Best knife sharpening techniques

[Conan The Librarian]

What have you found to be the best way to keep your knives sharp? I use an electric Kitchen Aid sharpener and a good sharpening steel. Never found a better and more convenient way, although the electric doesn't work with smaller blades like pocket knives. For those I have to use a whet stone.

One thing I don't like is those white ceramic sharpeners and "steels". They just don't work very well in my experience.

[Bugflipper]

Something pretty close to this. http://www.fleetfarm.com/catalog/product_detail/fishing/fillet-knives-fish-cleaning/rapala-ceramic-sharpener-single-stage?utm_source=googleps&utm_medium=shopping%2Bsearch&utm_campaign=google%2Bproduct%20search I get them for a dollar a piece through a wholesale place. They have two sides instead of one. Two different angles, one for the heavy use outside knives and one for the light use inside knives. I use an off brand lansky type system to set the edge to the angle I want. Then about 10 passes on the ceramic. When they loose their edge 4 or 5 passes puts them back to shaving sharp. I keep one of these little ceramic deals just about everywhere so I don't have to hunt them down to sharpen a knife.

[Old Syko]

I've tried everything I could get my hands on and this is without a doubt the quickest and simplest tool I've ever owned.  It will make the worst of edges shaving sharp in 2 minutes flat.  I don't have the time and no longer have the patients to waste time with stones, diamond blocks, or even my old tried and true Lansky tools.  Less than $70 to your door is cheap nowadays.

You'll also find a pretty good review here on GBO in the Knife section.  http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,216855.0.html 

[SHOOTALL]

Some good stones , oil or water depending on stone and a good second cut mill file or such. Add a leather strop of side of a boot.

[blind ear]

First sharpening: rock to wire edge pushing the cutting edge; then hone to wire edge pushing the cutting edge, then lap or polish dragging the cutting edge. Use wood or plastic cutting boards and don't drag the edge across bones. Don't hack on bones, it will chip the blade. ear

[rockbilly]

How a knife is sharpened depends largely on the intended use.  There are a thousand ways to do it; I use several methods depending on the knife and where it is to be used.  Kitchen knifes, for example are sharpened on a steel, my pocket knifes and hunting knifes are sharpened on diamond hones, with the angle set for the way the knife will be used..  From time to time, on large knifes I use a butchers whet stone set.

For more information on sharpening I recommend you type “knife sharpening” in your search engine and spend a little time reading.  I’d bet you find something there that will make you better at it. If it won't cut a thin piece of paper without hanging up, it ain't sharp.

[spikehorn]

My granfather could put an edge on a ball bearing that you could shave with. he tried repeatedly to teach me how to sharpen knives I just couldn't pick it up. I give mine to someone who can.

[Sourdough]

Have looked at the item Old Syko showed, but decided it was too much money, and I already have enough things to sharpen tools with.

Lansky was good but took too long.  Got a wheel for my grinder, that uses Goose Grease.  But I feel the grinder is too fast, so I chuck it up on the ShopSmith, and use a slow setting.  Just a few seconds and I can have a shaving edge on a knife.

Knives, scissors, axes, pruning shears, machetes, all are easy to sharpen.

Also have a sharpening jig for the ShopSmith for doing tools such as wood chisels, wood gouges, planer knives, axes, and larger stuff.  I find it too big and too much trouble just for a knife or two. 

Once I have a good edge, I use a steel to keep it sharp.  When I start skinning a Moose, if you don't do anything to your knife you will need two or three knives to finish.  A few strokes on a steel periodically as I am skinning and cutting, keeping the knife sharp from the start, and not letting it begin to get dull, I can finish the whole Moose with one knife.  My buddy is always saying I keep sharpening an already sharp knife, but he quites using his knife about 3/4 of the way through, it's too dull to do anything with.  When we are done mine is still sharp. 

I don't use those little bitty steels either.  My skinning kit has a big long kitchen style steel with a wooden handle.  Two skinning knives, and a small Axe.  A small flashlight and a small LED headlamp.

[ratdog]

i always keep my knifes sharp. now i am older i'm always cutting myself its a bummer.these chinese knifes you buy at walmart are a joke they are only good for tent pegs they are only sharpened on one side of the blade.

[blind ear]

A basic "Woodworking" book or a basic "Machinist" book will give you all the basics that you need to keep a hunting or kitchen knife or yard tools sharp.

IF you understand what you are doing you can sharpen "good" steel on an ash tray bottom, a coffee cup bottom or the edge of an autmobile window or side of a glass drink bottle, (finishing an edge, not bringing to the correct angle). ear

_____________

these chinese knifes you buy at walmart are a joke they are only good for tent pegs they are only sharpened on one side of the blade.

 Known as an Indian edge style of sharpeinig because of the cheap surface hardened trade knives of the early days of expansion. The only metal hard enough to get sharp was on the surface of the metal, case hardened or plated metal. ear

[SHOOTALL]

How a knife is sharpened depends largely on the intended use.  There are a thousand ways to do it; I use several methods depending on the knife and where it is to be used.  Kitchen knifes, for example are sharpened on a steel, my pocket knifes and hunting knifes are sharpened on diamond hones, with the angle set for the way the knife will be used..  From time to time, on large knifes I use a butchers whet stone set.

For more information on sharpening I recommend you type “knife sharpening” in your search engine and spend a little time reading.  I’d bet you find something there that will make you better at it. If it won't cut a thin piece of paper without hanging up, it ain't sharp.

I like to be able to shave off some paper with out going thru.

[BUGEYE]

crock sticks and diamond sticks that fit the same base.