Sharpening

[Navy joe]

sm, thanks for the stone info, doesn't sound odd at all. Every metal works different, I can pretty much tell what alloy and temper of aluminum I'm dealing with based on how it cuts. Steel is similar.

Another odd sharpener that works. Find an immersion type fish tank heater that has gone TU. Disassemble for ceramic core that nichrome wire runs around. Presto, 8" long or better ceramic sharpening rod with four sharpening surfaces.

 

[sm]

Navy joe,

Everyone is familiar with something(s).
If one handles or works with something enough, they develop a feel , touch ,or taste if you will. Their senses are tuned for whatever it is.
Wood, fabric, and foods for example.

Ceramic as used in the old heaters work well too, the ones I am thinking of are the orange/brown color, much like a India stone.

Folks forget, folks have sharpened knives and other edged tools, for a long long time, and while advances have been made, some things are just the same old thing.

I just remember as a kid, folks would use emery paper to do edges. It might be a wood worker, and after doing the planer blade on a Stone, put that stone on a hard surface, even a glass window pane, and finish out with finer grits, to polish that edge.

It did not take much effort to curl wood with that sharpened edge.

I still remember how folks spoke while emery paper was nice, it was not ideal to take camping, or using on the back part of the property.
Also, "sharp" meant what "sharp" for a task.

That Norton India stone, combo coarse /fine will handle all one really needs.
Just less and less pressure as one get near finishing the edge is "akin" to using a finer grit stone.

Mentors showed me a hi-polished edge on a pocket knife, I mean shiny!
I just knew that knife was going to slice a tomato super easy and fast...It did not!

"Skin is elastic (stretches and gives) and one has to get past that, to cut the tomato."

I am standing on a kitchen chair to see this lesson mind you.

So he takes Norton India stone, small one, and I am thinking "oh no, he is going to mess up that shiny edge , and goof up big time!".

He used a few light strokes, and the edge was not shiny, under a magnifying glass I could even better...*frump* I liked how shiny that edge was against the patina...

That knife just zipped through that tomato so easy! I had my hand on his, and we were not using hardly any pressure.

Rope was another thing I was shown that day...

 

[Valkman]

Also, "sharp" meant what "sharp" for a task.

That's what many don't get. It seems everyone wants a knife with a 8000 grit polished edge whether it's appropriate or not, and many times it's not.

There's a great story by Ed Fowler about taking some of his knives to the slaughterhouse to try out. He started on one end of the cow and another guy took one of his knives and started on the other end. They both cut into the hide toward each other and darn near cut each other's hand off as they zoomed by in the middle! They looked at each other and said "Too sharp"! and took some of the edge off of the knives before continuing.

There's a lower grit "toothy" edge that I like quite a bit and it's completely different from a high polished edge. Different kinds of sharp for sure!

 

[sm]

On a pocket knife for everyday use, from office, to around the house, to outdoor use, most folks I sharpen , or assist, or they sharpen themselves with the Norton India, fine, and then strop.

This will handle cutting a tomato, cord, a box, and allow for whittling for instance.

On these new knives and some are in the learning process, that shiny is really neat against the patina.

So I will go to Case Hard Fine, then strop. Do the Patina, and strop that fine edge to really make it "pretty" or "neat". Some gals just say "pretty neat and cute" *smirk*

Now that edge is really sharp, and what most find out, is what I had mentioned,
After the edge is all nice and shiny, just a few light strokes on that Case Hard/Fine leave a very fine toothy edge.

Some will find a light stroke on the Norton India fine, is "toothier" and works better for them.

Get a old broom handle, the wood is hard. Folks think they have a sharp knife, until they try to whittle on that wood.
"Dull" the edge a bit, and it will whittle better.

Granted the steel and sharpening angle makes a difference.
My experience is, a CV or Carbon will allow a less inclusive angle than a "stainless" blade will.

Rope, will show one how sharp something is, or is not.

Seriously, one can sharpen with the Norton coarse side only, then strop that edge (giving a slight polish) and it will cut rope better.


Some of the fisherman just use a file, or coarse stone, strop on leather apron, and cut rope and fish and the edge retains longer...
But it cuts!

 

[eliphalet]

After the edge is all nice and shiny, just a few light strokes on that Case Hard/Fine leave a very fine toothy edge.

Seriously, one can sharpen with the Norton coarse side only, then strop that edge (giving a slight polish) and it will cut rope better

.Boy, do I enjoy your posts SM.

Think of a knife edge as you would a saw blade only with much much finer teeth. A Hand saw to cut across the grain has much smaller teeth than one to cut with the grain, or a cut that can leave a rough edge will have larger teeth than a finish saw, same idea with a knife edge.
A better comparison might be a hacksaw's teeth for metal compared to a wood saw.
A knife to cut rope will work better with a rougher edge ie. larger teeth, than one for fine delicate work. Both can be very sharp just a different edge for different applications. I hope that is understood as I'm not the best at it.