Knife sharpening

[Djfan]

No need for the strop, an old fabric type belt with polishing compound makes them razors.

I had bought a leather belt and it shredded pretty quickly. So I just used one dull OG belt that came with it. I had a light bar of polishing compound and was amazed at the results.

What are the RPMs on that system?

 

[Addicting]

What are the RPMs on that system?

It has a variable trigger and I don’t know what the min/max is. I run it wide open on the fine sanding belts for one or two pulls. Then I use the polish one slower, maybe 1/4 speed for 5-6 pulls. It will easily slice a piece of paper off with no rip or tear.

 

[shb]

I used stones for years. And got fairly good at it. But it takes time to do it right. Then I bought a worksharp. Wow. I get my knives razor sharp in no time, even blades that are destroyed. And I'm talking sharp, even at the very tip and where the curve.

Yeah I used to use the lansky stuff, but those work sharps are the easy button.

Broad Heads, knives, kinda spoils you.

Work sharp, and finish on the crock sticks.

Done, and done.

 

[Flintlock hunter]

Smith's Sharpeneng System. Diamond sharpener and fine stone, along with a jig to keep the angle correct.
Shaving sharp edge.

The diamond sharpener also doubles as a flint touch up instead of having to knap a flintlocks' stone

 

[Pewpew82]

Been using a Lansky for years.

 

[Salmonchaser]

On a bad day I would fillet 100 salmon. Over 20 seasons I Got awful good at using a steel to keep my knifes in shape. As others have mentioned a good knife will run a long time with proper tune up with the steel. I did buy a Ken Onion work sharp rig for major tune ups as I just didn’t have the time to use stones on knifes that lived on the dock. I use a steel at home for the good kitchen knifes then Arkansas stones if needed. Small steel in camp to touch up a knife after quartering an elk.

 

[Jamen]

A quality knife and steel will get you really far. If you do not want to do the first initial sharpening depending how many knives you have pay a professional to do it and just keep up on it with a steel. The general hunting knife if properly sharpened to an angle that works for the knife should last the average hunter at least one season. There is variables that would change that but in most cases it should last. I can generally get 6-9 deer out of a properly sharpened buck knife, and they are definitely not top of the line knives.

 

[Fire_9]

I relied on the razor sharp wheels for my grinder for 6-8 years. I think it removes too much material and finally decided to invest some shapton stones. Took me a while to get the hang of it but I enjoy using them now. I still use the wheels for my broadheads but I don't put a knife to it anymore. I think sharpening knife is a skill every outdoorsman should have.

 

[Steiny77]

Butchers use their knives every day to make their living, watch what they do.
No special gadgetry required. They start with quality knives, then keep them sharp by frequently touching up the edge of their knives with a steel.

You won't see many butchers using a buck knife, replaceable blade knives, a fillet knife or the hunters edge kit.

 

[ThunderNocked]

So i always used cheap knives and sharpeners until a couple of years ago - 2016 to be exact.
Now I use good knives for fixed and folding knives - and I've changed how I sharpen.

I want to get a Convex Work Sharp but for now I have a leather strop and compound.
I do all my sharpening on a Leather strop with compound on it. My strops are mounted on a piece of wood. I'm interested in Japanese stones but I think a lot of folks who are serious about knives get a version of the Work Sharp Precision Adjustment - Lansky is the most common brand I hear. Mojave Man makes a good Leather Strop in the communities I'm in.
DLT Trading, or KnivesShipFree have good strop and compounds. I usually use BRK Black, then Green and straight leather if I'm trying to get SUPER sharp.

I carry the pocket sized mini strop in my field kit with black compound on one side and plain leather on the other. This allows me to quickly sharpen and maintain my edge and then really hone it to a polish later if I want.

Sheep Horn Handles by Bark River Knives, Cross Knives and LionSTEEL

Not current as a few of these were gifted or moved - but my most recent collection picture.
Also Field Strop is in the top left - i throw that in my kill kit.

 

[6mm Remington]

Get this!

Three stone kit - coarse - medium - fine


Super C-Clamp (Must have! Makes sharpening a lot faster and safer.)


Ultra Fine stone.


Medium Diamond hone.

