I have a bunch of stones in various grades. But I started with a dull ten dollar knife and learned how to sharpen using YouTube. Some of the best videos were sushi chefs. Now people ask me to sharpen their pocket knives a little more often than I’d like. But it is enjoyable when I have the time. I’ve even sharpened a samurai sword once. One of my favorite tools is a little $5 smith’s V carbide and ceramic tool. I also recommend learning to strop correctly. Again you tube is your friend.

You have a foam cut case for your grinder and grinding discs?

I always bring my sharpening supply on our horseback rides and usually have a "line" of people with things requiring sharpening. And many are old timers I would think "knew how" to do it. (Shrug)

YouTube.

While knifes, axes etc I have zero issue with, moving to Idaho in 2016 made learning to sharpen a chainsaw a requirement. I kick myself after realizing just how dang easy it really is. Probably the easiest thing I have to sharpen. Hell, I have lifelong Idahoans that bring their chainsaws to sharpen over beers.

Kind of a "what's your time worth I think. Even if I could, I would still rather just buy it. My time is very precious to me. I almost never get to do something that I actually want to do vs have to do. They can take my $50

everyone doesn’t?

it’s the Makita OEM hard-sided/foam cutout case that the angle grinder kit came with.
i didn’t make anything special.

ETA

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0010DHFTK?tag=arfcom00-20

Yep still don’t understand that. My zero turn mower has 3 blades. Use an impact to remove them all in about 1 min, takes 5-10 mins total on the grinder (most of the time my blades aren’t too dull so just need a touch up), then another min to put them back on and I’m back to mowing with nice sharp blades. Less than 15 mins and I’m ready to mow again.

If my time was that valuable, I’d pay someone to mow my grass.

They work fine but when I need to really clean them up due to damage, I clamp the blade in a vice, use the grinder with a regular grinding wheel, then take it off the vice, do final touch up with the bench grinder, and I’m done. Most of the time it’s just the bench grinder though

@ Blackwind

Are you in the Panhandle?

I'd gladly provide the beer for a good lesson in sharpening.  This is one of the manly arts that eludes me too.

I like full chisel standard.  My local shop will make chains for several dollars cheaper per chain than off the shelf stuff.  A lot of people don't even know that aside from the chain size and tooth count they also have a gauge size that needs to be matched to the bar.

If your time is worth that much, why the hell are you mowing your own yard?  Do you keep new mower blades on hand?  If not, running to the store to get a mower blade would take me longer than sharpening my own...so the time reason doesn't hold water there.  


This thread is not for me.  I love sharpening stuff.  Serious satisfaction comes from sharpening and polishing a vintage axe to a mirror edge that can push cut paper.  

Mower blades, sharpened every 4th cut at least.  Sharpen all my chainsaw CHAINS NOT BLADES holy shit people.  I sharpen with round files because I tailor the chain to the type of wood I will be cutting.  The chain on my 500i for use in hickory is very different than my chain on my 261c for limbing up pine.  Every angle is different.  I sharpen all of my kitchen knives and most of my relative's knives.  Obviously sharpen all my outdoor knives as well.  Sharpen all my broadheads for hunting...draw knives, chisels, lots of woodworking tools...

About the only thing I don't sharpen myself is razor blades.  I'm on the hung for a straight razor though...when I get that I will sharpen it myself as well.

I am not a pro by any means.  No one has ever shown me how, but have watched some Youtube videos and whatnot.

For 99% of MY needs, this thing works great

Worksharp

@Kskvetski

New safety equipment led to a new 500i

Spoiler alert: most people have always been stupid, with short attention spans.

Go back 100, 500, 1000 years and you'll find a bunch of people with dull-ass tools who relied on the village sharpening savant to fix their stuff for them.   Not as many as today, sure, but a lot.

Yes! And it is still happening. Sharpening has been a sideline of mine for the past 15 years

I'm not good at sharpening stuff but I try.

People just replacing mower blades without every sharpening is one thing I really don't get. A mower blade has got to be the easiest thing to sharpen.

Most of the college students that come through my shop dont even carry a pocket knife .

If they have one,   oh its in my car, room or pack etc.  Of course there a few that do carry, but mostly farm boys.   I each them how to sharpen their knives, axes,  shovels, drill bits scissors. stuff their fathers should have taught them.

A buddy gives me brass  from his local range. I in turn give it to my students. I ask they send a thank you note to my friend. One sharp student said he had never posted a letter. I had to show him where to put the address and stamp.

I'm often surprised at how many people think a file card is a good thing. It's just a gimmick to separate a sucker from his money. They're hard on file teeth and don't work well. Learn the trick of using a block of hardwood and you'll never go back!

I'm just jesting with the "I'm often surprised" remarks. You don't know until you're educated. I used to have file cards in my file drawer; they all got pitched after learning the real way to clean a file.


This...why even mow the lawn at all if your time is so valuable?

Would you have time to explain the trick of using hardwood to clean a file, I have always used brushes.

+1

Sure thing!

Take a block of dry hardwood and make a clean cut on the end. Clamp the block in a vise with the cut face up (grain running vertical). Take the file over the corner at an angle so the teeth bite into the wood but move the file parallel to the cut of the teeth. The idea is that the negative image of the file will be imprinted into the corner of the wood and the fibers will act like small needles that penetrate fully into the teeth of the file. The fibers are extremely strong along their axis so as you slide the teeth down on the fibers they will pop the jammed filings loose and leave small piles on the corner of the block.

It's a bit hard to explain. If you need further guidance let me know and I will try to clarify.

Or I don't need a vice, or a piece of hardwood, I can use a file card!

Doc

Lol, you don't have a vice? Half the things I use a file on get clamped in a vice first. How are you holding your workpiece?

You can do whatever you want, but file cards cost money, good ones can be difficult to find, they aren't as effective or as fast, and they cut the life of your files. The hardwood block trick is fast, free, and easy on the file.