Sharpening a Knife

[FeistyKat]

Hi, all-

I own a Tri-Angle Sharpmaker and have 2 whetstones on the way.

I have a kitchen full of knifes, including a 25 year old set of Henckels that have never been sharpened, and cut like it, and several Spyderco folders that need to be sharpened, one of them being a Native Stainless Steel AUS-10 that is REALLY dull.

I'm assuming that I will need to use the whetstones on the various kitchen knives, possibly finishing up with the Sharpmaker, and will want to use the Sharpmaker on my Spyderco's, including my dull Native SS, but I hate to assume.

There are lot of resources on YouTube, etc, but it's difficult to sort out the good information from the dross.

I'm hoping to compile a boat load of information & links in this thread that will help me (and others) get started on becoming a competent sharpener of knives. If you know of any good threads on the forum, feel free to provide a link.

Looking forward to picking your brains....

Chris

5/25/20 EDIT: I'm adding URLs from this thread to this post, to make them easier to access:
Community Sharpening Journal
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=84678

The low grit sharpening thread
viewtopic.php?t=85096

Diamond rods inferior to CBN rods?
viewtopic.php?t=68482

Compendium of tips for sharpening serrated knives
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=84544

I need some clarification before using the Sharpmaker for the first time...
viewtopic.php?t=86247

Spyderco Triangle Sharpmaker Instructional DVD
https://youtu.be/5LBDnJv5B58

Loupe: Asking for advice / recommendations please
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=82628

Is it possible to sharpen knives by only stroping?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=86723

Triple B Handmade / Big Brown Bear
https://www.triplebhandmade.com/

[Wartstein]

For sharpening really dull knives (or for reprofiling) it would be better to use your wetstones initially (assuming that at least one is coarse enough) or get CBN or diamond rods for your sharpmaker. The brown rods will do the job eventually, but on really dull knife it will take a lot of time and effort

On sharpening your folders with the Sharpmaker:

- Don´t let the knives go really dull in the first place
- Use just little pressure on the rods (less than you might think is necessary!), especially for the finishing strokes
- DO those really very light finishing strokes, alternating from side to side with each pass
- Get a lupe in order to being able to see what you´re achieving
- Don´t let the tip of the knife slip off the rod if possible (it will round off the tip over time)
. Watch the instructional DVD!!!
- Search the forum, there are a lot of usefull threads here already

Here is a great one on sharpening serrated knives (the very first post and the vid there tells you about all already):
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=84544

Here is a very recent thread on using the SM
viewtopic.php?t=86247

[Albatross]

I learned sharpening from Murray Carter's YouTube videos. I remember him sharpening a butter knife, just to shave with it, to prove that you really can get any knife "shaving sharp", with ease. At that time, there wasn't much in the way of good, reliable advice or demonstrations on YouTube. Now, years later, there are many good tutorials available.

Big Brown Bear has some excellent videos about sharpening, which range from how-to, all the way to which abrasives give the best results. He has videos about Japanese whetstones, along with how to use them, and how to maintain them.

Michael Christy also discusses and demonstrates sharpening, with a few different techniques. In some of his earlier videos, he used the Spyderco Sharpmaker rods, without the base. He would use them to freehand sharpen. His technique could be duplicated on the Sharpmaker, if his style is appealing to you.

As Wartstein recommended, watch the instructional video for the Sharpmaker. Sal does a great job explaining how the sharpener is intended to be used. From there, you can try other techniques, if you feel they might be easier.

Guided, or fixed angle systems are best for starting out, since they take away the angle variable, so you only need to focus on getting the knife sharp, by forming a burr. Once you understand the basics, bench stones or whetstones, are the next logical step for a beginner. If you have high-end kitchen knives that need sharpening, you might want Japanese whetstones, diamond stones, or CBN. Truthfully though, most kitchen knives can be sharpened on the Sharpmaker. If you look at the bottom of the base, there are 2 grooves. Set the base upside down, place the rods in the grooves, and you now have a ceramic bench stone, with 2 grit options.

Barkeeper's Friend is an excellent thing to have around, when you're using a Sharpmaker, since the rods tend to clog up with metal from time to time. If the rods get to a point where they feel less aggressive and you're not getting results as quickly as you should, some water and Barkeeper's Friend, will clean things nicely. I used to just wet the rods, sprinkle some BF on them, work it in with my hands, until I feel the rods gripping my skin a bit. This meant the rod was cleaned, and could be rinsed.

Good luck to you on your journey, but be warned: you've stumbled on quite the rabbit hole. :D

[sal]

Hi Chris,

Your Sharpmaker comes with a DVD on using the tool. I would suggest that you watch it closely. It is designed to give you an overall view on sharp edges. We invented the Sharpmaker because sharpening knives with a flat stone is not easily done.

