Keeping sharps sharp - a foray into knife-sharpening

[ericpmoss]

Anyone interested in a Tormek T7 in mint+++ condition with all (or almost all) of the accessories? It's great, but I have 3 knives to keep sharp, not 300. If so, I'll put it in the classified.

[Peter Polack]

Update on my scissors sharpening journey.

I wound up buying a Sharpal Dual Grit Diamond Sharpener. I figured if I wasn't having luck with generic sharpening stones on stainless blades, then maybe something hard like diamond would do the trick.

It was relatively cheap ($26), easy to use, and it works much better than my dual sided whetstone. I was surprised, considering when you run your fingers over the grit surface, you don't think it can do much. As a bonus, the tool comes with a leather sheath that doubles as a strop.

No more throw-away scissors for me!

[caleb]

Our knives are old school and reudndant. Mostly high carbon.
Currently, I'm using a large two sided DMT diamond plate for shaping and a medium and soft Arkansas stone for finishing. I'm never 100% happy and have been leaning two faster cutting stones.
Same deal for pocket knives except I do like how fast the DMT plate fixes pocket knives that are abused.

I recently ordered up one of the handheld DMT course/fine foldable deals to go in the canoe maintenance kit for when things that should have gotten sharpened before we left didn't.

For getting the job done quick and dirty, it's great. Thirty seconds with it and a kitchen knife will go from dull-dull to draw cutting paper. It's currently living in the kitchen where I've been using it to make sure all of our knives will cut the season's tomatoes.

For anyone wanting to get their knives quickly into the sort of shape that 99% of the population would call "very sharp," I think the DMT handheld is a pretty good option.

[mzilliox]

oh wow, this is a good reminder of where i was and when...

and here is now, way down a rabbit hole into Japanese natural stones (Jnats) and iron clad savage knives. if it cant cut a paper towel clean, it ain't sharp enough.
a shiro suita and my favorite knife by Bazes blades:
[IMG]shiro and bazes by Matt.zilliox, on Flickr[/IMG]

and more examples of polish work ive done on my knives or others.
[IMG]raquin polish 8-20 by Matt.zilliox, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]HF polish high shine by Matt.zilliox, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]the nine wrought by Matt.zilliox, on Flickr[/IMG]

[teleguy57]

Been following this with interest. So if one is not quite ready for the custom frame with top-end components, it seems like the mid-priced options are DMT, Lansky, and a dual stone setup.

How would you suggest someone choose among them, besides trial and error?

[rydesteel]

Been following this with interest. So if one is not quite ready for the custom frame with top-end components, it seems like the mid-priced options are DMT, Lansky, and a dual stone setup.

How would you suggest someone choose among them, besides trial and error?

Don't forget Edge Pro, easy setup and a short learning curve. If you do pocket knives or short bladed knives the magnetic blade holder work very well.

[teleguy57]

Appreciate the addition. Edge Pro looks excellent, but for me goes outside the mid-price catgory. Primary application is kitchen knives.

[Chad]

Been following this with interest. So if one is not quite ready for the custom frame with top-end components, it seems like the mid-priced options are DMT, Lansky, and a dual stone setup.

How would you suggest someone choose among them, besides trial and error?

I have the Lanksy, works very well for kitchen, hunting and filet knives. I'd buy it again.

[choke]

Been following this with interest. So if one is not quite ready for the custom frame with top-end components, it seems like the mid-priced options are DMT, Lansky, and a dual stone setup.

How would you suggest someone choose among them, besides trial and error?

My default answer is a Spyderco Sharpmaker. It's very simple to use, offers two different set angles and will do serrated blades. IMO it works well and is a good piece of gear. If you need to do longer blades it's not the best choice though it is still possible to use.

I had a Lansky at one time but I sold it. The biggest problem that I found with it (and any similar style setup) is that because the blade is clamped in place, the next time that the knife is sharpened it needs to be held in exactly the same spot and that's nearly impossible to do. If it's not in the same spot then you are removing more material than is needed as the angle isn't quite the same as the last time. I do understand that if you sharpen freehand the same thing happens to some degree but with freehand I think that there is a tendency for the edge to try to align itself, which can't happen if it's held solid.

