# Tips on knife sharpening?



## JohnP

I think I was meant to have a dull knife.  I've looked at tons of different websites and tried different devices and techniques and haven't found one that works for me. Anyone got a sure fired way to sharpen a knife? I would love to hear about it. Thanks...

~JohnP


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## skip

JohnP said:


> I think I was meant to have a dull knife.  I've looked at tons of different websites and tried different devices and techniques and haven't found one that works for me. Anyone got a sure fired way to sharpen a knife? I would love to hear about it. Thanks...
> 
> ~JohnP


John, I'm in your boat. I can't sharpen a knife to save my soul. But thank God I have a son-in-law that is very good at it. I just let him do it.


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## Canadian

Get a diamond steel from a restaurant supply store. It's a long stick covered in diamond dust. Buy one that is at least as long as your knife. Don't bother getting a fancy one. If you get a German on Japanese one you're just paying extra for a fancy handle. Besides they wear out and when all the diamond dust is gone you'll just have to buy a new one. 

Don't buy a normal "sharpening steel." You probably already have one with your carving set. A diamond steel will glitter and sparkle when you hold it up to the light. That's the diamond dust. A normal "sharpening steel" will not sharpen anything. It just keeps the blade "as is." It's like changing the oil in your car. It does not make the car "better" it just keeps it running the way it is. 

Run you knife blade across it with the sharp edge facing away from you. If it's a European knife do it at about a 22.5 degree angle. For a Japanese knife about 10 - 15 degree angle. If it isn't a kitchen knife just look at the bevel of the blade and go based upon that. 

Sweep the blade across the stick so the whole edge of the blade from handle to tip runs across the stick. It's a flick of the wrist motion. Your blade starts with the "heel" (the part of the blade closest to the handle) at a 90 degree angle to the stick. It ends with the blade parallel to the stick. 

Sweep one side and then the other. Always alternate so you don't make the knife uneven. Don't try to do the sweeps fast like the chefs on T.V. just take your time. It isn't the speed or pressure that makes the knife sharp. It is the correct angle. Just go slow. 

A good restaurant or kitchen store will have an employee that will be able to show you how in about two minutes. If there's a "good" butcher shop in town you can probably get the butcher to show you how to sweep the knife across a steel in a few minutes. 

Also never cut on hard surfaces like metal, glass, stone etc. Try to cut on wood or soft plastic if you can. That should do it.

Also the cheaper (less carbon) you knives are the more often you'll have to sharpen them. You'll end up sharpening the cheapest ones constantly. 

Within a few days you'll be an expert. 

Peace!


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## Fn/Form

The Spyderco system has been highly recommended to me by a number of people:
:: Spyderco Product Details ::


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## vikx

With me, it was practice, practice, practice and much frustration. I can sharpen my knives now! It's a feel you get-I sort of take a thin slice of my stone, turn the knife and another very thin slice; use honing oil. Better quality the blade, the easier it is to sharpen. VK


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## JeepHammer

Actually, beginners should stay away from the 'Diamond' hone sticks, round or flat...

There are a couple of 'Secrets' to sharpening on to 'Razor' or 'Scalpel' sharp, an there isn't much to it, but the "Old Timers" didn't seem to want to come off ways to do it very often.

I know guys with dads/grandpas that could put a razor edge on a plow but the kids couldn't put enough of a point on a wooden stake to drive it into loose sand!
---------------------------------

I'd stay away from the diamond 'Quick Sharpeners' If you can't get an edge with a whetstone...
Good way to screw up a perfectly good knife.

There are several knife sharpening systems on the market made so you simply CAN NOT screw it up...










Lansky comes to mind right away!
Lansky Standard Knife Sharpening System

Remember to take the metal burr off the edge when you are done and you will be fine.
---------------------------------

Knife sharpening is a basic understanding of how to work metal.
Consider looking metal working up and you will figure it out.

Personally, Unless someone has screwed up the edge, I use a $1.50 Lansky triangle shaped synthetic pocket stone about 3" long and my belt and I can shave with about anything in the house in short order.


