Posted: 5/30/2009 1:11:39 AM EDT
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There have been a number of posts recently about sharpening knives. This is seemingly an arcane art, and truthfully, only a few know how to do it RIGHT.
There is a book out called 'The Razor Edge Book of Sharpening.' The book shows you how to sharpen literally anything from fishhooks to ice augurs, double-bitted axes*, and lawnmower blades. Be prepared to learn, and to give up some myths about how to sharpen stuff. Anyone who owns a knife owes it to him/herself to purchase this book. HERE IS A LINK to the author's Web site. *The front cover of the book shows the author SHAVING with a double-bitted logging axe! Now THAT is putting his money where his mouth is! |
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One of the basic skills seperating the prepared from the poseurs. I have sharpened quality blades on nearly anything suitable. And some non-conventional "sharpening" "stones". Did you know a flat-painted surface can restore a razor edge? You do now. Most flat-based paints use silica and titanium dioxide as pigments, these are fantasitc polishing agents and in pigment, are a very uniform and small size. How about the ground edge of tempered auto windows? That is a great final hone which is perfect for restoring a slightly worn knife edge. Your standard sharpening steel? Don't use heavy pressure, it will fatigue the edge, making a wire edge which won't cut much. But used with light touch, it can restore slice action to a carving knife. I have been guilty of making carving knives "too sharp" by careless dishwashers. But when I am asked to carve the roast, don't complain. For restoring a badly worn edge, nothing beats my diamond "stone". A Gerber brand affair, it has been abused yet still is a fast, rough edge. Plenty for pocket knives. I even sharpened a carbide drill bit with it. Actually, changed a 0.500" bit to a 0.485" one instead of buying a metric one. No damage by that use. From there, I use a Black Hard Arkansas stone, with water, for the final hone before using a strop. I've used the angle-holding sharpeners. They work but aren't as fast as a proper stone. |
The single most useful thing for me was learning to raise a uniform burr all the way down one edge before cutting it off with the same grit stone and raising it on the opposite side. Then, cut it off with a finer grit stone, raise it again, switch and repeat on up through the grits. Once I get to the finest grit I tend to go back and forth, a stroke per side. I did know about Keith's ground glass trick, although I've never actually tried it. I'll give it a shot when I dull my knife up again a bit, I just sharpened it tonight though so it's going to have to wait a few weeks 
I recently figured out how to get all the metal out of the pores of my stones...hit them with some really rough wet sandpaper. It's like they are brand new again! |
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The single most useful thing for me was learning to raise a uniform burr all the way down one edge before cutting it off with the same grit stone and raising it on the opposite side. Then, cut it off with a finer grit stone, raise it again, switch and repeat on up through the grits. Once I get to the finest grit I tend to go back and forth, a stroke per side. I did know about Keith's ground glass trick, although I've never actually tried it. I'll give it a shot when I dull my knife up again a bit, I just sharpened it tonight though so it's going to have to wait a few weeks
I recently figured out how to get all the metal out of the pores of my stones...hit them with some really rough wet sandpaper. It's like they are brand new again! I have good luck using Comet cleanser, plus a brush or a green scouring pad. |
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http://i44.tinypic.com/1qqsfb.jpg This <EDIT> Cookies for the first person that can tell me what "that" is. magnet? |
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http://i44.tinypic.com/1qqsfb.jpg This <EDIT> Cookies for the first person that can tell me what "that" is. magnet? not even close. |
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http://i44.tinypic.com/1qqsfb.jpg This <EDIT> Cookies for the first person that can tell me what "that" is. magnet? not even close. damn. a donut of doom? |
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http://i44.tinypic.com/1qqsfb.jpg This <EDIT> Cookies for the first person that can tell me what "that" is. Pre-fabricated steel replacement asshole for women who take it in the pooper too much? |
