Sharpening a knife.

chrisc

Well-Known Member
Hi all,

I need to ask this question how do you all sharpen your knives, i know everyone should be able to do this but can you let me into the secret..

regards
chris
 
The answer is either practice or cheat.

Razor sharpness comes from consistency and if you can't hold the angle then use some kind of guide.

I use a diamond steel or a very soft grinding wheel [rubber based] that I have set up for sharpening hoof knives. Polish the blade afterwards - freehand can shave hairs.

Little pocket sharpeners work but they can remove a lot of metal quickly. The Spiderco knife sharpener has been recommended to me, but never used it

Spyderco Sharpeners: Tri-Angle Sharpmaker --- Heinnie Haynes - Knives, Pocket Tools and Accessories
 
I cheat, I just use a little kitchen devils sharper like the one in the link below (£2.99). Just like my chain saw blade I rely on not letting it go blunt in the first place so basically I sharpen it little and often. I think this way the blade never loses much angle and is much easier to keep sharp. Just my opinion, I know many go to a great deal of length to obtain super sharp knifes and fair play, but mine is all ways sharp enough for me.

To sharpen I turn the knife over with the back of the handle on the kitchen work top and run the sharpener along the blade from handle to tip. Then remove the burrs with the back of my leather belt.

1 X KITCHEN DEVILS SUPER SHARPENER SHARPENING KNIFE on eBay (end time 15-Mar-11 14:05:04 GMT)

I think Apache is right on removing alot of metal given the state of my Opniel knifes...
 
Last edited:
Hi all,

I need to ask this question how do you all sharpen your knives, i know everyone should be able to do this but can you let me into the secret..

regards


chris

Sorry No but I will give you a clue I dont use an oil stone and neither do I use a grindstone:D
The man to ask is Bernie the Knife he will tell you and believe me hes not wrong

Hi All
 
Last edited:
cheers lads you all mention different ways and machines but which way is the easiest way for someone who does not know a angle of a blade from his elbow, i have a blade tech but that seems to take alot of metal off and i once watched someone with the chefs kitchen sharpner destroy a hand made knife in 2 runs through the machine.

so what would be a good starting point for a novice knife sharpener.

just thought all of the above makes me sound like a total novice in field craft.


regards
chris
 
Chris,

I can use a stone, a steel got blade tech got lansky and they all work but the quickest and simplest is the chefs choice 120. I might add it is also the most expenseve!!

Dave
 
cheers lads you all mention different ways and machines but which way is the easiest way for someone who does not know a angle of a blade from his elbow, i have a blade tech but that seems to take alot of metal off and i once watched someone with the chefs kitchen sharpner destroy a hand made knife in 2 runs through the machine.

so what would be a good starting point for a novice knife sharpener.

just thought all of the above makes me sound like a total novice in field craft.


regards
chris

This is how I do it Chris,

It's not the end and b all of sharpening but for practical use I find it fast and easy.

I currently have 3 sharpeners in the bag which are the ACCUSHARP (tungsten carbide), the LANSKY (alumina ceramic rods) and the BUCK diamond.

ACCUSHARP uses a technique of sharpening that utilises a pair of preset angled tungsten carbide blades built into the handle assembly.
You simply draw the sharpener down the length of the blade whilst holding the knife in a static position. The good thing about this sharpener is that it removes metal fast ready for instant rehoning. Another good point about the sharpener is that it automatically resets the cutting angle (or shoulders) of the blade. The down side is that it leaves a slightly raggedy saw edge (a bit like a bread knife under the microscope) so what I do is to rough sharpen with this first and then switch to the LANSKY. Don't use the ACCUSHARP too often (as I said...it removes a lot of metal) but just to reset the blade's shoulders and angles.

The LANSKY is used for honing the blade. The 4 rod deluxe version comes with 2 pairs of alumina ceramic rods (2 medium and 2 fine) which are stored in the wooden base. The base has 2 preset sharpening angles of 20 and 25 degrees. (I keep a deluxe version at home and have a standard 2 rod version in the grip for field use). THE LANSKY is fast and produces a terrific honed edge after just a few passes. Use the medium first at 20 degrees and then if you want a really sharp edge use the fine at 25 degrees. (Remember that the 25 degree edge is not quite so durable in the field as the 20 degree - The same technique that carpenters / cabinet makers use for their chisels.

The Buck is great for the small jobs and if you've put a nick in the blade which you need to remove fast. It's a small, lightweight sharpener with a plastic protective sleeve that you remove and place on the back end which acts as the handle. I just use it to touch up now and again or if I catch a bone awkwardly whilst gralloching.


Happy sharpening

Rocky
 
Last edited:
Sorry Rocking god but you're wrong.
25degrees angle is less prone to wear than a 20 degree one.
The delux Lansky system uses 5 different stones and comes with an adaptor for 4 different angles ranging from 30 degrees to 17 degrees.
30 degrees would be fine for sharp kitchen knives, 17 degrees is a similar angle to that used for scalpel blades.
In the field the recommended angle of the dangle is 25 degrees, sharp and relatively hard wearing, 20 dgrees will give a hairs on the back of your hand shaving sharpness after a quick going over on a leather strop to take any burrs off.
Sharpening of a knife was described to me by Ash243 and one of the best pieces of advice he gave was to ensure you use the right process for the metal being sharpened. If its just a hardened steel then use stones of increasing fineness to hone the blade to the angle you want after first using a fairly course stone to develop that angle.
With stainless blades (mora for instance) you have to remove the final burrs left from stone sharpening with a leather strop.
 
I use an oil stone, sharpen one side till the burr turns,then the other side till burr turns back,

finish on steel to romove burr, HEY PRESTO!!!! START SHAVE'N.

Rgds. Buck.

PS. not to sure on angle/ degrees, but you not belong in get'n it with a little practice.
 
Last edited:
With the price of the various high end sharpeners it is probably more cost efficient just to buy a new Mora every time the old one goes blunt, the ones I have bought have been like razors when new.
 
Get a scandi grind prob the easiest to sharpen, (like the frosts mora) and use on a flat stone like DC4 or oil or waterstone. If your knife is sharp when you get it.
Regular stropping should keep it that way. Secondary and micro bevels are a tad harder, i find if you dont get the right angle your not sharpening the knife. Kits like the lansky are good for doing micro or secondary bevels. I find the DC4 very good for field sharpening. Diamond stone on one side and ceramic on other for honing.
 
join the club malc,

All you need is an American OLD TIMER SHRADE and pass the shrade over it a few strokes at 90deg each time you use it very lightly and it will remain as sharp as a razor but you might find it difficult finding one they arnt easy to come by now
 
Back
Top