Looking for sharpening info.

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Island made

· #3 · Jun 11, 2020 (Edited by Moderator)

I just keep it stupid simple. I always try and hone, not have to "sharpen" I do the same with my knives as I do with my straight razor.

I have a few OLD stones I got from my grandfather when I was a kid. I touch them quick on a stone then a go to a 8000 then 12000 grit Japanese wet stone. Then finish up with a leather strop.

Typically I only use the 12000 grit and strop.

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urbanshooter

· #4 · Jun 11, 2020

Depends on the kind of blade...

I prefer to hand sharpen and I enjoy the interaction with the blade. I need to hand sharpen Japanese kitchen knives anyway. They have very acute grind angles and may come with a single bevel that needs a hand sharpening approach. I use Japanese waterstones... my knives are typically taken to 6000 for daily beaters and I'll take certain blades to 8000 for a push-cut sharp mirror polish finish on the edge.

For my pocket knives/outdoor knives I will also use waterstone if I happen to need to sharpen one while I am also doing my kitchen knives. Otherwise I'll hone them with an Arkansas oil stone and finish with a strop. I usually maintain the edge with a loaded strop and take it to a stone only after very heavy usage.

For my tools - chisels, carving knives etc. I will use diamond plates because it's aggressive and fast (when I want to use my tools, I don't want to be spending too much time sharpening). I will finish on a strop loaded with green compound. I try to maintain the edge for as long as I can with just a strop.

...and that's pretty much my sharpening routine...

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Royleonard

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 11, 2020

Thanks for all the input I've been fascinated with sharpening since I was a kid I'm 68 now and haven't lost the fascination. I've use old fashioned techniques,jigs,and freehand methods .Waterstones and diamonds . I can get em pretty sharp and was curious what other people did and thought about it and I'm grateful for the response!

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Royleonard

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jun 11, 2020

SLING-N-SHOT said:
Mine is keeping it hair shaving sharp at all times, and to do that, I use the Wicked Edge Sharpening system.....expensive, but the best I have ever used, and have been sharpening all my life.....be 55 in August

Wow that is really something amazing that is!

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Alfred E.M.

· #7 · Jun 11, 2020

https://www.amazon.com/Razor-Edge-Book-Sharpening/dp/096660590X

The most interesting theory of edges I've ever seen.

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Royleonard

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 11, 2020

Alfred E.M. said:
https://www.amazon.com/Razor-Edge-Book-Sharpening/dp/096660590X

The most interesting theory of edges I've ever seen.

Have it in my collection of sharpening books.Use his guide on some of my carpenters knives works well.Its unreal how many systems and ways there are to gettin* a perfect edge.

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treefork

· #9 · Jun 11, 2020

This is my favorite way . Cardboard wheels , one with a 220 grit and the other as a buffing/stropping using a buffing rouge . I have the original inventors set .

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31610

· #10 · Jun 11, 2020

I have a few sharpening systems but I like these ones best small take with u . U. An get a pretty good edge

3

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AlDermietzel

· #11 · Jun 11, 2020

I use a Norton India course/fine combo for serious resharpening, very inexpensive yet aggressive stone which does a great job if a little messy with all the oil. I then follow up with a soft Arkansas, hard arkansas then fallkniven ultra fine ceramic. Depending on the angle of the bevel I am sharpening to I will add a tiny microbevel using the ceramic stone or lansky turnbox fine, then strop with green compound. I could get by happily with the norton India, hard arkansas and strop though, very inexpensive and puts a nice edge on most steels

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greenwart

· #12 · Jun 11, 2020 (Edited by Moderator)

I have at least a dozen stones I have collected over the years. If the edge is really poor, to start with I will use one of the coarser carborundum stones. will then use a graded set of arkansas stones. Once I get a good edge it is a large fine white arkansas stone I inherited from my grandfather. then polish with linde A (Aluminum oxide) on a hard felt wheel. To maintain I use a strop with Linde A. if that will not put the edge back on back to the white Arkansas . I do have some of the ceramics which were designed for razor sharpening , but I usually go back to the large white arkansas for 90% of what I use.

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Royleonard

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jun 11, 2020

greenwart said:
I have at least a dozen stones I have collected over the years. If the edge is really poor, to start with I will use one of the coarser carborundum stones. will then use a graded set of arkansas stones. Once I get a good edge it is a large fine white arkansas stone I inherited from my grandfather. then polish with linde A (Aluminum oxide) on a hard felt wheel. To maintain I use a strop with Linde A. if that will not put the edge back on back to the white Arkansas . I do have some of the ceramics which were designed for razor sharpening , but I usually go back to the large white arkansas for 90% of what I use.

I've heard a lot of good things about the white Arkansas stones!

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SLING-N-SHOT

· #14 · Jun 12, 2020

treefork said:
This is my favorite way . Cardboard wheels , one with a 220 grit and the other as a buffing/stropping using a buffing rouge . I have the original inventors set .

Looked at these too before buying my Wicked Edge unit, but will probably go to this when all my diamond paddles wear out, as they are expensive to replace....about $70 a set

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MOJAVE MO

· #15 · Jun 12, 2020 (Edited by Moderator)

Facinating input from everyone on this thread. I use a stone that has been passed down through my Great Grandfather who was Japanese. My pops carved a wooden 'box' when be got it from his Dad to keep it bedded in. Every night after dinner he pulled that box from the bookcase behind him, opened it up and spit on the stone, and started sharpening his pocket knife. After he was done he'd strop it a few times on edge of his cowboy boots sole. The sound of the blade on the stone, the feel, the memories, it settles me down like nothing else!

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msturm

· #16 · Jun 12, 2020

Hey there Royleonard,

My sharpening systems are as follows,

Most frequently used is the slab-o-leather with jeweler's rouge or colgate toothpaste on it. This is used pretty much after every "day to day use".

The second most frequently used is the DMT stone. Red on one side green on the other. Red is fine (1000) green is extra fine (2000) I think. I use this after I skin any animal does not matter if it is a squirrel or a bear.

Next is the Smith's tri-hone. I really only use the "fine" side as it is 800 or so grit and I mostly use it for my hatchets and axes, but the medium and course will take the knicks out of a dozer blade if you need to.

Finally, Is the unknown sharpening system my father gave to me after my 30th birthday when he was satisfied that I could hand sharpen anything I needed to. This is for doing serious repair work to small blades with big chips or chunks missing. The course on this system removes metal like a file and the fine is pretty close to the medium of the smith's. This just levels things out and gives you an angle from which to start.

Others not seen in this image are a bench grinder and an angle grinder. Both are handy for roughing out homemade blades, setting bevels, etc. (THESE MAY BE THE ONLY TOOLS NEEDED IF YOU WANT TO TURN A LEAF SPRING INTO A VERY FUNCTIONAL MACHETE)

Msturm

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