Having flat stones with no experience is like having a piano and not knowing how to play it. There is a learning curve. As Warstein mentioned, the first "rule" is not letting your knives get very dull. Break in the corners of the brown stones as shown on the DVD. Diamonds or CBN rods are a nice addition to save time, but the learning is the first activity.

sal

[FeistyKat]

Hi Chris,

Your Sharpmaker comes with a DVD on using the tool...

sal

Hi, Sal-

I've had my Sharpmaker for about 20 years and I don't think I received disc (would have been a CD, I think?)

I've found the 4 videos on YouTube, but haven't watched them yet. Do they contain the same information as the DVD?

Best,

Chris

[sal]

Hi Chris,

The Sharpmaker has been shipping with a video for 20 years. It's the one where I personally demo the tool. For using the Sharpmaker, I think it's the best.

Have you been using your Sharpmaker for 20 years??

sal

[Cambertree]

Here’s a thread which compiles useful sharpening experiences and experiments from this community:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=84678

I have a fair few benchstones, pocketstones and ceramic and diamond rods of different kinds, and I think I could still get by very well if I was just limited to a coarse benchstone, the Sharpmaker, and a good loupe.

But, personally, if you already have a Sharpmaker and haven’t been using it much, then I’d follow Wartstein and Sal’s advice and just concentrate on being able to get a freshly resharpened edge with that first.

Albatross has some excellent advice and recommendations as well.

The advice to get a loupe might sound strange, but I find it an essential piece of kit that will speed your learning curve and help immeasurably in understanding what is going in with your edges.

Like knives, there’s a lot of cheap junk out there which kinda works ok, but since we’re on the Spyderco forum, I recommend something fit for purpose, like the Belomo 10x Triplet - a high quality, durable, professional tool with Zeiss glass.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BelOMO-10x-Tri ... 1040079004

The most common mistake beginners make (like with riflescopes) is to buy something with too high magnification - which severely narrows the field of view.

[sal]

Thanx for the help.

I agree with the above suggestions. The Sharpmaker and a loupe will help you understand what's happening on the edge. The edge is a ghost. It's been around for tens of thousands of years. Yet we still study it. From rocks tp partical metallurgy. Re-creting that edge, or any edge is part of the study of edges. Once you achieve success in getting a edge sharp, then you can take that study anywhere that interests you. We have people out there that whittle hair under a scope. Stones, fixtures, "V sharpeners, strops, paste, diamonds, CBN, etc. etc.

Happy trails.

sal

[Surfingringo]

Hi Chris,

Your Sharpmaker comes with a DVD on using the tool...

sal

Hi, Sal-

I've had my Sharpmaker for about 20 years and I don't think I received disc (would have been a CD, I think?)

I've found the 4 videos on YouTube, but haven't watched them yet. Do they contain the same information as the DVD?

Best,

Chris

Hi Chris, yes, the 4 videos on YouTube are the exact videos that come with the sharp maker CD.

[Doc Dan]

I would also recommend using magic marker/Sharpie to color the cutting edge on your blades. That way, you can see if you are actually sharpening the blade, need to reprofile, or you are just not doing it right.

[Wartstein]

Hi, Sal-

I've had my Sharpmaker for about 20 years and I don't think I received disc (would have been a CD, I think?)

I've found the 4 videos on YouTube, but haven't watched them yet. Do they contain the same information as the DVD?

Best,

Chris

Chris,

this link should include the whole instructional film in one:

https://youtu.be/5LBDnJv5B58

It really tells you everything you need to know about sharpening with the SM.

Just as a remark: In the vid generally sharpening at 40 degrees incl. is emphasized strongly, many on this forum will sharpen their knives to a more acute angle (30 degrees) though on the SM and perhaps apply a microbevel (40)

For some variations on sharpening SE blades see the first link in my previous post.

And let me add two things:

- I am not a master sharpener at all, but the Sharpmaker makes it easy for me to get good results
- I waited much to long to get a loupe. I could sharpen my knives without a loupe just fine using the SM, but the closer look on the edge still taught me a lot and definitely helped to improve my results

[FeistyKat]

Murray Carter...Big Brown Bear...Michael Christy...instructional video for the Sharpmaker...Barkeeper's Friend

I have a can of Barkeeper's Friend under the sink!

And I will start googling the above names after I get through the monster thread reco'd by Cambertree and finish watching the Sharpmaker video.

Have you been using your Sharpmaker for 20 years??

sal

Hi, Sal- Yes, but not often. It's pretty much NIB. I don't think I've even washed the rods yet (or need to.)

