sm
member
We have sticky's about sharpening.
The Internet has numerous "hits" about sharpening.
Me? I grew up learning to freehand sharpen. Just "how raised-what you do". For one, one never knew when they might have to "sharpen" or "touch up" a blade, or any tool. Second, in a work I did, there was no way in "heck" to use a "gidget" or gadget.
Sharp is simply sharp for task for the tool one is using.
I mean, this ain't rocket science.
My experiences include, but not limited to, having to sharpen knives, under tornado conditions, with Coleman lantern light, and flashlight.
Then again a Nicholson file, will sharpen pocket knife, "hunting" knife, axe and machete...
I was simply Mentored to have "mindset", "skill sets" and then "tool sets". Okay, perhaps it also put "run what you brung".
Oh, I can show off, as some members around here have seen my results....
and put the prettiest, neatest, mirror edge on a knife. An edge some are afraid to use as it is "too sharp".
But my EDC's currently do NOT have mirror edges. I am on a farm, and my work...well...my knives "scare" folks, they cut, but the finest grit they have is about 600.
Lacking a good piece of leather, I often strop using the back of a legal pad, or my blue jeans, or of late, the pamphlet for a county fair currently going on.
What do I use?
Well...I "had" some diamond hones, varying from coarse to super fine, but I pulled a stupid, and took them to work, where they "walked off".
Thankfully, after doing some "review and testing" for another member here, with some knives and some DMT stuff...I have a couple of DMT tools ( and I am still ticked, as I do this "review and testing" at no charge, because I want to.]
But I also got a new "tool". An Ace Hardware, fine and coarse grit 4" stone. A five dollar stone, akin to a Norton, "black/gray".
Delivery fellow, had a dull knife. We were talking and I made a comment about running down to Ace, the only hardware store in the small, small town I live near, and after work, I could fix him up. Meaning, sharpen his knives. Yes, I used a five dollar , four inch Ace combo grit stone. I fine tuned one knife, using the top of my vehicle window...
He does a lot of cutting cardboard boxes, "strapping tape" and heavy string/cord and...delivery driver stuff.
He just needs "sharp" for his task. So I freehand sharpened his knives, and trust me, these work a whole lot better than "box" openers...
I felt sorta sad for the fellow, as his grandpa died as he was sharing this kind of thing with him and his dad being a no count, never "parented" him, much less passed anything forward to him. [nothing of any good anyway].
So I was just doing how raised, by passing forward, and sharing how to freehand sharpen with a fellow. Nice guy about half my age. Soon he will be moving as his wife is going to take a better job, more near family.
This fellow will never enter a "sharp" competition, never have to slice two liter bottles or rope to "prove" his knives are sharp.
All he needs is "sharp for task" being a delivery driver, while he attends college.
Steve
The Internet has numerous "hits" about sharpening.
Me? I grew up learning to freehand sharpen. Just "how raised-what you do". For one, one never knew when they might have to "sharpen" or "touch up" a blade, or any tool. Second, in a work I did, there was no way in "heck" to use a "gidget" or gadget.
Sharp is simply sharp for task for the tool one is using.
I mean, this ain't rocket science.
My experiences include, but not limited to, having to sharpen knives, under tornado conditions, with Coleman lantern light, and flashlight.
Then again a Nicholson file, will sharpen pocket knife, "hunting" knife, axe and machete...
I was simply Mentored to have "mindset", "skill sets" and then "tool sets". Okay, perhaps it also put "run what you brung".
Oh, I can show off, as some members around here have seen my results....
and put the prettiest, neatest, mirror edge on a knife. An edge some are afraid to use as it is "too sharp".
But my EDC's currently do NOT have mirror edges. I am on a farm, and my work...well...my knives "scare" folks, they cut, but the finest grit they have is about 600.
Lacking a good piece of leather, I often strop using the back of a legal pad, or my blue jeans, or of late, the pamphlet for a county fair currently going on.
What do I use?
Well...I "had" some diamond hones, varying from coarse to super fine, but I pulled a stupid, and took them to work, where they "walked off".
Thankfully, after doing some "review and testing" for another member here, with some knives and some DMT stuff...I have a couple of DMT tools ( and I am still ticked, as I do this "review and testing" at no charge, because I want to.]
But I also got a new "tool". An Ace Hardware, fine and coarse grit 4" stone. A five dollar stone, akin to a Norton, "black/gray".
Delivery fellow, had a dull knife. We were talking and I made a comment about running down to Ace, the only hardware store in the small, small town I live near, and after work, I could fix him up. Meaning, sharpen his knives. Yes, I used a five dollar , four inch Ace combo grit stone. I fine tuned one knife, using the top of my vehicle window...
He does a lot of cutting cardboard boxes, "strapping tape" and heavy string/cord and...delivery driver stuff.
He just needs "sharp" for his task. So I freehand sharpened his knives, and trust me, these work a whole lot better than "box" openers...
I felt sorta sad for the fellow, as his grandpa died as he was sharing this kind of thing with him and his dad being a no count, never "parented" him, much less passed anything forward to him. [nothing of any good anyway].
So I was just doing how raised, by passing forward, and sharing how to freehand sharpen with a fellow. Nice guy about half my age. Soon he will be moving as his wife is going to take a better job, more near family.
This fellow will never enter a "sharp" competition, never have to slice two liter bottles or rope to "prove" his knives are sharp.
All he needs is "sharp for task" being a delivery driver, while he attends college.
Steve