Northwest Fishing Reports

I was just wondering about sharpening knifes, be it kitchen knifes or fillet. iv got some real spendy kitchen knifes that iv been trying to keep sharp. i got a henckel sharpener that seems to take off alot of metal from the blade? then your supposed to clean it up with the ceramic iv also tried the steel sharpener that i have but its a cheap one? what do you guys do? iv been tempted to take them some where to get them sharpened.

Saltdog,, I am so glad that you brought this up. This is a subject that I feel like an idiot or something for my lack of good knowledge on. (not that you're an idiot, LOL)
I have sharpening stones, I have oil, I have dry stones, leather, the same 2- part sharpener that you described...1st portion for large adjustment, 2nd portion is ceramic for fine adjustment. And a few other tools that I have not mentioned.

For some reason I never quite feel like I have a proper edge on my blades.

This website has a video in the vid. section that is pushing a belt driven sharpening device.
http://www.washingtonlakes.com/WatchVideoHD.aspx?id=97

I was wondering if anybody has purchased it? I guess I don't trust myself to do this properly with a simple stone... and I would like to hear of the various "Tools" what people like best? I am also about to purchase a grinding wheel for my shop. Now SERIOUSLY... can't someone confirm for me that a not too coarse grinding wheel can not be beat for sharpening knives in variety of like 6" Buck knives, maybe even a 8-10" Chef's knife etc.

Somebody jump in here. and please speak to the bench grinder.

Sharpening a blade is quite easy to do if you keep one thing in mind, keeping a constant angle to the stone, steel, etc. The steel is really just for straightening out the burrs on the blade and a stone, grinding wheel, beltsander, etc is what is used to setup the cutting angle and sharpen a knife. You can buy sharpening kits that allow you to select the various angles best suited to the knife blade material and the application in which it will be used. You shouldn't have to resort to sharpening the blade all that often, if you do you have either a cheap blade or the wrong angle on it. A touch up with the ceramic stick and\or steel should be administered every so often to keep the edge up. There is a ton of info on the web regarding this subject and I suggest you take a look at a few sites as the explanations get a bit lengthy.

Sharpening knives is sort of like anything in life....it just takes a little practice to get good at it. Getting the feel for the proper angle is the hardest part. When the angles get really screwed up (happens over time) they can be reset with one of the various sharpening systems. Here is one that I have found works well.

Lansky

I have an electric sharpener that I got at Cabela's. It's perfect. Once you break in the knives to the proper angle, one or two swipes through and they're impeccably sharp. They're awesome. I sharpen my fillet knives after each fish, it's perfect. I've tried other things and the hand sharpeners I don't have the hand eye coordination to keep the blade angle proper enough to get a good sharpen.

the prob with the bench grinder is its toooooo fast...heat kills....DOG

Give a look at this:

Gatco Sharpener

The non-diamond version is cheaper. Basically, this setup allows you to choose the angle you want to sharpen your knife to, and keeps the blade at that angle. I've had really really good results with it.

After screwing around, trying to go cheap, buying every miracle sharpener out there. I finally bought a Chefs Choice electric sharpener. Works great. Keeps the majority of my knives sharper than they need to be. My larger, and scimitar blades go to my friendly butcher who sharpens them for free on his Tru-Hone machine. You want to split a hair? Buy a Tru-Hone. Not cheap, list for nearly $900, but you can find them on flea bay for a lot less.

I use a 3 stage Chef's Choice bought through Cabela's...love it and it does a great job.

I have the same as Mav. I got mine at Target.

[quote="The Quadfather"]Saltdog,, I am so glad that you brought this up. This is a subject that I feel like an idiot or something for my lack of good knowledge on. (not that you're an idiot, LOL)
I have sharpening stones, I have oil, I have dry stones, leather, the same 2- part sharpener that you described...1st portion for large adjustment, 2nd portion is ceramic for fine adjustment. And a few other tools that I have not mentioned.
For some reason I never quite feel like I have a proper edge on my blades.
This website has a video in the vid. section that is pushing a belt driven sharpening device.
http://www.washingtonlakes.com/WatchVideoHD.aspx?id=97

