2aHawaii
General Topics => Off Topic => Topic started by: drck1000 on January 07, 2019, 08:50:18 AM
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What's your preference for knife sharpening?
I use water stones for kitchen knives, which for the most part have straight edges or a very slight curvature. I used water stones for some of my folding knives, but I have been using the stick type sharpeners as well as the Spyderco Sharpmaker more recently.
For waterstones, I'm finding that I like larger stones for kitchen knives. Many stones on Amazon are the smaller stones, so I have to look closer at the details. I really want to try the Naniwa super stones next. I used to sharpen with Arkansas stones, but got away from them.
I've been watching videos here and there and came across videos by Murray Carter. One in particular where he goes about flattening/polishing the secondary edge. I had never heard of that before. I might try on an older kitchen knife to see if I can tell a difference. Might be another one of those "I don't know what I don't know" things, or a "meh, I am just fine with how I used to do it" things.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJdtCLIGQm8
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For anything real bad I can use my belt sander but for regular sharpening I use the Spyderco triangle sharpening system which is very easy and pretty good.
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Accusharp, table mount and portable versions.
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I use a pull thru sharpener for my cheap kitchen knives. its quick and easy and works well for others in the house that might want to sharpen them easily.
used to use the water stone on my fixed blades and folders, then switched to a diamond stone, now just switched to a guided diamond stone system with 4 different preset angles which keep the edge more uniform
I've thought about getting the work sharp belt sharpener, but I don't want to get another tool that i wind up not using. although it looks like a very good sharpening system.
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I like the Spyderco Sharpmaker followed by the steel that meat cutters use. On some knives I follow that with a leather strop. It gets the blade hair popping sharp v just razor sharp. By hair popping I mean that when the blade just touches the hair it seems to pop off without the slightest pressure. Your SD knife should be that way.
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For anything real bad I can use my belt sander but for regular sharpening I use the Spyderco triangle sharpening system which is very easy and pretty good.
If I had a house, I'd have more dedicated tools like that in a workshop. I used to have a disc grinder/polisher when I worked at a family shop and that was super useful for grinding and shaping metal parts, but I could see using it for knives. I see the same basic machine used for many custom knife shops. I also have the Spyderco and it seems good to maintain an already sharpened knife that is either 15 or 20 degrees. It can take some time if your blade isn't close to those bevels, at least to get really sharp.
Accusharp, table mount and portable versions.
Are you able to get your knives really sharp with those? Or just enough to get a good working edge? I was considering getting a draw through type Minosharp for my Global kitchen knives, but have held off for now and have been using stones.
Was watching a video last night on how a guy gets his knives so sharp that they can whittle hair. He asked is it necessary to sharpen knives to that fine edge and he said generally no. Just need to be able to get a good working edge, but he likes to know that he is capable of getting them "whittle sharp" and that in general having the ability to sharpen knives beyond good working edge state usually results in longer intervals between sharpening. I agree with the point that I really only am looking for a good working edge, but I do want to be able to sharpen to a finer edge, at least to match how they come from the factory.
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I use a pull thru sharpener for my cheap kitchen knives. its quick and easy and works well for others in the house that might want to sharpen them easily.
used to use the water stone on my fixed blades and folders, then switched to a diamond stone, now just switched to a guided diamond stone system with 4 different preset angles which keep the edge more uniform
I've thought about getting the work sharp belt sharpener, but I don't want to get another tool that i wind up not using. although it looks like a very good sharpening system.
For cheap kitchen knives, I have an older Lansky V sharpener with ceramic rods. It gets it sharp enough, but I like to get some of them sharper. I haven't tried diamond stones.
I like the Spyderco Sharpmaker followed by the steel that meat cutters use. On some knives I follow that with a leather strop. It gets the blade hair popping sharp v just razor sharp. By hair popping I mean that when the blade just touches the hair it seems to pop off without the slightest pressure. Your SD knife should be that way.
I've been getting into using a strop lately and it seems to make a difference. I have steels and ceramic rods for fine tuning kitchen knives, but have only been using the strops for smaller folding and fixed knives.
