What is your sharpening method for kitchen and/or folding knives?

[*stefan*]

What is your sharpening method for kitchen and folding knives?
And share a video link that has been useful for you.


My current method (free hand sharpening):
I’m in the progress of changing my method from “walking the blade” on every grit to instead follow with edge leading strokes as I progress on grit.

And I also include some “Bob Cramer” forth-back strokes that cover all blade length.

Last I end with some “stropping” on the stone.

For burr removal I use very light alternating edge leading stokes and then strop on hand strop with pasted leather or linen. Burr removal is currently a bit of try and error for every knife and sometimes I go back to do some light strokes on the stone and return to leather/linen strop again. I found that edge retention improves if burr removal improves.
Burr removal seems though to be an larger topic that perhaps deserve another thread.

Ryky makes videos with good explanations.
Burrfection -From A to C

Ryky explains "Bob Kramer's sharpening method.
How to Sharpen A Knife Like Bob Kramer

Bob Kramer himself
How to Sharpen Your Knives at Home | Bob Kramer's Master Class On Knife Sharpening

 

[Legion]

Free hand, on a variety of natural stones.

For burr removal I'll do light edge leading strokes before sometimes running the edge a few times across a champagne cork, and back to a few more alternating edge leading strokes on the stone (or an even finer one, if that is the type of edge I am chasing).

I might then strop on clean leather or newspaper.

 

[Hair Scraper]

I’ve been using a Spyderco Sharpmaker for 30 years. On carbon steel or low alloy steel blades I’ll strop the edge on bare leather to de-burr afterwards.

 

[psfred]

I use leading edge strokes and flip regularly until I raise a faint burr on both sides, the de-burr with light alternating strokes flipping each stroke. Don't try to raise a burr on anything finer than a 1k stone.

Usual progression is 1k or 1.2k, 6k, light strop on chrominum dioxide paste on wood. Yanagiba will get more attention on the 6k, but normally I don't try to polish too much, I want a little "bite" for food use.

 

[*stefan*]

I’ve been using a Spyderco Sharpmaker for 30 years. On carbon steel or low alloy steel blades I’ll strop the edge on bare leather to de-burr afterwards.

Is this a good video to explain and show the system?
How to Sharpen Your Knives with the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker Knife Sharpener

 

[Legion]

Is this a good video to explain and show the system?
How to Sharpen Your Knives with the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker Knife Sharpener

This is the video that came with mine (on VHS).

 

[*stefan*]

This is the video that came with mine (on VHS).

The Spyderco Sharpmaker seems to be a very neat thought through
system that is useful for sharpening a variety of different tools.

Thanks for the video link!

 

[Legion]

The Spyderco Sharpmaker seems to be a very neat thought through
system that is useful for sharpening a variety of different tools.

Thanks for the video link!

Yeah, I used it for years on all sorts of things, and providing the bevel angle is close to the set angle on the system, it works well.

Since learning to freehand sharpen, that is more satisfying, even if it did create a huge acquisition disorder, collecting vintage knife hones.

 

[alpster]

Big Kitchen knives are done on the 1 X 30 variable speed belt sander with "Cubitron" and "Trizact" belts. Small pocket knives and paring knives are done on the Worksharp Pro. Everything gets stropped on the Ken Onion.

 

[Hair Scraper]

Is this a good video to explain and show the system?
How to Sharpen Your Knives with the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker Knife Sharpener

*stefan*,

Yes, David shows all of the features and how it can be used. I also have the optional CBN and diamond Tri-Angles for re-shaping edges to match the angles used on the Sharpmaker. Spyderco has since started using aluminum rods to protect your hands from the edge of the knife when using the Sharpmaker.

Spyderco makes other sharpeners and smaller, more portable, free-hand "stones" that could be used to sharpen, (or de-burr,) other edges when you're not at home or in the shop.

Sharpeners - Spyderco, Inc. - https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/category/sharpeners

 

[DesertIguana]

Some people say good stuff about SpyderCo Shape makers sharpness, not cheap, but great.

