How do you sharpen your knife?

[YancyW]

I have a Wicked Edge mounted to my reloading work bench. I can get anything knife to hair popping pretty quick, I then use a strop to keep it that way for a while.

 

[cajunchefray]

When I started this thread, I probably should have added “and at what angle”.

In my shop, most of my knife sharpening take place on the Ken Onion work sharp.

My workers use the company knives “Victorinox” 12”” blade “Blaze Orange handles. After skinning elephants are very dull, chipped etc. the Ken Onion makes short work of a dozen big knives.

As a working R&D Chef for 30 years, around the world, I always consider knives in use in food processing. I have many types, including Japanese "Damascus" type forgings. These are nice for cutting onions, but when you need work....

VICTORINOX (a brand of Swiss Army Knives) are the best value for money for food processors, worldwide. Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, they work.

Just a stamped steel blade, but damn good steel.
The largest Beef Cattle slaughterhouses in the United States use Victorinox (Forschner is the restaurant brand). 5000 head per day, quartered with large circular saws, then the quarters are broken down by hand with Victorinox knives into roasts, steaks, etc.

A crew of knife sharpeners maintain the blades 24/7, with a machine like the Work Sharp.

I find it VERY interesting that PH's like @Tokoloshe Safaris use these knives for skinning elephants! That has got to be a big job, I would like to see the men in action.

 

[Dewald]

I don’t use the guide they provide, I do it by eye and have a gauge for my axe that I use to verify edge angles.

I only have 3 fine kitchen knives; chef’s, paring and boning. All are forged high carbon D2 stainless steel.

I wish I had the need (and time) for a Tormek T8 to put razor sharp blades on all my knives consistently.

View attachment 589963

The cheap version of a Tormek, i have an old one, is a bench grinder, with the grinding disks replaced by two equally sized press board wheels. The one gets a stip of 800 grit paper over as step one, while the second has its edges slightly beveled and has the wood polished. The latter only hone the edge to razor sharp.

 

[Daisy]

I was taught to sharpen my knife on stone by my grandad. Would religiously sharpen them the old way.

Was cleaning a deer with a buddy and needed to freshen up. He had a Ken onion work sharp.

Just say I ordered one the next day and haven’t used a stone since. It works and better than I could do in 1% of the time.

 

[Dewald]

I used to use a Lansky a lot. 5 stones from course to field, 3 diamond stones and 2 serrated stones. Problem is it takes long. I still however use it from time to time for serrated blades.

Currently I use a Warthog on most knives at 20 or 25 degrees. The stones are more course on the one side and simply turn around so you finish your blade on the diamond part, getting it razor sharp. I have one in the kitchen, one in the gunroom, and one in the Land Cruiser.

Some knives I sharpen on a 6000 grit wet stone from Zulu Gray, and before shaving, I run my cutthroat over a leather strop.

I forgot to mention, the cane knives used to open shooting lanes for bushpig usually just get a normal bench grinder.

 

[lockingblock]

If I have time, I enjoy oil stones. I generally use 3-4, larger is better. Hard Arkansas and Black Arkansas see the most use, but Soft Arkansas and Translucent are great as well. Honing oil, a cloth, and time…maybe a black sharpie to dye the edge in order to see where it’s removing metal.

However… I have a wicked edge system and it is great.

I also have a set of sticks in a wood block that’s convenient and quick.

If I really want to finish it, I use a strop and rouge.

 

[Safari Dave]

I worked as a butcher during my last two years of high school and first two years of college. We used
only Victorinox and Forschner knives.


In that job, we only used AccuSharp-type sharpeners when knives were really dull and sharpening steel rods to keep them sharp as we were using them.


I wouldn't recommend either for fine knives...

 

[MS 9x56]

@ MS 9x56
If it was really sharp you wouldn't have a finger.
What you have there is just a simple paper cut.
Ha ha ha ha ha
Bob

Only thing that stopped it was the knuckle joint. They took an X-ray and you could see where the blade cut a notch into the bone.

 

[Rule 303]

Only thing that stopped it was the knuckle joint. They took an X-ray and you could see where the blade cut a notch into the bone.

Ouch and ouch again.

 

[HankBuck]

I normally reprofile the edge for specific use on my belt sander and use it to 1000 grit, then go to ceramic stones a very fine Arkansas stone and then a strop. In the field I use a flat very fine Dimond.

BOONE66, the “belt sander” gave Me chest pains but agree with the rest….and I have Buck 105 that I just might try a Belt Sander on because for some reason I can’t that thing past “Butter Knife” sharp

 

[HankBuck]

@steve white
As you know I'm basically a lazy SOB but the Ken Onion work sharp is the best invention since button up boots and sliced bread.
To give my knives a quick touchup I put in an old fine belt set at medium to slow speed. Set the angle to suit the knife then 5-6 passes on each side of the blade and done. I try to make sure I have a few blades to do or it takes longer to walk the ten yards to get it out and plug it in then put it away
I don't use a strop because I can't use one for shit. My blades und up more blunt than when they started. My fine ( read almost smooth) old f. Dick oval steel works for me
Vob

BOB, as much as I don’t want to - might have to buy one of these sharpeners and start “cheating”. I’ve got a couple knives very hard for me to get a razor edge on and the few times I have it took a very long time and I’m not even sure how I did it?? Can’t repeat it with any regularity. Was it tough for You to “admit” You needed help (and a Machine) to do what Cave Men did with Flint & Rocks for 1000s of years? I’m gonna have to go to my Therapist to help my ego get thru this …

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Only thing that stopped it was the knuckle joint. They took an X-ray and you could see where the blade cut a notch into the bone.

