Knife Sharpening?

[Greatwhitewing]

Homeowner use, not a professional who has tried the old fashioned stone method without good results.

Anyone tried this

Associated with Drill Dr which worked well for me.

Any other "fool" proof suggestions?

 

[68-camaro]

If your bored and have alot of time use a Lansky type sharpener http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000B8IEA4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Punkinhead]

If you really can't get the knack of using stones (it isn't that hard), then the Lansky type works great. All it's doing for you is holding the blade at a consistent angle. If you want to sharpen your pocket knife and make your wife giddy with sharp kitchen knives at the same time then get one of these.

I don't want to sound preachy, but learning to sharpen by hand is a worthwhile skill. Once you learn the theory of what it takes to sharpen a knife you'll be able to sharpen anything in the shop. Buy a copy of Leonard Lee's The Complete Guide to Sharpening. Once you learn to sharpen by hand you'll never put up with a dull tool again. Chisels, hand planes, hand saws, etc, are more accurate and pleasant to use when sharp.

 

[Yojinbo]

I have not tried that.

I have been doing this:
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=60002&cat=1,51222
It uses 2 carbide machine tool inserts brilliantly re-purposed.
VERY light strokes for already sharp blades that need touch-up.

Followed up by a leather 'belt' in my old bellsaw stand belt-sander as a kind of finishing strop.

EDIT: This used to be called the "Chestnut Sharpener" and my box says so, but I don't see that brand in the current link.

 

[BHH]

I have used those electric ones you run your knife through and thought they always just seemed to damage the blade and take too much material off. So I learned how to use a whetstone. It took lots of practise and patience. You will need more than one stone to get the blade properly sharpened.

I recommend learning how to use a whetstone properly. Just practice on a knife that is not that valuable and eventually you will get it. There are tons of youtube videos that will help show you the proper way to use one.

 

[Outlawmws]

If your bored and have alot of time use a Lansky type sharpener http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000B8IEA4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Second this type. Even if you are good at bare stones. These work well.

Smiths and Blade Master also make this type. I like the Blade Master better (More angles available)

 

[flintsghost]

While I use tools, I both use and collect knives and usually they are expensive ones running from as little as a couple hundred to some well into the thousands (as I said collect.) I have a Lansky and it works especially for those that are stone challenged which many are. I also use a diamond impregnated sharpening steel or butcher type steel which I personally find is the fastest and easiest way to sharpen quality blades. A belt type machine is, IMHO, a really good way to ruin a very expensive blade very fast. Most of the knives I use in the field when hunting can do an elk without a retouch and then skin it too. For heavier chores like skinning and cutting bones, I have always preferred and estwing hatchet as it's faster and less likely to penetrate the hide if I want to keep it and have it professionally tanned.

 

[cib]

The one the OP posted is good in skilled hands but has the ability to take way too much material off so you have to be careful.


Spyderco Tri-angle sharpener
If you have tons of time Japanese water stones, but there is an art to this.


Also paper sharpening here is a good thread from bladeforums. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ing-wheels-when-your-time-is-important-to-you

 

[Stuey]

I just ordered myself a Spyderco, but also have waterstones that work pretty darn well.

 

[Plasmatic]

I use the Lansky kit mentioned before. It has always worked quite well for me.

 

[mossyboy6]

I use the sandpaper and mousepad method 90% of the time, but I am also very good with stones, they just take longer.

The sandpaper method combined with a little stropping and I can shave with any knife that I own.

 

[scott4]

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Apex Edge Pro Sharpener

 

[scott4]

Read this.

 

[Zrexxer]

The device the OP pictured looks great, if your objective is to grind all your expensive blade steel away.

I use a Spyderco Sharpmaker, and I've used the Lansky with some success too.

The Apex looks interesting to me, but they've priced me out of the market when their basic model costs $150.

 

[darkzero]

I've had the Wicked Edge for a few years now & I absolutely love it. I get edges sharper than from the factory.

But I would say it's not an "affordable" sharpener but then again I don't carry $5 knives & I'm not even a knife nut.

 

[Greatwhitewing]

Tried looking for the blade master and all I got was skate sharpening???

Second this type. Even if you are good at bare stones. These work well.

Smiths and Blade Master also make this type. I like the Blade Master better (More angles available)

 

[Outlawmws]

Tried looking for the blade master and all I got was skate sharpening???

Try Frost Blade master, (Might have been bought out since mine was made)

 

[Jeff]

That WorkSharp looks dangerous to me. I can just see the knife flying across the room.

I use the Lansky six stone system with much success. It might take longer, but my blades are very sharp and polished nicely with the sapphire stone.

 

[rockchucker]

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Apex Edge Pro Sharpener

..."And it should shred paper just like that!"


This looks to be a very nice system. I just bought a Miyabi 9.5" Chef's Knife with a Birchwood Handle and I have a bunch of Global top dollar knives that are up for a sharpening.

Thanks for the link.

 

[Packard V8]

I've tried most all of them. The best bang for the buck for me has been what Lansky calls Crock Sticks. There are several other brands, all which consist of two ceramic sticks held at angles in a wood block.

Inexpensive, effective. Only downside is if you have a stainless knife sharpened at a different angle than the sticks, it takes forever to get it right. Once all your knives are sharp, a few licks every time before use will keep them keen.

