knife sharpening

[browning525shooter]

I have just bought myself a new Gerber Gator 2, which I can reccomend to anyone looking for a new knife, it is a lovely peice of kit.

 

With all my previous knives no matter how often I sharpen them or what I use they still seem to end up very blunt after a relatively short period of time. . With my Gerber I want things to be diffrent.

 

When I looked up knife sharpening on the net there were so many various gadgets and stones for the job I didnt know which to choose. What method and equipment do PW members use to keep there knives sharp?

 

 

 

Thanks alot

 

 

James

[WeihrauchPower]

As a chef and a hunter i like all my knives extremely sharp. I use the Triangular shrap maker from Spiderco.

I think i payed $90 for it. It has kept all my knives as sharp as a razor for over a year so far with no signs of wear. You can even make brand new knives sharper than they are from thefactory. It sharpens EVERY type of knife including serated/bread knives etc, it does scissors and needles, darts, fishing hooks. Basically anyting that needs sharpening. It came with a very informative booklet and a D.V.D. The D.V.D is more like one of those late night shopping channel ads but it does show the correct methods/techniques.

[malkiserow]

I use japanese water stones of various grades

[Mungler]

Another vote for the Spiderco.

 

Shows you it's not about how much gets taken off the blade but its the sharpness and angle of the edge.

[mirokujames]

blade tech, would reccomend it to anyone and not dear.

 

i bought one at a game fair 2 years ago. best tenner ever spent and can be hung on a keyring.

[salisburykeeper]

Get a diamond steel definatley the best method you can shave with my knife!

[tomtom]

The Spyderco SM is a brilliant bit of kit, I have one and it was a good investment, it will last me and my knives a long time to come I should think.

 

That said, wet and dry in a couple of grades on a hard surface (e.g. bit of glass) will do the job very well (use a soft surface if its a convex edge on the blade).

[Devilishdave]

The blade tech is a good sharpener for the field, Wet stones are great if you have the technique and can use them. The lansky has to be the easiest idiot proom meathod of getting a good razor edge to a blade. Also good if you are puting a new edge on a knife. Steels work well but again you need a little bit of technique. I have had a Gator for quite a few years not and I have found it to have a particulary durable blade. The Serated part is good for opening the chest on roe as well.

 

Dave

[codling99]

blade tech, would reccomend it to anyone and not dear.

 

i bought one at a game fair 2 years ago. best tenner ever spent and can be hung on a keyring.

 

i bought a bladetech,and every knife ive tried sharpening with it gets blunter than it was to start with,tried loads of knives with it,might be me using it wrong mind,but cant see how you can use it wrong.

[Harnser]

My mum used to sharpen all knifes and scissors on the kitchen step , never failed her . Harnser .

[Devilishdave]

The trick with the blade tech is to have the blade at 45 degrees to the top of the sharpener. You should easily get a blade good enough for a good easy graloch.

 

Dave

[browning525shooter]

My mum used to sharpen all knifes and scissors on the kitchen step , never failed her . Harnser .

 

My mum used to use the stone window ledge on the green house, mind you there wasn't much left of the knife after a few months had gone by.

[markl813]

DMT diomond files

[thomasbeaton]

hi im a chef and i use my very fine steel from my victorinox knife set, cant seem to find it sold seperatly, but i would recomend it 100% or look at global

 

thomas

[MM]

i just use an oil stone. good squirt of 3 in 1, and get busy for an hour on lates. just done mine and the seem the be sharp enough to clean thumpers

i know its an artform which some are very good at, but as long as it does the job

[rogh shooter]

spit on a piece of slate and and there you have just like an oil stone

 

 

 

 

 

 

or just use an oil stone

[polski]

Another vote for the Lansky, had mine for years. Puts a great edge on and is really easy to use.

 

Rick.

[Dave-G]

I found one of these kitchen devils works well. It basically two steels set at an angle to each other which you rest on a cloth and pull your knife through.

 

click here

[Shootingman]

blade tech, would reccomend it to anyone and not dear.

 

i bought one at a game fair 2 years ago. best tenner ever spent and can be hung on a keyring.

 

i bought a bladetech,and every knife ive tried sharpening with it gets blunter than it was to start with,tried loads of knives with it,might be me using it wrong mind,but cant see how you can use it wrong.

I found the same problem mate, my knifes were worse after sharpening, invested in a Lansky & now really sharp.

[browning525shooter]

on the Lansky website there are about 6 diffrent types of sharpening system, which do you guys use?

[highseas]

i have been a butcher for 5 years now and we have used most things the blade tech rud the blade down to fast.

tha oil stone and steel are the best things IMO. 20 mins and you can shave with them

[v-max]

I have the lansky very basic oil stone set with coarse/med/fine but very rarely use it. Got the bladetech & found it ate blades so for in the field i carry the buck 6" dimmond pad with coarse/fine & very good just wet/spit & sharpen. At home i use an oil stone & i have 3 steels 1 of is a dimmond oval & am looking for more at Scone game fair & quite like the buck sharpener with 3 sides to it coarse dimmond fine dimmond & an oils stone. I have a week spot for knifes & like them like razors & looking to build a kitchen set of victorinox as i have them in 15cm bone knife for larder.

[kip270]

I use the Lansky system and it works well, easy to use and good results

[WeihrauchPower]

I thought i'd just add that if you have a decent knife DO NOT use a steel or anything that has a steel in it. It removes far to much metal.

You need to use either ceramic or fine stones.

I have compared my knives at work to some of the other chefs who use a steel and mine are older. Their knives are a completely different shape, some are slightly chipped and most are blunt in comparison.

I'm talking about knives such as Shun etc that cost £££'s. Needles to say they've all dumped their steels now.

[Axe]

I use the Lansky Deluxe with the universal mount that I bought from Attleborough's and it certainly delivers.

 

The system ensures that your blade retains the correct angles each time you use it and also offers a choice of different angles for different uses. It can be tricky to get use to and you have to ensure the knife is clamped in the same position each time, but I promise you it really does produce fantastic results.

 

Be careful with the ceramic pocket sharpeners, they work by scraping the metal from the blade. To much use will see the blade gone before its time and as with any hand held sharpener you must ensure the blade goes though at the right angle each time.