Who still does at least half of your sharpening manually, on stones?

[Blues]

I take a hybrid approach. Sharpen freehand with diamond or ceramic for the most part...then might finish up the bevels on the Sharpmaker to clean them up a tad.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Thanks. Couldn't see it on my small screen. Those are other variables: the grind and steel that can affect the choice of sharpening stone/technique. I sharpen a fair number of double hollow ground and chisel grinds. I'm curious if you would sharpen this knife with a pocket stone. I don't think I could: I would screw up the angle and probably roll the edge. (cartoon and knife are from my teacher/friend).View attachment 2825024

A reed knife, yeah? Yes, I think I could.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I suspect we agree, and we are using the word "art" differently. I'm not referring to the cosmetic effect of sharpening. I'm referring to the artist-level skill of doing the most with the least for the best and longest lasting result on a knife.

It takes a lot of practice to know which tool to reach for and how to apply it to each knife and to get that last few percentage points of sharpness. This is evident to me when students bring in knives that have no visible problem with the sharpening and I can still eek out a better edge that they agree works better.

If cosmetics count, there are probably fewer "masters." I would rather have the sharpest knife possible-- even if is doesn't look pristine-- because I will use it to death!

Perhaps you are under-rating yourself? Or we just have different definitions.

We agree.

As I was writing that yesterday, it did occur to me that you & I were probably looking at the 'art' aspect from slightly different perspectives. But I did realize there's also 'art' in the performance of the edge after sharpening, even if the visual aspect isn't so perfectly pretty.

I too see the beauty in the cutting performance in real-world use itself, and don't worry much about the rest. The knives I choose to use and carry everyday are always the ones that perform the best according to my expectations. The 'prettier' knives with mediocre edges on them don't get to ride in my pocket until that's fixed.

 

[annr]

A reed knife, yeah? Yes, I think I could.

I don't know much about the knife except that it is probably 60-75 years old. It may be hand assembled, i.e., he attached some handle to the blade. It doesn't take the keenest edge IMO, and I use it for trimming things.

The blade is about 1" x 4" and it took me a long time to get the front face completely flat using a secured glass plate, that's why I don't think the pocket stone would be a good idea (and I could be wrong). Even though the smaller stone might temporarily enhance the edge, it seems too easy to throw the knife out of true, and it would be a royal pain to get it back in shape.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I don't know much about the knife except that it is probably 60-75 years old. It may be hand assembled, i.e., he attached some handle to the blade. It doesn't take the keenest edge IMO, and I use it for trimming things.

The blade is about 1" x 4" and it took me a long time to get the front face completely flat using a secured glass plate, that's why I don't think the pocket stone would be a good idea (and I could be wrong). Even though the smaller stone might temporarily enhance the edge, it seems too easy to throw the knife out of true, and it would be a royal pain to get it back in shape.

It at least appears to be an oboe reed knife. They're used almost more like a cabinet scraper but they have straight razor-like bevels on them, and are sharpened similarly, then a burr is deliberately formed on one side, and it's used to carefully scrape away at the reed to produce the proper taper without compressing the fibers.

As far as "throwing the knife out of true" it all depends on your technique. For sharpening that knife using a pocket stone, I'd hold the knife in place and bring the stone to the knife.

 

[annr]

It at least appears to be an oboe reed knife. They're used almost more like a cabinet scraper but they have straight razor-like bevels on them, and are sharpened similarly, then a burr is deliberately formed on one side, and it's used to carefully scrape away at the reed to produce the proper taper without compressing the fibers.

As far as "throwing the knife out of true" it all depends on your technique. For sharpening that knife using a pocket stone, I'd hold the knife in place and bring the stone to the knife.

Thanks, not going to risk it. Not enough ability to finely control the pressure at the edge and selectively apply pressure where needed.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Thanks, not going to risk it. Not enough ability to finely control the pressure at the edge and selectively apply pressure where needed.

I'd personally strongly disagree but also I'm not advocating pocket stones as being an ideal stone for the purpose, either. Just that it's VERY doable. But if it's all I had, I know confidently I could make it work without issue.

 

[garry3]

I'm a sharpening stone junkie so I could never go with a system, I would just buy more stones instead.
Convenience, speed, feed back of the stones.

 

[Alberta Ed]

I prefer freehand sharpening, but occasionally use an ancient Buck bevel guide. I use DMTs almost exclusively, except for rare occasions when I use a Black Arkansas bench stone on carbon steels.

 

[Blues]

I prefer freehand sharpening, but occasionally use an ancient Buck bevel guide. I use DMTs almost exclusively, except for rare occasions when I use a Black Arkansas bench stone on carbon steels.

I have one, and I've seen how well they work, but I've never used mine in the years I've owned it, despite my best intentions. That said, I still plan to one of these days.

Oddly enough, I just took it out yesterday or the day before to look at it.

 

[ChasingSharpness]

I've been free handing for a few years and have only recently gotten into using systems. I am enjoying the novelty and consistency, and I hope to try more systems in the near future.

However I still freehand here and there, and would say freehand is a overall more enjoyable expirence.

For smaller pocketknives however I think I may stick to the guided system for how consistent the edges turn out.

 

[Triple_D]

I have a KME system, and it works well for the size knives that I have. But most of the time, my knives only need a touch-up, and, I'm too lazy to pull out the KME. So I just grab the diamond, or ceramic stones, and go to work. If the blade is in especially bad shape (pretty rare), or I need to re-profile the edge, that is when I might pull out the KME.

 

[lonelyronin]

I started off with a Spyderco Sharpmaker and then upgraded to an Edge Pro. A couple years after that I wanted to try out and learn freehand sharpening and as soon as I got reasonably good at it I sold both the Sharpmaker and my Edge Pro. I just like the „primitive“ nature of doing it freehand.

