Is your interest in sharpening on the same level as your interest in knives?

[spyderg]

Hello folks,

A random question for your sharpening masters, if you are skilled at freehand do you ever use a guided system?

Would you recommend someone newer to sharpening to go guided, or suck it up and use stones. I've used a wet stone on my tenacious
and got it back to a descent edge... but I also dulled the crap out of my Cudeman mt5 which already came a little dull as is. The later all comes down to technique and practice makes perfect... But I keep eyeballing the Wicked Edge because across the board it seems to be the best system...
I'm just waiting to bite the bullet, or assess other options.

I decided I won't buy a new knife, until I buy descent sharpening equipment to maintain them all properly.

I by no means consider myself a master, but I can get a pretty good edge when I’m feeling patient enough. I use a Lansky guided system then finish freehand on the Spyderco doublestuff. In between sharpenings I touchup on the doublestuff as well. I cheat on my kitchen knives and use the Worksharp.

[vivi]

Hello folks,

A random question for your sharpening masters, if you are skilled at freehand do you ever use a guided system?

Would you recommend someone newer to sharpening to go guided, or suck it up and use stones. I've used a wet stone on my tenacious
and got it back to a descent edge... but I also dulled the crap out of my Cudeman mt5 which already came a little dull as is. The later all comes down to technique and practice makes perfect... But I keep eyeballing the Wicked Edge because across the board it seems to be the best system...
I'm just waiting to bite the bullet, or assess other options.

I decided I won't buy a new knife, until I buy descent sharpening equipment to maintain them all properly.

I use a mix of free hand and guided. All of my bevels are ground free hand (it usually shows :rolleyes: ), and my microbevels / touch-ups are more 50/50. I usually free hand them on a Spyderco bench stone, but sometimes I'll use the sharpmaker out of convenience. It often comes down to whether or not the bench stone needs cleaned.

As far as going free hand or guided, there's no wrong answer. Different people value different things.

Some people want the most precise looking bevels possible, in which case I'd suggest a guided system.

Some folks enjoy developing a skill, so free hand suits them best. (Not to imply guided systems require zero skill or knowledge of sharpening)

I view it like I do cooking. Some people enjoy executing a perfectly cooked multi course dish from scratch. Others just want to eat. :)

[razorsharp]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpF-Nu2BTts/ nothing quite as satisfying as getting an edge like this freehand.

[vivi]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpF-Nu2BTts/ nothing quite as satisfying as getting an edge like this freehand.

Very impressive!

[Brock O Lee]

Voted other. I have an interest in sharpening, and I like it when the mood takes me, but I prefer to do it less often because it can be hard work.

I normally prefer to invest time upfront with a good reprofile with the EP, then just maintain the micro bevel on the SM.

My first full sharpening after the initial reprofile is normally freehand with DMT Diafolds as the bevel is already set and it is quick. Micro with the SM. Repeat.

[Tucson Tom]

I have had this thread floating in a tab in my browser for weeks and have read it over several times.

I am already making my New Years resolution. 2019 will be the year of knife sharpening! I am going to watch all these You-tube people (I am already watching Michael Cristy) and see if I can teach myself how to freehand sharpen. I'll try to invest in sharpening equipment before buying any more knives.
Maybe I don't need a KME after all, but as some said, there is no shame in using a guided system.

A few people made the comment that "you don't know a steel until you have some experience sharpening it", along with "a knife ain't mine until I have put my own edge on it".

And then there are some who say they enjoy sharpening as much or more than the knives themselves. This reminds me of some shooters who say that they enjoy reloading ammunition more than they do shooting. I know myself and I am that kind of individual.

[Pelagic]

Rough Rooster Knife Sharpening is a good channel. He has steady hands.

[DBCOOPER]

1542244014298239.jpg

Love it!!! That just makes me giggle LMFAO

[DBCOOPER]

I started with the lansky system which I got good results but till then I never could free hand sharpen, but once I got the lansky it just clicked in my head and it was almost natural, tho I don't have many free hand stones and I'm kinda ocd, so I prefer the perfect lines I get with a guided system, (I've seen most people's free hand results and I'm not that good just able to obtain razor sharpness, just doesn't look good like some people's °ehm *Vivi* ehm°)
So I've upgraded to the wicked edge go and I love it!!

[anagarika]

I have had this thread floating in a tab in my browser for weeks and have read it over several times.

I am already making my New Years resolution. 2019 will be the year of knife sharpening! I am going to watch all these You-tube people (I am already watching Michael Cristy) and see if I can teach myself how to freehand sharpen. I'll try to invest in sharpening equipment before buying any more knives.
Maybe I don't need a KME after all, but as some said, there is no shame in using a guided system.

A few people made the comment that "you don't know a steel until you have some experience sharpening it", along with "a knife ain't mine until I have put my own edge on it".

And then there are some who say they enjoy sharpening as much or more than the knives themselves. This reminds me of some shooters who say that they enjoy reloading ammunition more than they do shooting. I know myself and I am that kind of individual.

