Sharpening FAQ

You push the blade as if it were cutting a thin even piece of the stone off of the top of the stone.

You finish by stropping on as if you were wiping the edge off on a strop (leather, cardboard, Scotchbrite).
 
"system" ?

would anyone recommend a "system" or kit for sharpening? I've looked at the different hand sharpening kits and the various electric sharpeners. I would like to get something that can handle my hunting knives as well as my kitchen knives (since that's the justification I've given my wife for spending the $ :D)

Any thoughts/suggestions? Thanks.
 
Waybeau:
I bought the sharpmaker by spyderco with the same justification to my wife. The day after I received it she was upset because she cut herself. The kitchen knives went from so dull it would be difficult to cut yourself if you tried to hair shaving sharp. I am new at sharpening and the included dvd was very helpful.
 
So it seems that the general consensus is that hand sharpeners are the way to go. Does anyone have any experience with any of the electric sharpeners, other than the $1000 one that someone bought earlier in the thread?
 
So, first let me acknowledge that I realize I'm a bit of a pain in the rear, but I really want to make an educated decision about a sharpener.

I got on Youtube and found a multitude of videos showcasing the Edge Pro Apex and the Spyderco Sharpmaker. They both look like great sharpeners that are relatively easy to use. Can anyone tell me the advantages of one over the other? Is there even any advantage to one as opposed to the other, or does it come down to preference?
 
Apex

I have the Apex.

I like the way it allows the work to be held stationary for strokes from the stone, yet adjust the blade's position on the fly to keep the angle of attack constant.

I also like the variable bevel angle adjustment, as opposed to fixed angle steps used in some systems. This allows you to exactly match the factory bevel on any knife, or make "micro adjustments" to improve the bevel angle for specific suitabilities.

 
It will take a very long time to sharpen a blade using emery cloth if the blade is very dull. It will work fine to put a finished edge on a blade that's not really dull.

You'll need to glue or somehow attach the emery cloth to a flat backing and use it like you would a normal sharpening stone.
 
JohnKSa is correct ( of course, as always...)

Make your own emery sticks.

What I do is take a yard stick and cut it at 12". This gives me three sticks to work with.

I then take the 8 x 11 sheet of emery paper and emery side down, the eight inch side allows me a four inch "handle" if you will.

I carefully score the paper, then holding the paper tight I get the yard stick turned up to edge, and score again. Flat side again, score, edge again, score- repeat.

I want to keep a crisp, sharp edge of emery paper on edges/ sides of the emery stick.

I then use a stapler, opened up, so I can staple near the top and bottom of paper, on both sides. ( four staples). I then simply cover the staples with electrical tape so I will not damage edges if I hit the blade, or anything else I use these emery sticks for.

Some I do with only a wrap or two, others I wrap until thicker, or if you will "padded".

When a side is worn, or maybe damaged, I simply, carefully, remove it, leaving a new, fresh emery to use.

I like to have these in 400, 600 and 1500 grit. Now I free hand sharpen, and sometimes I will "strop" with the 1500 grit. My edges are my edges, and folks that have seen and used my knives understand I can sharpen. Still the 1500 grit does give a "polished" edge.

I just hope some of you that know me, and have used my knives, and seen how I do some of my free hand and stropping "don't tell all"

*boy-ain't- right*

(If that ain't a set up for hso and some others, I don't know what is)

Seriously though these emery sticks are very handy for a lot of other uses besides knives.


Steve
 
I was going to use paint stirrers and contact cement (stirrers are free at Home Depot; I spend enough there so I don't feel quilty about taking a couple). I can still use the stirrers and wrap and staple.
 
Thanks for making this a sticky. Always admired dad's sharpening skills, but I never really picked the skill up myself. This is going to be a big help.
 
Hey, have any of you all ever used a Warthog sharpening device? Saw them at a gunshow and they seem to work very well. Price was around a $100.
Thanks,
Rowdy
 
A buddy of mine got a Warthog for fun (looks kinda Steam Punk). It works at putting a sharp edge on, but other systems have more versatility at a lower price.
 
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A bit of humor if you will.

Toilet tissue.

Some of the gals at work keep a roll in work areas, to use to blow their noses. One day the comment was made as "they must have gotten this new stuff, cheap, as it is so rough".

I made a smart aleck remark or two, and decided to strop a knife one of the gals has.

I swear this stuff is "rougher" than 800 grit emery paper! *eek*
 
I have 4 knives and a machete that I need to have sharpened. I am having a heck of a time finding a service locally. I have an electric sharpener for my cutlery, but my "tools" either don't fit or are too thick. I can usually maintain an edge, but it has been a long time, some of the edges have damage, and would like to have them sharpened properly. I had one knife done by a butcher, but excuse the pun, he butchered the blade. Took the temper right out of it.
 
How to best communicate the idea of sharpening an (plain) edge?...

Imagine that you're viewing the edge of an improperly sharpened blade under 100x magnification. It looks like thousands of irregular micro-serrations, which catch and tear more than cut, and get easily worn off.

The goal is to smooth those out as much as possible.

In this way, properly sharpening is the same action as polishing -- in principle. And it's the reason that the sharpest edges are the shiniest: by refining the scratch-pattern; by using a series of abrasive surfaces in progressively finer grits to reduce surface irregularities to the lowest achievable micron- or even sub-micron levels.

I prefer the sandpaper method.
 

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Lots of good info on sharpening in this thread. This is an area I need to get up to speed on. Now I have a lot of reading to do!
 
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