D )))
 
I use a Sharpmaker most of the time, occasionally an Edge Pro. I like to stand when I'm sharpening, so I use the kitchen counter. We have extra task lighting installed under the cabinets, so that's a help when I'm sharpening or checking an edge.

This is at least a weekly thing for me, depending on how much and how recently I've used my knives. It has sometimes been daily.

It's never less than weekly, since it's therapy for me as well as TLC for my blades.
 
i sit at my workbench in the basement, with my meager collection of stones and strops. i have half of a medium arkansas bench stone in my back pocket for touchups.

for the most part, i just use my pocket stone. i mostly use the bench stones for when i first get a knife or for when i am sharpening a friends knife that i haven't already sharpened.
 
I keep all my stuff in a plastic shoebox. I usually sit at the kitchen table, looking into the living room so I can watch TV. I rarely see what's happening on screen, but for some reason the sounds are better than music to me.
 
In the workshop for serious work, in front of the tube with an EZ Lap diamond rod and ceramic finishing rod for touch-up edge work...
 
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