knife sharpening?

[Hawg]

Why not just use canola oil?

[ssb73q]

Hi Hawg, that would probably work. However, with time all vegetable oils will polymerize that could clog the stone's pores?

Regards,
Richard

[Len]

Just a general observation: In all those old Western films, there's always a barber sharpening a razor on a string of leather. What honing compound did they smear on that leather?

[Captainkirk]

Nothing.
The strop is for the final sharpening and is just leather.

[valforgettaboutit]

Thanks for the links to the stones Richard! Those look real nice. I'll have to try the "felt tip pen" trick and see if that helps me maintain the edge.

[ssb73q]

Hi, something I noticed about my hard (fine) sharpening stones is that it takes a long time to bring a damaged knife edge to sharpness. To help increase the speed of sharpening of damaged blades, I ordered a soft (medium) Arkansas sharpening stone:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0159Q1SUU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'll report back when I get and test this stone.

Regards,
Richard 

[ssb73q]

Hi, something I noticed about my hard (fine) sharpening stones is that it takes a long time to bring a damaged knife edge to sharpness. To help increase the speed of sharpening of damaged blades, I ordered a soft (medium) Arkansas sharpening stone:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0159Q1SUU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'll report back when I get and test this stone.

Regards,
Richard

Hi, the soft Arkansas sharpening stone arrived today. It quickly took a knife with a bad edge to a very sharp edge. To get the edge razor sharp the hard Arkansas stone would be required. My knifes have never been so sharp.

All sharpening stones will eventually lose its flatness. To refresh the Arkansas stones flat this diamond flattening plate was ordered:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BW52DZQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

BTW, when you get a knife sharpened to a razor edge one needs to be very careful to not accidentally touch the knife edge.

Regards,
Richard

[Hawg]

Hi Hawg, that would probably work. However, with time all vegetable oils will polymerize that could clog the stone's pores?

Regards,
Richard

Anything you use is going to clog the stones. Put'em in the dishwasher.

[Powder Burn]

Be very careful. Knife sharpening can become a very costly addiction especially if you get into Japanese water water stones and Naturals. Even leather strops like Kangaroo are pretty dear. Out of all my stones,I came to realize that my Shapton Pros splash and go stones are most often used. Learn to master the Japanese way of sharpening and your blade " will cut".

[Hawg]

I can't sharpen a knife with just a stone. I used to sharpen them with fine stone on a bench grinder and then use a strop to straighten the curl on the edge. Now I use a Lansky system. it's a PITA but it does give a very sharp edge. My main problem is letting them get too dull before I sharpen them and that makes for a lot more work getting them sharp.

[Powder Burn]

I can't sharpen a knife with just a stone. I used to sharpen them with fine stone on a bench grinder and then use a strop to straighten the curl on the edge. Now I use a Lansky system. it's a PITA but it does give a very sharp edge. My main problem is letting them get too dull before I sharpen them and that makes for a lot more work getting them sharp.

Yes,that is the biggest problem that many are guilty of, letting the knife edge get to dull before sharpening. That usually means that a reprofile has to be done. A simple leather strop between sharpening can restore the edge to a useable sharp. I use something similar to your Lansky sharpener. Mine is a KME sharpener which works very well on my pocket knives. I usually use my KME diamond plates on it with just a bit of water and dawn soap to move the swarf. With the larger Japanese water stones, my larger knives such as my Japanese kitchen knives get the honor because the stones are soft and require trailing motions to sharpen so as not to dig into the stones surface. There are many videos out there to show the proper uses of such stones.

[mazo kid]

All this sharpening talk reminds me how much I need to know. I can do a passable job, but I can always improve. I have a knife-maker friend and he said to visualize slicing a stamp off an envelope when sharpening. And I also remember my Gram sharpening her knives on the top edge of her stoneware mixing bowls! There was never a dull knife in her kitchen, but I don't know about shaving with one. And my grand dad used a strop before each shave with a straight razor.

[Hawg]

If you've got a knife that will shave hair off your arm it's good enough for an all purpose knife. If you have one that will shave your face you really don't want to be stripping wires or cutting zip ties with it. Not that I'd want to shave with one. That would require a box of band aids. 

[Powder Burn]

Lol, I learned right off when I was learning how to really use my stones and strops to always have the Band-Aid can right there in easy reach. Some of my Japanese Knife blades are 240 mm long. That's a lot of edge to sharpen and with the tip of the fingers right at the knife's edge, things can happen if your mind is somewhere else. Oh yes, the bottom of a coffee cup or bowl can hone a knife real good to bring back the edge to sharp. Often times , from just using the knife and hitting the board to hard can roll the edge or put micro chips in the apex of the knife. Running the edge across the bowl or cup will sometimes remove the burrs that were formed by hard use. I always strop before I take my knives to the stone. Saves steel and stone.