What type of sharpener do you use?

Do you push the edge, pull it or alternate between the two?

How much pressure do you use?

What's the speed of each pass?

What's the minimum amount of passes?

How is the angle determined and do you use an angle block to assist?

Does the blade material change the answers to any of the above?

How do you test the edge/sharpness?

Lastly, I have a CRKT Tighe 2 and I've always been challenged sharpening the curved part of the blade. Any tips on how to sharpen it using this diamond sharpener?

No matter how much I try to keep the blade in contact with the stone, the curved part doesn't get as sharp.

Ask 10 people how they sharpen a knife and you'll probably get 12 answers.

I have Spyderco Delicas and a Ladybug that I sharpen.

I use the Spyderco Sharpmaker, set to the 40* inclusive angle.

My method is a little unorthodox, but it works for me. I hold the knife vertically and run the edge on the stone both up and down, while drawing the knife blade across, usually about 10-15 times, alternating each side of the blade. Then I run the edge downward-only about 5 times, alternating each side.

I have medium, fine, and ultra-fine stones. Most of the time I only need to touch up on the ultra-fine stones, occasionally I use the fine stones first. The only time I've used the medium stones is if I've had to do a lot of cutting and the blade is really dull, which rarely happens.

Whichever stone(s) I use, I always finish up with about 5-10 passes on a stropping block.

I use a magnifying glass to check the edge during the process.

For testing, I like to use stiff paper. I know I've got a good edge when it slices the paper cleanly without any drag or tearing.

With typical daily use, I only have to do this about once every 2-3 months.

As for curved blades, you'll probably be better off getting a round stone or butcher's rod (I think that's what they're called). A triangular stone may work, as well.

I use a harbor freight belt sander,
400 grit belt, and follow with a leather belt.
Razor sharp in a few minutes.
Much faster and better than the old methods I use to use!

I too use the Spyderco Sharpmakerener. I also have a Work Sharp Ken Onion edition. I tend to use the Spyderco for my hunting/skinning/fishing knives, and the Work Sharp for household & kitchen knives.

Wicked Edge for everything except my kitchen knives. For those and my larger fixed blades I still use my ancient EdgePro.

2x72” Northridge Tool Grinder and Wicked Edge!!

Spyderco Sharpmaker if it's a quick touch up, Lansky sharpener if I've let one get dull.

I have been using the Smith Tri-hone for years.


https://www.cabelas.com/produc...HPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

First a disclaimer. I've always sucked at sharpening knives. As such, I opted for a simple solution that seems to work well for me.



Are my knives as sharp as some of the member's knives sharpened with a Wicked Edge? Nope. But my knives are sharp, and the Work Sharp is super simple to use in maintaining the blade.

After using several different sharpeners and not really getting the results I wanted I finally got a Wickededge setup.

I have used it on about 10 of my knives a buddies at work with fantastic results.

Has been worth every penny.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
First a disclaimer. I've always sucked at sharpening knives. As such, I opted for a simple solution that seems to work well for me.



Are my knives as sharp as some of the member's knives sharpened with a Wicked Edge? Nope. But my knives are sharp, and the Work Sharp is super simple to use in maintaining the blade.

This is what I use. The last grit used polishes the edge nicely. I use it now on everything. It's easy to setup, and change belts, and use. And I was able to use it to sharpen my wife's hoe.

Flat stones. All kinds, but mostly diamond.

My Barkies, I use approximately this method.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQCkKPGSOtA

Other grinds will get flat diamond hones followed up with ceramic sticks.

I've bought a few sharpeners, but the KME system is by far the best I've used. I keep a small logbook on which knives are sharpened at what particular angles and the slide gauge on the handle makes repeatable angle touchups effortless. I put a black sharpie in the case along with the logbook and its a great system.

https://www.kmesharp.com/

When they get really dull and/or nicked up I use a Spiderco Sharpmaker and work through the progressive grits. If they are still somewhat functional but just aren't as sharp as I like them, then 10 - 15 passes on each side of a 12" Messermeister Ceramic Rod brings them back very nicely.

I may invest in the Work Sharp unit for use with some of my shop blades which tend to get abused.

That DMT Coarse/Fine is a good diamond stone to get a quick edge. You'll find that with some practice, you'll be able to get it @ 90% as sharp as an expensive sharpening system. The trick is to maintain the same angle, consistently. So start slow, try and figure out the angle you need by eyeballing it. I've known folks to black magic mark the edge and look at it with a magnifier to help that process. As the black disappears you can tell which direction you are not going.

