Casstrom No.10 Knife Sharpening & Sharpeners In General

[DeerHunterUK]

Hi

I have a few Moras and a Casstrom No.10 (more for bushcraft and whittling than field dressing) and wanted to know what sharpeners people are using and what someone would recommend for the Casstrom which has a Scandi grind.

Currently using the Fallkniven DC4 (pocket size) and the DC521 (full size). Both are good but I’m not great at freehand sharpening and still learning.

I considered getting a fixed angle system like the Xarilk Gen 3 but wouldn’t be able to sharpen the Double Edge / Eka curved zip knife.

I’ve been looking at the work sharp belt grinder both standard and Ken onion version and although they would sharpen quicker (and work on the zip blade), they’d probably ruin the edge profile on my scandi due to the flexible belts.

Maybe there just isn’t a one stop solution that fits all

Keen to hear everyone’s thoughts and grateful for any advice.

Thanks

 

[tjm160]

We are in not dissimilar positions DeerHunterUK. I have wanted to learn to sharpen properly and watched a plethora of YouTube videos, eventually settling on Casstrom's own products (I too swear by a #10, but flat grind). I've made and continue to make a lot of mistakes, but have been determined to learn to sharpen entirely freehand. I don't profess to be anything like an expert, quite the contrary, but equally, my knives are all now kept decently sharp.

These are the main stone and strop I use (adding Casstrom's own stropping paste)

Lapstone Table

A Quality Tabletop Diamond Sharpener A Swedish-made table-top diamond knife sharpener of the very highest quality. This large, versatile sharpener is ideal in the kitchen drawer close to the chef’s knives or in the carpenter’s workshop to guarantee sharp knives and tools. The sharpener is stable...

casstrom.co.uk

Paddle Strop - handmade leather strop

The Casström Paddle Strop offers a larger stropping surface—perfect for home or basecamp. Oak core, Italian leather, coarse and fine sides for precision.

casstrom.co.uk

The YouTube playlist I saved including several helpful videos from Casstrom themselves:



The single most helpful tip a shooting friend shared with me is the trick to tell if your knife is properly sharp. Simply rest the blade on a finger nail and drag towards the end of the nail. If the blade slips easily, the blade is not properly sharp. If the blade catches on the nail and scrapes a little off the surface, then it is sharp.

Very best wishes with your sharpening journey

 

[Dazb1967]

I have a Ken Onion and its a great bit of kit but I have just started using my Lansky Deluxe Sharpening system again and it puts a great edge on my knives, Don't know why I stopped using it TBH

 

[DeerHunterUK]

We are in not dissimilar positions DeerHunterUK. I have wanted to learn to sharpen properly and watched a plethora of YouTube videos, eventually settling on Casstrom's own products (I too swear by a #10, but flat grind). I've made and continue to make a lot of mistakes, but have been determined to learn to sharpen entirely freehand. I don't profess to be anything like an expert, quite the contrary, but equally, my knives are all now kept decently sharp.

These are the main stone and strop I use (adding Casstrom's own stropping paste)

Lapstone Table

A Quality Tabletop Diamond Sharpener A Swedish-made table-top diamond knife sharpener of the very highest quality. This large, versatile sharpener is ideal in the kitchen drawer close to the chef’s knives or in the carpenter’s workshop to guarantee sharp knives and tools. The sharpener is stable...

casstrom.co.uk

Paddle Strop - handmade leather strop

The Casström Paddle Strop offers a larger stropping surface—perfect for home or basecamp. Oak core, Italian leather, coarse and fine sides for precision.

casstrom.co.uk

The YouTube playlist I saved including several helpful videos from Casstrom themselves:



The single most helpful tip a shooting friend shared with me is the trick to tell if your knife is properly sharp. Simply rest the blade on a finger nail and drag towards the end of the nail. If the blade slips easily, the blade is not properly sharp. If the blade catches on the nail and scrapes a little off the surface, then it is sharp.

Very best wishes with your sharpening journey

Thanks for reassuring me I’m not the only one who struggles with this skill

Guess I’ll have to stick with the stones to maintain my scandi Casstrom

 

[DeerHunterUK]

I have a Ken Onion and its a great bit of kit but I have just started using my Lansky Deluxe Sharpening system again and it puts a great edge on my knives, Don't know why I stopped using it TBH

This is interesting, curious to know why you went back to a fixed angle system, isn’t the WS quicker and easier (assuming it’s the belt sander)?

I really don’t want to start using ceramic roads to sharpen the zip blade it’s going to take life and more chances of error.

I saw this video of the WS belt sander sharpening the zip blade and was impressed…

 

[tjm160]

lol not at all, I've really struggled and had to persevere with plenty of cut fingers and dull blades still after what seems like ages sharpening through doing so at the wrong angle.

Indeed, the angle is key. If we don't sharpen per the exact angle the knife came with, then we are firstly blunting the knife and then creating an entirely new angle.

Equally, the only way we will get half decent is to practice practice and practice some more and it will come.

 

[Dazb1967]

This is interesting, curious to know why you went back to a fixed angle system, isn’t the WS quicker and easier (assuming it’s the belt sander)?

I really don’t want to start using ceramic roads to sharpen the zip blade it’s going to take life and more chances of error.

I saw this video of the WS belt sander sharpening the zip blade and was impressed…

I started using the WS for speed as it was quicker and easy to get a usable edge, I have 3 sharpening systems the WS the Lansky diamond and numerous really good whetstones, all of these are very good and I have been sharpening knives on stones for as long as I can remember, When I used to go out fishing with my father he had an old oilstone and I used to sharpen our filleting knives on this from being around 10yr old so without sounding big headed I am quite good with waterstones, I'm now on the higher side of 50 , I came across the Lansky last week whilst sorting my tools and had a bit time on my hands so put it to use and forgot how good they were.
They are all good and all have their uses it's just about how much time you want to spend sharpening.
I would put the WS as being the quickest, The Lansky in the middle once you set the angle, The stones take longer and you have to be really careful with the angles and with the stones as the really fine stones are quite soft

 

[DeerHunterUK]

Thanks for this, sounds like you’re a pro at sharpening. I think like any true enthusiast it’s good to have options and different tools for different jobs. Might have to get a fixed angle system like the lansky and the Ken onion for the quick cheap jobs.

Which exact model of the Ken onion do you have? Possible to send a pic?

Thanks again