Share Your Sharpening Advice - The Catch-All Thread!

[sal]

I remember them on wheels when a guy would come weekly, set up on a street corner, and sharpen knives for the neighborhood. Brooklyn 1947.

sal

[Ankerson]

I remember them on wheels when a guy would come weekly, set up on a street corner, and sharpen knives for the neighborhood. Brooklyn 1947.

sal

Hi Sal,

My friends father had one back with I lived in Baltimore City when I was a kid, early 1970's. :)

Jim

[ncrockclimb]

So far, this has been an awesome thread!

To continue the conversation, let me put forth a question; how can one sharpen an edge to make it last longer?

Based on my limited experience, the most durable edge is one where the apex is most uniform. This is achieved by using a fine grit / light pressure. Jagged edges don't cut as well and do not last.

[tvenuto]

Based on my limited experience, the most durable edge is one where the apex is most uniform. This is achieved by using a fine grit / light pressure. Jagged edges don't cut as well and do not last.

This is likely due to how/what you're cutting and what sharpness level you find acceptable. In certain situations the jagged wear of an edge can have a self sharpening affect which is actually desirable. See: Serrata.

[Knutty]

I had been using a Sharpmaker, and I really don't care for it. The stones wobble around way too much, and I hate how hard it is to avoid rounding off the tip. So, I'll soon be acquiring an Edge Pro.

I am using Sharpmaker since 2005 and still believe that it is one of the greatest tools I ever saw. I bought WE about two years ago and love to use it for reprofiling, but still use sharpmaker for maintaining the edge. No problem with rounding tips, just be careful and not rush. And even if you round it, there is no big deal to fix.

It doesn't matter how careful I am, if I drag the blade the way the videos show, the tip rides along the stone at the end of the movement and suffers for it. It may not be the end of the world, but I'd rather not remove perfectly good steel. The motion for sharpening on the SM is different than with any other sharpening tool, and that's not a good thing (for the tip).

Oh, and the 3-finger sharpness test method is idiotic.

The first time in my life I read about this test, it was coming from The MURRAY CARTER. I think that he knows thing or two about the subject.

I'm sure he does. But what's good for a master bladesmith is not always what's good for the rest of us. My electrician sometimes changes electrical outlets without cutting power to them, because he really knows what he's doing. This doesn't mean that I should do the same thing or that it's a generally safe practice.

[Cliff Stamp]

Oh, and the 3-finger sharpness test method is idiotic.

Because of the danger of cutting yourself?

[Cliff Stamp]

Hi Jim,. I've known Murrary Carter for more than a decade. I do not agree with your statement.

Murray doesn't either, I spoke to him personally at length for well over an hour on sharpening and steels in response to comments I made opposing some things he said. Unlike a lot of makers/manufacturers who respond to criticism with personal attacks, he actually wanted to discuss perspectives and explain at length why he holds the position he does. I respect that even more than his obvious experience as one is much more rare than the other.

[bearfacedkiller]

I have never met anybody in my life that couldn't teach me something. With the right perspective everybody you meet can be a valuable teacher in one way or another.

I highly doubt Carter could have or would have reached guru status if he didn't have that sort of perspective.

[Ankerson]

I have never met anybody in my life that couldn't teach me something. With the right perspective everybody you meet can be a valuable teacher in one way or another.

I highly doubt Carter could have or would have reached guru status if he didn't have that sort of perspective.

Everyone learns from someone because there is always someone that knows more or has more information that can be shared.

[bearfacedkiller]

You can also learn from people who know less than you or who are less intelligent than you. Everybody can teach you something.

[HarleyXJGuy]

My gut feeling is it does not matter but I thought I would ask.

When using the Sharpmaker does it matter if you pull the knife down the stone or across the stone? What about a combination of the two motions?

I know both are going to happen but what should me focus be? Maybe just keeping the knife vertical and not breaking the wrist?

Great thread by the way.

[Cliff Stamp]

When using the Sharpmaker does it matter if you pull the knife down the stone or across the stone? What about a combination of the two motions?

When you are working above the apex it doesn't matter, if you are on the apex then you want to do down as much as possible because of the influence it will have on the way the scratch lines hit the very apex and how the teeth form. If you go to a very high polish, UF, then it doesn't matter as the scratch lines are so fine at that point.

[sal]

When using the Sharpmaker does it matter if you pull the knife down the stone or across the stone? What about a combination of the two motions?

When you are working above the apex it doesn't matter, if you are on the apex then you want to do down as much as possible because of the influence it will have on the way the scratch lines hit the very apex and how the teeth form. If you go to a very high polish, UF, then it doesn't matter as the scratch lines are so fine at that point.

I agree. always usse as much of the length of the stone (any stone) as is possible for the reason Cliff mentioned.

sal

[HarleyXJGuy]

When using the Sharpmaker does it matter if you pull the knife down the stone or across the stone? What about a combination of the two motions?

When you are working above the apex it doesn't matter, if you are on the apex then you want to do down as much as possible because of the influence it will have on the way the scratch lines hit the very apex and how the teeth form. If you go to a very high polish, UF, then it doesn't matter as the scratch lines are so fine at that point.

So for setting the back bevel it is not so important but for working the micro bevel moreso.

When using the Sharpmaker does it matter if you pull the knife down the stone or across the stone? What about a combination of the two motions?

When you are working above the apex it doesn't matter, if you are on the apex then you want to do down as much as possible because of the influence it will have on the way the scratch lines hit the very apex and how the teeth form. If you go to a very high polish, UF, then it doesn't matter as the scratch lines are so fine at that point.

I agree. always usse as much of the length of the stone (any stone) as is possible for the reason Cliff mentioned.

sal

Awesome thanks Sal.

There is a learning curve with the Sharpmaker for sure. Thought it would be easier.

[Cliff Stamp]

So for setting the back bevel it is not so important but for working the micro bevel moreso.

Yes, the only thing I would note is that if you do severe jumps in grits, like from the CBN rods to the UF rods for a micro-bevel then I would not recommend using the CBN rods parallel to the edge. This can produce long scratches which create fold lines and you can see the edge snap off around them.

This is one of the many reasons why you see so many contradictory options on sharpening. For example someone tries a coarse edge and they do that common circular sharpening motion. They find the edge collapses easily and conclude it was how coarse edges behave - but it isn't, it is just how a coarse edge ground parallel to the edge can behave.

Of course when they continue to UF stones they polish out the scratches so it doesn't matter.

[HarleyXJGuy]

So for setting the back bevel it is not so important but for working the micro bevel moreso.

Yes, the only thing I would note is that if you do severe jumps in grits, like from the CBN rods to the UF rods for a micro-bevel then I would not recommend using the CBN rods parallel to the edge. This can produce long scratches which create fold lines and you can see the edge snap off around them.

This is one of the many reasons why you see so many contradictory options on sharpening. For example someone tries a coarse edge and they do that common circular sharpening motion. They find the edge collapses easily and conclude it was how coarse edges behave - but it isn't, it is just how a coarse edge ground parallel to the edge can behave.

Of course when they continue to UF stones they polish out the scratches so it doesn't matter.

No big jumps for me. 30 back bevel with the CBN and medium then eight or so light passes with the 40 and the medium and fine stones.

[bearfacedkiller]

My gut feeling is it does not matter but I thought I would ask.

When using the Sharpmaker does it matter if you pull the knife down the stone or across the stone? What about a combination of the two motions?

I know both are going to happen but what should me focus be? Maybe just keeping the knife vertical and not breaking the wrist?

Great thread by the way.

Keeping the knife vertical should be your #1 priority. This is about building muscle memory and you must become the jig. Same with the sharp maker and freehand, you are the jig, the sharp maker just makes being the jig easier.

I have always believed that, especially at the lower/courser grits, that drawing the knife down and across the stone towards myself at about 45 degrees is ideal as it puts the micro serrations caused by the grit finish of the stone at an optional angle to optimize cutting performance. When cutting we usually pull the knife towards us when draw cutting so having the micro serrations angle towards us is ideal. This is less important as the level of refinement gets finer but at the courser grits I have always thought it made a difference. Maybe the performance gains are all in my head but this is how it was explained to me back in my youth.