Well, I've grown sick of having knives which are largely dull.  I have both a lansky as well as a spyderco sharpmaker (the latter was a gift) which I've only given half-heared attempts at use in the past.

Well, I broke 'em out again and declared war on a CRKT M16.  

Unfortuneatlely, I lost the instructions for the Spyderco and just had to wing it.  I got nowhere really...and Spyderco was nice enough to NOT post the instructions on their site.  Grrrr....

So, out comes Mr. Lansky...

Started all the way up on extra coarse at 17 deg. and worked all the way down to ultra fine.

I must admit I am fairly impressed.  I was hoping for "shaving arm hair" sharp, but was able to get to edge-of-paper cutting sharp which is done with moderate ease.  I have had sharper blades in my possession that, when new, were "arm hair shaving" sharp, such as the blade on my Leatherman.  I'd like to get all my knives to that point.

The style I was using with the lansky was to mostly slide it back and forth along the blade while moving the stone in a circular fashion.  The directions from lansky (which I still have) weren't terrific in terms of describing form in sharpening, but intuitively it seems to be a good way to go about it.  Perhaps if i hit the blade some more with the ultra fine stone I'll be able to get to "arm shaving" sharp.

It almost seems to be a mini hobby to me at this point....The Art of Sharpening.  It's kinda fun.

Any and all comments are welcomed and encouraged.  Would love comments on technique as well as equipment to use.

I use the sharpmaker, works great for me. The Microtech Socom Elite in my pocket is hair-popping sharp, as is most of my knives thanks to the sharpmaker. You can buy a DVD version of the instructions for it for like $5.

Sometimes I like to sharpen the old fashioned way with a big stone but I use it less and less since I've gotten the sharpmaker. The sharpmaker is grest for keeping knives sharp but starting with a pretty dull blade can take a lot of work to get to shaving sharp, much less hair popping sharp. The diamond rods really help for reprofiling the edge.

What is a sharpmaker?  I have bought every sharpener gadget that fishing and car expos have to offer.   I still don't own a sharp knife.

Quoted: I do it the old fashioned  way............. 6inch hard arkansas and a little oil. And my knives shave hair.

If it don't shave hair it don't leave the house!!!!


Amen brother SGB!!

Quoted: I do it the old fashioned  way............. 6inch hard arkansas and a little oil. And my knives shave hair.

But how do you keep a consistent angle when you sharpen?  Isn't this critical?

Lansky and a razor strop.

Razor sharp results.

I might need to tag this bad boy...
I'm pretty miserable when it comes to sharpening.

y'know what they say:
"A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one."

I suck at sharpening knives...  Need to buy a Idiots Guide to Knifesharpening or something

EPOCH

Quoted: YEARS of practice, been doing it since I was 13.

Maintaining a steady stroke and angle?

I highly recommend Spyderco's Sharpmarker. They even have little video that you watch that would teach you the "how to'," it would be be best investment you will ever make in cutlery. The EdgePro is also good, but it cost something like $200.

Quoted: I highly recommend Spyderco's Sharpmarker. They even have little video that you watch that would teach you the "how to'," it would be be best investment you will ever make in cutlery. The EdgePro is also good, but it cost something like $200.

Yeah yeah yeah, so I have heard.  But I have lost the manual and the video...not that it matters in regards to the damn video....I dont have a VCR....haven't for years.

If a retard like myself can sharpen a knife, anyone can.  Spyderco ceramic sharpeners are currently my choice for no fuss sharpeners which last and do not hollow out.  Japanese waterstones may be great, but I am lazy and do not want to have to flatten stones frequently.

Hold the knife at a 20 deg angle from the flat of the stone.  Do not apply pressure to the knife blade.  Finish off at maybe 30 degrees to set the microbevel.  Strop with green chromium dioxide.  Done.

Or just sharpen at 20 deg and strop on jeans or hand.

I'll be honest, I have a sharpmaker.  

I can't get it to work nearly as well as most anyone who raves about it.  
No one else I know can, either.  Maybe we're all ?

I want to like the sharpmaker, but the lansky ends up getting my knives sharper.

My Spyderco sharperner works great.