Great topic, and like many things in life, most folks have their own technique that works well for them. As has been mentioned by others, there is an abundance of "sharpening tools/gadgets" out there. I, like many others, have tried (and use) several tools/gadgets to sharpen with, but I always have some Arkansas stones and my leather strop handy when I want to get real picky about the edge. Most of the tools advertised will give satisfactory results if a person takes the time/practice to become proficient with them. Personally I like the edge to be able to shave hair when sharpened. At about any given time I'll have a few bald spots on my arms and legs from testing the sharpness of the hunting and fillet knives. LOL

Quadfather: Last week I ordered one of the Work Sharp Knife and tool sharpeners (found at the link provided by Quad). The unit worked as described, but after a couple of knives there was an electrical short in the motor housing, so I shot off an email to the company's customer support, and they had a new one at my door two days later. No Questions Asked, Just great customer service. The WSTKS unit is like any other in that a person needs to have a "Basic" understanding of sharpening and some ability with tools. With the WSKTS, I was able to get a "Sharp edge on 4 of my fillet knives in about the time it would take to get one comparably sharp by hand. A couple strops on the leather and I have bald spots on my arms once again. Is it the best tool out there, NO. But at the price I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one when this one wears out.
Sharp edges to all.

blufin loui wrote:

The Quadfather wrote:Saltdog,, I am so glad that you brought this up. This is a subject that I feel like an idiot or something for my lack of good knowledge on. (not that you're an idiot, LOL)
I have sharpening stones, I have oil, I have dry stones, leather, the same 2- part sharpener that you described...1st portion for large adjustment, 2nd portion is ceramic for fine adjustment. And a few other tools that I have not mentioned.
For some reason I never quite feel like I have a proper edge on my blades.
This website has a video in the vid. section that is pushing a belt driven sharpening device.
http://www.washingtonlakes.com/WatchVideoHD.aspx?id=97

Great topic, and like many things in life, most folks have their own technique that works well for them. As has been mentioned by others, there is an abundance of "sharpening tools/gadgets" out there. I, like many others, have tried (and use) several tools/gadgets to sharpen with, but I always have some Arkansas stones and my leather strop handy when I want to get real picky about the edge. Most of the tools advertised will give satisfactory results if a person takes the time/practice to become proficient with them. Personally I like the edge to be able to shave hair when sharpened. At about any given time I'll have a few bald spots on my arms and legs from testing the sharpness of the hunting and fillet knives. LOL

Quadfather: Last week I ordered one of the Work Sharp Knife and tool sharpeners (found at the link provided by Quad). The unit worked as described, but after a couple of knives there was an electrical short in the motor housing, so I shot off an email to the company's customer support, and they had a new one at my door two days later. No Questions Asked, Just great customer service. The WSTKS unit is like any other in that a person needs to have a "Basic" understanding of sharpening and some ability with tools. With the WSKTS, I was able to get a "Sharp edge on 4 of my fillet knives in about the time it would take to get one comparably sharp by hand. A couple strops on the leather and I have bald spots on my arms once again. Is it the best tool out there, NO. But at the price I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one when this one wears out.
Sharp edges to all.

excellent and the customer support doesn't surprise me after meeting the president of the company this summer. Very sincere and an "avergae guy" trying to provide a good product at a reasonable price. BTW, in the interest of fair dislosure, Work Sharp have provided us with several units that we will be giving away at the Puyallup Show this year. Opps - cat's out of the bag!

Look for a good quality steel and do a few swipes after every use! It is hard to save a badly dulled edge with a steel but if the nife is sharp a steel is the best way to keep it that way. You can use the sharpener that takes off metal to set the edge then the steel to keep it. I was in culinary school and the guys would all have 3 or 4 knives a day for me to touch up. My dad keeps his knives (even little pocket knives) sharp enough to shave. (you can tell because his arm is usually missing a patch of hair...) The angle is key for sure but it is easy once you get the feel for it. Nothing is better then a knife being sharp when you need it.

ok.... i think i will need a better quality still. i just hate using the henckel sharpener witch takes shavings off the blade#-o 600 bucks in kitchen knifes i dont want to ruin them
thanks guys for the input:chef: :chef:

I still use a good ol Norton 3-stone block. The key, as pointed out, is constant angles. When you're getting started a matchbook is great for this. They're just about 20* which is what I like most of my work knifes ground at.