Of the other two, I would probably pick the DMT. Their stones work well and I think that because of that they are easy for someone starting out. But if you are willing to put in the work there's nothing wrong with a whetstone.

While looking for something re:the Sharpmaker I came across a similar product which looks pretty good to me.......Work Sharp

Since most of my non-kitchen knives are scandi grinds, I mostly use a flat surface and 1000 grit (and higher) sandpaper. I then follow that up with a 4 sided strop bat and finally put a small micro-bevel on with the thin side of the Sharpmaker.

[mzilliox]

how detail oriented are you. im positive none of the guided systems can get a knife sharper than i can, but i enjoy putting in the time to learn things like this.

id recommend a 1k and a 3k stone for sharpening kitchen knives. maybe a king or cerax 1k stone and a 3kstone for refining the edge if you want. but i can get my knives paper towel sharp on a cerax 1k stone.

i think learning to use a 1k stone well is better than trying a 2 sided stone, and will keep most peoples knives more than sharp enough for what they need.

[Mark Kelly]

Since most of my non-kitchen knives are scandi grinds, I mostly use a flat surface and 1000 grit (and higher) sandpaper. I then follow that up with a 4 sided strop bat and finally put a small micro-bevel on with the thin side of the Sharpmaker.

This.

I gave up on stones and diamond sharpeners about a year ago and now use wet and dry paper on a flat surface then extra fine diamond to polish the edge. I can get a better edge quicker on Japanese knives this way. (I don't have any Euro knives any more).

[rydesteel]

Picked up a few Knives from my friend Will at PeeWee's in Rock Island IL. He's got a small Soul Food restaurant that has been struggling like most are. Asked him who was sharpening his knives and he'd quit using the service he had to save some $$. I'll run the Edge Pro over a few this weekend and pick up a few more when I drop them off. When he asked what He'd owe for sharpening his knives the answer was easy..Feed me. He's a Good Man trying to make it work, it's the least I can do.

[Too Tall]

Picked up a few Knives from my friend Will at PeeWee's in Rock Island IL. He's got a small Soul Food restaurant that has been struggling like most are. Asked him who was sharpening his knives and he'd quit using the service he had to save some $$. I'll run the Edge Pro over a few this weekend and pick up a few more when I drop them off. When he asked what He'd owe for sharpening his knives the answer was easy..Feed me. He's a Good Man trying to make it work, it's the least I can do.

Go to heaven three times.

[ides1056]

Not to go off on a tangent but: What's up with that?
Last year I did a little bird hunting with a guide. On one hunt there were about 10 of us and we shot probably 50 birds and I was one of the only people to pick up a knife to starting butchering them. I had no idea what I was doing at first, but I knew if I shot 'em I should be responsible for cleaning them. It seemed only right. The others sat around BS-ing.

Realizing this is a day late: a friend of mine cut and wrapped bales for another farmer this summer, making good money while the farmer, so-called, drank a 24 pack with his friends.

[Bobonli]

I need some help and a referral, please. I've tried keeping my own sharps sharp with stones and I suspect that my technique is awful. I can get a mediocre edge and it holds for maybe a month. I want to emphasize mediocre! The knives are nowhere near as sharp as they could be. It's a technique issue, I'm sure. My best guess is I'm not at the right angle +/- I'm undoing whatever progress I made on one side when I flip it over. Needless to say my skills suck and I'm going to put knife sharpening in the same category as rugby, deep sea diving and investment banking: things I'm not good at!

No, the knives never go in the washer.....I was able to stop that behavior. Cutting on plastic for meats and wood for other things. I use a honing steel, and that might be contributing to the loss of quality. At this point all 3 chef's knives and a boning knife are absolutely dull.The boning knife is a $15 Victorinox, so it might be cheaper to just replace it. The chef's knives are Shun, Henkels etc....all more than 10 years old.

