What to use to sharpen knives

[fabsroman]

I killed 12 deer and Lord knows how many geese and ducks last year. Something tells me that the Spyderco knife you have wouldn't even have lasted the entire season for me.

If I could find a custom knife maker around here, I would take my knives to him to get them sharpened at the end of the year. However, since my knives only cost around $30 or less, why not just chuck them and buy a new one every year. I just paid $24 for a buck knife. Paying $8 to get it sharpened would be 1/3 of what it cost me. Now, if it is a knife in the $75+ range, then I can understand paying $8 at the end of every year to get it sharpened.

[gregarat]

The knife that I was having problems with was eather Buck or Camillus. My guess is that it was 440A steel. Eather way, I find both Buck and Camillus difficult to get a razor edge with.
I now use VG10 or S30V steel. for my carry knifes. Exept for a Pushdagger that is made from 420. Of corse its "Cold Steel" knife so they claim that their heat prosses makes the steel more durable than 420. I dont care if that Pushdagger is made from Aluminum(I think 420 is basicly Aluminum anyhow). If it ever gets used it may be the best $30 I ever spent .

Noway,
What is the name of the Spyderco knife, you used for cleaning your Elk and Deer?

[noway]

Bill Moran drop point in vg-10.
I think you might be surprised by how long this little knife holds its edge. It was still cutting pretty well after two elk and a deer.
They are listed at $94.00 now.

I used to carry three of the less expensive knives but got tired of the weight and hassle. I couldn't even clean an entire elk without having to sharpen a knife. Cleaning an elk by yourself is enough of a chore without having to sharpen a knife in the process.

[model 70]

So what's the best angle to sharpen your knives with the Lansky system? I just bought one and don't know which hole to use.

[8X56MS]

I have an old wet oil bath three stone set. I bought it for my Wholesale Seafood business years back. We would run several tons of grouper, sword, tuna, snapper, and other fish through there each day. Each of my guys was responsible for keeping their own knives sharp.
With a few moment effort, I can get my knives razor sharp, and not mark up the blade in the process. In the field, I use a little ceramic stick, and a small steel.
Sharpening knives is certainly a learned skill, but anyone can learn it. Helps to have someone that knows what they are doing show you how.

[Viper1]

I use a coarse and medium oilstone, followed by a Soft Arkansas (medium stone), then Hard Arkansas (fine stone), finished by a Black Hard Arkansas (extra fine stone)

A good oil to use is 3 in 1 or hydraulic oil

The real trick is to not to roll your wrist while sharpening

When I'm done with the Black hard Arkansas stone my knife is razor sharp.

Viper1

[Evan03]

i just use a big diamond stone, its about 2"s wide and 6"s long.

seems to work for me, but did take me alot of time to get good edges that you can shave with. im actualy working a knive now that i broke the tip on, i used my grinder to grind the tip back and am now trying to get an edge on the entire cutting surface.

[MarkL]

Originally posted by model 70
So what's the best angle to sharpen your knives with the Lansky system? I just bought one and don't know which hole to use.

The safest thing to do is to match the bevel angle the knife already has. Use a course stone to establish a flat bevel all the way to the cutting edge, then use a medium stone to polish out the scratches from the course stone. Then increase the angle by one increment and use a fine stone to polish the cutting edge.

Take a black felt marker (e.g. a Sharpie) and blacken the bevel where the stone engages. Make a couple of strokes with your stone, then look closely to see where ink/metal has been removed. This will help you judge whether the angle is right, and whether your stone is engaging the entire width of the bevel or not.

In some cases, it might take a lot of grinding with a course stone (diamond is best) to establish a flat bevel at a given angle. After that, it should be relatively easy to resharpen as long as you use the same angle.

[rene65]

HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM, HAD A KNIFE THAT I COULD NOT MAKE SHARP LIKE IT WAS WHEN NEW.I got a lansky 5 stone set and got it back to its original sharpness but it would not hold its edge. I found out that you must only push the stone towards the knife and lift it up on the return stroke and that the angle that you use will make a sharper edge or a longer lasting edge all depending what angle you use. ex: a17 degree angle will cut more than a 25 degree angle but will loose its edge faster.

[irish lager]

I use both a Lansky set and the Spyderco Sharpmaker. I find that the sharpmaker is much quicker and easier to use to maintain an edge on a knife but if it is severly dull the lansky will bring it back faster in my experience. I have extra corse - extra fine in the regular hones and all but the medium and corse dimond, along w/ both medium and fine serrated hones for the Lansky so it is easy to get the edge that you desire for any steel type. I have found that for sharpening serrations or odd shaped blades (hawkbills, reverse S, etc.) that the sharpmaker is much better suited. For the average pocket knife the lansky is a sound choice though and as long as you get the hones that you need to get the edge you desire it cant do you wrong.
J

[hobbles]

This is the best I have found in my 58 years, I can shave with em, I use the 15 angel and baby oil

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...les/knifes.jpg

[fabsroman]

Okay, I have been using a Lansky set for a while now and have been pushing the stone on the balde from the hilt to the edge and only going that way. Is that the correct way to push the stone on the edge, or should I be going from tip to hilt?

I'll take a look at the Spyderco Sharpmaker and see what it is about. I always prefer quick & good to just good.

[rick savage]

the paper wheels have always worked great for me.

[hobbles]

Originally posted by fabsroman
Okay, I have been using a Lansky set for a while now and have been pushing the stone on the balde from the hilt to the edge and only going that way. Is that the correct way to push the stone on the edge, or should I be going from tip to hilt?

I'll take a look at the Spyderco Sharpmaker and see what it is about. I always prefer quick & good to just good.

I've always went both ways, up and down, It gets the job done, And I can shave with em, May not be the right way but it's my way. And yes,, it DOES hold an edge doin that way,,

[BILLY D.]

i use dmt diamond hones. they produce one about the size evan posted about. they also make one that folds up to go in your gear bag when you hunt or fish. all you need is water to make them work. i'm sure we all carry water when we hunt, don't we.

just whip out that designer bottle of genuine neu yawk city refiltered water and go to work.

they also make a great broadhead sharpener. it's trangular and sharpens two sides at a time. neatest thing since sliced bread. and no i am not a dmt sales representative.

i really like their products. give 'em a try.