@MS 9x56
Stop complaining mate, I've cut myself worse shaving. As I said it's only a little paper cut.
Put a band-aid on it and keep in truckin.
You kept your finger so can still pick your nose so all is well.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

BOB, as much as I don’t want to - might have to buy one of these sharpeners and start “cheating”. I’ve got a couple knives very hard for me to get a razor edge on and the few times I have it took a very long time and I’m not even sure how I did it?? Can’t repeat it with any regularity. Was it tough for You to “admit” You needed help (and a Machine) to do what Cave Men did with Flint & Rocks for 1000s of years? I’m gonna have to go to my Therapist to help my ego get thru this …

@HankBuck
I spent a bit of time butchering in my younger days so had to learn to sharpen a knife properly.
Before that I thought my knives were sharp. Wrong they were sharp but not sharp enough. It was a good learning curve. One of the old timers took me under his wing and taught me how to use a stone and steel properly.
As I got older I got lazier and smarter and got an easy way to do things. Now days I work from the shoulders up not the shoulders down. Brains not Braun.
Bob

 

[WyoBull]

Ken Onion Work Sharp for me. Have used many others over the years but like others have said, I am about working smarter, not harder.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

As a working R&D Chef for 30 years, around the world, I always consider knives in use in food processing. I have many types, including Japanese "Damascus" type forgings. These are nice for cutting onions, but when you need work....

VICTORINOX (a brand of Swiss Army Knives) are the best value for money for food processors, worldwide. Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, they work.

Just a stamped steel blade, but damn good steel.
The largest Beef Cattle slaughterhouses in the United States use Victorinox (Forschner is the restaurant brand). 5000 head per day, quartered with large circular saws, then the quarters are broken down by hand with Victorinox knives into roasts, steaks, etc.

A crew of knife sharpeners maintain the blades 24/7, with a machine like the Work Sharp.

I find it VERY interesting that PH's like @Tokoloshe Safaris use these knives for skinning elephants! That has got to be a big job, I would like to see the men in action.

@cajunchefray
That's cheating having a team of people sharpening your knives for you.
I have found over the years that there are little nuances that make a difference between right hand and left hand users . Take steeling a knife a left handed will put slightly more pressure in one side than the other. This changes things and my knife sharpened for ME may not appear to be as sharp when a right hander uses it, yet it is still razor sharp.
We had to sharpen our own knife when I was butchering. Boning knives are sharpened to a different angle to slicers and slaughter knives are different again. Until plastic handles were introduced green river ruled the roost in our abbitours.
Bob

 

[CoElkHunter]

@cajunchefray
That's cheating having a team of people sharpening your knives for you.
I have found over the years that there are little nuances that make a difference between right hand and left hand users . Take steeling a knife a left handed will put slightly more pressure in one side than the other. This changes things and my knife sharpened for ME may not appear to be as sharp when a right hander uses it, yet it is still razor sharp.
We had to sharpen our own knife when I was butchering. Boning knives are sharpened to a different angle to slicers and slaughter knives are different again. Until plastic handles were introduced green river ruled the roost in our abbitours.
Bob

Bob,
How do you sharpen your Tomahawks?
CEH

 

[BeeMaa]

Bob,
How do you sharpen your Tomahawks?
CEH

On the skulls of the fallen!!!

 

[Boone66]

BOONE66, the “belt sander” gave Me chest pains but agree with the rest….and I have Buck 105 that I just might try a Belt Sander on because for some reason I can’t that thing past “Butter Knife” sharp

I have a knife making belt sander, as I used to make custom knifes. It is really easy to get it to hot and lose the temper, if you don't know what your doing.

 

[MS 9x56]

I was taught to sharpen my knife on stone by my grandad. Would religiously sharpen them the old way.

Was cleaning a deer with a buddy and needed to freshen up. He had a Ken onion work sharp.

Just say I ordered one the next day and haven’t used a stone since. It works and better than I could do in 1% of the time.

Sacrilege

 

[mdwest]

I have a knife making belt sander, as I used to make custom knifes. It is really easy to get it to hot and lose the temper, if you don't know what your doing.

On a 2x72 being pushed by a 2hp motor, I completely agree… even with a high grit belt you can remove a lot of material quickly and generate a lot of heat as well…

On something like a 1x30 being pushed by a .25 hp motor similar to the harbor freight mini belt sander or the Ken onion work sharp, you could still generate too much heat… but you’d have to really try…