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Thread: Best source/system for honing knives

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    Senior Member Jnatcat's Avatar
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    Default Best source/system for honing knives

    Good Day Gents,

    As the title states looking for the best source/system to sharpen knives, I really don't struggle much with straight razors as the edges I get are very acceptable but I seem to struggle getting the correct angle to get those killer edges on knives, I am sure it's my technique as I have the stones to do it which brings up another subject, should I be using my razor stones on kitchen knives, EDC knives etc... was looking at systems like Lansky, Wicked Edge and some are pricey but don't want to ruin my expensive hones.
    "A Honer's adage "Hone-Shave-Repeat"

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    I used Nakayamas for my house mainaman's Avatar
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    The best would be this one
    Profile TechStudio

    If you can learn to free-hand sharpen then you can do any knife with just a 400/600 -1k- 3k stone system. Recurve blades might be harder to do this way, but you can always get a diamond file and a ceramic rod.
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    Stefan

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    ~ Life is but a Dream ~ petercp4e's Avatar
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    I use a KME system.
    I like the way that you clamp the knife into it and can pivot back and forth between sides without removing the blade. it is very easy to handle and very precise.
    I use the 4 diamond hones that come with it and finish with a Translucent Arkansas that fits into the stone holder.
    For knives with a recurve, I have the 3 sided diamond hone made for the system.
    It is very high quality and made in the U.S.A.
    Gives me a shave sharp edge every time.

    Pete <:-}
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    Senior Member Jnatcat's Avatar
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    Thanks for all the suggestions so far, as I said I don't struggle to much on my razors but then I am not free handing the angle ( Than the Lord for who ever built that into the design ) anyway I have a Chosera 1K and then my Shapton's 4/8K and a NN 12 SS along with several high quality JNATS and I also have a NN 1K SS that was in the package with the NN 12K. We have Wusthof Classic kitchen knives that I have used my Chosera and Shapton 4K on and I have free handed it on several occasions, I am sure my angles are not consistent so the edges are slightly convex but they are so easy to sharpen and don't take much to refresh the edges and I use very light pressure and then finish on the steel rod but was told I really should not use my razor hones for my knives either kitchen or EDC so I started using the NN 1K SS and I used it on a EDC and to be honest it seemed soft compared to my Chosera and gouged the stone and I did not presoak and it seemed to not cut nearly as quickly as the Chosera so I have looked at Lansky, Wicked Edge, Edge Pro etc... they are all pretty pricey and I seem to be having ok luck with the kitchen knives so maybe I need to just look at say the 5 stone Lansky system for EDC knives, from watching a few vids it seems to have a few quirks but overall will put a decent enough edge on pocket knives and such for not alot of coin, I wish i had the ability to hold my hands consistently at a fairly close angle as it would be easier but I am not blessed with that ability so maybe a inexpensive package deal would be best, my kitchen knives seem to hold their edge longer than my EDC's but then I am not using my Cook's knife to cut open cardboard boxes.
    Last edited by Jnatcat; 09-24-2017 at 08:53 PM.
    "A Honer's adage "Hone-Shave-Repeat"

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    I used Nakayamas for my house mainaman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jnatcat View Post
    Thanks for all the suggestions so far, as I said I don't struggle to much on my razors but then I am not free handing the angle ( Than the Lord for who ever built that into the design ) anyway I have a Chosera 1K and then my Shapton's 4/8K and a NN 12 SS along with several high quality JNATS and I also have a NN 1K SS that was in the package with the NN 12K. We have Wusthof Classic kitchen knives that I have used my Chosera and Shapton 4K on and I have free handed it on several occasions, I am sure my angles are not consistent so the edges are slightly convex but they are so easy to sharpen and don't take much to refresh the edges and I use very light pressure and then finish on the steel rod but was told I really should not use my razor hones for my knives either kitchen or EDC so I started using the NN 1K SS and I used it on a EDC and to be honest it seemed soft compared to my Chosera and gouged the stone and I did not presoak and it seemed to not cut nearly as quickly as the Chosera so I have looked at Lansky, Wicked Edge, Edge Pro etc... they are all pretty pricey and I seem to be having ok luck with the kitchen knives so maybe I need to just look at say the 5 stone Lansky system for EDC knives, from watching a few vids it seems to have a few quirks but overall will put a decent enough edge on pocket knives and such for not alot of coin, I wish i had the ability to hold my hands consistently at a fairly close angle as it would be easier but I am not blessed with that ability so maybe a inexpensive package deal would be best, my kitchen knives seem to hold their edge longer than my EDC's but then I am not using my Cook's knife to cut open cardboard boxes.
    Lansky is the worst. If you want to sharpen big knives is absolutely useless, it is not at ll accurate in holding consistent angles either.
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    Stefan

