Blunt Skeletool KBX Sharpening Advice

[jmwalker404]

HEEEELP!

I foolishly tried to sharpen my Skeletool KBX on the free smiths pocket sharpener that came with the knife.
it didnt really need sharpening and now it's blunt as hell (I am a sharpening noob!)
 
Any ideas as to how to get the thing sharp again gratefully received?? No matter how much I try to sharpen it on the smiths tool it doesnt get any sharper.

Also - this might sound really strange - how do you know if the knife is "optimally sharp" - and dont say "try cutting something!"

It "feels" sharp to run my thumb across it but it struggles to slice a piece of paper (like you see on youtube tutorials! ) 

[SteveC]

Do yourself a favor and get a Lansky Turnbox. Easiest way to maintain a sharp edge on most knives and they are are pretty inexpensive.


Welcome to the forum !   

[Sos24]

 I had the same experience in the past.

I’ve never tried the Lansky turnbox that Steve recommended, but have heard good things about it. 

I use a DMT sharpening kit with a aligner guide that I’ve used for years.  It is similar to a Lansky SharpeningSystem with Guide.  The guides are nice if you do not feel comfortable free hand.

[zrxoa1]

And get yourself a really good strop!!  Many times a few passes on a strop is all that’s needed to get the blade back to hair popping sharpness.


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[theonew]

Buy something from this company: https://dmtsharp.com/
Grind one side until you can feel the edge start to curve towards the other side. Grind the other side until you feel the opposite and then use light strokes alternating sides.
People go crazy about sharpening knives and I am one of them but to get a basically sharp knife is pretty straightforward.

[nate j]

Any ideas as to how to get the thing sharp again gratefully received?? No matter how much I try to sharpen it on the smiths tool it doesnt get any sharper.

I agree with the previous posters than a Lansky or similar (Spyderco, A.G. Russell, etc.) is the easiest option.  They all come with directions, plus there are lots of youtube videos demonstrating the techniques.

Also - this might sound really strange - how do you know if the knife is "optimally sharp" - and dont say "try cutting something!"

The answer depends on what knife you have and what you will use the knife for, as well as your personal preferences.  Or, to put it slightly differently, I would say that a knife which cleanly cuts what you need it to cut with minimal force applied is at least "sharp enough".  You don't really want the same edge on a machete as you do on a scalpel.  As a personal example, I'm a cigar smoker, and I prefer to trim my cigars with a knife, as (I always carry a knife anyway and) this saves me from also having to carry a dedicated cigar cutter.  Cutting cigars this way requires a steady hand and a very sharp knife (which again is why most people use cigar cutters), but if a knife is sharp is enough to cleanly cut a cigar with then I know it is at least sharp enough for all my other needs.

I would definitely like to discourage you from testing the sharpness of blades by running your thumb along the edge.  I have never known anyone able to reliably judge sharpness by this method, unless you count "Well, I've cut my thumb on it, so I guess it's sharp."

All that said, there are several popular sharpness tests that give somewhat of a common (though perhaps less than scientific) frame of reference:

• Shaving sharp, razor sharp (although this term is severely and often inaccurately over-used), hair-popping sharp (as used by a previous poster), etc. all refer of course to a blade that is literally sharp enough to shave hairs (usually off of one's forearm).
• The paper test, with which you may already be familiar, obviously involves using the knife to cut paper, as a dull enough blade will either tear the paper or push it out of the way.  Sometimes you will see variations or specifications intended to make this test more challenging, e.g. push cut (as opposed to draw cut) the paper, or using very thin paper such as receipt paper.

A knife that will pass either of the above tests is probably sharper than most people need most of the time.  Some folks take pride in keeping their knives extremely sharp all the time; others just want a usable working edge.  Nothing wrong with either approach.
 

[rdub934]

https://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-Guided-Field-Sharpener/dp/B009YKHZ96

I got the Work Sharp Field Sharpener in 2018 to bring with me to Turkey for keeping everything sharp but being self contained and durable. It's amazing, inexpensive, and basically does it all (well, the main stuff). I have more expensive systems, but I prefer this over all of them. It has course and fine sides, ceramic rod with three different sides, a leather strop, and angle guides. As an entry level system, it punches well above its weight. If you are going to spend money on knives and tools, you need to on equipment for maintaining them, otherwise are you really a "knife guy"?

I use the arm hair method to check sharpness. If the blade will pop hairs off my arm, I know I can do some serious cutting without issue.

[gadgetman7]

The Spyderco Sharpner works week and is easy to use but will cost $50+.


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[stugumby]

Try using some cheap chopsticks as your sharp test device. If it will shave thin slices it's sharp enough,just like the above poster with the cigars. I use a smiths pocket pal now and then,but prefer the victorinox ceramic pocket sharpener. Only use the carbide in the pocket pal for limited strokes to rebuild an edge, it removes metal while ceramic will refine an existing edge. Good luck,and watch those thumbs!