And yeah, the hair popping test is one that I do sometimes as well, which is why my left arm has less hair than my right arm. ;D
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arxptSFcJ8k
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Here's another video on Worksharp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujazEqtXgbQ
I've been looking at the Edge Pro Apex as well. Seems like a good system for a decent price. Wicked Edge is still top on my list, but have been looking at other options.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVjzBS73Zv8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI9ae283-Ns
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The Edge Pro system is very similar to the Gritomatic. A friend who makes custom knives uses this system and I can say from personal experience that his knives come VERY sharp.
https://www.gritomatic.com/products/hapstone-m2-knife-sharpener?variant=8173004062837 (https://www.gritomatic.com/products/hapstone-m2-knife-sharpener?variant=8173004062837)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKTWWz1o3fs
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For axes, machetes, mower blades, etc, I use files and 250 Arkansas.
I use a Smith's TRI-6 Arkansas TRI-HONE at my place on the BI for my hunting/tac type knives, very happy with it.
For my higher end, cooking/cutlery I use Japanese water stones primarily a King K80 250 / 1000 and a King KDS 1000/6000. I will also use a steel hone and a Leather strop.
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Are you able to get your knives really sharp with those? Or just enough to get a good working edge? I was considering getting a draw through type Minosharp for my Global kitchen knives, but have held off for now and have been using stones.
Shaving sharp. It's all I have used for the past 10 years and works extremely well.
I use the table mount for home, and carry the portable in the field.
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If I had a house, I'd have more dedicated tools like that in a workshop. I used to have a disc grinder/polisher when I worked at a family shop and that was super useful for grinding and shaping metal parts, but I could see using it for knives. I see the same basic machine used for many custom knife shops. I also have the Spyderco and it seems good to maintain an already sharpened knife that is either 15 or 20 degrees. It can take some time if your blade isn't close to those bevels, at least to get really sharp.
Are you able to get your knives really sharp with those? Or just enough to get a good working edge? I was considering getting a draw through type Minosharp for my Global kitchen knives, but have held off for now and have been using stones.
Was watching a video last night on how a guy gets his knives so sharp that they can whittle hair. He asked is it necessary to sharpen knives to that fine edge and he said generally no. Just need to be able to get a good working edge, but he likes to know that he is capable of getting them "whittle sharp" and that in general having the ability to sharpen knives beyond good working edge state usually results in longer intervals between sharpening. I agree with the point that I really only am looking for a good working edge, but I do want to be able to sharpen to a finer edge, at least to match how they come from the factory.
I purchased the diamond triangles for the spyderco sharp maker which is much more aggressive and works pretty well for repairing damage or re-profiling the grind angles.
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my diamond guided sharpening system came with 2 diamond stones: 325 grit and 750 grit. these will get a good working edge but not enough to shave with. I just ordered an Arkansas stone for the kit that is 1100-1200 grit. I hope that helps get a finer and sharper edge on my knives.
what grits do you guys use?
what's a good grit to get a really sharp edge?
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For axes, machetes, mower blades, etc, I use files and 250 Arkansas.
I use a Smith's TRI-6 Arkansas TRI-HONE at my place on the BI for my hunting/tac type knives, very happy with it.
For my higher end, cooking/cutlery I use Japanese water stones primarily a King K80 250 / 1000 and a King KDS 1000/6000. I will also use a steel hone and a Leather strop.
I have that same King 250/1000 and is my main sharpening stone. I have another Japanese 1000/4000 that I used for when I want my kitchen knives sharper/finer. I ordered the King 1000/6000 a couple of times from Amazon and they both arrived chipped, so I sent them back. :(
I bet the sharpener on the BI gets a lot of use!
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my diamond guided sharpening system came with 2 diamond stones: 325 grit and 750 grit. these will get a good working edge but not enough to shave with. I just ordered an Arkansas stone for the kit that is 1100-1200 grit. I hope that helps get a finer and sharper edge on my knives.
what grits do you guys use?
what's a good grit to get a really sharp edge?
