Knive sharpening advice

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Knive sharpening advice

Post by bawoog » 28 Feb 2014, 11:27 am

Hi,

I'm after advice on sharpening knives and seeing what you guys find works best.

A stone or steel? The sharpening machines or whatever they're called... You know the ones.

Will be for a single edged pretty standard 'hunting' knife if it makes any difference.

What do you guys find gives the sharpest edge?

Cheers.
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by Chronos » 28 Feb 2014, 11:33 am

Hey mate, what kind of knives do you want sharpened?

I give our kitchen knives to our butcher when he has the blade guy coming around and the bloke does them for about $3-4 each.

A steel (I use a diamond coated one) will only maintain an edge, not sharpen a dull blade. A klevasharp is a quick way to bring back a really bad knife http://klevasharp.com.au

Buy yourself a good stone, one with two grades is best then practice on an old knife.

There are some good vids on YouTube and the pictures are worth a thousand words here.

Chronos

Edit: lansky also make some gear but I find it quite fiddly to use
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by Chickenhawk » 28 Feb 2014, 12:56 pm

There are good easy units like the klevasharp these days which I reckon you're best off with.

Just easier and less hassle than the stone and steel.

Can't call myself an expert at doing it, but I find it too easy to accidentally ruin your edge with the stone and undo the good work you just did.
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by Warrigul » 28 Feb 2014, 6:22 pm

Find a good ALUMINIUM OXIDE stone(a reddish colour), usually a dual grade one is best. These are harder than the grey coloured ones that discourage many people when they try to sharpen a decent knife.

Then learn how to use it and practice.

Tha aluminium oxide ones are dearer but last forever, mine is in its twentieth year.

I don't use a steel normally but there is one at the shack I will use to straighten an edge with occasionally, many people think they are to sharpen but they are only for straightening the edge when it is turned.

All my hunting knives are either victorinox, mundial or swibo 5 or 6" curved boners I carry six when I go, five in a roll and one on my belt. I seldom bother sharpening in the field just do them in a batch at home on the bench, when fishing i carry a combi sharp tungsten carbide tool and this is okay for touch ups.

Three quality curved or straight five or six inch boners will cost around $90 and last the average bloke twenty years, just don't let the missus use them.

Just my two cents worth.
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by Seconds » 01 Mar 2014, 7:37 am

Isn't there some difference in stones required for the steel too?

I was under the impression that (as a general rule of thumb) there were often differences between European steel, Japanese steel etc.

Japanese steel for example I thought preferred ceramic sharpening stones?
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by lole » 01 Mar 2014, 7:45 am

A mate of mine is a chef and has Global knives which are Japanese (?).

He uses the ceramic stuff, not sure if that's more of a cooking scene thing or if anyone does "hunting" knifes is these metals too?
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by Herdsman » 01 Mar 2014, 8:28 am

I know the one.

It's that Cromova Vanadium steel. Maintains an edge better than regular stainless I think is the idea.

Dunno what difference that makes to sharpening though...
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by Herdsman » 01 Mar 2014, 8:31 am

Actually here you go. From the Global site on sharpening their knives.

There are several differences between waterstones and ceramic stones. A waterstone must be placed in water and allowed to soak for 10-15 minutes to allow it to absorb sufficient moisture. A ceramic stone also requires water, but only needs to soak in water for 3-5 minutes. A ceramic stone is harder than a waterstone, so it will sharpen your knives more quickly. A ceramic stone will last longer and will not develop valleys or grooves as easily as a waterstone.


Bawoog, they have a how-to on sharpening knives in general on their page too which you might like to read, here: Sharpening knives.
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by 5Tom » 03 Mar 2014, 4:40 pm

Because I don't have any proper knife sharpening tools, I lay some very fine grit wet/dry sandpaper on a hard, flat bench and run my knives over it for a few minutes, always at about 10-15 degrees for the blade. I do this with my dual-blade Stanley knife at work and my hunting knifes. It probably won't be as sharp as using the above methods and tools, but it has certainly kept my work knife extremely sharp.
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by handofcod » 03 Mar 2014, 6:51 pm

A bit of a knife knut here. I use a leather strop glued to a wooden paddle and then use sharpening compound worked into the leather. It's a much more forgiving process because of the convex curve. All my knives are hair popping sharp.

The leather strop and compound can be bought very cheap online.
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by Gregg » 04 Mar 2014, 10:32 am

"sharpening compound" as in a lapping compound?

Or is that something different?
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by handofcod » 04 Mar 2014, 5:57 pm

Gregg wrote:"sharpening compound" as in a lapping compound?

Or is that something different?


It's polishing compound I guess. I've never used it for any other purpose though. I use the black for sharpening and the white for finishing and polishing. Just google 'Stropping Compound' and you'll see what it looks like.
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by Gregg » 05 Mar 2014, 10:17 am

Cheers mate.

