Knife sharpening

I have managed to accumulate about a dozen feet of blades that néed sharpening.
I have pondered a lot of things from power tools to spending all winter with a whetstone.
It I can get them all sharp again, I'm good for another ten years.

Pep, in autumnal Cameron, MO

I use 4 things to sharpen....

1" belt sander
Stone
Strop with 600grit lapping compound on it
And a steel.

Takes me about 3 minutes to sharpen a blade...
Using the 10,5,4,3,2,1 method.

Even my tomahawks will shave hair..... and I file them... :grin:

I use polishing wheels charged with polish-o-ray to kick up the initial bur. But only when I have a wheel set up for polishing gun parts. The 120 grit will do it in one stroke.

I recently got a set of diamond stones. They run from 280 to 2000 grit. They make short work. The key is to kick up the bur as fast, safely and conveniently as possible. A belt sander, buffer or big stone will do. Work one side pretty good then the other. Do not flop over with every stroke. Once you have a bur finish off with a sharpening steel.

IF you are using power tools take care not to draw the temper. Also think ahead about what will happen if the blade gets grabbed. I once closed a pocket knife on my finger with a buffing wheel. I was very lucky not to cut any nerves or tendons. Wear a glove! Those kelvar ones butchers were are very sensible.

I use the work sharp Ken Onion model. It is a very good sharpener.

I'd recommend a KME (or the Lansky - I use the KME) or sharpener with the diamond stones. I prefer bench stones, finishing up with the hard black (surgical) Arkansas stone. Until I got a few D2 steel blades and then I had to learn how to use diamond.

I sharpen my knives a LOT more often than 10 years. Even the D2 needs to be sharpened after a few deer. Usually I touch them up with 10" "V" ceramic sticks in a wood base. When they pop arm hair off they're ready.

Power sharpeners are the quicker-screwer-upper. I want to minimize the amount of metal I have to remove.

http://www.kmesharp.com/kmeknshsy.html
http://lansky.com/index.php/precision-sharpening-kits/

I had a Wen wet wheel for a long time now.
Does and excellent job giving a hollow ground edge.
Inexpensive and effective. https://www.google.com/search?q=wen+wet+wheel&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

I second the suggestion of Stumpkiller. I have used a Lansky for years and they are great for knife sharpening.

+2 :thumbsup:

also carry a cheap archery sharpener for touch up during skinning

Never needed anything more then a fine Ouachita. Don't let them get that dull

I have a Spyderco Triangle Sharpmaker and it works great for me.
https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=77

I use a Lansky sharpening jig. It comes with a series of four stones of different grits, but you can buy extra stones. It keeps your series of stones (coarse, medium, fine, extra fine, etc.) at the same exact angle for the best sharpening. It can be set to different angles depending on what you are sharpening. I highly recommend it. Once I have my blade(s) sharp, I touch them up as needed with a set of ceramic rods. They do a dandy job of touching up a blade without changing the angle.

:metoo:
I have used Lansky for a number of years and have found it gets my knives as sharp as I need them to be. IMO
snake-eyes :hatsoff:

I have sharpener i built that looks like wicked edge sharpener and it does a great job. my son in law got a moose last week and used a knife i sharpened for him and skinned the complete animal without having to touch it up. I sharpen at 22 degrees a side. Jake

PeP you have all winter,take your time,save some!! then when the wife "finds"you something to do,,fall back regroup and say," I would love to do that ,,but I have to finish sharpening my knives", I don't use a power grinder on my blades,If I used it that rough I want to remember not to in the future.I carry a pocket stone and touch the blade up as needed, as I use it.

:metoo: :thumbsup: The Lansky works great for me. I took it to work one time to sharpen a couple of knives when things got slow. Co-workers saw what I was doing and were amazed at how sharp my knives were. Then they asked if I would sharpen their knives. I did.... and their kitchen knives. It was like a snow ball rolling down hill. :rotf:

I had a cousin that would keep his pocket knife razor sharp by swiping it repeatedly on his leather boots in front of the TV. Once a guy came by selling household sharpeners and he made a deal he would buy one if the saleman's knifes were sharper than his pocket knife. Smiling the salesman pulled out his thick hemp rope and in two swipes cut it half. Cousin Bobs sliced it effortlessly in a single swipe. So I'm guessing if one has leather boots and a TV and starts with a good sharp blade it can do the trick! :hmm:

It's simple, all you need is one of these and you can sharpen all your knives in short order.
http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tri-Angle-Sharpmaker/dp/B004HIZKHE

I read about these on either this forum or an old west one I post to. I was not fully believing this could do the trick, but I've sharpened a bunch of my knives using this and it really sharpens them razor sharp.

There are good videos on YouTube showing how these work. Pretty simple and they really do the trick.

I used my Spyderco sharpener for many years. It does an excellent job. These days at home I use my Smiths Tri-Hone which has fine, medium and coarse stones. I usually don't let anything get dull enough to need the coarse stone. In the woods I always carry a small Smiths Arkansas stone to touch up my blade. That gets it shaving sharp. If I'm bored and want the blade even sharper I'll strop it on my belt.

I'm actually surprised... :shocked2:
For a traditional forum.....I thought there would actually be a lot more people that knew how to sharpen their knives and didn't rely on sharpening gismos with preset angles... :idunno:

It's a skill worth learning..... :v

Well we buy our caps n powder on line and dont stock up at rondevous after a 300 mile trek each year or two? :hmm: