Knife sharpening - place to discuss sharpening, sharpeners, and sharpening accessories. Probably not legal in Europe.

[Ultrapenguin]

I have a hand axe with a chipped blade and a garden hoe that is completely dull. Is a whetstone a waste of time for these?

I'm not a sharpening expert, but if you're dealing with a blade that's really fucked up you might be best off setting a profile with a metal file or grinding wheel then moving on to stone for the actual sharpening.
Like for the axe, put it in a clamp blade side up then go along running a file upwards on each side until you've got the general form you want.

I'm not sure how chipped or how dull you're talking, but trying to use a stone to take off appreciable amounts of material can take a while.

 

[Frostnipped Todger]

I have a hand axe with a chipped blade and a garden hoe that is completely dull. Is a whetstone a waste of time for these?

Yep. Pretty much.

I'm not a sharpening expert, but if you're dealing with a blade that's really fucked up you might be best off setting a profile with a metal file or grinding wheel then moving on to stone for the actual sharpening.
Like for the axe, put it in a clamp blade side up then go along running a file upwards on each side until you've got the general form you want.

I'm not sure how chipped or how dull you're talking, but trying to use a stone to take off appreciable amounts of material can take a while.

This is the right idea, get a Bastard Cut file and get the edge to 95% where you want it. Maybe even 99%. Unless you've been cutting bricks, you should have enough tempered steel to work with. Then touch it up with a stone.

I seriously doubt that your hoe has a hardened edge, so the stone would be kind of useless. Keep it in reasonable shape with the file.

 

[YHWH's Strongest Soldier]

I mainly stick to whetstones for my kitchen knives with Morihei #6000 being my favorite. It's virtually perfect grit for carpaccio, sashimi and carving of fruits/veggies. Other than that, I use a shitty #1000 to prepare knives for the #6000 that I probably picked up at Ikea. Not being a professional cook, this is more than enough for my needs.

 

[femboy fart huffer]

Got a new whetstone a few days ago. Took a bit of getting used to but shits pretty good. Goes through sponges without any pressure, same with paper, easily goes through an old rolled up towel the thickness of my thumb in one clean motion, pops hairs off faster and easier than my actual electric shaver. Can't really look too closely but under one of those monocle magnifying glasses watch repair people use it looks absolutely flawless. Anyway completely unrelated, but hypothetically if say you're going on holiday somewhere warm in like a couple days; what's the best excuse for having half of one of your legs bald? Idk I think maybe saying yea had to get an xray for you know xray reasons is maybe better than saying oh yea I got locked in my kitchen and got bored so decided to try become a model before giving up after 5 seconds.

 

[Adolf Hulkler]

Anyway completely unrelated, but hypothetically if say you're going on holiday somewhere warm in like a couple days; what's the best excuse for having half of one of your legs bald?

Just out yourself as a knife autist.
Ive actually had to answer that question multiple times because my legs and arms always miss a few patches of hair from testing.
Protip, get yourself some bone or antler, after sharpening test on hair, then dig the blade into the bone and carve out small pieces of it, then try on hair again.
This is dumb to do with kitchen knives, as they arent meant to deal with shaving wood and they have a very "sharp" sharpening angle(really thin edge).
But its good for anything meant for out doors.

Oh and a very very good tool for sharpening finishing is the following:

Youl need a bench motor for it tho, it will fold and detach that burr you get from sharpening.
Itl work even better if you use sharpening/polishing wax.
Leather wheels and those superfine abrasive rubber wheels are even better, but leather wheel needs a low RPM tool to spin which basic bench motors arent(cheap ones) and the rubber wheels are very expensive, 8-10 times the cost of cloth wheels. They last half a life time tho´when you use them properly.(i once allowed someone else to use mine, and he basically used 50% of the wheels lifetime to sharpen two splitting maul type axes)

Leather strops are also good for finishing and maintenance, but dont buy them. Make one yourself, all you need is a piece of wood, leather and glue.

 

[femboy fart huffer]

Just out yourself as a knife autist.

