How do you sharpen your knives
- Thread starter clockman
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Freehand with a Spyderco DoubleStuff, and a homemade denim strop with my "secret" mixture of Flitz and Noxon
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Had a Lansky for a few months, upgraded to the Edgepro Apex with all the bells and wistles and was soon sharpening all of my buddies knives too. Thinking of where the next level will end up being, or if I want to invest the time and energy in learning how to produce a good, polished Convex edge. But the Edgepro works for the time being
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- Aug 4, 2015
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Sharpmaker changed my life!
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- Jan 24, 2012
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Wicked Edge ProPack II, StropMan strops.
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- Apr 28, 2011
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I hate sharpening....so the fastest, easiest tool that I know of, Ken Onion worksharp.
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- May 5, 2014
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I use a three step method for sharpening: 1) Cut off the existing edge with 1-2 very light passes into the stone (like you are trying to slice the stone in half) 2) Shape the edge bevel freehand on a waterstone until it no longer reflects light from a directional light source. 3) Set an apex micro-bevel with a solid sintered ceramic abrasive, typically Spyderco Sharpmaker rods.
If I want a balance between push-cutting ability and slicing aggression, I'll typically use a Sigma Power Select II 1,000 grit stone to cut off the existing apex and shape the edge bevel at 7-10 dps, then set an apex micro-bevel at 15 dps with my Spyderco Sharpmaker medium rods, used with a little mineral oil, with 5-10 pps. I then make 1-2 very very light passes per side at twice the Sharpmaker angle I'm using to cut-off any burr that has formed, and then make 5 very very light passes per side at the same angle I was using for the 5-10 passes per side.
The result in only a few minutes is an apex that will push cut newsprint across the grain at 90 degrees, but still has some slicing aggression.
If I have time and I feel like playing around, I'll shape the edge-bevel on a 1k -> 3k -> 10k -> 13k progression and micro-bevel on Spyderco fine rods. That gives a freehand mirrored edge-bevel and a level of push-cutting sharpness that will effortlessly push-cut whole sheets of newsprint across the grain at 90 degrees, pass hht 3-4 on my extremely fine head hair, push cut a tomato down to the cutting board, can directly be used as a straight razor, etc.
Before anyone asks, the Spyderco sintered ceramic abrasives are much finer than there stated grit ratings or particle size rating would indicate. The fine rods, used with a light touch and mineral oil, are easily comparable to an ~8k waterstone. Furthermore, since the rods are only being used to set an apex micro-bevel with a small number of passes, the finish of the edge-bevel tends to dominate the resulting edge behaviour.
If I want a balance between push-cutting ability and slicing aggression, I'll typically use a Sigma Power Select II 1,000 grit stone to cut off the existing apex and shape the edge bevel at 7-10 dps, then set an apex micro-bevel at 15 dps with my Spyderco Sharpmaker medium rods, used with a little mineral oil, with 5-10 pps. I then make 1-2 very very light passes per side at twice the Sharpmaker angle I'm using to cut-off any burr that has formed, and then make 5 very very light passes per side at the same angle I was using for the 5-10 passes per side.
The result in only a few minutes is an apex that will push cut newsprint across the grain at 90 degrees, but still has some slicing aggression.
If I have time and I feel like playing around, I'll shape the edge-bevel on a 1k -> 3k -> 10k -> 13k progression and micro-bevel on Spyderco fine rods. That gives a freehand mirrored edge-bevel and a level of push-cutting sharpness that will effortlessly push-cut whole sheets of newsprint across the grain at 90 degrees, pass hht 3-4 on my extremely fine head hair, push cut a tomato down to the cutting board, can directly be used as a straight razor, etc.
Before anyone asks, the Spyderco sintered ceramic abrasives are much finer than there stated grit ratings or particle size rating would indicate. The fine rods, used with a light touch and mineral oil, are easily comparable to an ~8k waterstone. Furthermore, since the rods are only being used to set an apex micro-bevel with a small number of passes, the finish of the edge-bevel tends to dominate the resulting edge behaviour.
Mostly I freehand on a Double Stuff or the rods from a Sharpmaker. But I also use the Sharpmaker as a unit with diamond thru ultra fine rods, DMT diamond bench stones, DMT folding diamond combination stones and Arkansas stones...all followed by stropping on a strop block.
