First time using a sharpenning stone

[pfrsantos]

I know, I know. It's something basic, everyone should do from time to time, to improve the knives performance and thus making them safer to use.

I had bought this and some other stones some time ago. Despite having some knives that, like myself, are not that sharp anymore, I couldn't bring myself to use them. I was awlways afraid I'd ruin the knife and didn't succeed in getting it sharper.

 

So... I finally decided to have a go at it, using my Opinel #7. It wasn't as sharp as I liked and it was only a €10 knife, easy to replace.

I was quite impressed by how much the cutting improved. It now cuts through a bag of Ruffles like... well, like a knife!

 

I did a pretty decent job on the side without the logo. That was strange, because it was harder to use the stone with the blade coming towards your fingers (right handed). On the logo side, I got some scratches in the middle of the blade. They're only visible when you have the light shine on it in a particular angle, otherwise you don't even notice it.

Some more times on this one and other regular kitchen knives and I might start doing the same to other more "delicate" ones.

Here's a few pics of the end result.

 

[pfrsantos]

A couple more pics, showing the logo side and the scratches. Maybe I'll try using some finer stones to polish these off. It'll be my training knife.

 

[Sos24]

Good first go.

I can understand the hesitant factor on sharpening free hand, especially with some knife costs nowadays.

When I was a kid, my Dad taught me how to sharpen free hand on a stone.  But about 15years ago I bought a DMT set with a guide and would be nervous to do a knife free hand without some practice on my less valuable knives first.

[As I was typing the line about my Dad teaching me, I had to laugh because I was sharpening knives at an age where nowadays it would probably be thought by many that a child shouldn’t even be handling a knife.]

[SteveC]

Good first go, it takes a bit of practice but it's not very difficult to get good at. 

[RF52]

Good job for your first
I too thought it was a bit scary the first time, atleast with one of my pricier knives but it's actually quite calming and relaxing

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[pfrsantos]

Thanks, guys. The satisfaction of having it cut through stuff more cleanly and smoothly outweighs the not so neat look of the blade.

 

[pfrsantos]

Good job for your first
I too thought it was a bit scary the first time, atleast with one of my pricier knives but it's actually quite calming and relaxing

Sent fra min FRD-L09 via Tapatalk

And yes, it's a nice feelling.

 

[pfrsantos]

(Image removed from quote.)

And yes, it's a nice feelling.

 

Before Reinier sees this...



 

[pfrsantos]

Good first go, it takes a bit of practice but it's not very difficult to get good at. 

 

[SteveC]

 

[Nix]

I'd recommend using a bit of light oil or, my preference these days, soapy water.

Using one of the above will have several benefits:

1. keeps the stone from getting clogged with metal.
2. improves the cutting action of the stone (I think....might be the same benefit as #1 above).
3. lets the knife glide over the stone more easily, allowing slightly better control....which lead to better consistency.
4. let you see where the edge is in contact with the stone. A small 'bow wave' is evident when the edge is on the stone and pushing the lubricant off the stone's surface.

In the field, I use a little spit.   

[RF52]

I'd recommend using a bit of light oil or, my preference these days, soapy water.

Using one of the above will have several benefits:

1. keeps the stone from getting clogged with metal.
2. improves the cutting action of the stone (I think....might be the same benefit as #1 above).
3. lets the knife glide over the stone more easily, allowing slightly better control....which lead to better consistency.
4. let you see where the edge is in contact with the stone. A small 'bow wave' is evident when the edge is on the stone and pushing the lubricant off the stone's surface.

In the field, I use a little spit.   

On any kind of sharpener or just natural stones?

Sent fra min FRD-L09 via Tapatalk

[Reinier]

In the field, I use a little spit.   

[Reinier]

Before Reinier sees this...

(Image removed from quote.)

 

Good job on the sharpening

[Nix]

On any kind of sharpener or just natural stones?

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I use some soapy water with diamond plates, Japanese water stones, ceramic stones, and natural stones. I even use a bit of soapy water with wet/dry sandpaper. More or less, every time I'm sharpening now.

I've got a few stones I started using oil with, but I've cleaned those and now use soapy water. Oil can be great, but I find soapy water easier and cheaper.