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    Senior Member Deeter's Avatar
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    Edge Pro. As sharp as you want to get it.
    Hyperbole is highly exaggerated.

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    Senior Member Wayne1963's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jnatcat View Post
    Good Day Gents,

    As the title states looking for the best source/system to sharpen knives, I really don't struggle much with straight razors as the edges I get are very acceptable but I seem to struggle getting the correct angle to get those killer edges on knives, I am sure it's my technique as I have the stones to do it which brings up another subject, should I be using my razor stones on kitchen knives, EDC knives etc... was looking at systems like Lansky, Wicked Edge and some are pricey but don't want to ruin my expensive hones.
    This may help to find the correct angle. Start with what you think it the correct angle for the knife. Use VERY light strokes on the stone...you are only trying to find the angle. Gradually lower the angle until the stone feels slick. You will have just found the side of the blade. Raise the angle just a tad, until the stone no longer feels slick. Now you should be reaching the edge of the blade. The knife is now at the proper angle.

    Before beginning this process, color the edge with a black marker. If you deploy the method described, you should be able to see that the edge is being honed by the removal of the black mark.
    Last edited by Wayne1963; 09-25-2017 at 04:14 AM.
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    Senior Member Jnatcat's Avatar
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    The Wusthof Classic knives we have have been easy to sharpen with my Chosera 1K and Shapton 4K and they have worked well for the Benchmade I carry but a guy I work with gave me a Gerber to hone and it had some ding and dents and the edge had two bevels so I went to the 1K with an approx 20 deg + angle and tried to get it sharp but the edge vever seemed to come around, I am quite sure it's me and not the stone so maybe I just need to google some vids on how to reprofile an edge.
    "A Honer's adage "Hone-Shave-Repeat"

    ~William~

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    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jnatcat View Post
    The Wusthof Classic knives we have have been easy to sharpen with my Chosera 1K and Shapton 4K and they have worked well for the Benchmade I carry but a guy I work with gave me a Gerber to hone and it had some ding and dents and the edge had two bevels so I went to the 1K with an approx 20 deg + angle and tried to get it sharp but the edge vever seemed to come around, I am quite sure it's me and not the stone so maybe I just need to google some vids on how to reprofile an edge.
    It's the same as when you have to remove dents and dings from a razor, but a bit more time intensive because I'm sure the dents and dings are bigger, and the second bevel was probably ground on much longer than most straights that have that issue. This being a knife, I would suggest going lower grit if you have access to anything below 1K.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    I know it's not the kind of system you're looking for, but the IM-313 is the best knife-sharpening device I've ever used. In terms of angle, it's just a matter of repetition and not giving up.

    You may want to make some of your everyday knives more like razors, too. The pocket knife I carry is a wharncliffe wall street knife from Tidioute. If you can take care of a razor, the knife is easier, and it is hard like a razor. Rub it on a hard finish stone every several weeks and it shaves hair no matter what (wharncliffe blades are straight on the cutting edge, and very easy to sharpen quickly).

    the IM 313 is a whiz for kitchen knives, especially if they come to you in poor shape. You can grind almost any knife bevel in a couple of minutes on a carborundum stone that's near a foot long, and then the bevel is in the exact shape you're going to hone with the later stones. Couple of minutes knife for the worst ones and without getting stuck with using a machine.
    Marshal likes this.

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