I have a Wicked Edge Pro Pack II that I mainly use for setting and polishing the edge. From there touch-ups are done on my Sharpmaker at 40 degrees for folders and 30 degrees for my kitchen knives. I do have a strop but have not really used it much since the ultra fine Sharpmaker stones work so well for a quick touch-up.
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- Jul 13, 2011
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Freehand. I'm partial to the Shapton Glass stones these days. For most jobs, I stop at 1k and backhone with the 4k followed by newsprint. That's only for the Shapton GS, mind you. I've been using my DMT 6 inch bench stones a lot recently, as well, mostly for my own knives, to get more practice finishing with diamonds.
EDIT: I also like microbeveling with the Sharpmaker, as other here have said.
EDIT: I also like microbeveling with the Sharpmaker, as other here have said.
Last edited:
Insipid Moniker
Gold Member
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- Feb 28, 2011
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I started freehand, went to a Lansky Turnbox, then Spyderco Sharpmaker, then Worksharp and now I'm back to freehand with diamond stones. I'll strop occasionally on an unloaded leather belt, but it dawned on me that I need to stop buying equipment as I'm quite capable of getting knives sharper than I need them to be, and why spend the cash to get that last tiny bit of sharpness when it will vanish with the first real cut.
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- Jun 4, 2010
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- 6,642
Freehand on a variety of means.
Have been doing a lot of work lately with a HF 1x30 belt grinder that I tuned up and added a variable speed reversing motor. Mostly this is used to set bevels on hammered tools and cutlery if needed, then I transition into a diamond plate to true up the belt shaped edge and on into waterstones or diamond plates.
I've been doing full progressions on the 1x30 as well right up to a leather belt loaded with Flexcut Gold, but once the bevel is set on most tools I don't save a ton of time over doing them by hand - a few months back I really buckled down and began working for precision and speed - really paid off in this respect.
For finish work pretty much 100% of the time is on a Washboard with plain paper, or doing a bit of refining with diamond lapping films, the stock WB compound, some diamond grit, or dust from a waterstone on abrasive free tacky binder I whipped up. On high carbon woodworking tools I've been using a few sheets of paper and CrO or Flexcut Gold for finish stropping. For convenience or travel sharpening, or sharpening at work I use a full progression of wet/dry and paper on a Washboard.
For backpacking on my hatchets and machetes - whatever chopper I'm camping with, I've been using a puck-shaped natural silt stone I found up at Letchworth Gorge. Is about 600-800 grit, I flattened it off and shaped it a bit on the outside edges. This stone whips up a thin slurry when used with water, so I smear that on a flattened piece of wood and use it as a finish strop. The back of the stone has a depression drilled in it to work as a socket for a bow drill - still have only managed a couple of successful fires with it, but is a nice piece of kit.
Have been doing a lot of work lately with a HF 1x30 belt grinder that I tuned up and added a variable speed reversing motor. Mostly this is used to set bevels on hammered tools and cutlery if needed, then I transition into a diamond plate to true up the belt shaped edge and on into waterstones or diamond plates.
I've been doing full progressions on the 1x30 as well right up to a leather belt loaded with Flexcut Gold, but once the bevel is set on most tools I don't save a ton of time over doing them by hand - a few months back I really buckled down and began working for precision and speed - really paid off in this respect.
For finish work pretty much 100% of the time is on a Washboard with plain paper, or doing a bit of refining with diamond lapping films, the stock WB compound, some diamond grit, or dust from a waterstone on abrasive free tacky binder I whipped up. On high carbon woodworking tools I've been using a few sheets of paper and CrO or Flexcut Gold for finish stropping. For convenience or travel sharpening, or sharpening at work I use a full progression of wet/dry and paper on a Washboard.
For backpacking on my hatchets and machetes - whatever chopper I'm camping with, I've been using a puck-shaped natural silt stone I found up at Letchworth Gorge. Is about 600-800 grit, I flattened it off and shaped it a bit on the outside edges. This stone whips up a thin slurry when used with water, so I smear that on a flattened piece of wood and use it as a finish strop. The back of the stone has a depression drilled in it to work as a socket for a bow drill - still have only managed a couple of successful fires with it, but is a nice piece of kit.