Knife Sharpening - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Microdoser
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2021, 12:27:14 pm
content: Every good cook needs a good sharp knife.Thought I would start a thread to talk about how you sharpen your knives. I recently downloaded and printed a knife sharpener on my 3D printer. Obviously I bought some aluminium rods and sharpening stones and there was also a couple of bolts needed.It works fantastically. You print off some angle guides, so you can set it at 0-35 degrees (in 5 degree increments) and go at it.I can now do the 'tomato on the chopping board, slicing off a paper thin slice without holding the tomato' trick you see on many knife videos. My knives have never been so sharp before. I was even using really cheap aliexpress stones.What is your favourite way to sharpen, or do you have any tips?

author: radar_macgyver
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2021, 12:56:35 pm
content: Quote from: Microdoser on August 03, 2021, 12:27:14 pmI see what you did there...I get mine professionally sharpened once a year, and use a honing rod before any major prep session.

author: emece67
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2021, 01:34:09 pm
content: .

author: deadlylover
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2021, 02:28:05 pm
content: I recently purchased a Shapton #1000 whetstone and it's been a ton of fun learning/playing with all the cheapie knives I have around the house. At first I was afraid I might cut myself or somehow destroy everything I touch but in reality, it's hard to ruin a knife that's already blunt.I plan to pick up a Victorinox Fibrox or similar as my first decent knife. I should end it there because I don't need Hattori Hanzo steel to slice an onion....says the guy bookmarking knives for "research purposes only".

author: Microdoser
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2021, 12:48:05 am
content: Quote from: radar_macgyver on August 03, 2021, 12:56:35 pmHaha!, It was totally accidental

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2021, 10:32:16 pm
content: Oh dear. I fear I am going to let the side downI did the thing with wetstones and guides and stuff but it never really worked out. Finally figured that my favourite chef's knife is a silly angle (not so sharp but last a long time). Trouble is it's my favourite with a really nice balance and decent heft to it.So eventually I succumbed and got an AnySharp Plus.It works by basically shaving metal off until the angle is correct, so it's pretty brutal (at least until the knife matches). Indeed, one of the demo videos I recall showed rusty garden shears being wiped through just three times and then used to cut paper (edge on, as you do) and tomatoes, etc. But it is magic, and a quick wipe through once a week or so keeps the knife really keen. No visible degradation yet in several years use. And by several I realise I mean nearly a decade.Sometimes you just need to be pragmatic. I'm there to cut food, not be competition for Japanese katana craftsmen.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2021, 11:21:26 pm
content: In order of when I purchased them, I have:1. A set of Arkansas stones.2. A set of DMT stones.3. A DMT sharpening guide set.4. Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener Mk.2I have not used the Arkansas stones in a long time but they work. The DMT stones are great for larger tools like chisels. I picked up the Work Sharp Mk.2 for sharpening much larger knives more quickly; I am not completely happy with the edge it produces but the price was right for the capability.

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2021, 07:19:38 am
content: I use a Lansky kit, doesn't really matter though provided you understand how to do it (raising the burr and whatnot) and can get down to a fairly fine grit, or even go so far as stropping if you want to go all out.What I find more important is proper use and care, knives don't dull quickly if you use proper cutting boards, dont bang them around, etc.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2021, 11:37:41 am
content: Just in case there's anyone not yet horrified, here's another magic sharpener.I haven't used this on kitchen stuff, but just the other day my garage carpet knife needed addressing. Can't remember where I got this knife but it was cheap, the end has broken off (got used for prying, I think) and I use it when I need a really sharp, flexible but ultimately disposable knife. Needless to say, I've had it 20 years or so and it's my go-to knife, so actually losing it would be a Bad Thing.So, anyway, it was sharp but notreallysharp, and my partner asked what the green thing was. Not expecting much, I showed her how it's done with a single wipe on one side, and almost took off my finger when testing the edge!I think there must be a skill to using the Draper and I just lucked into doing it right on the day.

author: Joel_Dunsmore
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2021, 03:55:22 pm
content: Harbor Freight 1x30 belt sander. 400 Grit, 1000 Grit and Leather belts. Lots of YouTube videos on it. Razor sharp is possible with just a bit of practice. I hold the knife at a steeper angle than some (about 20 degrees off from the belt, I know others suggest 30). You can sharpen a half-dozen knives in 5 minutes.

author: richmit
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2021, 06:18:49 pm
content: I sharpen everything (kitchen knives, pocket knives, axes, probes, tweezers, scissors, ...) with the Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener Ken Onion Edition:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EJ9CQKA/

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2021, 06:30:01 pm
content: The belts have the convex grind as a benefit. Wonder how important that is - it seems reasonable but sometimes I can be overly credulous

author: richmit
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2021, 08:34:42 pm
content: Quote from: dunkemhigh on August 06, 2021, 06:30:01 pmAfter I switched from stones to belts, the interval between sharpening went up perhaps 50%. Part of that is because I'm more consistent now, but part of it is probably due to the convex grind.The biggest advantage of using something like a belt sander or the work sharp is the speed with which you can sharpen stubborn steel alloys. I gave up on using stones when I got my first knife with ZDP-189 steel...

