Knife sharpening question

Hey guys,

I've always taken my blades to a local tinker for sharpening. However, he's retiring in a few months.

I would like to start sharpening with a whetstone or DMT (I plan on starting with straight razors in the next year or so)

Any good recommendations on products to purchase, ideas to use, or beginner lessons would be greatly appreciated!

Like I said I plan to start with this and then add to it for straight razors!

Here is a can't mess up, but a bit $$$, system to sharpen
http://www.edgeproinc.com/
or
this is a home made version of the same system

http://www.dtknives.com/Sharpening and Care.html

I am making the above

I know that many here will say to invest the time to learn how to hand sharpen,,kind of like learning to play an instrument....

I like the "jig system" ...5 or 10 minutes to tune up an edge, You could shave with


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I get my best edges from a BBW. Pocket knives, sporting knives, kitchen knives....all respond well to just using half-strokes followed by 10 or so x-strokes

what is a BBW?

outsider347 said:

what is a BBW?

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Belgian blue whetstone... If I'm not mistaken

Belgian Blue Whetstone..yes

Get the Lansky with the ceramic rods that set into the wood base at an angle.
They store in the base out of the way. $14 on Amazon
Very easy to use.

I'm a fan of the Spyderco sharpmaker system. Couldn't be easier. Not much good for razors, though.

A BBW is a good option if you want a large whetstone that won't break the bank. Buy it with a small coticule slurry stone to speed up the process. You can use it for knives and razors.

Coticule...

Dries

Dries said:

Coticule...

Dries

Click to expand...

A coticule will work great, but the price per square cm is so much higher than a BBW, it would be hard to justify for most people. Especially as knife sharpening will wear it out much much faster than razor sharpening.

I use one of these http://www.worksharptools.com/knife...nife/work-sharp-knife-and-tool-sharpener.html

I also use a Arkansas Wet Stone.

Hey! I love this site. I don't know anywhere else this kind of cool advice just appears. All you guys rock .

A 1k synthetic stone and a dmt d8c 325 is a pretty handy combo. The 1K is a nice middle ground for learning knife sharpening in that it's fairly slow to do any real damage and the edge coming off it is plenty for most needs. A 1K is also the go to bevel setter when getting into straights. A dmt plate will keep everything flat and take care of anything needing edge repair. I use a King 1K which is at the budget end but Norton, Naniwa, Shapton etc all offer capable 1K stones depending on buget/preference - there's also a few diamond plate options.

Coticules and Belgian Blues are nice stones but I prefer to use them to add a little polish after the 1K. A coticule, diamond plate & 1K synth is imo a nice, fairly minimal, catch all sharpening solution for knives, razors, tools, lapping etc.

For sharp cheap & easy wet/dry sandpaper & abrasive compounds on balsa, fabric or leather strops works a treat.

If you're not experienced with honing I would suggest giving the Lansky sharpening sets a look. Very easy to use and you always get a nice sharp edge with the same angle on the bevel.

Bench stones and learn to sharpen.

There is no better way. And I can take a stone with me camping and keep my edge sharp. Try that with a fancy electric-driven machine or a box of tools.

I keep a DMT Diamond coarse/fine folding stone in my BOB. That will give me a good sharp knife in an emergency. Not razor sharp, but awful darn sharp! At home I have a smith tri-stone, and a home made strop.

keep your knives sharp, and use cheap knives for tough chores

It depends on how much you are willing to devote to learning to hone. Any system you buy will need to be learnt. You can get pretty sharp freehand but if you want to get the same results you would get from a jigged system you will need some time to practice.

Also straight razor honing and knife honing are different skill sets IMO.

I have been using the Spyderco system for years - primarily on my fishing knives but also on kitchen knives. As David said above, it is easy to learn. However, I have been looking at both the Wicked Edge and Edge Pro and have been leaning to the Wicked Edge System. In fact I asked a similar question on The Kitchen Knife Fora and got some interesting answers plus a video to look at in one of the posts.

I have way too many stones - if there's such a thing - but I keep coming back to the Sharpmaker for weekly maintenance on EDC blades. Make sure you get the ultrafine rods, too; they're worth the extra money. The only issue that I've ever experienced has been some inconsistency in the surfacing of the finer grit rods, but it's still a good system for someone that keeps their edges in relatively decent condition to begin with.

Freehand is a must-learn for beginners, though. When you become proficient with things like consistently maintaining your angle, then I'd recommend sharpening "systems". Until then, I'd much rather a newbie go the plain old stone route to learn the basics. Don't become lazy, though, and freehand is always superior after you get the hang of it. Dave Martell sells a great stone set for multipurpose edge maintenance. Can't go wrong with it.

Sharpening can be an obsession, like wet shaving is for folks here.

I've never paid anyone to sharpen, but I'd guess that they return blades sharper than new, but not as sharp as possible.

So many variables go into producing a keen edge, your question is not unlike asking what razor should I get? As you learn, you understand that although the razor is a big factor; It's just one piece of the puzzle. Type of steel, size of grit, intended use (which is pretty much angle) single bevel, double bevel, on and on.

Grain of salt time... I don't use, and I have never sharpened a straight edge. However, they require a keener edge than most. Start with stones that fulfill that requirement, and include stones that can quickly remove steel for new or neglected blades and you can't go wrong. IMO like any tool, buy quality, learn to use them, and you will get your $ worth.

Water stones are spendy and require maintenance, but work very well and very quickly. Course grits remove steel faster than anything I've used, except maybe a new diamond stone, and polishing grits produce a better edge than I have ever needed. IMO, you can't go wrong. 'Course, you probably also will want something you can keep handy for a quick and easy touch up...