Good knife sharpener

[boatnut]

interesting video on using a 1 " belt sander then polishing with a leather belt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLjFjT4vYsM

knife supplies http://popsupply.bizhosting.com/index.html

I've tried the belt before with mixed results. Guess I need a little more patience and maybe practice on some old, cheap knives.

you can spend hours on youtube looking at various styles of knife sharpening.

 

[Fat Woody]

I'm just tossing this out as another resource:

http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/

No affiliation or transactions with this company, but plenty of info here. Personally, I use a combination of stones, steels and a ceramic finishing rod acquired through the years to keep things sharp around the Woody manse.

 

[Slamdunkpro]

It's all your fault!!!


Sorta.......

Ordered the EdgePro Apex this morning.

Should be here next week. I hear about a "learning curve". What are the tricks and solutions? Looking at the video (plus being familiar with the Gatco/Lansky already), I don't see any big hurdles, but I'd appreciate a heads up on any issues.

TIA.

Go slow at first
Use less pressure than you think you need

 

[silverwolf636]

Good Ol' Stones

What's wrong with good stones? That's all I've ever used. I have 3 of different grades that a foot long plus a ceramic steel to finalize the sharpening process. I can shave with mine.
It just takes some practice with them.
--ray--

 

[NorthwestBBQ]

What's wrong with good stones? That's all I've ever used. I have 3 of different grades that a foot long plus a ceramic steel to finalize the sharpening process. I can shave with mine.
It just takes some practice with them.
--ray--

Nothing wrong with them but impossible to have a consistent sharpening angle. Same with the belt sander - it's free hand.

 

[QuietOne]

SNIP ..... I hear about a "learning curve". What are the tricks and solutions? Looking at the video (plus being familiar with the Gatco/Lansky already), I don't see any big hurdles, but I'd appreciate a heads up on any issues. TIA.

The basics are ....
1. Relax it isn't rocket science. It's rubbing steel with a wet rock.
2. Grip the knife only firmly enough to hold it. You are not choking chickens or trying to hold a snake still.
3. Grip the stone arm with a loose two finger and thumb. Let the stone do the work not pressure from your arm. Exert only enough pressure to keep the stone in contact with steel. It's like a stroke with a pool cue, keep it smooth and light.
4. Buy a permanent marker, sharpie or something like it. At the same time buy a good magnifying glass and start looking for a good inexpensive 10X loupe (I suggest BelOMO). Use the marker to find where your stone is hitting and adjust according. EVERYTIME you change stones.
5. Keep your stones fresh and keep it flat. Freshen your stones regularly, like before each sharpening session. It's flattening but you just don't do as much work. 30 seconds on Sic on glass or three passes with the Diasharp. I'll even freshen in the middle of doing a batch of knives if I have to.It unclogs the pores, keeps them cutting, and ensures they don't dish. Once a stone dishes it accelerates the wear pattern tremendously.
6. If you don't enjoy sharpening you are better off paying someone else to sharpen your knives. Do those things in life that you do enjoy. You may not live longer but you will enjoy life more.

Lots of info and assistance at http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showforum.php?fid/48/

 

[smokestack]

I have a bunch of stones- work great if I have the time and patience- also use the lansky system to get back to the correct angle every so often- and steel frequently between uses to keep an edge

 

[SoCalWJS]

The basics are ....
1. Relax it isn't rocket science. It's rubbing steel with a wet rock.
2. Grip the knife only firmly enough to hold it. You are not choking chickens or trying to hold a snake still.
3. Grip the stone arm with a loose two finger and thumb. Let the stone do the work not pressure from your arm. Exert only enough pressure to keep the stone in contact with steel. It's like a stroke with a pool cue, keep it smooth and light.
4. Buy a permanent marker, sharpie or something like it. At the same time buy a good magnifying glass and start looking for a good inexpensive 10X loupe (I suggest BelOMO). Use the marker to find where your stone is hitting and adjust according. EVERYTIME you change stones.
5. Keep your stones fresh and keep it flat. Freshen your stones regularly, like before each sharpening session. It's flattening but you just don't do as much work. 30 seconds on Sic on glass or three passes with the Diasharp. I'll even freshen in the middle of doing a batch of knives if I have to.It unclogs the pores, keeps them cutting, and ensures they don't dish. Once a stone dishes it accelerates the wear pattern tremendously.
6. If you don't enjoy sharpening you are better off paying someone else to sharpen your knives. Do those things in life that you do enjoy. You may not live longer but you will enjoy life more.

Lots of info and assistance at http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showforum.php?fid/48/

Thanks for the summary and the link - waded through the 15 pages on the EP, and got sidetracked by a bunch of stuff I wasn't familiar with. I guess I've got a bit to learn .

Need to figure out "keep the stones fresh" and "flat". ASSuming that that means to keep water on the stones, but no clue on the technique(s) used to ensure the stones are flat.

I'll keep gleaning info from the site, it'll just take a while.:biggrin:

 

[QuietOne]

Fresh and flat, come from running your stones over either silicone carbide paste on glass or wet dry paper on glass, or DMT Diasharp plates. These can all act as flatteners, and fresheners. Freshing is taking off any glaze on the stone exposing fresh new abrasive. Flattening is taking any high spots off the stone and making it all one level.

A "fresh" "flat" stone will cut better much better than a stone that has been used but is still flat, the abrasives will be more pointed and the stone won't be clogged at all.

Dished stones need to be flattened to maintain a proper angle. Flat stones will wear slower than dished stones. Once a stone is dished wear will accelerate.

EP sells a kit for stone flattening or you can purchase a piece of glass and 200 grit and do it yourself. The kit is a bit more refined. Wet-dry paper cinched to glass will work in a pinch. 3 x 11 DMT Diasharp plates in XXC and XC work but be warned that you can't be using a lot of pressure or you will rip the diamonds out of the matrix making them ineffective and worthless. Sic on glass is the simplest.
http://www.edgeproinc.com/Sharpening-Accessories/Stone-Leveling-kit-p36.html

 

[SoCalWJS]

Fresh and flat, come from running your stones over either silicone carbide paste on glass or wet dry paper on glass, or DMT Diasharp plates. These can all act as flatteners, and fresheners. Freshing is taking off any glaze on the stone exposing fresh new abrasive. Flattening is taking any high spots off the stone and making it all one level.

A "fresh" "flat" stone will cut better much better than a stone that has been used but is still flat, the abrasives will be more pointed and the stone won't be clogged at all.

Dished stones need to be flattened to maintain a proper angle. Flat stones will wear slower than dished stones. Once a stone is dished wear will accelerate.

EP sells a kit for stone flattening or you can purchase a piece of glass and 200 grit and do it yourself. The kit is a bit more refined. Wet-dry paper cinched to glass will work in a pinch. 3 x 11 DMT Diasharp plates in XXC and XC work but be warned that you can't be using a lot of pressure or you will rip the diamonds out of the matrix making them ineffective and worthless. Sic on glass is the simplest.
http://www.edgeproinc.com/Sharpening-Accessories/Stone-Leveling-kit-p36.html

Thanks for the info QuietOne. It's apparent that you are very much into sharpening after reading your posts at the other website! Based on what I have read, I think I will stick with the basics of the EP, and save the polishing tapes and more elaborate methods until I have LOTS of practice at the 320/600 levels, then attempt 1000. Most say that that results in a VERY nice edge.

Now I have to wait for it to arrive! I'll probably order the flatener in a month or so.

Out of curiosity, is it possible to sharpen Hollow ground edges, or are thosse best sent back to the manufacturer (just figured out my Ken Onion Shun Santoku is HG)

 

[QuietOne]

That's not a problem with the Shun until you get way up into the blade, probably 5 to 10 years with the EP.

IF you work with the higher grits first 1200 5000 6000 you may never have to really "sharpen". Remember a 1200 EP is about a 5000 or 8000 JIS. When you go with a 1 micron you're so far into JIS that it can't hardly be measured. A 0.5micron tape is at a minimum 60,000 JIS.

Work the high end often and you may never even touch a 600 stone. I work a lot of knives with 800, 1000, and 1200 grit EP stones There are knives I do on a regular basis that have yet to see a "stone" only being worked with the tapes so far. Yes eventually they will need stone work but 10 times and we're still not there.

 

[IronStomach]

Spyderco Triangle Sharpmaker. It's pretty darn brainless to use, cost less than $100, and it works. If you can't get it to work... you probably shouldn't use sharpened metal anyway.