How Do You Sharpen...

Sulaco

Sulaco

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Joined
Nov 15, 2003
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I've picked up a couple of new GECs and an old Case recently and they don't really have anything other than the primary (flat) bevel. I want to go ahead and put an edge on them so I can start carrying them.

I thought about just convexing them on a stone but wanted to see what everyone else was doing these days.

So how do you put that initial edge, or secondary bevel if you go for that, on your unsharpened traditionals?
 
I know how to sharpen knives, all sorts of different ways, just curious what folks were doing with their traditionals that come unsharpened.
 
I drop ship mine to a forum member who sorts out all the factory laziness or mistakes, gets it hair popping sharp and from then on maintenance is easy using a strop or sharpmaker.
 
Sulaco said:
I know how to sharpen knives, all sorts of different ways, just curious what folks were doing with their traditionals that come unsharpened.
Click to expand...

People tend to get all technical these days and talk about bevels and degrees and convexing and all sorts. I hear of people using really expensive equipment to get a pocket knife sharp, and the money they spend astounds me.

I use bench stones in the same way that my father taught me. I do it by hand the way my father taught me, and I finish with a strop the way my father taught me. He had a pocket knife that you could shave with and it kept its edge for quite a long time. As I grew up, with his teaching, I developed a technique that works well and I have an edge on my knives that my Dad thinks is sharp enough and that is just grand. If I'm heading away from home I take a Fallkniven pocket stone for convenience, but it's just for a wee touch up if the edge gets really poor. I appreciate that some people won't have been as lucky as I was in having a father who was willing to take the time to teach me what he considered an essential skill, and in that respect I must admit that I am always amazed when someone asks that question.

We here are knife nuts and I would imagine that if we're going to use it, we sharpen it and if we aren't, we won't. :D


- Paul
 
I agree with pmew. The less technical, the better for me. My Case and Bucks come with a little information sheet and they have a short paragraph on how to sharpen and I stick to that and have pretty good luck with any of my knives that I buy new. I have a few super steel knives and I just basically follow the same instructions but only on a diamond rod rather than my stone.
I had bought a used knife that was very dull and I touched it up and thought I was doing a bad job, but when I showed it to my father in law and said that I hadn't gotten it sharpened too good yet, he felt it and said it felt pretty sharp to him, so I figured good enough.
 
I just use an Arkansas stone and mineral oil. It doesn't have to shave me - I have a razor for that. As long as it cuts the stuff that I need to cut it's plenty sharp... Boxes, tape, envelopes, my morning bagel, steak at dinner time, string/rope, etc.

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I agree that generally simple is better. I used oil stone for years. Sometimes still do to touch up my scrapers and razors in the shop. For my pocket knives, usually now I use a gatco (like a lansky) to get it how I want it an correct lazy or uneven edges. That's a one time thing once I decide a knife is a keeper. After that, a quick touch up on my sharp maker or bench stone occasionally and good to go.
 
I like a low angle, eased shoulder bevel for whittling, and don't have a belt sander, so bench stones are pretty much the way to go for me. I've used both oil and diamond stones with success, following either with a strop.

In the past I've used the Lansky system for bigger blades, but at this point I'm comfortable enough with the bench stones that I'll likely just stick with them going forward.
 
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I usually use a few different stones and finish on a strop for the initial sharpening. For maintaining the edge, I use the strop and occasionally an extra fine ceramic stone. I try to keep it simple, and don't really worry about precise angles.
 
pmew said:
People tend to get all technical these days and talk about bevels and degrees and convexing and all sorts. I hear of people using really expensive equipment to get a pocket knife sharp, and the money they spend astounds me.

I use bench stones in the same way that my father taught me. I do it by hand the way my father taught me, and I finish with a strop the way my father taught me. He had a pocket knife that you could shave with and it kept its edge for quite a long time. As I grew up, with his teaching, I developed a technique that works well and I have an edge on my knives that my Dad thinks is sharp enough and that is just grand. If I'm heading away from home I take a Fallkniven pocket stone for convenience, but it's just for a wee touch up if the edge gets really poor. I appreciate that some people won't have been as lucky as I was in having a father who was willing to take the time to teach me what he considered an essential skill, and in that respect I must admit that I am always amazed when someone asks that question.

