hey so im new to like the pocket knife thing and i recently bought a CRTK m16 o1s for my self as it was pretty cheap and looked good so ive had it for like 3 weeks now and its pretty dull so i try to sharpen it after i look some videos up like i tried a nail buffer shit like that but i dont wanna sink like another 20 bucks into a whetstone,so any tips and tricks???
If the nail buffer is one of those with a softish backing (foam, etc), it'll likely round the edge too much, as the soft backing allows the abrasive to wrap around the apex. Secondarily, if the factory edge & blade grind were relatively thick, then the rounding effect of the soft nail buffer will be even worse.
Most factory knives, especially modern types (tactical, etc) like the CRKT have thick grinds and pretty obtuse edge angles. To get them cutting better, they'll almost always need some thinning behind the edge and shaping to a more acute edge angle (30-35° inclusive is a good start). A good stone appropriate to the steel type is necessary for this, and will always be the best investment for the sake of the knife. $20 can buy a pretty good stone for work like this, and should be an easy investment. Something like a combination C/F SiC stone (silicon carbide), like Norton's Crystolon can be had for near that budget, around $25 or so, for an 8" bench stone. The 'Fine' side of that stone could be used for maintenance afterward, or you could also invest in something like a Norton 'Fine' India stone (in aluminum oxide) to refine the edge further. Both of these suggested stones work best when used with mineral oil.
And no matter what stones you have, maintaining a steady angle during sharpening will always be paramount to getting good results. Practice with inexpensive knives (kitchen knives, etc) on a good stone as suggested above, to get the feel for it, before trying it with your better knives.
