Sharpening Blades

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TNTreeHugger

TNTreeHugger

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I've watched a couple of videos, different people, on how to sharpen a carving knife blade.
Both different equipment, different technique.
This one looks impressive and easy, but I can't find the items for sale.


They both agreed on
1) Shaping
2)Raising a burr
3) Sharpening/polishing

This article seems to be a contradiction to that video? :oops:
https://paulsellers.com/2013/10/debunking-myths-mysteries-scary-sharp-methods/
I tried the paper test with the Morakniv that just arrived... does it need further sharpening on a strop?
sharptest.JPG
What do you use for your hand carving knives?

Also... how to sharpen other blades, like hedge trimmers, hoes, and an ax?
 
So, while I'm waiting for my PPE to be delivered, I decided to try and make my own strop.
I have this piece of hide someone gave me a few years ago and I spotted the board at the $$ store yesterday.
Going to cut two pieces, suede for one side and leather for the backside.

I think it'll work - especially since a guy in one of the videos said he knows woodcarver who uses the compound on a piece of pallet wood. My idea should work better than that. :yes:
DSC05215.JPG
 
I actually prefer wet stones for sharpening , usually Chorundium & Arkansas for sharpening and Ceramic or Diamond for honing , I very seldom use a stope . I use 4" × 8" bench style stones for my hunting and fishing knives , hatchets & axes . I also have several 1" x 3" pocket stones for my pocket or folding knives . The paper or hair shaving technique confirms that your edge is properly honed . For stroping a good hardwood block with lapping compound , jewlers rouge or even tooth paste can achieve a very fine edge . However I find these techniques rather extreme for my needs lol.
 
I use a slick steel which does the same thing as a strop. It stands the rolled edge back up and hones new edges. The strop is easier to use for someone that has never used a steel. What a slick steel or strop does is it stands the edge up but really doesn't sharpen a blade, the edge has to be there from the sharping stone and all the slick steel or strop does is polish the edge. After one polishes the edge so much there will be a time the edge has to go back on the honing stone and start over.
 
I didn' read all the above commends but enough to say everyone seems on the right track. As far as a strop goes I find that they are good to maintaining a honed edge a bit longer than not using one. If you are making a strop mounting soft leather on a board with contact cement seems to work best. I use a chunk of Bass Wood to test my sharpening. By going across the grain you will quickly see where your blade needs additional work. Also by making a slice with the grain after honing your blade will help take off any metal that may not want to leave the blade. Years ago when I first started carving I used oil bench stones and a hard white Arkansas but about 30 years later moved on to Japanese whet stones which in my opinion work much better than oil stones. The 6000 grit wet stone produces such a mirror shine that you can actually use it as a mirror when shaving. Terry
 
TNTreeHugger said:
I've watched a couple of videos, different people, on how to sharpen a carving knife blade.
Both different equipment, different technique.
This one looks impressive and easy, but I can't find the items for sale.


They both agreed on
1) Shaping
2)Raising a burr
3) Sharpening/polishing

This article seems to be a contradiction to that video? :oops:
https://paulsellers.com/2013/10/debunking-myths-mysteries-scary-sharp-methods/
I tried the paper test with the Morakniv that just arrived... does it need further sharpening on a strop?
View attachment 896148
What do you use for your hand carving knives?

Also... how to sharpen other blades, like hedge trimmers, hoes, and an ax?
Click to expand...

I've got a round, two-grit stone for my "axe"
 
I have tried everything from oil stones to diamonds. All take too much time. I now use the same machine and technique in this video.

Quick & Easy Knife Sharpening 2 - YouTube



The only alteration I have done is to make the base the sharpener adjustable so you can set whatever angle you want. Works great and is lighting fast. You really appreciate it when you need to sharpen numerous knives.
 
TNTreeHugger said:
I've watched a couple of videos, different people, on how to sharpen a carving knife blade.
Both different equipment, different technique.
This one looks impressive and easy, but I can't find the items for sale.


They both agreed on
1) Shaping
2)Raising a burr
3) Sharpening/polishing

This article seems to be a contradiction to that video? :oops:
https://paulsellers.com/2013/10/debunking-myths-mysteries-scary-sharp-methods/
I tried the paper test with the Morakniv that just arrived... does it need further sharpening on a strop?
View attachment 896148
What do you use for your hand carving knives?

Also... how to sharpen other blades, like hedge trimmers, hoes, and an ax?
Click to expand...

That’s my YouTube channel and products :) ask any questions you have, also check out my Instagram:

You’ll see me demonstrating videos like this one ;)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTjqR2FJLZK/?utm_medium=share_sheet
If you’d like prices and info on my sharpening system just email me at [email protected]
 
TNTreeHugger said:
Well, I didn't know, you're a celebrity! :numberone:
Already subscribed...
My woodcarving has been put on hold - been side-tracked by tadpoles. :laugh:
Click to expand...
Hahaha no worries! Well you know you can ask me any questions if you have any now :)

here is some of my work though since tennis elbow I have been unable to carve.

541BF9AE-053B-42FB-B7A8-678DEDAEFD86.jpeg6763205E-5FD6-45A4-80AF-090DF4513254.jpeg17184E7B-1391-4F1D-8302-DFF613C0991D.jpeg08D20203-A9F9-4CE7-B2D8-C120BF2D0B3E.jpeg
 
When sharping knifes a good method I taught my employees in the meat shop was the "10 count down" method. We used Norton 12" stones, course, medium, and fine. You start with the course rock, 10 strokes alternating each side, next 9 strokes, 8 strokes, and so on till you get to one, then move on to the medium rock an do the same, then the fine rock. At this point you should have a sharp edge you can feel. We steel the knife on a slick steel to polish the edge to a razor sharp edge that will shave hair. Setting a blade up this way a meatcutter can cut meat for days with just using a knurl steel and a slick steel to prep the edge. I notice in the vid above he pulled the edge backwards on the abrasive, we sharpen the edge by pulling the edge forward like taking a slice off the rock.

Then depending on the size of the knife and how it is used will determine at what angle you sharpen the blade say 20, 30, 40 degrees, meatcutters use 20 degrees. Then there is the direction in which you sharpen the blade, heal to point, or point to heal. On big butcher knifes you cut by pushing the knife into the meat, on butcher knifes you would sharpen from point to heal. this way the micro serrated edges will point forward on the blade toward the point. This takes advantage of the serrated edges and the forward motion of cutting.
On say a 6" Boning knife or a Trim knife you pull the knife to cut, you would sharpen this knife from heal to point, this way you take advantage of the micro serrated edges pointed backwards or toward the heal.
 
I find the best sharpening system is the one that is ready and efficient when I’m working. Getting a blade close is a whole process that happens well before the real work. I strop quite often when actually working (a leather apron is great for rouge touch-ups without even standing up). My finer stones and strops are set up on a table so if I turn an edge or create a nick I can fix it in seconds and never have to work with steadily worsening tools. I also find I’m way faster because I sharpen often so I’m in practice.
I like a file, oil stones and sand paper for roughing in a blade. Water stones, sand paper and a leather strop keep everything ship-shape. I’ve got a bench grinder set up for slow speed stone and buffing as well but I find the round of the grinder difficult to use.
 
the good ones from back in the day were made from hard tool steel ( at least D2 plus heat treatment) there were some with ceramic discs for awhile, but it is easy to chip the sq edge on those.
 

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