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2021, 09:49:57 pm
content: Oh dear. I might not be able to resist trying out a belt sharpener. They tend not to be awfully cheap

author: WattsThat
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2021, 01:49:42 am
content: Quote from: Joel_Dunsmore on August 06, 2021, 03:55:22 pm+1 duplicated here. It’s on the bench, so whenever my wife puts my Wustof’s in the dishwasher, they get the 1000 grit touch up. All are as sharp as when they were purchased and most of my original collection is almost forty years old. Fortunately, my daily users like a small Chef and Santoku are newer so they have the synthetic handles and they do survive the dishwasher treatment.There is a small learning curve so start on the $10 Dexer Russells or whatever you have - where you don’t mind loosing a little blade width as you experiment with how to hold and angle.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2021, 02:22:06 am
content: Do not buy anything that sharpens this way.Their sharpening surface relies on two angled surfaces to sharpen to a point on each pull through.This works initially but after a few uses you have ground the angle flat and they are useless.Note, there are similar angled sharpers which use two independent wheels that rotate, those work fine, it's just the static ones like below which are useless.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2021, 02:37:35 am
content: I had one of these ones growing up. It was old and a bit rusty but still sharpened knives really really well.It just kept going and going. Lasted over 25 years and I think dad still has it.You'd pull the knife through, then rotate the wheel a bit with your thumb, then pull the knife through, repeat 5-30 times.Obviously a professional knife block and sharpening kit will get you a better edge, but for the price and convenience this one was amazing and lasted forever.

author: Microdoser
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2021, 10:38:24 am
content: This is the one I 3D printed (just the black bits) There is also some aluminium tube, some super magnets, a few bolts, and cheap AliExpress sharpening stones (320,800,2000,3000,5000,6000,8000,10000 and leather ones with polishing compound)Super easy to use, just get the printed angle guide for the angle you want (currently it is set to 20 degrees) then go through the stones, any time you feel a burr on the underneath turn the knife over. If you've turned it over twice, change the stone for a higher grade. I double-check with my bench microscope to make sure I have at least removed any nicks or chips from the edge, also to see when I have removed all the sharpening scratches (when using the 10000 stone).

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2021, 09:59:38 pm
content: QuoteNot long after posting that I noticed Amazon had the Anysharp (standard) on sale for roughly the same price as a set of replacement blades. Hard to resist, so I didn't.So, this one is in the office for non-kitchen tool stuff. As it happens, today I bought something that came with a plastic security seal label across the tab. No problem: my trusty scalpel-style knife will deal with that, but in fact it didn't. Blade looks OK but it's blunt, so with nothing to lose I wiped it through the Anysharp a couple of a times, not expecting much (it's a scalpel blade, after all). To my great surprise it put a decent edge on, which went through the label like, er, a hot knife through butter. But less messy.Thoroughly impressed.

author: AntiProtonBoy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2021, 01:32:13 am
content: Quote from: Psi on August 07, 2021, 02:37:35 amForgot about these! Use to have them in Europe.

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2021, 01:43:56 am
content: On a related subject, has anyone found an inexpensive but successful way to sharpen razor blades?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2021, 08:30:22 am
content: Quote from: bob91343 on August 12, 2021, 01:43:56 amLeather strop works well, you simply push the blade up the taut strop, and it burnishes the edge sharp again. Just has to be a strip cut to the width of the blade in the holder, unless you are using a razor with removeable blades, or a cutthroat razor, which then wants a wide strop. Barber shop suppliers, or find a local saddler and get a genuine leather belt that is not embossed, and use that.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2021, 04:20:00 pm
content: Quote from: bob91343 on August 12, 2021, 01:43:56 amLook into how they used to sharpen scalpels. I had some luck using my finest white sharpening stone. A leather strop like SeanB suggests is what I would try first.

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2021, 09:31:02 pm
content: Most of the methods of sharpening razors involve hardware that costs more than new blades. I may have an old leather belt I can try.

author: duckduck
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2021, 07:24:46 am
content: I used to do all of the Norton water stones until I saw a YouTube video.Stuck a disk of 3/4" plywood on my bench grinder. I smoothed it out with sandpaper. Before sharpening I hit it with a bar of white polish. This will sharpen a dulled-sharp blade to shaving sharp in about 60 seconds.EDIT:Sorry, I wasn't very clear. White polishing compound is made with fine aluminum oxide powder and some kind of (grease/wax/whatever) base. It is available in bar or paste form. I have attached an example of some I found on a large online shopping site.