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## Magus

I recomend a machineist's ruby stone,its ruby granules on one side and ceramic on the other,its used for honeing HSS lathe bits and it'll set you back about 35$I've got one I've had over 20 years and it yet shows NO WEAR!just wash it off with scrubbing powder when it gets dirty and it'll serve you well.


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## JohnP

Hot dang! I purchased the Lanksy system this morning and tried it out on my old dull Leatherman. That puppy will now shave hair off my arm.

Thanks to everyone that replied.

~John


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## Magus

JohnP said:


> Hot dang! I purchased the Lanksy system this morning and tried it out on my old dull Leatherman. That puppy will now shave hair off my arm.
> 
> Thanks to everyone that replied.
> 
> ~John


Not to bust your bubble,but that's TOO SHARP for a working knife,it'll dull faster like that.


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## EvilTOJ

I fail to see how a knife can be too sharp. It will dull regardless of how sharp it is, it's use that will dull it.


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## mitchshrader

I've got very possibly more stones than knives, and way more knives than I've any use for. 

I can sharpen a spoon on a flower pot, sharp enough to shave hair.. and that's not an exaggeration. Will bet money..  

One of the best tools for sharpening, given scant skill, is a duo sharp DMT bench hone, 8" or 10", fine/extra-fine. 

It won't give a polished mirror edge, nothing to impress a straight razor guy, but it'll quickly give you a working (1200 grit) edge suitable for skinning, slicing tomatos, chopping veggies, etc.. 

for 'finished' edges you'll want 4000 grit and up, and your patience and the need determine how FAR up.. there's a wide DMT xxxFine 8000 grit hone, heavy steel plate with 3 micron diamond dust, that is very fast and works well, about 80$.. 

lower priced options exist, norton makes a 4000/8000 grit combination waterstone that's cost effective while learning..

use a lansky rattail diamond rod for small/medium serrations, a cheap china combo aluminum oxide stone for discount store machetes and yard tools, a round stone for axes and hatchets, and belgian coticules for straight razors and scalpels.. and pocketknives if you like bragworthy edges.. 

some of my japanese stones are worth over $500, and many of my stones are in the 200$ and up range.. there's very little need for 'em. fun, but not a requirement for day to day use. Appropriate for a hobby cook that has high end knives, or a dedicated collector. A norton 1000 grit waterstone, and a 4000/8000 combo stone, will 'get r' dun' on 99% of common knives. Only very hard and resistant steel demands diamond (or garnet) and either DMT or Belgian stones are best for L6, D2, and any other super-hard-to-sharpen tool steels. (S30V, S90V, etc)

Lansky isn't a way to learn to sharpen. It's a way to AVOID learning to sharpen. If that's your intent, it works fine. If you want to know HOW to sharpen, get a bucket of water, a cheap china stone, and an Old Hickory boning knife.. preferably rusty and abused. 

Make it shave. Get a better stone. Make it split hair. Get a better stone.. make it split a hanging hair.. 

quit. come over and give me lessons..


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## hillbilly

Your right a knife can be to sharp and is worthless.The guy that said different better think different a sharp knife that shaves hair will dull quicker than one that is sharpened properly.The best angle for a properly sharpened knife is 30 degrees and a good wetstone with lite honing oil is best for a lasting edge when I butcher we use a stone then while using use a sharpening steel to keep touched up which is only restraightening the edge.


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## Canadian

20 degrees is the standard. 30 seems a bit wide. Whatever floats your boat.


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## ke4sky

*Lansky Kit*

*The factory edges on most knives aren't consistent.* So I routinely recut them before storing in my kit.

*A 30 degree bevel is standard for machetes, axes and bush knives * These are intended more for hacking vegetation, shelter construction, splitting kindling or quartering big game larger than deer than for field surgery, fileting fish or dressing deer or small game.

*A 25-degree bevel is best for larger fixed blades over 5 inches*, such as the K-bar or Cold Steel Trailmaster.

*Use 20 degrees for fixed blades and folders smaller than 5 inches, used for fine work.*

*To establish a new bevel of a different angle on a new knife use a 120-grit coarse diamond stone for the heavy stock removal. * I use nothing but food grade USP mineral oil. Thin 50-50 with aliphatic mineral spirits or Stoddard Solvent in cold weather.

