When do you sharpen?

[chip]

Which camp are you in?

When you notice that you have to struggle a little to get whatever it is you need to get done done.

As soon as it won’t push cut through a sheet of phonebook (kids won’t know what that is) paper.

Sharpen? Is that a thing?

[IMR4198]

Hi Chip,
     I think I fall in the first category.  I can generally get by with a few strokes on a black Arkansas stone.  Lately I have been using an Old Timer Honesteel on my kitchen knives.  It has been working well for me and doesn't remove metal.  Sort of like using a strop.  Before and after are noticeable.  Best wishes.  Gary
 

honesteel.jpg (Filesize: 278.04 KB)

[David Bowen]

Even though I'm reviewing sharpeners I do more honing and edge maintenance then sharpening. I wait till my knife doesn't bite properly or perform to my expectations and I'll take it to my Sharpmaker or something similar to bring the edge right back. I very rarely will have a damaged edge or one they needs work to get it back to being serviceable.

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[AzteCypher]

Lately I've been doing a lot of sharpening as I have a small stack of SAKs, Wengers, and SAK-A-Likes that I've been reviving.  Most of them I have start off from a coarse stone.

For my daily SAK I only do honing and edge maintenance.

That's a nice Honesteel Gary.

[Antti Lammi]

I sharpen my worknives (easier and faster sharpen than honing) since i usually just need robust blade what can cut, usually with Worksharp Pivot Knife Sharpener.

Then there is SAKs and MT what i try avoid sharpen but only honing, also freetime knives try first honing. If these knives cant cut microfiber without ripping it after hone i sharpen them.

Only Tools Matters

[chip]

Hi Chip,
     I think I fall in the first category.  I can generally get by with a few strokes on a black Arkansas stone.  Lately I have been using an Old Timer Honesteel on my kitchen knives.  It has been working well for me and doesn't remove metal.  Sort of like using a strop.  Before and after are noticeable.  Best wishes.  Gary



That looks good, and a handy size to stuff in a bag.
I have always got by with a rod sharpening system.
The lansky turnbox is excellent. But you need to do little and often to keep your edges maintained.


   [ Quoting of attachment images from other messages is not allowed ]

[IMR4198]

Hi Chip,
      I thought I might post a photo of the Schrade Honesteel next to a 58mm SAK.  Just for an idea of the size.  It isn't something you would want to carry in your pocket, but could be carried in a pack or tackle box or something. 
     Schrade recommended using it to split deer pelvis bones or as a wedge for making firewood.  Also a fish billy to whack wiggly fish before throwing them in the creel.  It tapers to an edge like a chisel and is really quite heavy.  You reverse the steel and button it back into the sheath upside down to give you something to hold. 
     There are new ones available.  New ones are Chinese and I have heard reports they aren't very good.  I don't know.  Some people have used both I suppose.  Some people just don't like Chinese things.  Best wishes.  G
 

PXL_20240224_131351535.jpg (Filesize: 82.27 KB)

[Murphy Slaw]

I do it when they need it. Usually use the Sharpmaker and will hit a few kitchen knives while I have it set up.

Those cheap Harbor Freight diamondx4 sharpeners a great for your harder steels.

[SteveC]

Usually a few swipes on my Lansky Turnbox get them back to sharp when i feel like they are dull.

[LoopCutter]

For me, I find I am sharpening less!

If I feel a drag or not smooth action I will first HONE my kitchen knives.

For others, I  will  STROP using an old leather belt that was made by a harness maker.

The exception is my VICTORINOX SS knives, a draw through ceramic is often required to return the blade edge and then a few strokes along the strop. The exception is Cheryl ground blade edges. They hold and edge longer.

[AzteCypher]

I need to get me a strop.  Any recommendations or just pick something up from Amazon? 

[IMR4198]

   Take an old leather belt and hang it from a nail by the buckle.  Try using it for a while and see how it works for you.  Don't cut into the leather like using a stone.  Flip the blade over and keep the edge toward you are you push it away.  Best wishes.  G
 

[LoopCutter]

As Gary says, drag the blade along the rough side of the leather.

Opposite of using a stone where you push the blade into the stone.

If you don’t have a real leather belt, then online could be a proper source. 

For me it is a great way to touch up a blade before putting away after a day of cutting up😜

[AzteCypher]

Tried my old leather belt and I definitely felt a difference after I was done.

I remembered I had some scrap pieces of leather, and though they are thin, I have a few that are long enough to make into a strop.  Need to head into the garage and carve something up to glue the scrap on to.  Not sure how long it will last but the process will be fun.

[SteveC]

Tried my old leather belt and I definitely felt a difference after I was done.

I remembered I had some scrap pieces of leather, and though they are thin, I have a few that are long enough to make into a strop.  Need to head into the garage and carve something up to glue the scrap on to.  Not sure how long it will last but the process will be fun.

I used a five gallon stir stick from HD for mine   

[Adam5]

 

[LoopCutter]

A SUPER idea Steve👍

[AzteCypher]

HA!  That's a great idea!  How thick is your piece of leather?

I have a bunch of scraps of wood and I found two that are good candidates this evening.  Need to get to cutting and shaping.

[SteveC]

Thanks guys !

HA!  That's a great idea!  How thick is your piece of leather?

I have a bunch of scraps of wood and I found two that are good candidates this evening.  Need to get to cutting and shaping.

It's a hair over 1/8" from an old belt.

[IMR4198]

I had a small paint paddle sort of strop like that one.  Leather with rouge on one side, and coarse grit paper on the other.  Had a hole in the handle to hang it up.  I looked for it and couldn't turn it up.  Might have let someone have it.  I used it for keeping an edge on a swivel knife mostly.  I did find an old swivel knife.  In case someone out there doesn't know what I am talking about.  Best wishes.  G
 

swivel.jpg (Filesize: 120.23 KB)

[AzteCypher]

Never heard of a swivel knife till now.  Had to look it up to see what it did.  Learn something new every day.

[HarleyXJGuy]

Far less than I should.

[chip]

I don’t think the thickness as such is important, what is important is that it is firm. As if your blade sinks into the leather at all it will roll the edge. Also the reason you use light pressure when stropping to stop this happening.

[David]

When the edge isn't cutting as I like. Then I use what t I need to get it sharp again. Don't have a set method.

[HarleyXJGuy]

Never?

[Magic Bus]

Hi Chip. I usually sharpen when I notice the edge has dulled a little and normally use a Fallkniven DC4 which takes up little space. I’ve also got an old Spyderco Sharpmaker but it’s a faffle compared to the DC4, and I’ve just bought a Fallkniven CC4 to try which seems promising.

[chip]

Hi Chip. I usually sharpen when I notice the edge has dulled a little and normally use a Fallkniven DC4 which takes up little space. I’ve also got an old Spyderco Sharpmaker but it’s a faffle compared to the DC4, and I’ve just bought a Fallkniven CC4 to try which seems promising.

I never really got on with the triangle rods of the sharpmaker, preferring the cylindrical ones on the lansky turnbox.  I too have a dc4 and cc4 which I use to sharpen a small machete and mora companion that  I use for gardening. They are very effective in doing so.
The machete only gets the dc4 but I use both on the mora.

[Magic Bus]

Ive never tried a Lansky, just sort of got stuck in a bit of a rut with what I already had . But I feel that I actually learnt more about sharpening when I started using the DC4.


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[Murphy Slaw]

a faffle

What's a faffle?

[Magic Bus]

What's a faffle?

Sorry, colloquial meaning nuisance or hassle


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