You will enjoy BF Maintenance, Tinkering & Embellishment subforum. Reading the stickies are recommended as a start. :cool:

[Eli Chaps]

I have had this thread floating in a tab in my browser for weeks and have read it over several times.

I am already making my New Years resolution. 2019 will be the year of knife sharpening! I am going to watch all these You-tube people (I am already watching Michael Cristy) and see if I can teach myself how to freehand sharpen. I'll try to invest in sharpening equipment before buying any more knives.
Maybe I don't need a KME after all, but as some said, there is no shame in using a guided system.

A few people made the comment that "you don't know a steel until you have some experience sharpening it", along with "a knife ain't mine until I have put my own edge on it".

And then there are some who say they enjoy sharpening as much or more than the knives themselves. This reminds me of some shooters who say that they enjoy reloading ammunition more than they do shooting. I know myself and I am that kind of individual.

Dude, that is awesome! Be careful with Michael Christy, like Big Brown Bear (Deadboxhero), he's on an entirely different level. :D :eek: I really enjoy watching and marveling at his results but rarely do I try to emulate them. As said, Rough Rooster Knife Sharpening is good too. JDavis882 doesn't post any more but has some great stuff as does Dean O, Outdoors55, and some others.

And, as anagarika said, definitely check out the M, T, & E section of Blade Forums. Very helpful and generous people there.

Last night I put a keen edge back on my Dragonfly 2 that normally resides in a "junk" bowl next to my recliner and sees quite a bit of utility type duty. I was so happy with it when I was done, that this morning, the Manix 2 LW stayed home and the D'fly got to come out for the day. :)

[Tucson Tom]

Dude, that is awesome! Be careful with Michael Christy, like Big Brown Bear (Deadboxhero), he's on an entirely different level. :D :eek: I really enjoy watching and marveling at his results but rarely do I try to emulate them. As said, Rough Rooster Knife Sharpening is good too. JDavis882 doesn't post any more but has some great stuff as does Dean O, Outdoors55, and some others.

And, as anagarika said, definitely check out the M, T, & E section of Blade Forums. Very helpful and generous people there.

Last night I put a keen edge back on my Dragonfly 2 that normally resides in a "junk" bowl next to my recliner and sees quite a bit of utility type duty. I was so happy with it when I was done, that this morning, the Manix 2 LW stayed home and the D'fly got to come out for the day. :)

A lot of stuff to digest. I have "mined" all the recommendations I could out of this thread and saved links to them in my own index.

The only thing I could not track down was JasonB (Jason Bosman) from Blade Forums.
If he has a YouTube channel or YouTube alter-ego anyone can point me to, it would be appreciated.

I'll pay special attention to Big Brown Bear given that he is a regular participant on this forum.

I watch Michael Christy working away with a knife in one hand and a stone in the other. I can't decide if he is only putting pressure on the push stroke or if he is using both back and forth motion to work the edge. And he seems to have a way to feel when he has the angle right. I am still looking to see if he has a video to explain the basics from his point of view.

[Pelagic]

Michael Christy is using pressure on both the push and pull stroke of each pass. He uses that motion to save time, and keeps his scratch pattern perpendicular to the cutting edge to preserve bite. In contrast, Rough Rooster only uses forward strokes, which takes longer (partially negated by him using large plates/stones) yet typically yields a smaller burr. You can also angle your scratch pattern to favor aggression on pull slices or push slices. I often do the former when sharpening a knife I plan on cutting rope with. Christy uses stone in hand for the challenge, and the aspect of not relying on anything to get the edge he wants.

[Tucson Tom]

I've been watching some of the videos by jdavis882.

So far the main thing I have learned is that I need a Spyderco 306UF in the worst way.

Thanks Pelagic, for your tips and insight into what Christy is doing. Challenge eh? Part of the challenge is not cutting yourself!

[Pelagic]

Haha, light pressure helps with that. I've had my knife slip off a pocket sharpener before and knick me when doing fast back and forth motions. The lighter the pressure, the less severe any cut would be if you made a mistake. Another benefit to doing it Christy's way is that it's typically easier to maintain that angle. Before you know it, you've reprofiled that side already. No one can hold a steady angle forever, so getting it done quickly can have its benefits. When I'm done, I look at my bevel in the light and slowly rotate the knife a few degrees, watching the reflection move from the apex to the backside of the bevel. This tells me how consistent I was with my angle (to what degree I convexed the bevel). I always shoot for perfection and never get it, but I'm ok with being close. Burr removal is a huge skill in itself, so while using back and forth motions may raise a slightly larger burr, it's good practice removing it. It's best to minimize burr on every stone before moving on. Burr removal is certainly possible without stropping (also good to practice), but if you ARE stropping, as Christy has pointed out, (if nothing else) you must completely remove all of the burr on your first strop. The spyderco UF stone does a great job of weakening the burr even if you don't completely remove it. Christy normally hits both sides twice on the UF stone to help with this. He did a video on carbide tear out once, talking about ceramic not being able to cut vanadium carbide. It is my opinion that the stone is only making contact with the higher ridges of the scratch pattern (basically hitting the mountains and not the valleys) as it refines the edge. So even if carbide tear out is an issue, it won't be happening across the entire bevel nor apex. I also feel that using a series of diamond-load strops after the UF stone essentially negates any undesirable effects of this phenomenon. The UF stone seems to be a great choice when a fine edge is desired, on any steel.

