Thread: Honing Machine?

I thought this thread would be about Lynn...

str8 knife edge angles are inclusive hence 40 degrees if it was a chisel it would be 20 degrees,the biggest problem with learning how to sharpen is over thinking it and it's very easy to use observation to keep the blade at the right angle but most are defeated before they start by thinking i can't sharpen,you also forget that blades for different jobs need different edges and sharpening aids aren't flexible in that regard and your limited to what is designed into it

kalgoorlie practise your free hand sharpening as it will definitely come in handy especially if you go on to other jobs within the industry,it's a bit of a shame not having an abbs nearby but it's something you can look at later in life anyway,the knowledge gained by working in these other environments will only make you a better butcher and you'll get to see how the guys sharpen knives differently for the different jobs ,it was a real eye opener for me and a great learning experience and has helped me get a lot of my jobs

Originally Posted by mainaman

Most members of the kitchen knife forums sharpen knives by hand on stones, including traditional Japanese knives. Some are trying to use system like the one posted here but it can can only be used successfully on western style knives. Sharpening by hand is about muscle memory just like straight razor honing, learning to keep proper angle does not take long at all.

I have seen some people use a stone and get a fantastic edge. The is still a very small percentage of the population. It's definitely a skill set that takes years to master. I tried for the majority of my life and while it was a workable edge it was by no means what I can get now. It's just too easy to screw up. We in the str8 razor fraternity have a huge advantage with a built in guide (even with tape) by using the spine. I guess I will have to respectfully disagree that free hand sharpening is done properly, consistently and as well as with this system. Again while I have seen a few people over the years(they were freaks of nature with a skill set I could never hope to match) do a great job free hand. I and nobody I know can come close to that. I would love to be proved wrong but as yet anyone that I have seen that told me they could free hand sharpen to the level I can with the WEEPS was just full of it. Talk is cheap.

Alucard I'm not sure if we are agreeing or disagreeing. Clearly there are multiple style's of grinds and bevel's out there. A typical dual bevel edge, chisel, concave etc. I have different knives for different tasks. I keep all but a few of my knives with a traditional bevel. My kitchen/chef blades are at 15 degrees, my hunting are from 22-30 depending on type of steel, my hard use survival/camping knives are 30-38. My machete's are 35. I do have a boot knife that is a chisel grind and I keep that a 2 degree on the flat and 40 on the bevel for an actual bevel of 38 degrees. I'm typically not a fan of a chisel edge but it is a downrange deployment SHTF blade. The times I have had to use a knife on a deployment in a defensive/offensive role is twice. Never with this one, but to me knives/guns are like condoms. I'd rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it. 1 is none, 2 is 1, 3 is 2 when carrying.
If anyone can free hand sharpen to about 20ish degree's, please make a video showing the edge you get. Again talk is cheap. I can take a won't cut butter blade to hair cutting sharp (0.025 micron) in 10-15 minutes depending on blade size. Even the blade guru's out there I know can't come close to that in time or sharpness level. And yes I'm talking about a knife not a Str8.