Knive sharpening

[ctafoya]

Just wondering if anyone else has as much trouble as me. I have a coarse, medium, and fine stone. I use stone oil and an angle finder. I just can't seem to get my knives sharp. Any pointers?

[Ghosthunter]

Buy a lansky. Best sharpener I have ever used and pretty hard to mess it up.

[Coach]

The Lansky/Gatco system is a great idea, but not very well made in my opinion. For a little more $$ you can get a KME which uses the same basic design but is much sturdier and better constructed.

 

http://www.kmesharp.com/kmeknshsy.html

 

I have one and love it. The only better way to put a great edge on a knife is the old traditional "free-hand" method with a combination of wet stones, but that is an art form in itself. I hate dull knives and have tried a lot of different sharpeners, and so far the KME is the best one I have used.

[muledeerarea33?]

KME is what I use now, a friend of mine started building knifes from scratch, he's way way!!! Into it lol. He sharpened every knife in my house with the KME kit. When he left back for Philly, he left the kit as a gift. I'm no good with it but I've cut many fingers with the ones he sharpened. Hope I get to use the skinner he's makin me come December!!

[Blade]

I'm probably going to have some people laugh at me for saying this but I'll say it anyway. What I use to put a finish edge on a knife is a ceramic light bulb i got out of the tunnel between Supeiror and Globe. If you have a knife with good steel, dont abuse it, and keep up with sharpening (dont let it get dull) its pretty much all you need. I grow a beard before every hunt and after the hunt is over i shave it off with my skinning knife; its kind of a tradition. My face has never come detached from my head so it must work pretty good.

[Coach]

Blade, not sure if what you are talking about is the same thing I found. I have a ceramic block that came out of some power lines. If you use Arkansas stones or Japanese water stones, this particular ceramic block has a hardness that I haven't seen in commercial sharpening stones. I can post up a picture, but it looks just any white ceramic block.

 

As I am trying to learn how to sharpen by hand, I start with diamond sharpening stones or any coarse stone with oil or water, depending on the stone, then slate (Arkansans stone), then down to this hard ceramic, and finally a leather strop. When done right, you get the "pop" of hairs when shaving with it. There are a lot of degrees of sharpness, like how does it cut paper, or hair. If you lightly pull the blade against your forearm skin and the hairs "pop" off, you know it's beyond surgical sharp. If the hairs lay over or take pressure to cut you are close to "shaving" sharp. If you are chapping the skin, and still not shaving hairs, it's dull.

[Lv2hnt]

Used the Lansky sharpener since back in the '80s; great device over the years. It's been surpassed pretty handily now by the Work Sharp blade sharpener! Knives, scissors, axes, shovels --- you name it. Talk to any knife builder; they'll give it their approval. On-line, or I know Sportsman's Warehouse carries them, if nowhere else near you ...

 

[sherman]

I thought I took a lot of time sharpening knives but dang I might need to work mine over again I use a old wet stone that is a fine stone and get them to cut the hair on my leg I just hate a cheep dull knife

[rclouse79]

I bought razors edge knife sharpener. Thought it was pretty cool until I bought a havilon knife. Now all those other ones I sharpened stay at home or in my truck.

[THE RIFLEMAN]

I have tried several of the skinning knives with the disposal blades and I liked them. Most of the time I use an old/antique green river knife and a set of 440 stainless taxidermy knives to take care of biz! Easy to sharpen. Never been a fan of carring a big ole hunk of steel on my belt when I can get the job done with a pocket knife! I usually have a machete layin around if I gotta hack a head off or commit homicide!

[ctafoya]

So I gave it another go this morning. I quess I wasn't applying enough pressure on the blade. Got em all nice and sharp now. One thing I cant't figure out is serated blades and gut hooks. I heard that using the bottom of a ceramic coffie mug works. Anyone have any luck with that method?

[Outdoor Writer]

I had been using the Spiderco system for years to sharpen my hunting knives. It has two grades of triangular ceramic stones and also diamond sleeves that slip over the stones for rough shapeneing.

 

BUT..after reading the thread cited below, I decided to spend the $70 for the Worksharp electric jobbie. Best investment I've nade this year. After it arrived, I spent less than two hours to sharpen every knife in the house, including those with serrated edges. I even sharpened a couple scissors. I tried to sharpen my Lab's canine teeth, but he would have none of it.

 

 

http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID5/20491.html

[resolute]

Worksharp

[twowindy]

The havalon knife is the only way to go.The small one is great for deer and the larger one works great for elk.

[AZbowhntr]

+1 on the havalon. Nothing sharper and just swap blades when one gets dull.