Nah I just shaved everything off instead, looked like a fucking giant baby. Then remembered that actually Ireland kinda cold and didn't really need to do that at all oops. Honestly I never bother with whetstones on garden tools, just stick them on a grindstone and call it a day. No point trying to sharpen them when half of them are from my grandad who just bought things without understanding steels and what is and isn't a good steel so half the kitchen knives are fucking 304ss and the garden tools are like wrought iron or some shit.

 

[Adolf Hulkler]

Nah I just shaved everything off instead, looked like a fucking giant baby. Then remembered that actually Ireland kinda cold and didn't really need to do that at all oops. Honestly I never bother with whetstones on garden tools, just stick them on a grindstone and call it a day. No point trying to sharpen them when half of them are from my grandad who just bought things without understanding steels and what is and isn't a good steel so half the kitchen knives are fucking 304ss and the garden tools are like wrought iron or some shit.

Garden tools eh?

If you have one of those rotary tools, its fast, just touch up to 500 grit. I do it with axes, 120grit grinder flap disk, then i hit it with a 500 sanding disk.

 

[WhatInTheActualFuck]

Just out yourself as a knife autist.
Ive actually had to answer that question multiple times because my legs and arms always miss a few patches of hair from testing.
Protip, get yourself some bone or antler, after sharpening test on hair, then dig the blade into the bone and carve out small pieces of it, then try on hair again.
This is dumb to do with kitchen knives, as they arent meant to deal with shaving wood and they have a very "sharp" sharpening angle(really thin edge).
But its good for anything meant for out doors.

Oh and a very very good tool for sharpening finishing is the following:
View attachment 7614090
Youl need a bench motor for it tho, it will fold and detach that burr you get from sharpening.
Itl work even better if you use sharpening/polishing wax.
Leather wheels and those superfine abrasive rubber wheels are even better, but leather wheel needs a low RPM tool to spin which basic bench motors arent(cheap ones) and the rubber wheels are very expensive, 8-10 times the cost of cloth wheels. They last half a life time tho´when you use them properly.(i once allowed someone else to use mine, and he basically used 50% of the wheels lifetime to sharpen two splitting maul type axes)

Leather strops are also good for finishing and maintenance, but dont buy them. Make one yourself, all you need is a piece of wood, leather and glue.

The bit about making your own strop is great advice. Just get a chunk of vegetable tanned leather (Hobby Lobby has suitably sized pieces for cheap) and bond the finished/smooth surface to some wood with contact cement. Hit the raw side with your compound of choice and you're golden. I also like to add some rubber feet to the wood so I'd doesn't slide on your countertop too.

 

[Adolf Hulkler]

The bit about making your own strop is great advice. Just get a chunk of vegetable tanned leather (Hobby Lobby has suitably sized pieces for cheap) and bond the finished/smooth surface to some wood with contact cement. Hit the raw side with your compound of choice and you're golden. I also like to add some rubber feet to the wood so I'd doesn't slide on your countertop too.

Ive made few paddle strops.
If i need to really strop something, il use my bench motor with the same abrasive waxes i use in the paddle strop.
edit
Huh, i just checked the price on those solid leather honing wheels, they are about as pricey as the abrasive rubber wheels....

 

[The_Red_Man]

I've been using this.

https://worksharptools.com/products/knife-tool-sharpener-mk2

Does a pretty damn good job if it's used correctly, but the belts aren't all that cheap. I've tried DIY belts but they don't hold up well.

Also always strop your blades.

 

[Not Xavier Ravenblood]

bump for curiousity

 

[Adolf Hulkler]

I've been using this.

https://worksharptools.com/products/knife-tool-sharpener-mk2

Does a pretty damn good job if it's used correctly, but the belts aren't all that cheap. I've tried DIY belts but they don't hold up well.

Also always strop your blades.

Worksharp is probably the best idiot proof sharpening device assuming you have more knives to sharpen than one fucking pocket knife.
It can sharpen any steel short of tungsten carbide and high tungsten alloy "super steels" which have a rockwell hardness nearing 70.(unless the belts for worksharp use diamond instead of zircon or some cheaper ceramic/corundum)
Im stubborn so i wont get a worksharp because i have every other tool id need, aaand because the belts are kinda expensive and i grind alot.
Well, theyre expensive relative to the surface area.
Id love to have a 50-150x1220mm belt in 1000-4000 grit tho, but postage would cost alot here.