You’re right on track Nothing! As most of you know I spent many years in my first career, fishmonger. This entailed sharpening many knives, probably a lot more than anyone can imagine. On a normal day during salmon season I'd estimate 30 knives a day or better. By sharpened I mean hairsplitting scary surgery sharp.
One must realize there are two ways to sharpen a knife, a concave or a convex bevel. Most knives come from the factory with a concave bevel; this is done on a machine with grinding stones or belts. It can produce a very sharp edge but not a very durable one nor one that will easily move through flesh or cut small bones. They're more likely to get stuck or wedged in harder material. A blade with a convex edge is a much better working blade, think samurai sword. The old Norton triple stone is the perfect place to start but it's finest stone is much too coarse to finish a blade. I like to go with an Arkansas white oil stone then a black one. To get the edge you must keep the blade at the correct angle throughout the sharpening process. What is that angle? Well it depends on the blade. You want to start at just steeper than the angle the blade is shaped at. With each successively finer grit of the stones you will want to slightly increase your angle so as not to create a burr on the edge. This is where the technique comes in. during the grinding process you want to make sure the edge remains exactly in the center of the blade from the tip to the hilt (or to one side or the other for special purpose knives). When you are sure you have the edge ground to the best possible spot and as even as possible the next step is to polish or strop the edge. Big leather strap or a piece of cardboard. Well that's for real knives you may stake your life on or need them for work. For the kitchen where you may have people that have no idea what it takes to sharpen a blade that may be hacking a brick of frozen veggies or chopping ice, I use a Spiderco triangle make sharp, sharpener. By far they will put the best edge on a any knife after the edge has been set up and it just takes a few strokes to keep them sharp.
For anyone that is truly interested in learning how to sharpen a blade, start by acquiring a set of triple stones, Norton is great. Next get white and black Arkansas oil stones and a couple of cheap knives. Preferably ones that have a straight bevel like a chef’s knife. The next step is grind away. You will probably wear out the knife at the point you finally have it where you want it. Get another one and start over again. Drop me a line if you're having trouble.

Now for everyone that thinks a Steel is for sharpening a knife, think again. A steel is for nothing except standing edge back up if its got bent to one side or the other. You do not sharpen a knife with a steel, it will ruin the edge period.

Ralph! Put down the knife and step away!

That's the full answer ;) I'm also a fishmonger. After looking at the link in the OP though, it does look like a good system and a great way to get started. I think, in the end, all belts end up taking off more metal than needed, and all run the risk of burning an edge. You should see some of the stuff i've seen from the parking lot "professional sharpeners" out there... whoa...

BentRod wrote:Sharpening knives is sort of like anything in life....it just takes a little practice to get good at it. Getting the feel for the proper angle is the hardest part. When the angles get really screwed up (happens over time) they can be reset with one of the various sharpening systems. Here is one that I have found works well.

Lansky

You beat me to the punch bentrod! I use the lansky kit on all my blades and they come out SCARY sharp!! Keeping the angle is the key and with kits like that it is failsafe.

Bodo got to disagree with you buddy! Steels can and do sharpen knives! I will be willing to show how my dad can take a badly dulled pocket knife hunting knife or fillet knife and shave with it in less then 3 minutes. Most knives he gets sharp very quickly. Just this morning he stopped by my work and I handed him my knife.(I had ran my blade into a wire I didn't see and dulled it pretty bad.) In the time it took me to go pee he had the knife able to shave. But each his own a steel takes great skill and many don't take the time to get the feel for it. He has sharpened more I am sure then even you bodo. He was a ferrier and kept his shoeing knife sharp with a steel... He would shoe or trim 5-10 horses a day 6 days a week all year and sharpen his knife twice per horse:-"

fishaholictaz wrote:Bodo got to disagree with you buddy! Steels can and do sharpen knives! I will be willing to show how my dad can take a badly dulled pocket knife hunting knife or fillet knife and shave with it in less then 3 minutes. Most knives he gets sharp very quickly. Just this morning he stopped by my work and I handed him my knife.(I had ran my blade into a wire I didn't see and dulled it pretty bad.) In the time it took me to go pee he had the knife able to shave. But each his own a steel takes great skill and many don't take the time to get the feel for it. He has sharpened more I am sure then even you bodo. He was a ferrier and kept his shoeing knife sharp with a steel... He would shoe or trim 5-10 horses a day 6 days a week all year and sharpen his knife twice per horse:-"

With all do respect, if his knife was sharpend right to begin with there would be no need to sharpen it twice per horse. And yes I've trimmed my fair share of hoofs.