I will take a look.
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by Monty » 05 Mar 2014, 10:27 am

handofcod - How long does the leather strop take compared to a sharpening stone out of curiosity?
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by handofcod » 05 Mar 2014, 4:58 pm

Depends on how blunt it is and what type of steel is used in the blade. On a bevel edge the strop will eventually wear down the shoulder and it will become convex but it will still sharpen the edge in the meantime. Most of my pocket knives are like this and it works just fine - even on S30V steel which is pretty hard. It takes maybe 5 minutes of stropping to bring it back to where it will 'pop' some arm hair in half if you drag it lightly through your arm hair (I'm a hairy bugger so this might be more difficult for others). If the edge is more spoon than knife then no amount of stropping will get you a good edge. You have to remove a good deal of material to reform the cutting edge and that takes a coarse stone or a sand belt etc.
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by Warrigul » 05 Mar 2014, 5:34 pm

handofcod wrote:Depends on how blunt it is and what type of steel is used in the blade. On a bevel edge the strop will eventually wear down the shoulder and it will become convex but it will still sharpen the edge in the meantime. Most of my pocket knives are like this and it works just fine - even on S30V steel which is pretty hard. It takes maybe 5 minutes of stropping to bring it back to where it will 'pop' some arm hair in half if you drag it lightly through your arm hair (I'm a hairy bugger so this might be more difficult for others). If the edge is more spoon than knife then no amount of stropping will get you a good edge. You have to remove a good deal of material to reform the cutting edge and that takes a coarse stone or a sand belt etc.


I got Pops old shaving strop and the jar of "Leather dressing" he used to use on it out last night, it marginally improved a stainless boning knife(a very acute angle on these) but really made an old Gregsteel carbon knife razor sharp. Both were hair shaving sharp to start with as I consider myself pretty good at sharpening but the strop was definately worth while, especially on the carbon steel.

I am going to go down this path further in the near future,

Thanks.
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by Rippah » 07 Mar 2014, 1:05 pm

Chickenhawk wrote:Can't call myself an expert at doing it, but I find it too easy to accidentally ruin your edge with the stone and undo the good work you just did.


I find I do that a bit too.

I sometimes get a pretty decent edge going, then give it a few more passes and test and I've made it worse.

Then gotta go back a step and bring it up again.

Can't call myself an expert either though, so very likely my fault :lol:
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by handofcod » 07 Mar 2014, 2:03 pm

Using a leather strop largely eliminates that problem. On a stone if you don't get the angle just right you are either blunting the edge or wearing down the shoulder. On a strop this is much more forgiving because the 'give' in the leather maintains the same angle against the cutting edge (within reason).
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by gazza » 07 Mar 2014, 9:36 pm

I use a big old belt and water to finish . I'm going to try some polishing compound.
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by arlandriax » 11 Mar 2014, 4:23 pm

I picked up a spyderco sharpmaker. by far the best sharpener i have ever used. excellent results, very safe and almost fool proof. $60 well spent
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by chilliman » 11 Mar 2014, 9:00 pm

lole wrote:A mate of mine is a chef and has Global knives which are Japanese (?).

He uses the ceramic stuff, not sure if that's more of a cooking scene thing or if anyone does "hunting" knifes is these metals too?


I have a set of Global knives and use the Minosharp ceramic as recommended by Global. I then strop them on a leather strop. these knives are super sharp and hold an edge well. I don't let them get too dull so all it takes is 2-3 minutes per knife every 6-8 weeks and they will do anything in the kitchen.

I've used the Minosharp on other knives, it works pretty good but not quite as good as it does on the thinner bladed Globals. for general duty knives I use an AccuSharp Knife Sharpener, it works pretty quick and makes 'em sharp.

I have done some straight razor sharpening using lapping film and waterstones. the lapping film can be used on knives too but I've only used it on straights. the film works really good on razors!
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by bawoog » 12 Mar 2014, 1:56 pm

Thanks guys.

I think the leather strop and sharpening compound sounds like one worth trying.

Gunna give that a go :)
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by chilliman » 12 Mar 2014, 2:12 pm

bawoog wrote:Thanks guys.

I think the leather strop and sharpening compound sounds like one worth trying.

Gunna give that a go :)


hi bawoog

understand that a strop and compound won't sharpen a dull knife - they are for finishing off an already sharpened knife.

stones and steel put a fine lip on the sharp edge, the strop is used to straighten or realign the cutting edge.
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by handofcod » 12 Mar 2014, 6:50 pm

chilliman wrote:hi bawoog

understand that a strop and compound won't sharpen a dull knife - they are for finishing off an already sharpened knife.

stones and steel put a fine lip on the sharp edge, the strop is used to straighten or realign the cutting edge.


Have to disagree with you there. It's true that if there is no edge geometry left at all you won't have a great time using a strop but it's no different to using a belt sander (it'll just take a lot longer).

I don't ever use a stone unless I'm sharpening a family member's kitchen knife and they've run the edge down to a spoon. Stropping will definitely sharpen a dull knife. You just have to use the correct compound, in my case the black compound (not sure what micron) is plenty aggressive enough to sharpen a blunt knife.
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Re: Knive sharpening advice

Post by chilliman » 12 Mar 2014, 8:12 pm

handofcod wrote:Have to disagree with you there. It's true that if there is no edge geometry left at all you won't have a great time using a strop but it's no different to using a belt sander (it'll just take a lot longer).

I don't ever use a stone unless I'm sharpening a family member's kitchen knife and they've run the edge down to a spoon. Stropping will definitely sharpen a dull knife. You just have to use the correct compound, in my case the black compound (not sure what micron) is plenty aggressive enough to sharpen a blunt knife.


hey HFC - yes I suppose you are correct to a degree (and me incorrect to a degree) - if you keep at it long enough eventually you'll get a dull knife sharp with strop and paste alone but that is not its generally accepted use. it makes it more fun if we don't agree on everything. 8-)
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