*After completing the major stock removal to entirely clean up the old edge*, change to 280 or 320 diamond. Work this until you have removed all deep scratches left by the coarse diamond stone.

*Final edging of fixed blades over 5 inches is done with 600 diamond* If any wire edge is visible with a 10X loupe take only a 2 or 3 few passes with 1000 grit at the next steeper set angle, using only a light touch.

*Small blades used mostly for fine work may be taken fully down to 1000 grit (8 microinch RMS)*for a shaving edge if you are anal retentive, but a 600 grit edge (about 16 microinch RMS) is fully adequate for anything short of field surgery.

*It takes 3-4 hours to fully recut and perfectly edge a new issue K-Bar*, In my experience it takes about half that time for a Cold Steel Trailmaster, and if you are lucky it takes only an hour or so for a new RAT-3. A fine Al Mar folder requires no additional work.

*You DO get what you pay for. * If you will have only one knife, get the best you can afford. However, for military and SAR ops redundancy can be a life saver. For most people it makes sense to have several sturdy factory-made knives of proven design, rather than putting all of your eggs in one basket with a custom hand-made semi-jewelry item which you might regret losing or leaving behind in circumstances beyond your control.


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## Canadian

A 30 degree angle seems more suited to an axe. A 30 degree angle is better for "splitting" something that cutting it.


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## The_Blob

Canadian said:


> A 30 degree angle seems more suited to an axe. A 30 degree angle is better for "splitting" something that cutting it.


Isn't that *exactly* what ke4sky said in his post?


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## hillbilly

*Tips on knife sharpening*

I must have hit the 3 instead of the 2.It was supposed to be 20 degrees,Sorry


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## The_Blob

no worries, hillbilly, wouldn't be the first time there was typo on a forum


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## NaeKid

Depending on the cutting edge that I am trying to sharpen, I might use a polish-pad on a high-speed grinder, I might use various grits on a belt-sander, I might use a rubber-grit-pad (used for plumbing) to fine-tune an edge ...

I have "single-pass" shaved hair off my arm during the making of a knife - before I finished the sharpening process. I have cut a single-strand of hanging hair. I have edged a hatchet and machette to "whittle" away branches (to make kindling) ...

Now - the question to the original poster - what kind of knife are you trying to sharpen? I find some of the cheaper knives will not take an edge properly or hold it. I really like knives made with Damascus-Steel - you will pay more for a blade, but, the edge holding capabilities of a properly forged blade will out-last anything else out there.

Boker makes some really nice knives that will hold edge for a very long time - even if you abuse the blade's edge it will usually re-sharpen with very little work. I have a few of their blades - the "Top Lock" series of folder-knives are perfect to carry with you camping, hunting or out to a fancy dinner out ..


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## bassman

Get yourself a copy of Everybody's Knife Bible by Pathfinder Publications, Hamakua Center, 150 Hamakua Dr. Suite 401 Kailua, HI 96734 It will tell you everything you need to know about knives. Written by Green Berets.


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## Preet

I have heard that stainless steel knife blades don't sharpen as well as other metal blades. Don't know if that's true but if it is that could be part of the problem.


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## Canadian

They sharpen just fine but do not hold an edge as well. The more carbon in a knife the more it holds and edge. More carbon also equals more rust. Less carbon equals less rust but less edge holding capability. That's why some stainless knives go blunt real fast. Most knife makers try to make a good balance of stainless and carbon. I like high carbon knives. I don't mind keeping them dry and clean. If you're lazy stainless knives are good.


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## MelaniePalmero

*Knife Sharpening*

Hi mitchshrader! I use a diamond steel with the help of this knife sharpening guide from Chef Phil. It's the best I have so far.


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## redneckhillbilly

Google "scary sharp". its a technique for sharpening knives so that they are scary sharp. beyond the shaving hair off the arm sharp. Personally if i can shave the hair off my arm then the knife is sharp enough. if i need anything sharper than that then i use a scalpel.