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http://i44.tinypic.com/1qqsfb.jpg This <EDIT> Cookies for the first person that can tell me what "that" is. magnet? not even close. damn. a donut of doom? I'm actually curious to see is anyone knows this particular piece of "field lore." That little ring came with a story. I'm not entirely sure if the guy was BSing me or not. It involves Emerson knives and little dents in the handles. I can tell you for sure that it will sharpen a knife in a fricking flash though. |
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http://i44.tinypic.com/1qqsfb.jpg This <EDIT> Cookies for the first person that can tell me what "that" is. Cock Ring? |
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http://i44.tinypic.com/1qqsfb.jpg This <EDIT> Cookies for the first person that can tell me what "that" is. You cook an egg in the middle Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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http://i44.tinypic.com/1qqsfb.jpg This <EDIT> Cookies for the first person that can tell me what "that" is. You cook an egg in the middle Ok, nobody knows the emerson story... It is actually a cast iron and ceramic choke. They are used on bundles of wire to strip RF off the outside. The easiest way to find one is probably off an old monitor cable. They are inside the big plastic bulge near one end of the cable. The one's with flat sides suck. You want the kind with rounded edges. Best pocket sharpener I've ever used. Much better than the little three sided diamond sticks. |
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Quoted: Quoted: http://i44.tinypic.com/1qqsfb.jpg This <EDIT> Cookies for the first person that can tell me what "that" is. magnet? ferrite ring for transformers |
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All you need to sharpen knives is a couple of stones, I use one synthetic stone (rough and medium) with water and one natural stone (smooth) with oil. Sharpening is really pretty easy, but you need to go slow and take your time- make sure the angle is correct with each pass.
Don't kids learn this stuff anymore? |
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The single most useful thing for me was learning to raise a uniform burr all the way down one edge before cutting it off with the same grit stone and raising it on the opposite side. Then, cut it off with a finer grit stone, raise it again, switch and repeat on up through the grits. Once I get to the finest grit I tend to go back and forth, a stroke per side. I did know about Keith's ground glass trick, although I've never actually tried it. I'll give it a shot when I dull my knife up again a bit, I just sharpened it tonight though so it's going to have to wait a few weeks
I recently figured out how to get all the metal out of the pores of my stones...hit them with some really rough wet sandpaper. It's like they are brand new again! I have good luck using Comet cleanser, plus a brush or a green scouring pad. I usually just wash them with a brush, dish soap, and water. |
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The single most useful thing for me was learning to raise a uniform burr all the way down one edge before cutting it off with the same grit stone and raising it on the opposite side. Then, cut it off with a finer grit stone, raise it again, switch and repeat on up through the grits. Once I get to the finest grit I tend to go back and forth, a stroke per side. I did know about Keith's ground glass trick, although I've never actually tried it. I'll give it a shot when I dull my knife up again a bit, I just sharpened it tonight though so it's going to have to wait a few weeks
I recently figured out how to get all the metal out of the pores of my stones...hit them with some really rough wet sandpaper. It's like they are brand new again! I have good luck using Comet cleanser, plus a brush or a green scouring pad. I usually just wash them with a brush, dish soap, and water. Jim Hrisoulas, author of "The Complete Bladesmith" etc, recommends soaking the stone in kerosene overnight and then bake it for a few hours at 325. |
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http://i44.tinypic.com/1qqsfb.jpg This <EDIT> Cookies for the first person that can tell me what "that" is. magnet? ferrite ring for transformers 
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http://i44.tinypic.com/1qqsfb.jpg This <EDIT> Cookies for the first person that can tell me what "that" is. ferrite core. |
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I sharpen the knives in my tool kit with Japanese Water Stones.
It is not hard-you just have to practice a bit and understand the methods for the type of edge you are putting on the knife.(Japanese knives have many kinds of edges-single side, equal angle and uneven angle edges) IF you want to know about how to sharpen a Japanese kitchen knife with the Japanese methods get this DVD- http://www.japanese-knife.com/index.php?productID=2181 |