 

[TwinStick]

Well, I went down the rabbit hole and the outcome for me was: I spent a lot of money on different sharpening equipment over my so far lifetime of 62 years and counting.

Do I regret any of them: no, I do not. They all have a purpose and I use different things for different reasons. Because I love large choppers and they are the lower budget ones, it is not uncommon to get them with grinds that are off, sometimes by a lot. While no big deal for pocket knives, it is extremely difficult to fix a 10-14" blade that is 1/4" thick, or more, by hand.

I have sharpening stones, guided systems, a Tormek T4 Bushcraft, belt sanders, IM313 with India stones, IM313 with water stones, ceramic sticks, Butchers steels, diamond sharpeners. I use them all for different reasons. But honestly, my favorite, once the grind is correct, is hand sharpening with the stones. For me, it is therapeutic. And yes, I can get hair popping sharpness by hand.

If I couldn't get my knives sharp by hand & I was a knife enthusiast, then I would suggest to others to save up your money and get the top end Wicked Edge System. Buy once, cry once. But I taught myself over the years to sharpen by hand. Got my first knife at 9 years old and started then.

On an unrelated note, sharpening under the wrong environment absolutely freaks me TF out. I was a Corrections Officer for almost 30 years and when I worked at Maxi Max prisons, on the midnight shift, it would be absolutely pindrop quiet and you could hear them sharpening their weapons on the concrete every single night. Knowing that it is probably for you. Glad I'm done with that part of my life.

But for me, when I am doing the sharpening, it is very therapeutic indeed. Who woulda thought ! Lol

 

[TwinStick]

Well, I went down the rabbit hole and the outcome for me was: I spent a lot of money on different sharpening equipment over my so far lifetime of 62 years and counting.

Do I regret any of them: no, I do not. They all have a purpose and I use different things for different reasons. Because I love large choppers and they are the lower budget ones, it is not uncommon to get them with grinds that are off, sometimes by a lot. While no big deal for pocket knives, it is extremely difficult to fix a 10-14" blade that is 1/4" thick, or more, by hand.

I have sharpening stones, guided systems, a Tormek T4 Bushcraft, belt sanders, IM313 with India stones, IM313 with water stones, ceramic sticks, Butchers steels, diamond sharpeners. I use them all for different reasons. But honestly, my favorite, once the grind is correct, is hand sharpening with the stones. For me, it is therapeutic. And yes, I can get hair popping sharpness by hand.

If I couldn't get my knives sharp by hand & I was a knife enthusiast, then I would suggest to others to save up your money and get the top end Wicked Edge System. Buy once, cry once. But I taught myself over the years to sharpen by hand. Got my first knife at 9 years old and started then.

On an unrelated note, sharpening under the wrong environment absolutely freaks me TF out. I was a Corrections Officer for almost 30 years and when I worked at Maxi Max prisons, on the midnight shift, it would be absolutely pindrop quiet and you could hear them sharpening their weapons on the concrete every single night. Knowing that it is probably for you. Glad I'm done with that part of my life.

But for me, when I am doing the sharpening, it is very therapeutic indeed. Who woulda thought ! Lo

 

[TwinStick]

Sorry, I have no idea why it double posted ?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I tend to use everything under the sun, but I'd say I do at least half of my sharpening freehand.

If I had to give a broad generalization, I'd put it like this: When I get a new knife, they all go onto the Ken Onion Worksharp. Some to thin the entire blade on the grinding attachment, some to put the 15 DPS edge I prefer, sometimes both. If I'm really geeking out over an edge, I'll move it to the Work Sharp fixed angle sharpener. But for a regular carry knife, I'll re-profile to the angle I want, then after that it's all free hand and stropping. Sharpening free hand for me is just quick and convenient. I also fear that it's a perishable skill, and as much as I enjoy my gadgetry, I don't want to lose the fundamentals that have allowed me to sharpen most any knife on most any thing. I'll admit, there is a degree of satisfaction when the hair flies off my arm and I grin and say to myself "Yup! I still got it!"

The fixed angle sharpener is a little embarassing to admit to, but it is nice when just not in the right mindset, and it is more consistent than my hand and eye coordination that deteriorate farther every year. I recently got a Spyderco Enuff. I put it through the Ken Onion Worksharp, then moved to the fixed angle sharpener, then eventually started stropping on the fixed angle at 14K grit for several hours. Suffice to say, that edge is ridiculously well polished-Even under a microscope and I don't have any idea why I chose to do that. I do know that when alert and fresh, I would free hand strop it. Then when I felt my focus waning, I'd put it in the fixed angle sharpener with the stropping attachment I slightly altered.

I have a Spyderco Sharpmaker that works very well, but I just rarely use it any more. It seems I vacillate from high tech redneck to old school, and skip the inbetween?

Of course, sometimes my determinations are very arbitrary. When the wife is around and doesn't wanna hear whirring or scraping, my strops come in mighty handy.

 

[Taz]

I cut the initial bevel on my 2x72 with a 120 grit ceramic belt, running very slow and wet. Then I go to my Sharpal 325/1200 diamond plate, then 14 micron and 3 micron (or 40 micron and 1 micron) diamond strops. Strops take care of the touch ups for a long time! I used to use all sorts of water stones, but now I just do the diamond and the strops. Much faster, less messy!

I had a Lansky many many many years ago and it was soooooo sllooooooooow to use. Switched to water stones way back around 2006 or so and thought that was light years better. Did the belt sander and water stones until like 2023 or so and got more into the diamonds when I started playing with S90V more.

 

[other memory]

I (still) freehand.