Here’s a thread which compiles useful sharpening experiences and experiments from this community:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=84678

Ok, that is what I was looking for. What a monster thread!

The Sharpmaker and a loupe will help you understand what's happening on the edge.

I have a magnifier that should do the trick:
https://www.amazon.com/SE-Illuminated-D ... 419&sr=8-3

This is the whetstone set I ordered:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018W ... UTF8&psc=1

I'll be using the whetstones on my kitchen knives & maybe finish up with the SM. I have a few beater knives in the kitchen drawer that were my mom's or mother-in-law's. I'll start with those, then move on to the Henckels. They probably aren't anything special, a set my wife & I bought for $200 at Costco almost THIRTY years ago. Wow. They have a lot of sentimental value though. They also have a lack of tips thanks to my kids. I guess I'll be learning how to put a new tip on a knife...

For my Spyderco knives, I'll stick with the SM, although reviving my Native SS might take a bit of work. But it's worth it.

I'm looking forward to getting "up close & personal" with my blades when I sharpen them.

I would also recommend using magic marker/Sharpie to color the cutting edge on your blades.

I have Sharpies. And a loupe. I'm looking forward to the learning experience.

[Bloke]

This is the whetstone set I ordered: ...

Hi Chris, I have a similar stone I sometimes finish Scandinavian ground blades on. I think you may find it a little too fine for setting bevels and if it’s anything like mine you may find it wears fairly quickly which isn’t an issue per se but it may require flattening fair regularly.

If I may, I’d suggest you buy a simple Silicone Carbide stone with a coarse and fine side and some Windex for lube, to practice with and for setting bevels. :)

[ThomC]

some Windex for lube

A man of your experience should know better Bloke...

[ThomC]

Jokes aside, the community sharpening journal has a wealth of info and tips.
The best thing I took away from it was the fact that you should apply very little pressure to your knife when sharpening, be it on a stone or a guided system.
Work on your angles, use a sharpie and you'll get there. It takes time but it's oh so worth it !

[sal]

Hi Chris,

Just my opinion, but I think you will need more magnification to be effective. At least 10X- 12X. Also I think your stone is far too fine for dull knives.

sal

[MacLaren]

I took Sal's advice on a 10x loupe long ago, and it has really paid off.

[Thunderpants]

Someone mentioned Michael Christy's videos. With all due respect I think this is not a good place to start. The whole whittling-individual-human-hairs thing is pretty weird and over the top for those of us who simply want to get a tomato knife cutting again. I understand that sharpening stuff and making insanely sharp edges is a hobby for some people but the average bloke is going to be happy if a knife goes from crumpling paper to slicing through it.
I'm a cheapskate and so far my sharpening gear consists of, well, just one triangular stick (fine) from a sharpmaker. This does the trick for me but obviously by itself it isn't much use trying to revive a totally knackered edge (as I found out when I tried to fix an old axe with it!)

[Tucson Tom]

Get a Belomo 10x loupe and you will thank yourself.

As for the sharpmaker video, I am pretty sure you can find it on Youtube. At least I did and watched it there -- it saved me walking into the house from the workshop and negotiating with my wife to let me play the DVD. I've never actually played the DVD I received.

The sharpie and the loupe set me on the right road. The other hot tip has already been mentioned -- you need very little pressure, especially when you are trying to improve the edge on a knife that is already fairly sharp. That edge you are working on is a tiny little thing.

[Albatross]

Someone mentioned Michael Christy's videos. With all due respect I think this is not a good place to start. The whole whittling-individual-human-hairs thing is pretty weird and over the top for those of us who simply want to get a tomato knife cutting again. I understand that sharpening stuff and making insanely sharp edges is a hobby for some people but the average bloke is going to be happy if a knife goes from crumpling paper to slicing through it.
I'm a cheapskate and so far my sharpening gear consists of, well, just one triangular stick (fine) from a sharpmaker. This does the trick for me but obviously by itself it isn't much use trying to revive a totally knackered edge (as I found out when I tried to fix an old axe with it!)

He has taught a lot of basics, all the way to advanced techniques, and even some theory. From the outside, it does look like he's only about sharpening to crazy levels of sharpness, but that's not completely accurate.

If you can get a medium rod, you will have all you need to sharpen most knives. The fine, as you noted, isn't great for making drastic changes to your knives, but it will make a great finishing stone. When I transitioned from a Sharpmaker to bench stones, I first used the SM rods freehand.

Some people are skilled enough, to get a knife to whittle hair, with just a single stone. No strops needed. Technique is much more important than an arsenal of sharpening gear.