[Aloha]

Learning to use a stone is great.  As with anything you'll become better and better as you continue.  Use a sharpie or someething to color the bevel if you plan to follow it.  After a few passes on the stone feel the opposite side for a burr.  Once you've established a burr time to do the other side with the same amount of passes. You should feel a burr on the other side. Pressure and angle is something on each knife you'll instinctively learn.  I still mark each side with a sharpie unless I place to change to degree of angle. 

[Hevy (CT-782)]

Nice tips Aloha and Nix!

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[pfrsantos]

I'd recommend using a bit of light oil or, my preference these days, soapy water.

Using one of the above will have several benefits:

1. keeps the stone from getting clogged with metal.
2. improves the cutting action of the stone (I think....might be the same benefit as #1 above).
3. lets the knife glide over the stone more easily, allowing slightly better control....which lead to better consistency.
4. let you see where the edge is in contact with the stone. A small 'bow wave' is evident when the edge is on the stone and pushing the lubricant off the stone's surface.

In the field, I use a little spit.   

Good tips. I forgot to mention I had the stone underwater for an hour +/- before using it. I found a few kitchen knives, dull as watching paint dry. I got the stone in water right now, I'll pass some soap over it before sharpenning the knives, to see if it improves it.

 

[pfrsantos]

Learning to use a stone is great.  As with anything you'll become better and better as you continue.  Use a sharpie or someething to color the bevel if you plan to follow it.  After a few passes on the stone feel the opposite side for a burr.  Once you've established a burr time to do the other side with the same amount of passes. You should feel a burr on the other side. Pressure and angle is something on each knife you'll instinctively learn.  I still mark each side with a sharpie unless I place to change to degree of angle.

The sharpie it's a good way of checking what part of the blade you're actually sharpenning. Not really important for the kitchen knives I'm going to be working on, but for future reference.

Thanks!

 

[Ron Who]

Here´s Paddy showing how freehand sharpening is done. This is the same method that I use.

[JK]

I've sharpened free hand for a long time, but just got into stropping now that I do more woodworking - I can highly recommend it! 95% of the time a quick strop is easier and will bring a knife to pretty sharp. Then I can sharpen if a blade has seen more wear. Bizarrely, this is all new to me...

[Nix]

Nice!

I strop my chisels, too. 

...and plane blades. 

[pfrsantos]

Second try, with kitchen knives. Awlready saw a patern: I keep messing up the left side of the blade, when running the knife away from me. Must pay more attention to it.

 

As for the good news, I seem to have done a good job. Used the middle one for lunch prep today and it bit me. It was a very light cut, didn't even draw blood. The cut was so thin, about half the height of a fingerprint. I'd say that qualifies as smurfing sharp!

 

[Hevy (CT-782)]

Nice knives!

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[pfrsantos]

Nice knives!

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Thanks, they're awl traditional designs, the kind you find in fairs, for a couple of euros.

[Aloha]

Its great you are getting them sharp  .  Not sure why you are scratching them  .  I enjoy dual stones.  I have a 1000 and 3000 stone as well as a 600 and 800.  I'll use a diamond course or fine when I really need to work a bevel.  I always follow with a strop which IMO takes the edge nest level. 

I also like the traditional look of those knives 

[pfrsantos]

Its great you are getting them sharp  .  Not sure why you are scratching them  .  I enjoy dual stones.  I have a 1000 and 3000 stone as well as a 600 and 800.  I'll use a diamond course or fine when I really need to work a bevel.  I always follow with a strop which IMO takes the edge nest level. 

I also like the traditional look of those knives 

I think it's because, when the tip of the blade is leaving the stone, I don't keep the angle or keep pushing the blade down and it falls on the stone. Maybe get the blade up before reaching the end of the stone?...

Good thing it happened with these cheap ones. I can correct it for when doing the same to more expensive knives.

[Aloha]

That certainly sounds like it.  Usually I raise the knife as the point is leaving the stone.  That will be dependent on the sweep of the cutting edge.  Knife 1 and 2 don't have much of a sweep but knife 3 does.  No big deal as you are learning but time to break the muscle memory. 

Sharp is the goal so  . 

[pfrsantos]

That certainly sounds like it.  Usually I raise the knife as the point is leaving the stone.  That will be dependent on the sweep of the cutting edge.  Knife 1 and 2 don't have much of a sweep but knife 3 does. No big deal as you are learning but time to break the muscle memory. 

Sharp is the goal so  .

Yup, I'll keep practising in these until I manage to get it right.

 

[Reinier]

Yup, I'll keep practising until I manage to get it right.

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