JMHO, those sharpeners which use carbide cutters will ruin knives. Tried several and threw them away. They can really damage carbon steel blades.

jack vines

 

[Larwyn]

Back around 1959 or so Papa (my grandfather) gave me a Schrade Walden Stockman's pocket knife and a pocket whetstone. The stone had two grits, one on each side and was wraped in a bit of oily rag. By the time the next Christmas rolled around I had become good enough at sharpening the Schrade that he felt it was time that I had my own tin of BandAids... A few years ago I found myself sitting on the back doorstep sharpening my pocket knife and realized that it was dark out there. That's when I finally realized that the sound and the feel of the knife on the stone is much more important to the end result than the sight of it. The knife came out just as sharp as if it had been done midday.

I owe a lot to that old man (actually he never lived to be the age that I am now). But one of the most valuable things that he ever taught me was how to put an edge on cutting tools. Not just knives, but scythe blades, mower blades, scisors, garden hoes, axes, etc.

I own a Lansky system, but I find that I can get a better edge more quickly with a couple of Arkansas stones and a strop. It takes a bit of time, and maybe a bit of blood, to learn to use whetstones but just about any method of sharpening a knife takes a bit of skill.

Of all the tools available for sharpening a pocket knife I value none higher than a pair of Arkansas stones (a soft (coarse), and a hard (fine)). And you don't even need a lantern, let alone a power outlet.

 

[Mike in Ohio]

Back around 1959 or so Papa (my grandfather) gave me a Schrade Walden Stockman's pocket knife and a pocket whetstone. The stone had two grits, one on each side and was wraped in a bit of oily rag. By the time the next Christmas rolled around I had become good enough at sharpening the Schrade that he felt it was time that I had my own tin of BandAids... A few years ago I found myself sitting on the back doorstep sharpening my pocket knife and realized that it was dark out there. That's when I finally realized that the sound and the feel of the knife on the stone is much more important to the end result than the sight of it. The knife came out just as sharp as if it had been done midday.

I owe a lot to that old man (actually he never lived to be the age that I am now). But one of the most valuable things that he ever taught me was how to put an edge on cutting tools. Not just knives, but scythe blades, mower blades, scisors, garden hoes, axes, etc.

I own a Lansky system, but I find that I can get a better edge more quickly with a couple of Arkansas stones and a strop. It takes a bit of time, and maybe a bit of blood, to learn to use whetstones but just about any method of sharpening a knife takes a bit of skill.

Of all the tools available for sharpening a pocket knife I value none higher than a pair of Arkansas stones (a soft (coarse), and a hard (fine)). And you don't even need a lantern, let alone a power outlet.

Great story! My grandfather also tought me a lot but unfortunately sharpening wasn't one of them. I rely on the lansky setup previously mentioned. I have never gotten the knack of using a wetstone, I really wish I had it. Chisels and planes cause me all kinds of grief to sharpen.

By the way when TSA finds the pocket knife in the pair of jeans you threw into your carry on without checking the pockets, they really don't see the humor when you tell them you got it from them on ebay and will get it back next week on ebay.

TSA confiscations sold on ebay is how I get most of my pocket knives. I have 6 or 8 for daily carry and when they get dull they go into a box, when I run out of sharp ones I sit down and sharpen them all at 1 sitting and am good for a while. The lansky doesn't work all that well on bigger knives though.

 

[iroc409]

I have a Smith with three stones and it works OK. I've also just used a plain Norton oilstone with good results.

I want to learn to sharpen woodworking tools by hand. I've heard it's better if you can learn that than have all those crazy jigs.

 

[buffalobill]

i have a lansky, and its very good as long as you have time to kill a couple of beers while using it. its a nice "once a month, on sunday night" thing to do.

I will say, the coarse stone is no joke. I have a Leatherman Skeletool that I like, although it had a serrated blade. So, i took the coarse stone to it, and went to town with a bunch of oil. about an hour later, I had a straight blade that was easy to sharpen.


I always come off with a little ridge though, with the lansky. how do you strop a blade to get that tiny ridge off?

 

[kv501]

I was fortunate to have an uncle who is also a butcher (meat cutter if you are a politically correct communist).

There are several ways to sharpen a knife, but you'll learn best from someone who makes his/her living cutting animals up 10 hours a day. Dull knives mean sore fingers, hands, wrists, and shoulders if you're in that business. He taught me to use a steel when I was about 8 years old, and I also learned that using a steel frequently is a whole lot more productive than using a stone infrequently.

 

[BBQ&Love]

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Apex Edge Pro Sharpener

I have the professional series. Nice!

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

http://www.worksharptools.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=92

This is what Im getting my dad for Christmas, He is really into knives and wants to actually try making is own one day. I was going to get him the worksharp knife sharpener because it was cheep. Then saw that you could add a belt attachment to the WS2000 (I bought that already for him)

Then I started talking myself into spending a little more, The knife sharpener is about 60 bucks and only does the belt thing. The WS2000 is about 99 bucks and does everything the belt one will and more. The WS3000 does all of that but it can use the glass wheels and bigger chisels and other tools and a honing wheel.

So I talked myself into taking back the WS2000 and getting him the WS3000 and for his birthday (in January) Im going to get him the belt attachment for knives http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003Z7O62I/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Just something to think about before getting the knife only sharpener because your limited in the things you can do. I got this for him because it has alot more options that It is capable of doing.

Hope this helps
Sean Scott