Stones I have are 250/1000 and 1000/4000. Before I had stones in the 600/800 range too. I can get a pretty good sharp edge by around 600. Lately I usually finish with 1000. Like mentioned above, I’ll occasionally go to 4000.
I heard diamond stones cut pretty aggressively per grit than whetstones. I haven’t tried them though.
I used to like Arkansas stones, but they can be expensive. And the oil makes for a little more of a mess.
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I purchased the diamond triangles for the spyderco sharp maker which is much more aggressive and works pretty well for repairing damage or re-profiling the grind angles.
I only have the med, fine and ultra fine. The med seems to be able to grind enough. May take a little more time of the angle isn’t 30 or 40, but not bad.
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I have the edge pro professional. its a fair amount of $$$ but it works.
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You could also just get a 1in belt sander with various grit belts.
I've also had great success using diy sharpening stones by glueing sand paper to boards and phone books (for my kukris).
But for speed and convenience, nothing beats the accusharp. I sharpened a butter knife to shaving sharp in less than 5 minutes. Only downside is that you may need to resharpen more often, but if you carry the portable model, you can touch up a blade and get it back to shaving sharpin seconds.
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You could also just get a 1in belt sander with various grit belts.
I've also had great success using diy sharpening stones by glueing sand paper to boards and phone books (for my kukris).
But for speed and convenience, nothing beats the accusharp. I sharpened a butter knife to shaving sharp in less than 5 minutes. Only downside is that you may need to resharpen more often, but if you carry the portable model, you can touch up a blade and get it back to shaving sharpin seconds.
What is the table top model you mention? I only see what looks like a larger hand held model.
I’m pretty sure I’m gonna get the wicked edge. Still thinking about the edge pro though.
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I have the Ken Onion worksharp in the garage where I do batches sometimes, or if something is really messed up and in need of reprofiling. In the kitchen I have the Spyderco triangle which is great for a quick touch up. Very fast and convenient with consistently good results. At lest the vegetables aren't complaining.
The Worksharp is very dangerous not from a safety aspect but it's very easy to take off too much. The tool grinder attachment is also wonderful for mower/brush cutter blades and can get into tight places that angle grinders won't go. Don't even have to take them off. It's saved me on some metal fab projects for the same reason.
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I have the Ken Onion worksharp in the garage where I do batches sometimes, or if something is really messed up and in need of reprofiling. In the kitchen I have the Spyderco triangle which is great for a quick touch up. Very fast and convenient with consistently good results. At lest the vegetables aren't complaining.
The Worksharp is very dangerous not from a safety aspect but it's very easy to take off too much. The tool grinder attachment is also wonderful for mower/brush cutter blades and can get into tight places that angle grinders won't go. Don't even have to take them off. It's saved me on some metal fab projects for the same reason.
I can definitely see that. It does seem like the Worksharp is very effective and they have a range of products for various budgets. I think I'd give the Ken Onion version a try if I had a dedicated "dirty" workshop space.
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Ordered the Wicked Edge system over the weekend. Notification said it already shipped and looks like it will be here end of the week.
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Got the Wicked Edge (WE-130 with some finer stones and strop) in yesterday. Tested on a Benchmade with D2 steel and I’m liking it. D2 is supposed to be one of the hardest steels to get a good edge. I had sharpened this knife with the Spyderco Sharpmaker before and was able to get a pretty good edge, good enough for EDC stuff. But wasn’t able to get a “shave worthy” edge. It took me a little bit to get used to keeping the stones flat on the blade and I think to verify the burr, but once I did, I was able to get a really nice edge. While not “hair whittling or popping” sharp, definitely “shave worthy” and as good or better than many knives I’ve had out of the box. It’s supposed to take 5-10 knives to break in the stones, so I’m expecting results to improve as the stones break in and my technique improves.
I noticed that even after the 200 grit that the edge was very sharp but could very much see the striations on the edge. Think I need to spend more time smoothing than out with the 400+ stones to get a really fine edge. Like the WE videos mentioned, I think 600 grit is definitely good enough for EDC, but I do want to be able to get a finer edge.