 

[Dean Pentel]

I added a Kalamazoo 1SMVP 1X42 belt sharpener to the mix. I use Cubitron and Trizact belts now. I bought a belt splitter and I use worn belts cuts very thin (3mm) to sharpen serrations now. I found I much prefer felt belts with diamond emulsion sprays for stropping so I no longer use leather belts.

I use the Kalamazoo for bevel setting and refining and the Rikon for stropping.

I'm probably going to start a sharpening business as a side hustle. I don't use angle guides personally but I've heard those can speed up the process.

 

[The_Red_Man]

Worksharp is probably the best idiot proof sharpening device assuming you have more knives to sharpen than one fucking pocket knife.
It can sharpen any steel short of tungsten carbide and high tungsten alloy "super steels" which have a rockwell hardness nearing 70.(unless the belts for worksharp use diamond instead of zircon or some cheaper ceramic/corundum)
Im stubborn so i wont get a worksharp because i have every other tool id need, aaand because the belts are kinda expensive and i grind alot.
Well, theyre expensive relative to the surface area.
Id love to have a 50-150x1220mm belt in 1000-4000 grit tho, but postage would cost alot here.

Makes sense. Def expensive to maintain. 12 bucks for 2x each of the three grits. They do sell packs of specific replacement belts though but I think that comes out to be more expensive. Still good shit and I have plenty of blades to sharpen.

 

[Adolf Hulkler]

I'm probably going to start a sharpening business as a side hustle. I don't use angle guides personally but I've heard those can speed up the process.

Ive never really used angle guides, probably because i like to feel the heat in my fingers when i finish the edge on quenched and tempered stuff ive forged, cuz you know, when it feels hot on your finger you havent gotten the metal hot enough to fuck with the temper.
Sharpening is just so damn easy with the right tools, i know a few hunters who cant sharpen for shit because they use a scythe whet stone thats coarser than 80 grit spartan toilet paper.

I just wish i had more room for couple of larger tools at my forging place, id like to fit in a 50x2000mm belt grinder but there just isnt any room due to other projects that come and go.

 

[Dean Pentel]

Howdy fellow Kiwi knife bros. I've been using basswood and diamond emulsion sprays for some months now to strop stuff I sharpen on stones. This is a system that works well. I've mentioned it in the past and now I have enough experience using it to recommend it. I think it superior to leather strops.

It's not all that expensive so there's little barrier to entry if you want to try it.

 

[Adolf Hulkler]

Howdy fellow Kiwi knife bros. I've been using basswood and diamond emulsion sprays for some months now to strop stuff I sharpen on stones. This is a system that works well. I've mentioned it in the past and now I have enough experience using it to recommend it. I think it superior to leather strops.

It's not all that expensive so there's little barrier to entry if you want to try it.

You know, you can mix that diamond emulsion yourself and itl be cheaper than the ready made stuff, ive considered doing that.
And wood strops work too but they need more maintenance as in the stropping compound needs to be reapplied more often.
Now imagine if you had a wooden wheel/leather wheel that was 1 foot across and you used that....
Thats my current next tool project for knives.

 

[Dean Pentel]

You know, you can mix that diamond emulsion yourself and itl be cheaper than the ready made stuff, ive considered doing that.
And wood strops work too but they need more maintenance as in the stropping compound needs to be reapplied more often.
Now imagine if you had a wooden wheel/leather wheel that was 1 foot across and you used that....
Thats my current next tool project for knives.

I use a leather wheel and felt belts for stropping the vast majority of the time.

How simple is making one's own diamond emulsion, you think?

 

[Adolf Hulkler]

I use a leather wheel and felt belts for stropping the vast majority of the time.

How simple is making one's own diamond emulsion, you think?

since you said you were using "spray" you could make your own by buying the diamond dust from ebay and mixing that with glycol.
thats what most spray on strop stuff is, just glycol and diamond dust.
the stuff youre supposed to apply into the strop as a thicker liquid which wouldnt go through a spray nozzle have a binder of some sort.

 

[Near]

I use one of these, you can get them off Amazon. Family and friends always point out how ridiculously sharp my kitchen knives are when they visit. They're like 25 bucks