Go forth and Sharpen! I love the Lansky Sharpener and I get my blades razor sharp. If you want to get this system and use it I will PM you with some real suggestions help save you on the learning curve. Glad to do it.

David

 

[Salmonchaser]

Hell of a system, I still have the original box I bought back in the early 80s. Don’t use it much anymore but it works pretty dang well.

 

[millerkiller77]

At home, the Spiderco gives me the best results.
In the field, it's hard to beat a lansky pocket sharpener. Buy a dozen, leave one in each glove box, tackle box, gear bin, go bag, etc.

 

[Gut Shot]

Butchers use their knives every day to make their living, watch what they do.
No special gadgetry required. They start with quality knives, then keep them sharp by frequently touching up the edge of their knives with a steel.

You won't see many butchers using a buck knife, replaceable blade knives, a fillet knife or the hunters edge kit.

They don't use hunting knives either. Stiffer blades with a broader edge sharpen better with a stone and strop than a steel or ceramic rod. Thin, flexible boning knives with a small edge bevel will polish right off on a steel.

The real problem is most people haven't been taught how to use a stone to sharpen a blade. It isn't hard to do, it's just so easy to screw up.

 

[Addicting]

Get this!
View attachment 306209
Three stone kit - coarse - medium - fine

View attachment 306211
Super C-Clamp (Must have! Makes sharpening a lot faster and safer.)

View attachment 306212
Ultra Fine stone.

View attachment 306213
Medium Diamond hone.

Go forth and Sharpen! I love the Lansky Sharpener and I get my blades razor sharp. If you want to get this system and use it I will PM you with some real suggestions help save you on the learning curve. Glad to do it.

David

I had one of those and the stones fell off from the plastic and broke when they hit the floor. It only lasted a year or so.

My Work Sharpe is 1000x better.

 

[Flatrock]

If anyone is interested, I have a Work Sharp Ken Onion sharpener that I don't use anymore and would sell it. Maybe sell it for $60 or $70 shipped seems fair? Looks like they're $140 new. Shoot me a message if you're interested.

 

[BRI]

As I said above I've used a lansky for 30ish years. Also have the worksharp Ken Onion but have never really gotten anything even remotely as sharp as the lansky. After reading this thread, I watched videos, read the manual again, watched a couple more videos. Took a dull knife and tried it again. I could get it fairly sharp but nowhere near as sharp as I can with the lansky. Probably won't get rid of the worksharp but rarely see myself using it much.

 

[MThuntr]

Workshop Precision Precision Adjust Elite. Works fantastic can go up to 32 degrees. Con it doesn't do steep angle single bevel broadheads. Doesn't do great for flexible blades

Worksharp Ken Onion Electic belt sharpener. Works great. Easy to get knives dangerous sharp but easy to destroy a knife especially the tip. Preferred method for flexible blade knives

 

[6mm Remington]

As I said above I've used a lansky for 30ish years. Also have the worksharp Ken Onion but have never really gotten anything even remotely as sharp as the lansky. After reading this thread, I watched videos, read the manual again, watched a couple more videos. Took a dull knife and tried it again. I could get it fairly sharp but nowhere near as sharp as I can with the lansky. Probably won't get rid of the worksharp but rarely see myself using it much.

I really like the Lansky Sharpener and find I get perfect razor sharp edges using it. I have a friend who I did several kitchen knives for him. They had been done previously by him or someone else using a Worksharp of other belt sharpener. His experience was that the knives were sharper after I did this with the Lansky, and that they held their edge longer than being sharpened on the Workshop system.

 

[J-Booda]

I really like the Lansky Sharpener and find I get perfect razor sharp edges using it. I have a friend who I did several kitchen knives for him. They had been done previously by him or someone else using a Worksharp of other belt sharpener. His experience was that the knives were sharper after I did this with the Lansky, and that they held their edge longer than being sharpened on the Workshop system.

Great information in this thread.

If you want to get this system and use it I will PM you with some real suggestions help save you on the learning curve. Glad to do it.

If you wouldn't mind, I'd love some suggestions... I don't have enough posts to PM you though...

I have the cheap, knock-off version of the Lansky (bought it years ago) and have only just now started sharpening. I found videos from Grey Beard Green Beret and CoalCracker fairly informative.