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I have never had the patience to sharpen my knives by using a stone. Grinding wheels seem to damage the knives. Recently I clamped my belt sander upside down on the work table, locked it in the on position and used it to sharpen knives. It worked great and was real easy to do.
This works for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by slough foot
finish them off with the bottom of a ceramic tea cup, a couple of swipes and they are done and it will "put the edge back on if they need a touch up.
I learned to sharpen knives using a wet stone from my Dad. There is a little knack to it and I'm sure if someone gave you a first hand, live demonstartion you would pick up the knack of it without any problem. In the meantime, I keep one of those plastic handled shapeners in the kitchen drawer for sweetie so she can keep her kitchen knives sharpe and that she does! It's yellow in color, the nameon the side of it is "Smith's" and I bought it down at the local hardware store. Does as good as I can do with the wet stone!
Dale
"It's yellow in color, the nameon the side of it is "Smith's" and I bought it down at the local hardware store. Does as good as I can do with the wet stone!"
Yep...less than $5 at Wal-Mart....quick and easy....doesn't do a perfect job but good enough for government work.
slough foot; I'm curious........ what grade/grit, paper do you use on your belt sander for your sharpening? (I'd guess, a grade of emery paper?)
I had used an oil stone, (Arkansas stone), for years, until my steadiness and grip "gave out", recently and then I bought a "Firestone" electric sharpener.
Single slot, opposing wheels, hollow ground edge, when done. Since using it, I've found out what a "real razor's edge" truly is, on all the knives I own... from kitchen to fillet blades. Never have been able to "stone sharpen" a knife as SHARP as the Firestone can make an edge.
A little tip on knife sharpening. Pocket knives should be honed at a 30 degree angle so it will hold it's edge longer. Kitchen/filet knives should be honed at a 25 - 20 degree angle and hobby knives/blades need a 17 degree angle.
I have a "Lansky" sharpening set that lets you maintain these angles. A medium Arkansas stone is great for pocket knives as it will give you a very fine serated edge that cuts just about anything quickly.
Of course it all depends on the quality of the steel.
Jack, it's so obvious you're a true and valued member of The NBOF!
You've brought an entirely new angle, to a higher degree of knife sharpening! Of course, we all know, you're a man that is alway on the cutting edge of all the latest things.
I also, used a Lansky system, for quite a few years and you're right.............. they're great sharpeners. With the table mounted clamp pedestal to hold the knife and to guide the stone rods at the exact, precise, angle they're about the best and most accurate, manual sharpeners out there.
I got my first pocket knife when I was 10. When I asked Dad to resharpen it for me, he gave me a medium Carborundum Whetrock, and told me I could have it as sharp as I could make it. Smart man!!
I prefer a medium Arkansas for really dull knives, and finish with either a hard Arkansas or a Ceramic stone. I have a ceramic insulator that a buddy gave me that I'm using now. It has curved edges that work real well on the serrated blades.
I always use either honing oil, light machine oil, or spit on a rock to help keep the pores open.
I've tried the diamond-on-steel "stones" and didn't like them. To hard to get a smooth stroke on.
Kirk
I have a small bench belt sander that has a 1 inch wide belt in the verticle postiton. Costs about $65.00 . For sharpening knives I use the very finest grit available and I use an old worn out sanding belt not a new belt. It puts the sharpest edge on my wifes chefs knives. ( She is a certified red seal chef ) and yes I know that red seals are a protected species. lol.
PS you keep the knife moving back and forth so that heat does not build up and take the temper out of the edge. It does not hurt to spray a bit of water on the sanding belt to keep the heat down either.
Like Flybender I also use the Firestone Electric. Works great.Quote:
Originally Posted by flybinder
Tim
here is the best and easiest way to get a knife razor sharp. and believe me i've bought about ewvery gadget out there
http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=77
another system is a shapening wheel. i also have this and it does work very well but is a little more difficult to master.
http://www.dunnknives.com/services/sharpening.php
I used a 120 GRIT 3 INCH WIDE BELT. It was not selected, simply left over from a wood working project. I like the width and flexibility of the belt. I think this method is easy and effective, not necessarily the best. I will probably stick with it because it's easy for me to sharpen all my knives at once.
how sharp can you get a knife using 120 grit paper? when you look at whett stones, especially hard arkansas, the are almost shiny smooth. if a knife can't shave hair off my are, it's not sharp.
I cringe at the very thought of high speed abrasives being applied to quality steel. Yes, I grant you that learning to sharpen a knife using the appropriate stones takes time and practice. But I consider it a skill worth honing (pun intended). Using belt sanders and grinding wheels might work. It might even get your knives and tools sharp enough to make you happy but I encourage you to work at acquiring the skills to use stones to sharpen with. You'll be much happier with the end result and your knives and other tools will be happier as well.
