How do you sharpen your favorite blades?

[DerBiermeister]

And I am talking from kitchen knives all the way up to your favorite folders and fixed blades?

I guess my whole life, I've been using the hand-me-down oil stone that came from one of my grandfathers. It works ok, but I've never been able to
A) determine the original bevel angle of the blade, or
B) to replicate it or even maintain any consistent angle for the length of the blade.

Recently, I've thought about a belt tool called the Work Sharp,

http://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-WSKTS-KO-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00EJ9CQKA/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1437333391&sr=8-15&keywords=knife+sharpener

but it scares me in it would be awfully easy to grind off too much of the metal. In addition, while looking pretty neat, it has one basic flaw. The jig holding the angles uses the belt on the upstroke for one side of the blade, but when you go to the other side, it is the downstroke of the belt. And because of using a belt, it also doesn't put a flat bevel edge on your knife. It is a curved edge, which I don't want. I want to maintain the beveled edges on all my knives.

I've also looked at this device called the Wicked Edge. But wholly crap, they want an arm and leg for just the basic model.

http://www.wickededgeusa.com/product/wicked-edge-precision-sharpener/

If you decide you want to get back to a factory, mirrored finished edge -- then you've got to step up to the Gen 3 Pro - $700. Forget that!

http://www.wickededgeusa.com/product/generation-3-pro/

It has two very distinct advantages though

There is no other device in the world, for the average guy, that will provide the exact original bevel angle consistently and also you easily control just how much you really want to work the blade. Anywhere from repairing a heavily damaged blade down to just a quick finishing touch-up. One problem though -- the vice won't open any wider than 3/16" (0.188"). One of my blades (OKC 3S bayonet for my Mossy) is 0.200" thick.

It is getting damn expensive to live in this modern world.

Anyway, I've probably opened up a can of worms -- but it will be interesting to hear how you all sharpen your blades.

[Arklatex]

1593

Here is some of it. Most of the time I use a simple whetstone. I have ceramic rods for a couple of knives that are of the "supersteel" variety. I have a small and large strop and some compound, that will keep your blades in great shape if you use it often. For axes and machetes I use a file or a lansky puck. And I have a harbor freight electric chainsaw sharpener that works great and is way faster and easier than a file set.

I'm not sure I like the work sharp for me personally. But I have a friend that owns one and he loves it. Especially when he's processing whitetails.

[hawgrider]

Ive always used an Arkansas white stone and a drop or two of gun oil for finishing on carry and hunting knives. Touch up and for kitchen knives a simple sharpening steel.

[Inor]

My "go to" stones for sharpening are a pair of Japanese water stones. I have one in 800 grit and another in 5000 grit. It does take some time to get a good slurry built up, but once that is accomplished, they sharpen a knife or chisel REALLY fast. Then I will usually finish the edge with a leather strop charged with green jeweler's rouge.

[Tks]

My method: Hey babe, sharpen this for me. Works every time.

Hubs is kind of a freak about keeping our knife sharp. He uses a ceramic rod out of a coal power plant (unused). It's about a foot and a half long and two inches wide. We have a soap stone too but I've only seen it used when he's sharpening his pocket knives while he's working on the road.

[Txwheels]

Coarse Arkansas and fine Arkansas for initial sharpening, then a small, pocket, fine diamond steel for touch ups.

[Pauls]

I have Arkansas stones, man made hard stones, diamond three stone set, even a crystal glass honing stone but what I use most - for everything from my pocket knives, hunting knives to my kitchen knives is my 12 inch long 1/2 inch diameter ceramic rods. I have a quick cut and a low cut rod. I use the low cut rod before I use the knife and before I put it away it is used again. I always warn people that my knives are sharp and they always comment that they are the sharpest knives they have ever used.

A quick note about moving belt and disk grinders - unless it is a wet stone slow speed knife stone the only time any kind of grinder is used on a blade is during its manufacture and before heat treating. The quickest way to ruin a good knife is to touch it to a sanding belt or a high speed disk grinder. They will over-heat the edge faster than you can say "oops". Once it is over-heated that edge will never be a knife again unless you re-heat treat it and if it got too hot all it is good for is opening letters.

[DerBiermeister]

A quick note about moving belt and disk grinders - unless it is a wet stone slow speed knife stone the only time any kind of grinder is used on a blade is during its manufacture and before heat treating. The quickest way to ruin a good knife is to touch it to a sanding belt or a high speed disk grinder. They will over-heat the edge faster than you can say "oops". Once it is over-heated that edge will never be a knife again unless you re-heat treat it and if it got too hot all it is good for is opening letters.

Exactly. That is the second reason I steered clear of the Work Sharp.

[Dwight55]

I bought one of those 4 colored blocks at Harbor freight, . . . got a double grit whetstone, . . . and a piece of leather with some jeweler's rouge on it, . . .

One of those tools will sharpen just about any knife blade I have.

May God bless,
Dwight

[A J]

I used Lansky sharpeners for 25+ years.

In the last month I bought an Edge Pro Apex with Shapton glass stones.

Definitely an upgrade, especially for sharpening longer knives (with the Lansky you have to re-clamp every few inches to sharpen long knives).

The Edge Pro is essentially a guided water stone method.

AJ

[DerBiermeister]

This is what I bought today. Somehow in my research I tripped across this sharpening system.

Similar to I guess the Lansky or Gatco sharpeners but with much more precision.
The other thing I like about it is that it will hold big knives with thick spines.

(watch the enclosed video)
http://www.oldawan.com/sharpening-supplies/sharpening-systems/kme-sharpening-systems/kme-precision-knife-sharpening-system-now-with-4-kme-gold-series-hones-and-the-generation-ii-low-profile-vise-jaws/

Here is the video that caught my attention:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RBZri33xec&feature=player_detailpage


I had a long talk today with the guy that makes the KME system. He is located in northwest NJ, and will talk knives and sharpening until you fall asleep. We talked for what must have been 45 mins. I bought directly from him as he will match the lowest price you can find on the internet and also provides free shipping with USPS priority mail. He only makes the system with Diamond stones today and he explained in much detail why.

He will gladly answer any issues you may have with his system. I can't tell you how much I already learned from just talking to him today.

100% made in America -- in fact, in this guys basement.

[OSFG]

i sharpen mine on the flesh of muslim terrorists....leaves a nice smooth edge but a bit dry...so i lubricate it repeatedly with bacon fat....

allahu i like beer!!!!