With folders, I have trouble maintaining consistency across the curved portion of the blade. I can get kitchen knives super sharp with stones, but believe that’s because the blades are usually flat or much less curvature. With the WE, I can get a nice and uniform sharpened band among the full length of the blade.
Now that I know I can get a really good edge on the D2, I’m gonna start on my beater knives with steels that are known for being easy to sharpe, like 8Cr13MoV.
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:thumbsup:
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My wife is sharpening knifes right now, She teach's a cooking class at the local park and has like 12 knifes to do.
(https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/50647934_10161347241030634_5410138245688197120_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&oh=cc286e26646b535100dd0d14679f817b&oe=5CBD9D94)
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My wife is sharpening knifes right now, She teach's a cooking class at the local park and has like 12 knifes to do.
Awesome!
The Edge Pro was very high on my interest list.
Bring some of those knives over. I could use the practice! ;D
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She needs it to, that thing cost me a small fortune
Awesome!
The Edge Pro was very high on my interest list.
Bring some of those knives over. I could use the practice! ;D
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What is the table top model you mention? I only see what looks like a larger hand held model.
I’m pretty sure I’m gonna get the wicked edge. Still thinking about the edge pro though.
Accu Sharp 004 SturdyMount Knife Sharpener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019DVLN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GcptCbHR4AYS0
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Accu Sharp 004 SturdyMount Knife Sharpener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019DVLN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GcptCbHR4AYS0
Cool. I think that’s the one I was thinking. If I didn’t get the WE, I was gonna get the Minosharp pull through sharpener for my Global kitchen knives.
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Worked on a Kershaw Cryo 8Cr13MoV and a ZT 0562 204p. The Kershaw is supposed to be 8/10 on ease of sharpening. I was able to get it pretty sharp. Enough to shave hairs on my arm, but not quite at sharp as I thought I could be able to not as sharp as a couple of ZT knives I have in S35VN out of the box. Was little disappointed, but think 1) that blade is a beater and may need to be grounds down a little more and 2) I may need to take my time as I went a little fast on this one. It seemed like sections of the blade went through the test paper really well, but would occasionally hit a snag.
The 204p of the ZT is supposed to be a 2/10 on ease of sharpening. This blade was only lightly used, but enough to not be as sharp as the just out of box ZTs that I have. Was able to find the grind angle quickly (23) and just worked with 400 and higher. Was able to get the knife sharper and able to shave arm hairs, but not quite as sharp as the new ZTs that I have. I was happy that I could get them to what would be sharp enough for EDC, especially with one of the new super steels that are supposed to be really hard to sharpen. I hope that I can improve with more practice.
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Got the Wicked Edge (WE-130 with some finer stones and strop) in yesterday. Tested on a Benchmade with D2 steel and I’m liking it. D2 is supposed to be one of the hardest steels to get a good edge. I had sharpened this knife with the Spyderco Sharpmaker before and was able to get a pretty good edge, good enough for EDC stuff. But wasn’t able to get a “shave worthy” edge. It took me a little bit to get used to keeping the stones flat on the blade and I think to verify the burr, but once I did, I was able to get a really nice edge. While not “hair whittling or popping” sharp, definitely “shave worthy” and as good or better than many knives I’ve had out of the box. It’s supposed to take 5-10 knives to break in the stones, so I’m expecting results to improve as the stones break in and my technique improves.
I noticed that even after the 200 grit that the edge was very sharp but could very much see the striations on the edge. Think I need to spend more time smoothing than out with the 400+ stones to get a really fine edge. Like the WE videos mentioned, I think 600 grit is definitely good enough for EDC, but I do want to be able to get a finer edge.
With folders, I have trouble maintaining consistency across the curved portion of the blade. I can get kitchen knives super sharp with stones, but believe that’s because the blades are usually flat or much less curvature. With the WE, I can get a nice and uniform sharpened band among the full length of the blade.
Now that I know I can get a really good edge on the D2, I’m gonna start on my beater knives with steels that are known for being easy to sharpe, like 8Cr13MoV.
Congratulations on getting that wicked edge system! :shaka:
Looks like a great system
I've been looking at more vids on sharpening and I think I need to work on my technique more.
I'll keep practicing. :thumbsup:
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I did more with the D2
spent more time and more reps with the fine diamond stone, then with the Arizona stone, and a little with the leather strop
D2 steel is sharper, but still not quite shaving sharp. but it is better than what I was doing previously. paper slicing is very easy, very little effort. edge now looks polished.
i'm going to do more with the Arizona stone and then strop a little after and see if it gets better :thumbsup:
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Congratulations on getting that wicked edge system! :shaka:
Looks like a great system
I've been looking at more vids on sharpening and I think I need to work on my technique more.
I'll keep practicing. :thumbsup:
I did more with the D2
spent more time and more reps with the fine diamond stone, then with the Arizona stone, and a little with the leather strop
D2 steel is sharper, but still not quite shaving sharp. but it is better than what I was doing previously. paper slicing is very easy, very little effort. edge now looks polished.
i'm going to do more with the Arizona stone and then strop a little after and see if it gets better :thumbsup:
I've sharpened three knives, but actually did two of those knives a second time after getting a few more tips on use. Definitely need more time with the system. I've been reading that it takes a while for the new stones to break in, which is about 8-10 knives. Many have reported things get markedly better after that, including a buddy that has it (but he lives on the mainland). I still am waiting for the test knives in M390, VG-10, and S30V to come in. But once they do, I'll be testing both their cutting and edge retention and then sharpening.
I was able to get the Benchmade D2 sharp enough to shave arm hairs, but it didn't do very well on the paper slicing. I have ZTs that I can slice very thin shards of paper, so I know it can be done. I can get the Benchmade D2 to slice if I concentrate on a certain technique, but not always (like the ZTs). I was reading online that many feel the paper slicing is a parlor trick and some that folks "cheat" in that they know about paper grain. I've noticed that certain paper does have grain, but the sharp knives that I have are able to slice through no problem. So dunno about that. Then there are those "next level" sharpeners who strive for being able to push cut paper with their knives.
I also need more work with stropping. I think I end up dulling the edge when I do because I put too much pressure. I tried the strops in the WE once and I did notice a higher level of polish on the bevel, but still wasn't as sharp as I would like. I was reading that folks have varying techniques that they find works for them. Angles and pressures.
Overall, I can definitely get the knives to a very sharp edge for EDC, but I do want to be able to get them to a higher level of sharpness. Not really for practical reasons, but more for the satisfaction that I am able. I can get my kitchen knives pretty damn sharp, but I think I have an easier time because those blades are generally pretty flat and I have good technique with those on stones. Not as much with the curved blades of folding knives.
It's a learning process, but one that I am enjoying. ;D
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sorry, I meant Arkansas stone. not Arizona.
I must've had Arizona on the brain. geography was never my strong subject :shaka:
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sorry, I meant Arkansas stone. not Arizona.
I must've had Arizona on the brain. geography was never my strong subject :shaka:
I was wondering about that. I assumed you had ins on the latest and greatest sharpening stuff.
I used to have Arkansas stones, but cheaper ones. I was thinking about trying a set to complement my Japanese whetstones. But maybe in the future.
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I used my Lansky 4 rod diamond/ ceramic turnbox knife sharpener on my d2 and s35vn steels. They were both paper cutting sharp but not shaving sharp.
S35vn only needed 10 passes on the diamond and 5 passes in the ceramic and it can shave. Must've been pretty sharp already
D2 I tried a few times with the guided diamond sharpener and with my guided stone sharpener and just couldn't get it shaving sharp
Now with the Lansky rod sharpener I did 20 passes on the diamond rod and 10 passes on the ceramic rod and now the d2 can shave!
I'm very satisfied with that rod system. It's like the spyderco one
At least I found a system or combination of systems that works
I did not strop at the end. I'm thinking my stropping somehow is dulling the blade, maybe I'm not doing it right
Actually I'm satisfied without stropping as long as it can shave, I'm happy with that
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Are you using polishing compound with the leather? Leather alone won't always do the job.
https://youtu.be/7MyoQOjGg7I
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I used my Lansky 4 rod diamond/ ceramic turnbox knife sharpener on my d2 and s35vn steels. They were both paper cutting sharp but not shaving sharp.
