Knife Sharpening Question.

I

ian_j

Joined
Mar 3, 2002
Messages
203
I read the knife sharpening FAQ available on this page, but it left me with a question or two.

Mainly, how do you make the entire knife(the knife i've been practicing on is kind of straight on top with the bottom curving up to meet the straight line) contact the stone with one pass? It says to lay the knife flat on the stone, then raise it to the desired angle. If you raise the knife though, the tip of the blade no longer contacts the stone.

I've been kind of twisitng my wrist near the end of the motion so as to swipe the tip accross the stone. The problem with this method is that I find it hard to maintain equal pressure and angle on the stone leading to a not-so symetrical grind. Is this the correct method and I just suck? Or is there some trick to getting the whole blade on each pass, or am I just supposed to sharpen the flat of the blade and then switch angles and sharpen the tip trying to make them line up?
 
Your technique sounds fine for sharpening with a stone. As with anything, practice.
 
You can't ever have the entire edge touching the stone unless you have a wide stone and a straight edged blade. YOu just have to figure out what works best for you to move the edge across the stone as you make each pass.
I generally start up close to the handle and move up the blade as I move downteh stone. You have to move the blade in two directions at once. Thats why its hard to keep a constant angle all along the blade.
You can also start at the point and work towards the handle. Its all a matter of preference. With practice, you'll figure out what works best for you and eventualy you won't even have to think about it.
 
You do have to lift up the handle and twist your wrist while working the curved tip. After you sharpen freehand for a while, you will surely see results. Freehand sharpenign can't be learned while reading, you have to actually do it! Sounds simple, but many miss that. Preactice, practice, practice. Try putting black amrker on the edge, make a swipe or 2 and check the edge to see where you are taking off the marker. This will give you feedback as to whether you are twisting too much, have too shallow of an angle, and so on.

When I sharpen freehand. I have my right hand on the handle and my left is supporting the tip. I find this gives me much control while allowing me to bear down on the stone too.
 
Yup..., the learning curve again. As mentioned.., it does sound easy when reading.., but it took me about 3-4 months of goofing around on an India Stone to get proficient.

If you are ever at a knife show where Wayne Goddard does a seminar on hand shapening.., it is well worth spending an hour there...have fun!


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
ian_j, as you noted, if you are using a large benchstone then you either have to rotate the blade during the stroke or work on it section by section in order to get a constant angle along the entire blade. If you keep the blade fixed and use a small hone, section by section, you might find it easier.

-Cliff
 
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