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## penguinman

*Lansky is the way to go if you have a hard time sharpening knives*

Lansky Deluxe Knife Sharpening System - Knifecenter.com

Just searched google and this was the first one to come up. I love this sharpening system. I've had one for about 8 years, have taken it with me to Iraq and Afghanistan several times. The only failure I had was the glue on one of the stones failed and I fixed that with some gorilla glue. I taught my 10 year old step son how to sharpen a knife with this system in about 10 minutes, its really easy to use. The pamphlet explains how to use the system to sharpen knives for different purposes.

Great system and well worth the investment.


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## Magus

JohnP said:


> I think I was meant to have a dull knife.  I've looked at tons of different websites and tried different devices and techniques and haven't found one that works for me. Anyone got a sure fired way to sharpen a knife? I would love to hear about it. Thanks...
> 
> ~JohnP


I'm your guy.I've been making blades since I was 10.that's 35 years.godz I'm old!

First,not every blade sharpens the same way!a rolled edge is WAAAY different than a hollow ground edge when it comes to sharpening.
example:
a case XX is a wedge grind,it sharpens like a straight razor,which is to say you lap it like you were trying to shave the stone,straight down and with the grain,then hone it on leather,a Buck 110 is a combination rolled edge and hollow grind.it sharpens at an angle to the stone and since it is a semi-rolled edge,it needs no further honing.

Also,it could just be you have a crappy knife or three,but I'll get back to that:
[WORK knives]should NEVER be razor sharp!this includes hunting knives with the exception of those with two or more cutting blades,the heavy work blade should only be sharp enough to cut,the dressing blade should shave you.a razor sharp blade no matter how fine the steel will go dull much faster than one that's just sharp on regular chores.

[SURVIVAL]knives should NEVER shave.see above.

[FIGHTING]knives should have a ragged edge that rips rather than cuts.it is produced by using a coarse grit stone or[BLASPHEMY!!!]a file!

Now then,having said all that,a crappy sharpening stone will not only ruin a knife,its damned near impossible to get an edge with one!go to a industrial supply and buy a ruby oxide[its red] stone.next find some 20 wt machine/motor oil[gun oil is too light and can actually EAT UP a cheap whet stone!I saw a Chinese made rock disintegrate over night after I used 3in1 oil on it!]light oil soaks into the stone instead of lubricating it,lube makes a keen edge.

While you're there,buy a triangle file with 3 coarseness.its to dress out a truly DULL edge to near sharpness,always file in one direction and always parallel to the edge,much like scissors.wear a glove or bleed if it skips!

Find an Arkansas oil stone,I like white to hone on.

Get an old work belt to lap it on,better yet,a virgin leather strap and put cutting rogue[red] on it,just lightly.

NOW:
How to fix a crappy knife edge,I've done this on carbon and stainless steel.

Clamp the blade between two pieces of heavy angle iron long enough to cover the length of the blade,leave only about 1/4" of the edge showing and heat it dull red with a torch,moving from point to hilt carefully so as not to wreck your grip.now comes the tricky part so READ CAREFULLY OR RUIN YOUR KNIFE!
For STAINLESS STEEL,quench in AMMONIA!
For Carbon steel use oil,I like motor oil but it scales,my teacher used cooking oil.

Just chunk angle iron and all in there.this will give you a hard edge and a soft spine and will hold a superior edge to most mass produced blades,word of caution,it may make the edge brittle on some stainless steels[Pakistan/China junk]if so,simply repeat the process and allow to cool in dry sand or ashes.

Hope that helps!

P.S
HOT oil is dangerous,wear glasses an apron and gloves!


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## TheAnt

Magus said:


> I'm your guy.I've been making blades since I was 10.that's 35 years.godz I'm old!
> 
> First,not every blade sharpens the same way!a rolled edge is WAAAY different than a hollow ground edge when it comes to sharpening.
> example:
> a case XX is a wedge grind,it sharpens like a straight razor,which is to say you lap it like you were trying to shave the stone,straight down and with the grain,then hone it on leather,a Buck 110 is a combination rolled edge and hollow grind.it sharpens at an angle to the stone and since it is a semi-rolled edge,it needs no further honing.
> 
> Also,it could just be you have a crappy knife or three,but I'll get back to that:
> [WORK knives]should NEVER be razor sharp!this includes hunting knives with the exception of those with two or more cutting blades,the heavy work blade should only be sharp enough to cut,the dressing blade should shave you.a razor sharp blade no matter how fine the steel will go dull much faster than one that's just sharp on regular chores.
> 
> [SURVIVAL]knives should NEVER shave.see above.
> 
> [FIGHTING]knives should have a ragged edge that rips rather than cuts.it is produced by using a coarse grit stone or[BLASPHEMY!!!]a file!
> 
> Now then,having said all that,a crappy sharpening stone will not only ruin a knife,its damned near impossible to get an edge with one!go to a industrial supply and buy a ruby oxide[its red] stone.next find some 20 wt machine/motor oil[gun oil is too light and can actually EAT UP a cheap whet stone!I saw a Chinese made rock disintegrate over night after I used 3in1 oil on it!]light oil soaks into the stone instead of lubricating it,lube makes a keen edge.
> 
> While you're there,buy a triangle file with 3 coarseness.its to dress out a truly DULL edge to near sharpness,always file in one direction and always parallel to the edge,much like scissors.wear a glove or bleed if it skips!
> 
> Find an Arkansas oil stone,I like white to hone on.
> 
> Get an old work belt to lap it on,better yet,a virgin leather strap and put cutting rogue[red] on it,just lightly.
> 
> NOW:
> How to fix a crappy knife edge,I've done this on carbon and stainless steel.
> 
> Clamp the blade between two pieces of heavy angle iron long enough to cover the length of the blade,leave only about 1/4" of the edge showing and heat it dull red with a torch,moving from point to hilt carefully so as not to wreck your grip.now comes the tricky part so READ CAREFULLY OR RUIN YOUR KNIFE!
> For STAINLESS STEEL,quench in AMMONIA!
> For Carbon steel use oil,I like motor oil but it scales,my teacher used cooking oil.
> 
> Just chunk angle iron and all in there.this will give you a hard edge and a soft spine and will hold a superior edge to most mass produced blades,word of caution,it may make the edge brittle on some stainless steels[Pakistan/China junk]if so,simply repeat the process and allow to cool in dry sand or ashes.
> 
> Hope that helps!
> 
> P.S
> HOT oil is dangerous,wear glasses an apron and gloves!


Im gonna guess you know your knives! Awesome post!


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## LilRedHen

I have a lopper with aluminum handles. They are very light weight, easy to use and I've had them for years. Lately they have gotten dull and I don't know how to sharpen them. Any tips?


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## JayJay

This is for the girls in the kitchen---so guys, just turn your heads..

Ladies--I didn't believe this until I tried it and almost cut my damn finger off cutting squash!!!

Don't know if I learned it here on this forum, but here goes..
Upside down ceramic coffee cup---run your knife across about 6 or 8 times--do opposite side...finished.:dunno:

Do be careful if you aren't used to a sharp knife...


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## Smithy

My opinion, as another knifemaker, is that for most people the most important thing to do when sharpening, is to be consistent. Look at the edge, and make sure the angle and finish is the same from tip to heel... no dips or waves. Look at the edge with a bright light, to check for small flat spots, and keep working until they're all gone. Once the edge has been established, the thing that makes a good knife a great knife, is polishing. There are many ways to do that, some use a strop, I use a buff, others use stones and fine papers, and others use ceramic hones - the point is to remove all the little micro-burrs along the edge, until you have the smoothest polished line on both sides of the knife you're capable of. Otherwise, you're not slicing, you're tearing, at some level. My aim is to always reduce tearing, and find it to work for me and my customers.

I typically establish my edgs on a belt grinder, using 1000 grit belts, and then polish on a buffer with green chrome oxide. All my cutting tools will shave, whether they're thin razor edges or thick axes, and the geometry, chemistry, and heat treat will dictate edge retention and splitting power. Some of my longer knives have a compound bevel, where it's thin and razor-like near the heel, then blunter at the chopping sweet spot, then thinning out again near the tip for fine work.

Good luck!


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## rico567

If you're one of those (like me) who has always had a hard time producing a good edge on a knife, I can recommend the Lansky system as previously mentioned in this thread. I don't particularly _like_ to use it, but it does work.


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## Jimmy24

This is an old thread but still viable. I read it with mixed thoughts. Tool/knife sharpening has always been something folks have either had a hard time with or just figured out right off. More the former than the latter, IMO.