I have that very stone and I like it cause it's real quick. I can have all of my wifes kitchen knives done in short order. I grab the knife, get it the angle I want, and pull the blade towards me, turn it over and push it away, as if I am slicing cheese. In a few short passes it's sharp. You can feel the edge if it's biting in too much you have the wrong angle, back it off a tad. If it's been a while between sharpenings, she'll nick the edges quite a bit, thats a longer process but I basically do the same thing (on the coarse) but a hell of a lot more of it to make the nicks disappear (or make them smaller), then a few strokes on the fine. Just moderate pressure, let the stone do the work. I usually put a few drops of water on the stone and keep it damp. Not sure if that's necessary anymore, but back in the day they noted that small metal particals could collect and clock up the pores of the diamond stone, use of water helped minimizes that and so I still do that if there's water around.

A single tooth file can jump start that process if they are real badly nicked up. Just remember, ALWAYS use the same angle. One side then the other side. If it's not sharpening for you, you have the wrong angle.
*File at 17% (or whatever the angle of that blade is) -stroke stroke then check, stroke stroke.
* Coarse at 17% angle, -stroke stroke then check, stroke stroke.
* Fine, same angle, -stroke check, stroke check done. If I feel I have a particularly fine sharp edge, I may lightly make a reverse pass to slightly dull the very tip of the edge and it stays sharp longer.

Easy to just grab it and do it than type it. BTW, I own a full Apex set and a full Lansky set. Both work fine and will get your edge sharper than you can by eye, but are slow. Always go with diamonds.


Apex
https://www.amazon.com/Edge-Pr...System/dp/B00BFFY8JI

Lansky
https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-...HCEHGES8SSCQ49S11TNV

Knife sharpening is a manly skill. As such it will be frowned upon by many feminist groups and the politically correct. But take heart, there are books on the subject. Buy one, then read it. Are you ready for a sharp knife. They are sometimes harder to use than a dull one. Particularly a cheap knife that is dull. Not much to lose.

Back when I was a young teen, maybe 55 years or so ago, I'd been reading all the gun an hunting magazines and seeing the articles on outdoorsmansip. They all included detailed instructions on how to do it. Some even conflicted with others.

So one summer day when I didn't have lawns to cut, I took our "sharp knife drawer" out on the back step and set to work. I sharpened away for hours. Dad was too cheap to buy new store bought knives, so he made them himself. I was really proud of my handwork. I could shave the little hair my arms had on them. I could cut paper into thin strips. All the tests they praised in the magazines.

So my parents came home and my mother set to fixing supper. Suddenly we heard a scream, like she was being murdered or something. We ran to the kitchen to find my mother with a nice cut on her thumb. She'd been cutting against that thumb as she always had, and now for the first time the knife did what it was designed to do. OK, dad was pissed at me. So he took the drawer out and proceeded to dull each one on the same step. When they were each dulled down so they probably wouldn't cut warm ice cream, he declared the job done. I was ordered to leave my mothers knives alone if I wanted to keep eating.

Mom had terrible knife handling skills, but they sufficed. If she was, say cutting celery or tomato's, they bashed their way along. That kind of leads us to another skill. That of looking at a cut to see if the instrument was sharp or dull as hell. Get yourself a magnifier and start looking. Better still, the next time you have something you want to cut, get a normal kitchen knife and one you know (or think) is sharp. Make a series of cuts and look at each. Pay particular attention to where the knife enters the object. Sharp knives just slice their way in. Dull ones kind of crush, especially if there is a skin on the outside.

Both will cut a tomato. Just not the same way.

Just picked up a Wicked Edge Go from Amazon. Progressing skill with a variety of non-expensive blades. I obviously need more stones, though.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
First a disclaimer. I've always sucked at sharpening knives. As such, I opted for a simple solution that seems to work well for me.



Are my knives as sharp as some of the member's knives sharpened with a Wicked Edge? Nope. But my knives are sharp, and the Work Sharp is super simple to use in maintaining the blade.

I have no clue what I am doing, so I bought one of these. Makes an acceptable edge, not as sharp as I'd like but good enough.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
First a disclaimer. I've always sucked at sharpening knives. As such, I opted for a simple solution that seems to work well for me.



Are my knives as sharp as some of the member's knives sharpened with a Wicked Edge? Nope. But my knives are sharp, and the Work Sharp is super simple to use in maintaining the blade.

I have no clue what I am doing, so I bought one of these. Makes an acceptable edge, not as sharp as I'd like but good enough.

You can use one of these to make an edge EXTREMELY SHARP once you refine your technique! Remember to work each side of an edge until you can feel a slight burr the length of the edge on the other side. Work the other side until you can feel a slight burr the entire length of the edge on the beginning side. Then just do the same with finer and finer belts. Just remember that if you don't get the burr the length of an edge you haven't completely sharpened that side.

You can remove the burr between belts by slicing through a wine cork or soft 2x4. You might try an edge with the burr removed on some of the coarser belts on whatever you are cutting and see if you find the "toothier" edge to function better than a finer polished one.

The Work Sharp is an excellent tool and can do superb work with a little refined technique and practice. Just remember to go a little slow at first, you can always take off more metal but you can't put it back! :-D