S35vn only needed 10 passes on the diamond and 5 passes in the ceramic and it can shave. Must've been pretty sharp already
D2 I tried a few times with the guided diamond sharpener and with my guided stone sharpener and just couldn't get it shaving sharp
Now with the Lansky rod sharpener I did 20 passes on the diamond rod and 10 passes on the ceramic rod and now the d2 can shave!
I'm very satisfied with that rod system. It's like the spyderco one
At least I found a system or combination of systems that works
I did not strop at the end. I'm thinking my stropping somehow is dulling the blade, maybe I'm not doing it right
Actually I'm satisfied without stropping as long as it can shave, I'm happy with that
I’ve been playing around more with stropping. I’ve been trying various techniques of pressure and angle. With softer leather or materials, you can depress the material and it can dull the edge. Some try balsa and other materials that give less.
I have the strops for both the WE and freehand. The WE strops use compounds of varying polishing particle size. The leather freehand strop I’ve been using cane with a polishing compound that is like a block of soap that you use to prime the surface.
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I've been using this strop which is on a piece of wood with tormek honing compound that was recommended to me to use with leather strop from a guy at woodcraft store in kalihi.
Maybe I need a different compound
Thanks for the video too :shaka:
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I've been using this strop which is on a piece of wood with tormek honing compound that was recommended to me to use with leather strop from a guy at woodcraft store in kalihi.
Maybe I need a different compound
Thanks for the video too :shaka:
I have the green honing compound: chromium oxide and aluminum oxide. It's equivalent to 400 - 600 grit abrasive.
There are several compounds you could use, most identified by the color.
This was posted in the Questions section on Amazon for the compound I use:
BLACK = Emery Compound, a course abrasive material for removal of scratches, pits, paint, rust etc.
BROWN = Tripoli compound used for general purpose cut and color on most soft metals.
WHITE = Blizzard compound, used for color and final finish of harder metals, has a cutting action.
RED = Jeweler's Rouge, designed to polish without any cutting action. Safe on thin plates. Use on its own wheel.
BLUE = A dryer, almost greaseless wheel - designed to polish without any cutting action. Safe on thin plates. Use on its own wheel.
GREEN = Used exclusively for Stainless Steel.
I use the green exclusively on a leather strop to polish the cutting edges on my stainless steel carving tools.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DD35C/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
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Gave my Wicked Edge sharpening system a workout over the weekend. Sharpened a bunch of knives for my buddies at a BBQ. Was SUPPOSED to be I show them how to use the WE to sharpen their knives, but a cutup strop later and I was sharpening them. :grrr:
I was gonna order a set of stones in the finer grit anyways, so I guess good timing. The WE stones do take a bit to break in and after maybe 4-5 knives, the stones seem to be primed. Also noticed the differences in sharpening some different steels. First was an S35V that was pretty dull. That took a while and use of a coarser stone to work the edge. Then an Seki City Spyderco that was super easy in comparison and I was able to get that one very sharp pretty quickly.
I tend to sharpen the knives I use often to a "good enough for me" edge, but one buddy wanted it sharper, so I had him try the stropping set. A few misdirected stroked and my nice strop was cut up.
I also used the WE for a kitchen knife. I usually use stones for kitchen knives since the blade is usually pretty straight profile and I can usually get them very sharp with stones. I think I'll stick to stones. I was able to get the kitchen knife very sharp with the WE, but it took way more time than I would have with whetstones.
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Gave my Wicked Edge sharpening system a workout over the weekend. Sharpened a bunch of knives for my buddies at a BBQ. Was SUPPOSED to be I show them how to use the WE to sharpen their knives, but a cutup strop later and I was sharpening them. :grrr:
TFTI
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TFTI
You don’t own knives, so no sense 🤷🏻♂️
:rofl: