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Sharpening - Please educate me!

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gb Offline Magic Bus

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Sharpening - Please educate me!
on: November 02, 2008, 01:59:02 PM
Hi all, I feel the need to ask for your opinions on sharpening :) At the moment all I have is a small Arkensas stone, which will have to suffice for now. Whatever I do I only seem to get mediocre results eg. I can't sharpen the blades on my SAK to the point where they will cut paper easily. I must be doing something wrong, so advice please  :D
Gabba gabba hey!!


ph Offline duckman1975

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #1 on: November 02, 2008, 02:27:27 PM
Sorry magic bus, don't know how to sharpen with sharpning stone. But I can sharpen my SAKs to the point they can fillet a paper with the sharpmaker.
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gb Offline Mike, Lord of the Spammers!

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #2 on: November 02, 2008, 02:37:50 PM
Yep it's a bit of an art sharpening blades :), a sharpmaker is pretty foolproof, but it is expensive, and lets face it learning to do it yourself is a pretty useful skill :)

Here's the best online tutorial I've found, and it's by the man himself :)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bQN4jcXDjbE
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0a2Jm3pkXqk&feature=related

Hope this helps mate :)
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us Offline WhichDawg

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #3 on: November 02, 2008, 04:50:07 PM
yes learning to sharpen takes patients and practice but it gets easier and easier.
Mike's links are good and their are many more, good luck and keep at it.

I thought the sharpmaker was inexpensive, compared to other tools (edge pro, belt sanders etc)
maybe in the states it's better.

this link started me off; http://www.randallknives.com/knifesharpening.php
« Last Edit: November 02, 2008, 04:58:27 PM by WhichDawg »


us Offline Splat

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #4 on: November 02, 2008, 06:41:54 PM
Get the Spyderco Sharpmaker. I tried stones and a few other devices like the Lansky, but the quickest, easiest way to get sharp knives IMO is the Sharpmaker. I just finally got one two weeks ago and want to kick myself for waiting so long to get one.
Splat


gb Offline Magic Bus

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #5 on: November 02, 2008, 09:20:30 PM
Yep it's a bit of an art sharpening blades :), a sharpmaker is pretty foolproof, but it is expensive, and lets face it learning to do it yourself is a pretty useful skill :)

Here's the best online tutorial I've found, and it's by the man himself :)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bQN4jcXDjbE
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0a2Jm3pkXqk&feature=related

Hope this helps mate :)

Thanks Micky, that's good stuff. Just as a matter of interest, I scrubbed the stone, and tried again with much better results. By the way Trueways Survival School seem to sell the combi. stone that Ray uses.
Gabba gabba hey!!


gb Offline Mike, Lord of the Spammers!

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #6 on: November 02, 2008, 10:09:50 PM
Yep it's a bit of an art sharpening blades :), a sharpmaker is pretty foolproof, but it is expensive, and lets face it learning to do it yourself is a pretty useful skill :)

Here's the best online tutorial I've found, and it's by the man himself :)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bQN4jcXDjbE
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0a2Jm3pkXqk&feature=related

Hope this helps mate :)

Thanks Micky, that's good stuff. Just as a matter of interest, I scrubbed the stone, and tried again with much better results. By the way Trueways Survival School seem to sell the combi. stone that Ray uses.
Yeah it's a decent little stone the DC4, I've got one that goes with me everywhere :)
Give in, buy several Farmer's!!!!!!


Offline appletree_man

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #7 on: November 02, 2008, 10:12:36 PM
I now just use 6"x2" diamond stones I have for woodworking. Probably not sharp enough to fillet paper but good enough.
T


gb Offline Magic Bus

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #8 on: November 02, 2008, 10:21:30 PM
Yeah it's a decent little stone the DC4, I've got one that goes with me everywhere :)
[/quote]

Got one coming  :)
Gabba gabba hey!!


gb Offline Mike, Lord of the Spammers!

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #9 on: November 02, 2008, 10:23:14 PM
Yeah it's a decent little stone the DC4, I've got one that goes with me everywhere :)

Got one coming  :)
[/quote]Good man :tu:

There a little too course at first, but they settle down pretty quickly :)
Give in, buy several Farmer's!!!!!!


ph Offline duckman1975

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #10 on: November 03, 2008, 01:14:51 AM
I agree with mickyd, learning to sharpen on a sharpning stone is a very useful skill.
I feel like a cheater everytime I use my sharpmaker......... Have to take a long shower just to wash away the guilt! :D
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us Offline Poncho65

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #11 on: November 03, 2008, 03:47:48 AM
I agree with mickyd, learning to sharpen on a sharpning stone is a very useful skill.
I feel like a cheater everytime I use my sharpmaker......... Have to take a long shower just to wash away the guilt! :D

 :D

Yeah stone sharpening is a good skill I am slowly learning but I have one of those little ceramic sharpeners and I can get very good results with it

The links do show very well how to sharpen though :tu:


gb Offline Magic Bus

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #12 on: November 03, 2008, 08:47:02 AM
I agree with mickyd, learning to sharpen on a sharpning stone is a very useful skill.
I feel like a cheater everytime I use my sharpmaker......... Have to take a long shower just to wash away the guilt! :D


 :D LOL
Gabba gabba hey!!


ph Offline duckman1975

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #13 on: November 03, 2008, 09:58:18 AM
I agree with mickyd, learning to sharpen on a sharpning stone is a very useful skill.
I feel like a cheater everytime I use my sharpmaker......... Have to take a long shower just to wash away the guilt! :D

 :D

Yeah stone sharpening is a good skill I am slowly learning but I have one of those little ceramic sharpeners and I can get very good results with it

The links do show very well how to sharpen though :tu:
Have to find a cheap knife to practice at, I have ruined 2 good knives the last time I tried to learn.
Multitools are the best thing that happened to mankind since the invention of the wheel!


us Offline WhichDawg

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #14 on: November 03, 2008, 10:00:40 AM
even though he's usually right, try not to agree to much with Mikey guys,
the other mods say it makes him really smurfy! :D


gb Offline Mike, Lord of the Spammers!

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #15 on: November 03, 2008, 07:00:05 PM
even though he's usually right, try not to agree to much with Mikey guys,
the other mods say it makes him really smurfy! :D
Oh that has a whole different meaning this side of the pond :D
Give in, buy several Farmer's!!!!!!


us Offline WhichDawg

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #16 on: November 03, 2008, 07:50:30 PM
it does! :o please don't tell me what it is :ahhh


england Offline Dunc

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #17 on: November 03, 2008, 08:07:17 PM
it does! :o please don't tell me what it is :ahhh

Mike are you feeling smurfy today ?  :D   :pok:

Dunc


us Offline Mike

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #18 on: November 03, 2008, 08:08:09 PM
The good news is, if you can dull your knife trying to sharpen it freehand ........ then you can also sharpen your knife freehand. Takes practice and patience, but once learned it's good skill to have.

Mike
Common sense ..... so rare, it's virtually a super power.


gb Offline Magic Bus

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #19 on: November 03, 2008, 08:25:07 PM
it does! :o please don't tell me what it is :ahhh

Well, it's a bit like this................... :D
Gabba gabba hey!!


Offline FredKJ

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #20 on: November 03, 2008, 09:49:09 PM
Did someone mention sharpening?  :drool:

For practical purposes you are better off with a diamond stone.  They don't clog as easily and are easier to clean out either with soap, water and a brush or a rubber pencil eraser.  Please don't ask for a rubber on this side of the pond.  Has a whole different meaning here.  >:D

What sharpeners like the sharpmaker do is provide a jig for a flat bevel.  Free hand you can get the bevel pretty flat with a little practice.  You shouldn't need too many strokes unless you are using a rubber instead of an erasure, lol. 

For practical sharpening a 600 grit is ok.  For a finer edge use above 1000 grit.  Use straight strokes or is that when you have the rubber. 

For a polished edge use a strop with stropping compound.  I use Yellow Stone compound.  You can make a strop by gluing some leather to a block of wood or buy one commercially.  Stropping like this will put a razor sharp mirror polished edge on the blade.

I also recommend using a 10x loupe magnifier to check that you are getting the bevel right. 


gb Offline Mike, Lord of the Spammers!

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #21 on: November 03, 2008, 10:03:16 PM
it does! :o please don't tell me what it is :ahhh

Mike are you feeling smurfy today ?  :D   :pok:

Dunc
I always feel smurfy :D
Give in, buy several Farmer's!!!!!!


Offline FredKJ

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #22 on: November 03, 2008, 10:08:14 PM
it does! :o please don't tell me what it is :ahhh

Mike are you feeling smurfy today ?  :D   :pok:

Dunc
I always feel smurfy :D

Just remember on this side of the big pond ask for a pencil eraser instead of a rubber to clean out your diamond stone unless you are smurfy.


Offline SteveRacer

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #23 on: November 05, 2008, 03:27:33 AM
Here's the best online tutorial I've found, and it's by the man himself :)

Okay, I'm a wet blanket and a master of anal retention.  And Ray Mears could probably kill me with a matchstick and a clover leaf.

However, that said, I think his sharpening technique sucks.  I don't like the drag on the pullback.  Yes, he claims only pressure on the forward stroke, but I still think the edge should be lifted completely off the stone on the pullback.  Otherwise, the drag back raises a burr.   :P

I admit to being no expert on knife sharpening.  I am, however, a fair machinist, and can sharpen drill bits by hand.  And just like a metal file, most folks saw back and forth.  It's natural and much easier.  However, I was taught that the correct method is to lift the file completely off the workpiece on the pullback stroke.  Saves the file cutting edges, prevents clogging, and works the piece faster.  I have to believe the same is true for a blade edge.   :think:

I'm also aware that Ray was describing a field technique.  Perhaps his shop technique is different ... but I suspect not by much.   ???

Anyhow [/rant=off]  I would like to learn the finer details of knife sharpening myself.  I am open to discussion and even criticism...   :D

best-

-steve
[


gb Offline Mike, Lord of the Spammers!

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #24 on: November 05, 2008, 07:41:42 AM
I don't like the way he drags the blade either, but it probably does no harm :)
Give in, buy several Farmer's!!!!!!


Offline cryptrick

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #25 on: November 05, 2008, 09:19:46 PM
Good ol' Ray mears :D  I hadn't seen them vids, very informative, cheers Mike.
[


us Offline Poncho65

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #26 on: November 06, 2008, 12:44:33 AM
Good ol' Ray mears :D  I hadn't seen them vids, very informative, cheers Mike.

Yeah he really seems to know his stuff :cheers:


us Offline NeitherExtreme

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #27 on: November 06, 2008, 01:10:24 AM
Anyone here know how do make a good convex edge? I've been curious about that for a while... :think:


us Offline Mike

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #28 on: November 06, 2008, 04:24:13 AM
Anyone here know how do make a good convex edge? I've been curious about that for a while... :think:

Sand paper and a mouse pad is how some folks do it.

Mike
Common sense ..... so rare, it's virtually a super power.


us Offline WhichDawg

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Re: Sharpening - Please educate me!
Reply #29 on: November 06, 2008, 09:29:32 AM
Anyone here know how do make a good convex edge? I've been curious about that for a while... :think:

here ya go bro; http://barkriverknives.com/home.html (then click on convex sharpening)


 

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