 

[psfred]

They work. Better for Western knives, I'd not sharpen a good Japanese knife on one due to the risk of chipping.

But I have a basement full of woodworking tools and sharpening stones anyway.

 

[DrStrange]

Lansky mini crock stick

https://www.lansky.com/mini-crock-stick-set.html

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Our cheap stainless kitchen knifes usually just see the Shapton Glass 500, I deburr on it with light strokes and they'll slice paper just fine. Anything more is a waste with the way the other people in my house use and abuse them.

My few folders usually see a fast, coarse Les Latnueses coticule and then the hybrid side, or a Tam O'Shanter, or possibly all of the above. Maybe a PA slate with slurry to bring out the contrast in my little higonokami. Sometimes I'll strop on on of my grandpa's old strops that still has a bit of CrOx on it.

 

[Legion]

They work. Better for Western knives, I'd not sharpen a good Japanese knife on one due to the risk of chipping.

But I have a basement full of woodworking tools and sharpening stones anyway.

I've not had any issue using Japanese knive on the Spyderco. The trick is, the steeper angle setting, intended for setting the back bevel on western knives, matches the geometry of most (symmetrical) Japanese kitchen knives better. Using that I've gotten good edges.

Still nicer to use a whetstone, but the Spyderco never chipped a blade for me.

 

[Tirvine]

I have store brand water stones (and a holder and a flattening stone) from Sharpening Supplies. Grits are 400, 1000, and 3000. I use them two or three times a year on the kitchen knives, steak knives, and my little Case physician's knife and wife's Swiss Army knife. I have pretty much stopped using the 3000 on kitchen and steak knives. In a kitchen setting I have found that most of the timing using only the 1000 is optimal. The steak and pocket knives are stainless; the kitchen knives are carbon. The stainless knives require the 400 before the 1000. The kitchen knives are honed with each use. I am thinking of getting a finer hone, probably an F. Dick sapphire. I currently use an ancient Sabatier hone. Even after a half century of use it is aggressive enough that I use it very lightly. It is only 8", and my favorite knife, the one I grab about 90% of the time, is a 10" Jeune chef's knife.

 

[*stefan*]

View attachment 1815860

Big Kitchen knives are done on the 1 X 30 variable speed belt sander with "Cubitron" and "Trizact" belts. Small pocket knives and paring knives are done on the Worksharp Pro. Everything gets stropped on the Ken Onion.

You have acquired motorized grinding machines and a "manual grinding rig system" and set aside a larger workspace for your tools.
I have to admit that I get a little jealous when I see the workspace.

Ken Onion Edition Knife and Tool Sharpener
Work Sharp Precision Adjust
Professional Precision Adjust Knife Sharpener

 

[2bit_collie]

My main go to is a vintage Washita. I‘ll start with some back and forth on each side to get started, then switch to edge leading 5-10 strokes each way until I start to feel a burr forming. Once the burr is coming along I will stay on that side until it’s fully formed, then switch to the other side until a burr is formed. Then some more edge leading switching sides between each stroke and slowly reducing pressure as I go. I’m trying to stop myself after one stone, I think I’ve been going too high in grit in the past. I have a CrOx impregnated suede strop that I’ll use for a few strokes, and then a few more on plain leather. Main trick is to try to tweak the edge often enough that it never gets too dull.

I also have an EdgePro Apex system - I still use that for some very long flexible slicing knives. But at this point everything else is free hand.

 

[jj_sharp]

I try to avoid burr formation. My method is pretty slow.

I may try this to speed things up.

 

[Norman Gunston]

I tried for years to sharpen by hand on Arkansas stones.
Not the worst, but I just couldn't master it.
For the last 10 years, I have used an Edge Pro Apex jig, using a number of grades of stone. Fast and very effective.
I sharpen my knives every 12-18 months, and maintain them in the interim period using a black ceramic rod, or a borosilicate rod for my very hard Japanese knives.