blunted my knife

[SC243]

Three stage of Arkansas oil stones in the shed for when the edge is very dull and needs a proper sharpening, for carrying in the feild I use the Spyderco double sided pocket stone: http://www.tamarackgroup.co.uk/acatalog/Sharpening_Stones.html

It's an excellent double sided ceramic sharpener and handy to carry.

 

[finnbear270]

Arkansas stones, now there's a professional type o guy!

 

[callie]

for buckup:-haven't used oilstone for years, use an "active products" 4 sided diamond sharpening block, cost about £8 from general hardware shops, 200, 300, 400, 600, grit and set of 3 flat diamond plates coarse med fine lives in bag, you don't use oil on diamonds just water.

 

[Muir]

Hi all,
excuse my ignorance, but do these new fangled devices get an edge any better than a good old fashioned oilstone? I've never used anything but, and never felt my blades dull. Perhaps it does require a lot of practice and I guess a bit of skill thrown in, as well as the need for a cheap blade to learn on (God bless Opinel). I can't get excited about entering a "my knife is sharper than your's" debate, but would be interested to hear from a convert from the old oilstone to the new diamond bars.

All the best,

Mark.

You won't get that from me. I use oil stones. You can tell the trend though: I gave my brother a Puma hunting knife for Christmas and do you think I could find a good oil stone?? Scarce as hens teeth in modern sporting goods stores.~Muir

 

[scotch_egg]

I picked up a ceramic steel from Ikea last week. What a great bit of kit, very happy with it. I will see how it copes with the fallow this coming season. But for £8 it better than my bladetech.


Off topic but can any one point me in the direction of a knife maker that can re handle my knife.

cheers

Dave

 

[finnbear270]

I find the diamond bars block up if water is not in good supply, whereas a good oilstone (like Arkansas), will work with a minimum of spittle.

 

[Oberon]

Japanese whetstone for me. A bit expensive but worth the effort learning to use them and all you need is water. I carry two knives so never need to sharpen in the field. Shaving sharp is relatively easy once you get the knack, and so satisfying.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

When I was working at the IWA guns and outdoor exhibition in Nurnberg a couple of years ago opposite our stand was the Outdoor Edge from the USAs stand and he was showing everyone how an old broken plate can be used to give the finest edge by gently stroking the blade across the plates broken edge. A ceramic sharpener no less.
It was razor sharp afterwards try it.
Martin

 

[Paul 600]

I carry a Shrade old timer in my belt kit, fantastic bit of kit and no oil needed!

 

[TASR12]

Japanese whetstone for me. A bit expensive but worth the effort learning to use them and all you need is water. I carry two knives so never need to sharpen in the field. Shaving sharp is relatively easy once you get the knack, and so satisfying.

I've been using a Japanese stone that I use for my Global Kitchen knives. What technique do you use as I never seem to able to get my field knives as sharp (No guide to fit on them)?
Cheers

 

[ezzy6.5]

India whetstone for me but if you get stuck the finished edge on a car window (the top edge of a wound down window) will finish an edge nicely. i've just started carrying a DMT diamond thingy in my bag but i've never had to use it yet.

Ezzy

 

[calmac]

iv allways bought good quality knifes harry bodden etc £300 + (they last forever) so why sharpen such quality steel on a cheepy invest in a lansky with 2x extra diamond blocks . . but having said all that few weeks ago i sharpened kitched knife on mates cheeepo and forgot i did few days later sifting my hand through cutelry draw nearly chopped finger off ... was that sharp i think dif bullets like dif barrels so must be same with knifes, dif steel likes dif sharpeners..

 

[Frax]

Japanese water stone every now and again and steel/ceramic steel (Ikea) between times.

Beware anything with the Jack Pyke brand...experiences with the brand have not been good.

 

[finnbear270]

Pyke...? Pike, crim of the fish world,.........Pyke......... sounds a bit like Pikey?

 

[Riverman]

How do you know if your knife is really sharp? balance it gently in your hand then slide it sideways down one of your nails on the other hand if it slides down it is not sharp if it snags it is good.
I have never produced a really good edge on a diamond hone.you need to use a stone, and some sort of guide to keep the angle true to get a truly sharp edge, hone one side until you can feel a burr all along the blade then turn over and do the same on the other side, if you cannot feel a burr you have not honed right to the edge, finish off with slightly more angle and light strokes.

 

[Frax]

Another useful tip to make sure you're getting the right angle is to colour in the bevel with a marker pen and then inspect it with a magnifying glass after you've put it to the stone. Oh, and make sure you soak a waterstone until the bubbles stop rising from it.

 

[basil]

India whetstone for me but if you get stuck the finished edge on a car window (the top edge of a wound down window) will finish an edge nicely. i've just started carrying a DMT diamond thingy in my bag but i've never had to use it yet.

Ezzy

Is that the same as the Indiana pink? Smooth pink one side, rough and dark the other?
basil.

 

[Dan Gliballs]

The opinel usually gets the nearest rock to hand.

 

[Brough]

I have been reading this thread with interest , I'm sharpening hand tools every day through work and diamond stones are indeed a good quick fix .
However .... What ever you choose to use the trick is to keep the grinding angle constant throughout the sharpening process .
Also there is an optimum sharpening angle , On site sharpening ,I use two different grade good quality diamond stones free hand , as always you get what you pay. If I get any major niks in hand tools or when needing to grind back to correct angle I use the tormek grinding system , The jig holds the tool at the correct angle constantly over a wet stone , and to finish polish with honing paste on the leather wheel to rid the burrs ... a sharpness you can shave with..
You can get a very decent edge free hand on diamond/oil/water stones , but it does take practice (I got plenty of that during my apprenteship ) Brough