I started learning to sharpen tools at a young age, close to 50 years ago. My grandpa was a cabinet and furniture maker. He had to have sharp tools and I can tell you, if it's not sharp enough to shave, then it's pretty much a worthless tool. Oh it'll give you a fair job, but in real life it's not gonna happen. To shave wood in .0001 increments it has to be sharp. Same can be said for my knives I use to skin deer, wild hogs, rabbits. I want them sharp. Sharpness gives control of the cut.

We used Arkansas stones back then, as that was pretty much all their really was. We also had a very hard fine grit black stone, which the name slips my memory at the moment. Grandpa had 7 or 8 stones and all were well used. Sharpening was a 2-4 hour process about twice a week. Chisels of different brands and different widths and different angles. Draw knives with different angles. Hand plane irons of different types, sizes, widths and again angles. To a lesser extent, saws were sharpened and set.

I have continued woodworking as an adult though as a hobby more than anything. I have tried every type of sharpening devise there is. Diamond, ruby, oil stones of every type, tungsten, water stones, a Tormek. I own a thousand dollars worth of just Japanese Water Stones. All the sharpening stuff I have will sharpen an edge just fine.

That being said, holding your work at correct angles and using the right pressure is a learned skill. And having plenty of time to do it. But there is a much simpler and less expensive method, that I have come to embrace and wish I had learned a long time ago. It would have saved me thousands of hours on the bench and mucho $$$$.

An 18"x 6" piece of ¼ inch float glass and an assortment of micro fine sandpaper. 1200-2000 grit. I can put an edge of a knife, chisel or whatever in less than 5 minutes. It's embarrassing to have learned this after all these years. I have maybe $30 invested in my setup. Some call this Scary Sharp. The only way I know to get an edge sharper is with the paper wheel/rouge method. You CAN split a "hanging hair" with it. It is the original Scary Sharp System. I have no use IMO for anything that sharp, other than to show off&#8230;. Knife Sharpening with paper wheels - www.paperwheels.com

Just sharing my experience with edged tools and knives.

Jimmy


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## UncleJoe

Jimmy24 said:


> Same can be said for my knives I use to skin deer, wild hogs, rabbits. I want them sharp. Sharpness gives control of the cut.Jimmy


:2thumb: I absolutely abhor a dull knife. It's far more dangerous than a sharp one. I have a steel hanging in the kitchen. If a knife doesn't glide right through whatever I have to cut, it gets the steel.


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## biffula

I have tried for years to get good with various sharpeners to no avail. Not with stones, sandpaper or ceramic sticks. Can't keep a consistent angle. The system that finally worked for me was Lansky. I first starting using it when a hunting friend told me about them 25 years ago. Great for hunting knives when you need that razor sharp edge for skinning and field dressing. And most importanly, It's idiot proof (I guess that's why it works so well for me  ) . It has 4 different angles so it's good for different types of blades. 17, 20 and 25 and 30 degrees. You can get any of the angles to razor sharp. If you use one of the 25 degree slot, your blade won't dull as fast. If you have a high carbon blade, get the diamond diamond hones. I started with the regular hones (some sort of man made material) and bought extra course and course diamond hones as add-ons. I use those for setting the angle on a new blade or if I have really let a high carbon blade get dull or dinged up. Then I finish out with the regular stones. It can be time consuming with a new blade, but once you start being able to shave with every blade you run through it, you'll never go back. It comes in a handy little kit that's easy to grab and go and keep track of. I highly recommend it and will never use anything else. No need to .


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## dragon5126

Man oh man oh man the myths the myths... Got a harbor freight near by? Go buy their el cheapo four sided diamond sharpener. First off you use it DRY, secondly you can sharpen ANY type of steel. THIRD YOU NEED TO LEARN TO HOLD THE ANGLE BY HAND. it has four different grits that will recut a bad and damaged edge and work it all the way to a razor sharp polished edge and it's dirt cheap. I've used all of the different typse on the market and this one is by and far the most bang for the buck.