We here are knife nuts and I would imagine that if we're going to use it, we sharpen it and if we aren't, we won't. :D


- Paul
Click to expand...

I talked about this with Gary Graley a while back actually.

I have a Wicked Edge system with well over $1k invested in the base system and accessories. It does a fantastic job and eliminates most of the risk for me in handling a customer's knife.

That's where these systems really shine. Quick, consistent, outstanding edges and a system that's easier to use than bench stones... for a beginner.

I wasn't fortunate enough to have been taught to sharpen as a boy. My dad showed me the basics, but was terrible at it himself. As I got older and began to bring in my own disposable income, my knife collection grew and I had to have a way to sharpen them.

I started with a Gatco system that I still have and works great. Then I learned how to sharpen freehand on bench stones. Then YouTube introduced me to stropping and then I really began to enjoy sharpening my knives. With the addition of the strops I was now able to get the edges I'd been striving for.

I started sharpening knives for relatives and friends then decided I wanted to offer the service as a professional side venture. That's when I decided to drop the $ to get the Wicked Edge system. It's simply the best on the market.

For pure personal use though, I think the WE is a bit silly. Sort of like buying a BAR to deal with varmints on a small property. I'd stick to waterstones and a couple strops.

Hell, one strop and $5 worth of sandpaper can prepare an edge about as well as anything else if you practice.
 
T.L.E. Sharp said:
I have a Wicked Edge system with well over $1k invested in the base system and accessories. It does a fantastic job and eliminates most of the risk for me in handling a customer's knife.
Click to expand...

I can completely understand spending money on the equipment if you run a business, I'm rather old school I'm afraid. But I've got to be honest; if you sat me down in front of a Wicked Edge machine, I wouldn't have a clue how to use it! [emoji33] :thumbup:


- Paul
 
I like traditional stones for traditional knives. Norton coarse/fine India bench stone, soft/hard Arkansas stone, strop on leather with green buffing compound.
 
I'm still new to the knife hobby so also new to sharpening. I just use a combination Japanese water stone then a denim strop with green compound. I still need lots of practice, my edges are not the prettiest but I can get then shaving sharp. I will eventually need a course diamond plate for edge re-profiling, but with 1095 I find the medium water stones do just fine to get the initial edge.
 
Pretty boring and low-tech here. I freehand sharpen on a Spyderco medium grit ceramic benchstone until it cleanly slices paper. No polished edge you can read it with an edge that splits atoms, just using sharp.
 
I'm quite lazy. I usually profile my blades with a Spyderco Sharpmaker. Then I finish on a charged leather strop. For touch-ups, the strop usually does the trick.


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Put me in the not-very-technical old-school camp, too. I didn't learn from my dad or grandpa or anyone, but I taught myself to sharpen freehand on stones (with a bit of trial and error and certainly a few frustrations along the way). I started with Arkansas stones, but now I use continuous surface DMT DiaSharp stones (Fine and Extra Fine), mostly because I find them quicker and a little easier to get a nice flat/even bevel. I'll also use a strop to finish. As far as angles and all that? I have no idea. :rolleyes:

Here's my sharpening/gun-cleaning/work bench.

267E2EE9-3E65-4BF1-95EC-B498E5D3108D.jpg
 
If a new knife needs sharpening, I generally use a diamond rod sharpener, freehand. Or if that's not handy, an oilstone, or even sandpaper. I was very fortunate to have a dad who taught me to hunt, fish and sharpen knives, so doing it "old school" is second nature to me.
 
I sharpen most everything using a KO work sharp. I have gotten to the point where I can take a blade from butter knife to insane sharp in only a few minutes, but it took some practice to get there! For maintaining an edge I have a strop and a Lanksy box sharpener.
 
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