Thread: Knife sharpening

Thanks for the useful info. I'ved used a couple of Arkansas stones in the past but i have no idea about the grit on those. Now it's time to get to work on all my neglected knife blades. Thx again.

I also need to mention that I am now shaving with a couple of my razors that I've honed on my own thanks to the advice and many articles you have provided. Was just wondering....how hard could it be to make soap, hehe.

Originally Posted by mrsell63

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Yeah!!!! It's sort of like having a vegetarian cook your filet mignon. What the hell does he know?

I haven't been a vegetarian my whole life. Used to cook a great steak.

Michael

I don't have any really nice blades for the kitchen or for carry, just good steel ones. In my kitchen I use a Wusthof set, for my pocket knives it's Case. I like diamonds for both to 1K. At one time I would keep them ultra-keen, but the wife is ultra-rough on edges in the kitchen & a 1K diamond edge is a happy medium for my household.

Originally Posted by shooter74743

I don't have any really nice blades for the kitchen or for carry, just good steel ones. In my kitchen I use a Wusthof set, for my pocket knives it's Case. I like diamonds for both to 1K. At one time I would keep them ultra-keen, but the wife is ultra-rough on edges in the kitchen & a 1K diamond edge is a happy medium for my household.

You let your wife use your kitchen knives?!

Notice that all the responders do something different; there are many roads to sharp. Lately, I have been setting bevels on knives with my DMT 325 and my old/fine Smith diamond hone. Then, depending on the blade, I use a very long/big hone I call "the airport runway" to start doing sets of circles, Japanese-style back and forths, and x-strokes on heavy slurry (just depending on what the blade tells me is working, no real system), gradually diluting and lightening pressure as I go, then finishing up with light x-strokes. This hone, whatever mystery stone it is, is giving me the best knife edges I've ever had:

I'll follow that up with 30-50 brisk back-strokes on a CrOx linen strop to get wicked sharp edges!

On my kitchen knives a light touch up on a Jnat is all that's usually needed... on friends knives on the other hand, I tend to need to start out on the DMTs/Tormek/Plastic Explosives to get them in any knife like shape before the sharpening begins.

Is a 30 degree angle what I need to maintain when freehanding?

Originally Posted by Steelystan

Is a 30 degree angle what I need to maintain when freehanding?

I would aim closer to 20 degrees. While a 30 degree angle will give you an edge that lasts longer, it will not be as sharp as you can get at around 20 degrees. Cheap kitchen knives that are as thick just above the edge as they are at the spine will likely need around 30 degrees, otherwise it may not hold its edge at all and become brittle.

Aim for 20 degrees as stated above, as an average. No more than 25 though. I use a Lansky system for ease, and I keep my knives touched up with a fine Steel before each use.


Mick