Please recommend a reliable, quality sharpening service. I'm 25 miles from NYC but the two places in the city, one has all sorts of limitations due to covid and the other doesn't respond. I'm willing to mail the 4 knives away to get them reconditioned. There's one or two "sharpening trucks" trucks that serve Long Island but they look like they're just using a Worksharp grinder; I was expecting something a little more sophisticated! There's this guy in NJ who seems to get good reviews.

Thanks in advance.

[j44ke]

I need some help and a referral, please. I've tried keeping my own sharps sharp with stones and I suspect that my technique is awful. I can get a mediocre edge and it holds for maybe a month. I want to emphasize mediocre! The knives are nowhere near as sharp as they could be. It's a technique issue, I'm sure. My best guess is I'm not at the right angle +/- I'm undoing whatever progress I made on one side when I flip it over. Needless to say my skills suck and I'm going to put knife sharpening in the same category as rugby, deep sea diving and investment banking: things I'm not good at!

No, the knives never go in the washer.....I was able to stop that behavior. Cutting on plastic for meats and wood for other things. I use a honing steel, and that might be contributing to the loss of quality. At this point all 3 chef's knives and a boning knife are absolutely dull.The boning knife is a $15 Victorinox, so it might be cheaper to just replace it. The chef's knives are Shun, Henkels etc....all more than 10 years old.

Please recommend a reliable, quality sharpening service. I'm 25 miles from NYC but the two places in the city, one has all sorts of limitations due to covid and the other doesn't respond. I'm willing to mail the 4 knives away to get them reconditioned. There's one or two "sharpening trucks" trucks that serve Long Island but they look like they're just using a Worksharp grinder; I was expecting something a little more sophisticated! There's this guy in NJ who seems to get good reviews.

Thanks in advance.

You might try contacting Warren Kitchen and Cutlery. They are in Rhinebeck. They used to sharpen while you wait, but with covid they are next day service. However, they may be willing to receive shipped knives for sharpening. They know their stuff - check out their brands - so I can't imagine their sharpening service is not excellent.

https://warrenkitchenandcutlery.com

[caleb]

There's one or two "sharpening trucks" trucks that serve Long Island but they look like they're just using a Worksharp grinder; I was expecting something a little more sophisticated!

Not really to your question, but I think most sharpening services are going to use some sort of belt system. Their bread and butter is food service operations, and they're getting the knives pretty sharp, quickly and cheaply. I can't imagine what someone would have to charge to make a living using stones.

As for how quickly your knives are needing maintenance, I'd say that I use a stone on my daily use knives every two weeks or so, with a steel in between. After a month, they would be dull.

[spopepro]

Bernal cutlery only does stone sharpening by hand. Here is what they charge at SF living wages no less. I apologize that I don’t know of anyone on the east coast.

Bobonli: you’ve got opposite ends of the spectrum there, and both are difficult. Hands down the most frustrating knife I’ve ever tried to sharpen is a shun. They are just so, so hard and so little material comes off. My very limited knowledge wild guess is that you’re never quite putting an edge on the shun(s?). The henkels, especially if the are not very old, are very soft knives, and need a much, much greater angle otherwise I find the edge just rolls. But—no shame in farming it out. I do know that Josh at Bernal does a huge amount of business for industry pros. No shame in not wanting another hobby. Wish I could give a rec tho...

[Bobonli]

Thank you everyone. I’m going to reach out to both companies tomorrow, when businesses reopen after the weekend. I will probably start with the place on the East Coast just to shorten the time in postal transit.

I have definitely not been taking stones to them every two weeks. That’s a little more commitment in terms of time than I have right now

[Bobonli]

You might try contacting Warren Kitchen and Cutlery. They are in Rhinebeck. They used to sharpen while you wait, but with covid they are next day service. However, they may be willing to receive shipped knives for sharpening. They know their stuff - check out their brands - so I can't imagine their sharpening service is not excellent.

https://warrenkitchenandcutlery.com

I called these folks this morning. They seem like super nice people and if it wasn’t for the fact that you have to leave the knives overnight, I would drive up, do a hike in the gunks and pick them up at the end of the day. Alas, they keep them overnight so I’m going to mail them in. Thank you so much for your help