[dodgie02]

There is absolutely no shame and zero wrong with choosing to use a guided system. I know there are a minority of free handers in the knife world who look down their noses at people using guided systems and that is unfortunate. I'm just thrilled when knife folks decide they want to keep their knives sharp. What you use to get there matters a whole less to me than the fact that you want to get there. Yes, free handing can be special in its own right, but not everyone wants to go there. And some have physical conditions that may make it nigh impossible.

Yes, that last sentence sums up my life. When I was younger I got hit by a car and my right wrist suffered. Should have gotten surgery in hindsight but ignorant young me thought he'd walk it off instead. Nowadays I lose all power in my right hand when I twist it wrong, or apply too much pressure followed my a painspike. My freehand skills are basic and there was no point in honing those skills as I can't maintain a level bevel when the stress accumulates when going through grit processions.
Few years back I came back from my knife-hiatus because I discovered the edge pro, completely changed it all for me.
Had no idea there was a snobby attitude towards guided systems. Also, I am fairly certain that Apostlep on YouTube was pretty apt at freehand sharpening, although several years back he transitioned to the apex pro and swears by it, right? So I'm inclinedu to think (and speaking from personal experience) it can't be that bad, or does it stem from the simple fact one used a tool to get great results?
Great thread with great recources!

[vivi]

It's best to minimize burr on every stone before moving on. Burr removal is certainly possible without stropping (also good to practice)

Quoted for truth.

I'm working on putting together a video on sharpening myths / common mistakes. One of the big points I'll be discussing is relying on a strop to remove the burr rather than trying to eliminate it on stones.

I'm of the opinion that if you have a detectable burr, it's too early to strop.

[anagarika]

It's best to minimize burr on every stone before moving on. Burr removal is certainly possible without stropping (also good to practice)

Quoted for truth.

I'm working on putting together a video on sharpening myths / common mistakes. One of the big points I'll be discussing is relying on a strop to remove the burr rather than trying to eliminate it on stones.

I'm of the opinion that if you have a detectable burr, it's too early to strop.

Agree. Just recently came to this stage.
It is indeed a long journey, and I just circle back to 8Cr13MoV after hitting S110V rock :o

[anagarika]

Dude, that is awesome! Be careful with Michael Christy, like Big Brown Bear (Deadboxhero), he's on an entirely different level. :D :eek: I really enjoy watching and marveling at his results but rarely do I try to emulate them. As said, Rough Rooster Knife Sharpening is good too. JDavis882 doesn't post any more but has some great stuff as does Dean O, Outdoors55, and some others.

And, as anagarika said, definitely check out the M, T, & E section of Blade Forums. Very helpful and generous people there.

Last night I put a keen edge back on my Dragonfly 2 that normally resides in a "junk" bowl next to my recliner and sees quite a bit of utility type duty. I was so happy with it when I was done, that this morning, the Manix 2 LW stayed home and the D'fly got to come out for the day. :)

A lot of stuff to digest. I have "mined" all the recommendations I could out of this thread and saved links to them in my own index.

The only thing I could not track down was JasonB (Jason Bosman) from Blade Forums.
If he has a YouTube channel or YouTube alter-ego anyone can point me to, it would be appreciated.

I'll pay special attention to Big Brown Bear given that he is a regular participant on this forum.

I watch Michael Christy working away with a knife in one hand and a stone in the other. I can't decide if he is only putting pressure on the push stroke or if he is using both back and forth motion to work the edge. And he seems to have a way to feel when he has the angle right. I am still looking to see if he has a video to explain the basics from his point of view.

(My) BF teachers & mentors:
This is Jason Bosman: https://youtu.be/2VizLyNOr0s
And this: HeavyHanded
https://youtu.be/_dYZe5uGoQA

Basic but interesting: jackknife demoing using mug (uploader is his ‘student’)
https://youtu.be/SEMLu8e34ck

Michael Christy does explain his technique but I forgot which video. He use both eyesight (apex touching stone) and feel. That’s why he sharpens with edge facing him.

I have been habituated to sharpen spine facing me, using distance to stone as guide. Definitely less precise and should rely more on bevel flush to stone (Secret no. ? Of Brian’s Seven Secret -> BF sticky).

[Naperville]

I'm "in" for as many knives as I can get a hold of. Right now I'm at around 85 knives and $20,000 invested.

I'm also in for the best sharpening systems I can fine. 2019 is the year!