What is the best way to sharpen a knife? I have an older knife that is really hard to sharpen, which I think means that it will hold and edge really well, right?
Depends on what material the blade is made of. I've found certain sharpeners work on certain metals better than others. I bought this one, and I've found it puts a good edge on anything, any edge except serrated edges that is. Edgemate Carbide Sharpener, Knives, Edgemate at Sportsman's Guide
If you'd like to see what else they have to offer, click on this link..
What is the best way to sharpen a knife? I have an older knife that is really hard to sharpen, which I think means that it will hold and edge really well, right?
I use a Lansky system and finish with a ceramic Rod...Sharp as a straight razor when I'm done...
That Warthog is a spin off of my Ceramic "Crock sticks"....
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[I]You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!:( [/I]
Whenever I sharpen knives they turn into spoons. Although, now I have a knife that has been decommissioned (but still has a good blade) that I have been practicing on.
What is the best way to sharpen a knife? I have an older knife that is really hard to sharpen, which I think means that it will hold and edge really well, right?
Not nesisarilly. There is alot of different things that can make it a good or bad blade. How it is made, how it is heat treated, the quality of the materials used.
Personally (and this is only my opinion)
I find diamond steels and stones to be too agressive. They are a great first step to put a rough knife on to do all the hard work, then move to a smoother stone.
I have used oil stones since i was a kid, they are great. But a few yaers ago my uncle gave me a ceramic water stone as a present and i have not looked back, these stones are great.
And i also have a steel, 2 actually one was my grandfathers and the other is a Dick finecut.
A good blade will only need a quick hit on a steel to bring the edge back when it gets a little dull (after it is sharpened to begin with of course) and a quick hit on a stone if it needs a little more attention. But if you have a blade that is of poor quality you will spend ALOT of time on a stone, and if it is stainless steel you will spend more than alot of time on a stone and it will never seem to be right (some people like them but i have never seen one that did not deserve to be thrown in the creek)
I worked for 5 years in an abattoir as a knife hand, my knives were (and still are) sharp and for the first 3 years i used a lansky kit but added a fine arkansas stone to the kit for finishing, then a diamond steel.
After a few years i went to a stone set and after a little practice i got as good results and was much quicker.
Buy of course i was doing 3 knives a day.
But once its sharp i kept it sharp for the day using an F.Dick square steel, ultra fine and polish.
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Cheers,
Rob
I'm into gun control -
I always use both hands!!!!!!!
What is the best way to sharpen a knife? I have an older knife that is really hard to sharpen, which I think means that it will hold and edge really well, right?
The best way is the best method you can find for yourself to do it. There are good kits and bad kits and some are worse kits. I wrote 2 articles discussing knifesharpening that are in the link page of my website. It DOES NOT tell you HOW specifically to sharpen becuase everyone has thier own tools and gadgets and the article covers the why and what for of sharpening. With it one should easily beable to conclude how to sharpen a blade edge properly. remeber pre 600 grit be it diamond, Arkansas , or sand paper you are GRINDING away metal, everything after that should be a progression in polishing metal. Unless you have a wrecked edge or chipped you shouldnt ever have to grind a edge.
As for a answer to your question, no a hard edge doesnt nessicarily mean it will hold a edge. Some companies make a very hard edge to make up for lack of proper heat treat which means once you get a edge IF you get a razor hone it will hold it better then a soft edge but can and often does break tips off or chip the edge. Other companies make to soft a blade that is easy to sharen but you are always honing it as its to soft. Its difficult to be somewhere in the middle unless via mass production.
Freehand, I suck at sharping a blade of any kind. Lansky has save me 'knife' money. From the kitchen to the work-shop.
My questions have revolved around the ?edge-angle? Our house hold knives were at one time all different.
I fixed that?
Having messed about with different angles that the Lansky has. I still haven't gotten a feel for ?best? angle.
My daily knife, knives suffer now with all the same angle.
Romey; and others; have you found an angle; or as I; just picked one.
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Craig
Who refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25
Craig,
Go to my website and read the two articles I wrote on sharpening. It exsplains alot of your question on secondary angles.
I personally opt for a 19 degree angle, somthing you wont get on factory knives or factory sharpening jigs.
Also Landsky jigs are off in thier degrees by alot and im happy for people that get along with them but I had them (my personal opinion) For one simuliar and CHEAPEr that works better and has proper degree I have a SHARP model with diamond hone. Mostly I use a combination of Belt grinder, Jig and free hand (Stones an strop)to set a edge and hone.
So when I say 19 degrees it wont be the same as 19 degree on a lansky.
At anyrate the thinner the edge the sharper the edge but also the quicker it will roll over and dull. Factory knives make up for inconsistnt Heat Treat but putting a 22 to 25 degree edge on a blade (hunting and utility style knives), assuming that somewhat sharp is sharp enough for most people. 22 degree and up leaves more "meat" behind the edge and hence more able to hold the edge up straight thats the pro, the con is that you wont have as sharp a knife without alot of work lowering that angle. Simple Physics there.
Ever notice you or most anyone tend to move that secondary edge to flatter angle to get them sharp, Now you know why..
Chef Knife is 15 to 17 degree. Often very sharp but dull quickly, hence they use steels to straighten the edge. Notice i said straighten, thats all a steel does is straighten a rolled edge it doesnt sharpen the edge. Often a rolled edge is still very sharp but rolled.
I use 19 to 20 on a edge because its in the middle. A combination of correct heat treat and this edge angle allows enough meat to stand the edge up and keep it there yet thin enough to be scary sharp.
Another point id make is no one knife does it all. One of my hunters for instance isnt the best choice for slicing a Tamatoe in paper thin sheets nor is a chef knife well suited for boning a Elk.
Tis why chefs, butchers , people who use knives daily have a VARIETY of knives.
Romey: Sir; crap. I've been operating at the other end of the spectrum.
30 degree. Feeling that the backbone needed the ?greater? angle.
What you have written makes sense. Crud.
Well I guess it's back to straightening out what I've messed up again
You make it sound easy to edge a blade. Sir; trust that I have some abilities.
Just frustrates me in my history of sharpening.
I'm going back and re-read until I can get it right,
Thanks; I thinks
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Craig
Who refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25
Although, now I have a knife that has been decommissioned (but still has a good blade) that I have been practicing on.
Crud.