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-sided-diamond-hone-block-92867.html


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## dragon5126

EvilTOJ said:


> I fail to see how a knife can be too sharp. It will dull regardless of how sharp it is, it's use that will dull it.


the angle of the edge makes the edge sharp, it also makes it thin, too sharp makes it too thin. But thats conventional wisdom and has been disproven long ago. The truth is a sharp edge under microscopic examination looks like a serrated bread knife, the more linear serrations the sharper it is, which is why taking the blade to finer and finer stones at the same angle will make it substantially sharper than simply taking it to the angle alone. As the knife dulls these micro ridges wear away and the edge becomes more of a smooth wedge, and loses it's ability to slice, even though it still maintains the same angle. Using a steel on the edge doesnt remove any metal, neither does a leather strop all the do is realign the micro ridges allowing the blade to slice again. This is the secret to a sharp straight razor. The truth isnt that a too sharp blade will dull faster, it's that an improperly sharpened blade will dull faster.


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## roym6015

I see you got the Lansky system I'll have to check it out. I just want to say it's important to get a good metal on the knife.I use to look for 440 stainless steel so my blade would hold it's edge longer. High carbon steel sharpens quick and sharp but dulls as fast and will rust.I think there is a new one called G10 I will have to check that out but you see my point. A good knife needs to have good metal and that doesn't mean it has to be $300.00.The angle of the blade and a balanced edge is all that counts once you have a good metal. Something I forgot to mention like sand paper there are different grits of wet stones,ceramics or diamonds. Depending on your edge is where you start with sharpening.Ceramics and a lot of diamonds are for keeping the edge sharp,not for starting a good edge.You need to get to a sharpening point before you try to give it a sharp edge.


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## aluminum

This one is NOT for perfectionists, but it does a very good job in a very short time... I use them all the time and always get great results. (I make my own knives also, and these work great to put the right angle for a pocket/hunting/general purpose or kitchen knife!)

http://www.amazon.com/Smith-Abrasives-CCKS-2-Step-Sharpener/dp/B00032S02K


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## demon_stare7

Canadian said:


> Get a diamond steel from a restaurant supply store. It's a long stick covered in diamond dust. Buy one that is at least as long as your knife. Don't bother getting a fancy one. If you get a German on Japanese one you're just paying extra for a fancy handle. Besides they wear out and when all the diamond dust is gone you'll just have to buy a new one.
> 
> Don't buy a normal "sharpening steel." You probably already have one with your carving set. A diamond steel will glitter and sparkle when you hold it up to the light. That's the diamond dust. A normal "sharpening steel" will not sharpen anything. It just keeps the blade "as is." It's like changing the oil in your car. It does not make the car "better" it just keeps it running the way it is.
> 
> Run you knife blade across it with the sharp edge facing away from you. If it's a European knife do it at about a 22.5 degree angle. For a Japanese knife about 10 - 15 degree angle. If it isn't a kitchen knife just look at the bevel of the blade and go based upon that.
> 
> Sweep the blade across the stick so the whole edge of the blade from handle to tip runs across the stick. It's a flick of the wrist motion. Your blade starts with the "heel" (the part of the blade closest to the handle) at a 90 degree angle to the stick. It ends with the blade parallel to the stick.
> 
> Sweep one side and then the other. Always alternate so you don't make the knife uneven. Don't try to do the sweeps fast like the chefs on T.V. just take your time. It isn't the speed or pressure that makes the knife sharp. It is the correct angle. Just go slow.
> 
> A good restaurant or kitchen store will have an employee that will be able to show you how in about two minutes. If there's a "good" butcher shop in town you can probably get the butcher to show you how to sweep the knife across a steel in a few minutes.
> 
> Also never cut on hard surfaces like metal, glass, stone etc. Try to cut on wood or soft plastic if you can. That should do it.
> 
> Also the cheaper (less carbon) you knives are the more often you'll have to sharpen them. You'll end up sharpening the cheapest ones constantly.
> 
> Within a few days you'll be an expert.
> 
> Peace!


Like a chef slicing cheese


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## mojo4

I bought the lansky setup and i love it!! I couldnt sharpen a knife enough to cut warm butter and now im the family go to guy. If you have a teen around with rain man focus like my neice they will make butterknives cut through steel. 4 thumbs up!!!


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