Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jack Haskins, Jr. on January 10, 2014 at 20:36

I pasted this from the Spyderco forum.  The smilies didn't transfer.  Wish there were smilies or emotion icons here.  How cum not?

I forgot to mention, I'm going to be playing with this subject and will post any revelations (positive or negative) I find.  I'm at the new discovery level now and hope to learn more.

Jack

Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on March 10, 2014 at 19:29

Well I am pretty good at geometry ....so where are we?

Permalink Reply by Jack Haskins, Jr. on March 10, 2014 at 21:47

Ok, where I stand now is I will stick with the "lift handle" stroke method.  The other method works but it seemed harder to get the hang of than lifting the hand. This issue is mainly for people who are just starting out I think.  People who are happy with how they sharpen and the results may not want to change.  But if anyone has a consistant problem with the bevel being wider or narrower at the tip (for example) they should change something.  So, should he try to fix a bad habit or develop a new technique from start to finish?  That is up to each person.  But or a beginner with no habits (good or bad) I would think learning a defined method is easier and far more satisfying.  Good results quickly are very satisfying.

Stropping is the same.  You just need to use trailing strokes.

Jack

But for me I'll stick with lifting the handle.  The only real mistake you can make is to lift the handle TOO MUCH. That will round off the tip.

Permalink Reply by Jack Haskins, Jr. on June 30, 2014 at 23:20

After playing with this issue for a while I'm now liking the lift handle technique for blade edges that are straighter. Those with a slight curve from heel to tip. But for the knives with a dramatic belly at the tip I get more accurate results by not lifting my handle and as I stroke I push the tip ahead of the handle as in the video. Keep checking the edge bevels as you sharpen. They will show us how consistent we are in keeping the angle as close as possible to the same from the heel to the tip and from start to finish of each stroke. Every single stroke doesn't need to include the entire edge. By checking the edge visually and often you can tell where steel needs to be removed. If you plan to only put one bevel on the edge just focus on keeping the bevels the same width on both sides from heel to tip. When the bevels meet each other the edge will be sharp. At that point it's time to really lighten up the pressure and remove any noticable burrs and then remove any micro burrs that may not be detectable using the normal burr finding methods. Methods like rubbing your thumb or thumbnail off the edge to feel for a burr. Some burrs can be so small I can't feel them. To remove them I raise the angle a tiny tiny bit and let the edge glide as lightly as possible on the stone from heel to tip in one stroke. I do this on both sides a couple of times each. One side then the other. NOT two or three times on one side, then on the other.

If anyone has been trying this stuff and has questions please ask. I'm getting better and better results (sharper edges). I'm not a seasoned sharpener with a technique or method that has taken me years to develop. I'm learning as I go and the results are getting better. Meaning the edges are sharper. The main thing is that free hand sharpening does take quite a bit of practice. You can't just sharpen knives when they are dull and quit. Not if you want the edge you just got to be sharper in six months when you are done with it. Doesn't take a huge amount of time to be able to get a knife plenty sharp enough to be useful. But for anyone who wants sharper than just sharp enough to use it'll take a bit more time. Just like learning anything I suppose. I have gone from being able to shave my arm bald using 2, 3 or 4 passes to popping every hair off in one pass. This amount of difference is extremely noticable when using my EDC knifes during the day. A knife that shaves arm hair in 2 or 3 passes is plenty sharp enough for an EDC knife most of the time. But when the knife in your pocket will shave your arm bare as a baby's butt in one pass every time or whittle a single strand of hair there's a big difference in the cutting it will do during the day. For me it's really satisfying to have a tool perfroming this well. I also like it when on the rare occasion I let someone use my knife they cut something, pause to look at the knife and then continue or make a comment. You can tell when someone has never used a really sharp knife before. One thing that does bug me is a beautiful, high quality knife that doesn't cut well. Ithink an organization should be started to sharpen knives for free for anyone who can't sharpen, doesn't have time or doesn't want to pay someone to sharpen their knives. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone's pocket knife were sharp?

Jack

Permalink Reply by Stephen L. Corley on July 2, 2014 at 9:28

Jack, I have found that not lifting the handle works better with my Mora. All other knives I lift the handle.

Permalink Reply by David Gallup on January 30, 2016 at 16:09

I've mostly rotated the knife without lifting the handle.  This keep the direction of the sharpening exactly perpendicular to the edge.  If you only lift the handle and the tip really has a lot of curvature to it, eventually you are sharpening almost parallel to the edge.