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2021, 12:04:39 am
content: What is white polish?

author: AntiProtonBoy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2021, 08:57:10 am
content: I believe it a waxy polishing substance used in metal working to buff metal surfaces to a nice sheen.

author: tanveerriaz
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2021, 05:04:14 pm
content: Colors use for polishing wax.https://blog.esslinger.com/guide-to-buffing-compounds-and-their-uses/

author: Vtile
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2021, 09:55:48 pm
content: Freehand sharpening .. Isn't everyone doing it like that? Below 1500 grit I use any cheap flat stone. Then old mystery approx. 2000 grit oilstone (not arkansas stone) and leather strap to hone ... or 5000 grit japanese waterstone.Most used in kitchen is however a regular plastic knife sharpener from grocery store, as for Aisi-416 or what ever decent ($€10 each) inox knifes are it is waste to go with stones..

author: WattsThat
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2021, 01:12:17 am
content: This YouTuber does some great reviews, this one of several he has done on knife sharpeners.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2021, 11:13:13 am
content: Now that's a Tube vid worth watching. Thanks for postingA brief takeaway seems to be that some of the better sharpeners take much longer on a dull blade, and that might be why they get mixed reviews compared to the not-so-good ones that put a so-so edge on quickly.

author: TimNJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2021, 04:39:23 pm
content: To me, this seems like a nice way to get repeatable results, without requiring the finesse of using a honing rod or free-handing with a bench-stone. I don't know how it compares with the more typical kitchen tabletop sharpeners above.Looks like a fun project atleast.

author: antenna
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2021, 09:30:43 pm
content: I made this one when my green Lansky stone snapped and I got tired of spending 2-3 hours on a knife. This one can do anything from little pocket knives and thin fillet knives to machetes and swords. I am too unsteady to freehand a constant angle so this really helps. Whatever stone I want, I just tape to the board. I spaced the guide holes so that if I go to one of those cheap thin diamond stones (I use junk coarse ones when the edge is rounded and there is a lot of metal to move), I just move down a hole and the angle remains constant. I tried velcro for the stones but it got weak. I plan to use dual-lock tape to hold the stones eventually.

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2021, 02:12:21 pm
content: Quote from: TimNJ on September 23, 2021, 04:39:23 pmA honing rod somehow needs "finesse"?Honing rods are incredibly simple to use and are applied daily to knives in professional kitchens. A home cook should use a hone once a week.Sharpening is a different process from honing and is only required very rarely on quality knives (with steel hard enough to hold a good edge). Instead of bothering with stones, sharpening systems, and other toys, you can simply have your knives sharpened by a cutlery service once a year (if that) for very little cost.The key fact to remember, if you remember anything, is that honing and stropping only correct bending of the blade edge. Sharpening is a metal removal process that puts the edge on the blade. A blade can only be sharpened a limited number of times because each sharpening procedure removes metal, but it can be honed or stropped forever.

author: TimNJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2021, 03:38:22 pm
content: Quote from: helius on September 28, 2021, 02:12:21 pmTo some degree, yes I find the technique a little tricky based on the infrequency in which I do it. If you find honing a knife a simple procedure, then that's great.In fact, I do have my knives sharpened at a local shop that's been in business for 75+ years. The cost is reasonable, but it's still something like $25-30/year for 5-6 knives. No real problem there, but a simple sharpening jig is probably <$50 with a good quality stone.Thanks for the explanation of honing vs sharpening though.

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2021, 04:13:50 am
content: I've probably honed a knife a thousand times and I'd certainly say it requires some degree of finesse and knowing what you're doing to not merely roll the edge over all one way. To do it in a few light swipes without checking anything before or after isn't realistic if the knife has been abused as most are in home kitchens.

author: El Rubio
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2022, 02:27:18 am
content: I use a Chef’s Choice electric sharpener. I’ve had it for about 20 yrs. It’s easy to put a nice edge on most blades. I keep some ceramic rods with my kitchen knives and ‘touch’ them up before each use. I have a soft stone in my kitchen knife drawer too, but haven’t used it but a few times since I got the Chef’s Choice.

author: onsenwombat
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2022, 02:16:26 am
content: My 2 cents. If you take it as a hobby, then all good, do your thing and enjoy. If looking from purely functional perspective for an everyday engineer in their kitchens, going cheap is more than enough. I got myself as basic as it gets whetstone from the local junk shop for ~US$2. Doesn't probably give you the sushi chef level razor sharp finish, but still keeps my tools in sharper condition they were off the shelf.

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2022, 07:55:45 pm
content: Returning to the subject of honing, I was able to recover a pair of very old and neglected Wiss scissors with the honing steel.Honing is simple: always use an angle of 30° between the edge and the steel; start at the heel of the blade, and draw the knife downward with light, even pressure until you reach the tip of the blade. Do about 20 passes on each side.

author: Zenith
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2022, 10:31:11 am
content: For kitchen knives, start with a quality carbon steel knife. They are not cheap. You will need to look after it, because they rust easily. Touch it up with a steel when it goes dull. After years of use the blade will lose its profile and it will need grinding.Something I've noticed is that where there's a big difference between cheap and expensive tools is anything with a cutting edge; twist drills, knives, wood chisels, side cutters.