Where's that burr anyway?

[harryf3]

Hi there. I recently purchased a so called Arkansas 8" Tri-Hone Sharpening Kit. I am a freehander with very stable hands but I was never good in sharpening. I had poor tools anyway. So I tried the arkansas system on an old Gerber folder with a thick dull blade that could't even cut butter. Used all 3 stones and after an hour and much metal removing and new narrower angle establishment I made it to cut paper very nicely and even cut some hair but only with touching the skin. But I couldn't see or feel any burr.
Then I got a Case trapper with a better edge and did the same. Still no burr.
Then my custom folder with Devin Thomas damascus. No burr at all.
I only see a burr and yes a big one when I sharpen the cheap kitchen knives with cheap and small tools.
Another problem is that the medium stone became very slick after the Gerber and I couldn't feel the edge working on it. The fine stone was all the time great like new. I tried cleaning the medium stone with water and wire sponge but nothing happened. Then I rubbed it with a small diamond sharpening tablet and removed the top surface creating much stone dust. But the stone is still sleek and I still can't feel the edge working.
I didn't put any oil on the stones, just water on the second knife. I sharpened the Gerber dry. I hate having my hands oiled. And I read somewhere that dry sharpening is better.
Any ideas about the burr and the medium stone? Thanks.

 

[BJE]

I have found that on some natural stones, they don't seem to bite into the metal which makes it feel as if it isn't working. Arkansas stones are made from Novaculite and they are different from other rocks because the particles are densely packed, fairly consistant, and they take on a rounded structure which polishes the edge as it removes metal. That is why they take longer to use than other stones, but also seem to give a better edge. Lee's book of sharpening has detailed microscopic pictures of different stones to show you what is happening. I highly recommend his book.

As for the burr, are you sharpening on one side of the blade until you feel a burr(one side at a time), or are you flipping the knife over whith each pass (a pass on the left, and then a pass on the right)? If you are doing the latter, you shouldn't see or feel a burr caused by that type of sharpening unless you are bearing down on a course stone. Have you tried the sharpy test? Mark the very edge with a marker, and see it you are hitting the very edge when sharpening.

 

[harryf3]

Thank you so much Brian.
Yes, you guessed right. I alternate sides after each 5 or 10 strokes. I tried for 30 and over strokes and I saw the burr.
Also, I wasn't hitting the very edge. Corrected that and ALL my knives tranformed to razors!!
Thanks again! Can you imagine what that means to me to have at last really sharp knives after so many years?
I love that forum. Thanks to Bladeforums I now love my knives even more!

 

[BJE]

Glad I could help. Enjoy your sharpening your knives, that is one of my favorite things to do with my spare time.

 

[bobofish]

How did we even survive back in the dark ages before BF and the internet?
I have this vision of some guy in a hut sharpening his knives for 20 years with no burr, and grinding the knives down to the spine without being able to cut butter. Then, a bolt of lightning strikes him and he visits a knife forum.

 

[harryf3]

To help you feed your imagination and visions, think of a guy with crappy or semi-crappy knives who found BF and as a result so many great brands of knives and is now spending a big part of his income in knives.
Thank you all wonderful BF members for that !! :grumpy: :grumpy:

P.S. paid and waiting: lg sebenza, BM mini grip, Case soddie