Nothing ruins a knife faster than heating it up on a sander or grinding wheel. Would you use your fly rod as a walking stick? Might work, but I bet you won't like how it casts after you do so? Invest in good stones, learn or have someone knowledgeable show you how to use and care for them properly, get or make a leather strop and impregnate it with a good polishing compound and practice sharpening. Before you know it you'll be carrying razor sharp knives and be the envy of your friends and neighbors.
i usually use a flat diamond rock.... if i have to sharpen a knife & happened to leave the stone at home, i roll down the car window half way & use the edge of the window to sharpen with....
i have a nice large collection of various types of knives and I love my Lansky, but here is another one that I use for most of my day to day "carrying" knives. Being a gadget freak, this one really caught my eye and it does a pretty good job too
http://www.warthogsharp.com/images/products/V_Black.jpg
dleo:
Now, THAT is "my kind of gadget, sharpener", even if it only works "so-so"!! ha!! Can't help it, when it comes to gadgets, I'm a sucker! (just, ask the bride, her eyes get sore, from so much "rolling them skywards" when I bring home my "latest find, in gadgetry"!)
THAT, is just too cool! Thanks for posting it!
I would not use a belt sander to sharpen a knife or a grinder. The reason being is that using anything high speed to sharpen a knife causes a blade to heat up (even if it dose not seem like much heat) changes the temper of the blade. 8 times out of ten at the tip and may cause the blade to break when it should not.
I prefer my Arkansas stone to anything else, just a preference I know. I too have used the bottom of a ceramic cup for a quick touch up and love the Lansky system but only use it on knifes I get in dire need of a good sharpening.
I would like to be bold and make a suggestion. Get the knife professionally sharpened,
Then get a ceramic rod to touch up or what I use is a leather strop on a flat board with the white risen. It keeps my knife like a razor. A good blade will stay sharp a long time even with use between sharpening.
Out of curiosity what kind of knifes to you guys own? I have many but use an Old Timer for a pocket knife and a Gerber clip knife (made in the USA) daily.
Respectfully,
Sean
I belong to a couple different blade forums. I collect folders, or pocket knives. This is the sharpener that I see most often recomended on various blade forums: http://www.thebladeshop.com/index.as...FQGzGgodozvfOQ
If you are looking for a serious sharpening system this is it:
http://www.edgeproinc.com/
Rick
I am admittedly old school, but with a twist.
For serious sharpening, I rely on stones, both medium & fine. To install a proper bevel, any of the mechanical aids will help you maintain the angle you choose. Once that bevel is established, I'm strictly a stone guy. It has become quite easy for me to feel the bevel and maintain it. I admit that that fact makes the next part easy for me.
My contribution to the discussion is that most knives aren't really dull, they simply suffer from an edge that has "rolled over." If you feel the edge lightly catch your skin when you ease your thumb sideways over the edge, but nothing when you repeat from the other side of the blade, the edge has simply rolled.
I use a flat piece of steel (mine is by Gerber, ~ 4"x1", pouched with a miserable artificial stone) and just align the edge by making cutting strokes from butt to tip with each side of the blade. For most knives very little pressure is desirable. Also very few strokes are required.
Our kitchen knives take maybe 10 strokes, once a month. I use the flat steel perhaps 20 or more times before going to stones - maybe more with better quality knives. Test with a newspaper page.
Don
I send my Benchmade knifes to Benchmade once a year and they sharpen them for $5.00 forever, and when I need a new blade the replacement for it is free and new. You can't beat Benchmade's warrenty for life, they always come back perfect and sharp..
Nice looking knives, I really like their tanto models.
I take a great deal of pride in hand sharpening my good knives. It is kinda like cleaning your guns before a good match or competition. I know if I do my job then that tool just glides through the thickest meats like butter. I learned this way back in HS when I discovered how Buck knives recommended it done and sharpened a really rusted and beatup fishing knife. I used it to fillet steaks for a BBQ and no one watching could believe slicing was that easy. For the lawn mover I use my dremel but for the kitchen I use the good stones.
Guys,
I know a belt sander will get a knife sharp in a hurry, but please do not use that on a good knife. The heat generated by sanding can damage the temper on the blade and cause it to not hold that fine edge very long.
There are grinders designed for knife sharpening that keep the stone wet so that it does not heat the blade. They're expensive.
A good whett stone, some honing oil, and a leater strop with some jewleer's rouge combined with about 15 minutes of your time is by far the best way to sharpen a good knife.
Jeff
I have a Gatco system, which is a Lansky clone, for my kitchen and carry knives and getting the same angle on every stroke is all important for a fine edge. For your shop tools, chisels, planes, etc. go to "www.shavings. net/scary.htm#original" and see a simple way to get wood shavings so thin they are almost transparent. Just get the gadget that keeps the chisel and plane blades at the same angle, follow directions and you may not believe how sharp you can get your tools.