Hey everyone, David C. Andersen here coming at you from the Knife Center, and today we’re
going to talk sharpening.
Whether you are running 440C or S90V, even the most super of steels will need to be sharpened
eventually.
This can be an intimidating task to some, but we’re going to take a look at three
systems that make the job easy and achieve fantastic results.
Let's check them out.
The theory of sharpening is simple.
Using something abrasive, usually a stone, material is removed from one side of the edge
until you can feel a burr on the opposite side along the entire length of the edge.
The process is duplicated on the opposite side.
It is usually best to alternate the side you are working on every few strokes so that each
has a similar amount of material removed, keeping the edge itself even and centered.
Once you are able to raise a consistent burr on each side, you will move to finer grit
abrasives until you achieve the desired amount of refinement on the edge.
The grit you start with will depend on how degraded the edge is, to begin with, and you
can go as high as you want, all the way up to a mirror polish if desired, but you’ll
at least want to go up something in the “Fine” range… at least 1000 grit but often much
higher.
This is by no means an exhaustive overview but is plenty to get you started.
There are myriad ways to achieve the results you need, and today we’re going to take
a look at 3 of our favorite sharpening systems that are suitable for all levels of experience.
The first is the Spyderco Sharpmaker, an intuitive and easy to use device that can achieve hair-shaving
results with ease on almost any steel out there, so long as the edge isn’t so far
gone that you need to reprofile it.
All the elements come in this black plastic case that doubles as a stand, making this
a very tidy package to store when not in use.
There are two preset angles for the stones, meaning you don’t have to worry about maintaining
the proper angle as you would when freehand sharpening on a flat stone.
One way to check and see if the preset angle is matching up to your knife is to color the
sharpened edge in with a black marker.
After a few strokes, if the marks have disappeared, you know you are lined up properly.
Once the brass guards are in place, you start with the corner of the triangular brown medium
stones.
All you have to do is hold the blade straight up and down and place the heel of your blade
at the top of the stone.
Bring the blade straight down, and draw it towards you as you do, so that you hit the
whole edge by the time you reach the bottom of the stone.
Do this twenty times on each side of the blade, then rotate the stones and perform twenty
strokes per side again, this time on the flat side.
At this point, your blade should be able to cut paper, but we aren’t done yet.
Repeat the same steps as before, this time using the fine white stones, starting with
the corner, and then the flat side of the triangle.
Once you are finished, your edge should be hair popping sharp.
The stand also has a couple of other ways of holding the stones, allowing you to easily
sharpen other tools such as chisels, scissors, and even straight razors.
The Sharpmaker is a truly versatile device that is a classic for a reason - it just plain
works.
Another system worth checking out that offers even more control over angle than the Sharpmaker
is the Lansky Universal Knife Sharpening System.
This set comes with a clamp that holds your blade steady and provides guide holes for
the included stones so you can maintain the proper angle for your blade.
Along with honing oil, the standard set comes with coarse, medium, and fine stones and is
a great starting point.
For a little extra money, higher-end sets come with more grits but they can also be
purchased separately, as the standard set’s case comes with extra slots for storage if
you choose to upgrade.
The process here is simple.
Clamp the spine of your blade into place and attach the guide rods to the stones you wish
to use.
Starting with the coarsest stone you need, choose your angle and insert the guide rod
into the proper hole.
Sharpen as described earlier until you can raise a burr consistently on both sides and
then move up to the next grit until your desired sharpness is achieved.
If you want to take your sharpening game to the next level, a powered unit from Work Sharp
may be in order.
WorkSharp has been raising the bar in the sharpening arena by thinking outside the box,
and their Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener is one of our favorite units that they make,
offering fast and accurate performance
Unlike the previous units we showed you, the Ken Onion Work Sharp is driven by an electric
motor, using abrasive belts and an adjustable angle guide to sharpen your edge.
After selecting your angle, set the heel of the blade on the belt, pull the trigger to
start the motor, and pull the blade backward at a rate of one inch per second according
to the manufacturer, stopping the motor before the tip of your knife passes the centerline
of the belt.
Then do the same for the opposite side.
As with all the sharpening methods we’ve shown you, repeat these steps as necessary
until the burr is consistent, then proceed to the next grit until desired sharpness is
achieved.
One thing to keep in mind when using this unit: the motor speed is adjustable, but make
sure you don’t overheat your edge and ruin the temper.
Keep things nice and slow until you are comfortable with the system.
Further enhancing the versatility of the Ken Onion WorkSharp is its ability to accept add-ons
sold separately, including a Tool Grinding Attachment and a Blade Grinding Attachment,
offering a form factor similar to professional knife grinders in a much smaller footprint.
As you can see, there are certainly differences between these three systems, but you won’t
go wrong with any of them.
Friends don’t let friends carry a dull knife, and these are units that we believe in, and
not just because we sell them.
We actually own them.
The units you saw in use today are ones that came from our personal collections where they
have all given years of reliable service.
We love them all, but we are actually offering you a chance to win a Ken Onion Edition Sharpener,
graciously donated by our friends at Work Sharp.
The rules listed below are simple: make sure you have subscribed to our YouTube channel
and leave a comment below telling us which of your knives could use a good sharpening.
In the meantime, we’d like to give a big thank you to Work Sharp for sponsoring this
giveaway and to remind you that a dull knife is a dangerous knife.
Keep your blades sharp and they will serve you efficiently and safely.
To get your hands on any of the great sharpeners featured here, click the link in the description
below to head on over to KnifeCenter.com