Thread: Knife sharpening

Recently picked up 2 trans arks. 1 6x2 and 1 4x2. Been using on work and kitchen knives and strop on alumina oxide and never been sharper. Had to stop testing on arms as taking off to much hair. Now only need to stop swmbo from cutting on hard surfaces and killing edges. No respect

Originally Posted by eddy79

Now only need to stop swmbo from cutting on hard surfaces and killing edges. No respect

X2!!!!!!!

Same here, I think it's in their DNA...

I have a question... can I use the same hones I use for my razors to hone my knives?

Geek

Yes but you would need to lap flat again before using on razors again. Most tend to keep their hones for razors only.

Originally Posted by eddy79

Yes but you would need to lap flat again before using on razors again. Most tend to keep their hones for razors only.

Well lapping before I hone a razor doesn't bother me much as I infrequently use the nortons for razors. Really only when setting a bevel amd going through to a finish. My touchups are pretty much exclusively done on a BBW.

Geek

I use my Shaptons for razors and other knives and lap them shortly after every use. Those Shaptons are too good and too expensive for me to use only on razors!

LOL. We have now entered into another of my Ad's!!! KAD!!! I am a huge fan of the Wicked edge knife sharpening system. I run mine down to 0.0125 micron diamond spray. I just re profiled my new Zero Tolerance Rexford 0801 Flipper Titanium in Elmax steel at a 15 degree bevel. Talk about an awesome edge!!! This is my first knife with Elmax and the ZT heat treat is Extremely hard. It took almost an hour to complete. For reference I have a Benchmade mini grip that I did in 15 min. Still a fantastic edge on the CM154 but I have to think the Elmax will hold an edge longer.

I have heard great things about the edge pro but for me, I like being able to do both edges at the same time with out having to move the blade.

I also freehand on a 140, 325 & 600 diamond plates to get an edge in shape, a Norton 1K for maintenance and Arks to polish.

I too have an edge pro… and other systems and rarely use them.

Usage does matter, for my wife who is HARD on edges, a polished 1K edge is plenty good. I buy her good knives… and she treats them like… tools. When the stones are out her favorites get some laps. She can cook though.

A separate stone set for knives, will make your life easier.

I once used a Lansky system (rod guide system) from an estate sale.
It was fool proof and fast. I gave it to my mother in law in hopes that she might actually sharpen her knives.
Her knives stink they are so dull. Actually, the "name brand" knives she had stink in that I could not get them sharp to my satisfaction. I gave her a knife that would take a good edge. I would use the stones dry, and clean them from time to time with scouring powder & water. Usually, I would start on the finest setting with the coarsest stone. After than, the next finest angle with the next coarsest stone....etc. I found that was a fast way to go. Course/med/fine - done.

After giving the Lansky set away, I switched to a 4 sided diamond block ($10 bucks at Harbor Freight a few years back, with inflation, perhaps $15 now). The sides are labeled 200 through 600. I used the 200 setting to round the edges on a barber's hone that I have (got that idea from the forums here). The 200 diamond plat grinds through barber hones fast.

The first time I sharpen a knife, if that knife has a larger angle than I naturally hold, then it takes a while on the 200 side. Then I finish off at 600. It has worked well for me. My wife's kitchen knives were the first knives I ever sharpened that had a finer angle than I naturally hold. They are German knives - and they work about as well as the cheap ones they replaces (but she liked the heft and the grips of the high dollar German knives).

If I can raise a burr, then that is what I do. I sharpen one side until I feel the burr all along the edge. Then I sharpen the other side (until I feel the burr, all along the edge). Then back and forth to remove the burr.

It seems that if your knife has a really hard steel, then it may not take a burr (I think my '70's kbar lock black is in that category - really hard steel - and I can only sharpen it on a diamond hone).