Thread: Knife Questions

Originally Posted by XR500

They are quite a good 80% solution for knife sharpening. I have several daily use knives that come razor sharp with 2 or three passes through the warthog, and some that just will not sharpen well at all. Must be the knife's blade taper dimensions.

The scary sharp and similar are good for that - set what angle you need and go forth. Once sharpened, the Cambrian type steel is the go to - one or two passes each side and shaving. The lansky setup is good at angles, I just found them painfully slow with the smaller size of stone especially on a bigger knife.

I think the Warthog setup is ok as well, but what I have found is certain types of stainless blades just will not come up on those type sharpeners. My experience is you really need a guided stone for those, or some form of guided mechanical sharpener. I've got a stainless filleting knife here that was quite expensive, imported German I think and it is a good example. It won't play with hand stoning, diamond hones get laughed at and even the flash diamond stones don't achieve a lot. I don't know what it is, I've only had success with it with the guided stone sharpeners. Steels even the Cambrian type aren't much use either.

Little Lloyd,
You don’t need a to spend
500 plus on a fancy knife sharpening jig. Most of us just use a good wet or oil stone, possibly two to get a selection of grit, and you will do just fine. U tube or a mentor are helpful. An old leather strap to strop your blades also.


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actually a half competent engineer or home hobbyist could make a stone sharpening jig just need a way of maintaining correct angle

Have a look at this. Not scary expensive.
https://engineerscollective.co.nz/pr...nife-sharpener

I use an oilstone but then have been sharpening chisels and plane irons for 30+ years.

Where in Tasman are you based?

For a start don’t buy a flash knife. I’ve got two svords a straight one for arseholes, throats and legging and a curved one for skinning, and they suit me well. However they are pigs to sharpen if I don’t keep them right and let the edge come to far off. When people are learning to put an edge on steel and keep it there it’s far easier to learn on steel a bit softer and more forgiving like a victorinox, wenger, swibo or something like that. They are cheap, easy to sharpen and can be fixed up way more easily than a really hard stainless or a high carbon tool steel blade if you make a mess of them. The shape is really personal preference, though one I’ve seen a lot of people really like is based on a lamb skinning shape. A we bit curved with a funny sort of blunt drop point. Sharpening wise you don’t need to spend lots of money, get on youtube and there lots of tutorials on sharpening knives lots of different ways. On method you can use involves emery paper and a block of wood to put said emery paper on. It’s damn cheap and you get whatever grit you like depending on the finish you want. It’s about $1 a sheet and works really well.

oilstones are good and cheap, I like diamond stones but they cost a bit, main thing is patience and practice with whatever you use and a good strop on some leather to finish will always help

Got a old oil stone, rough side & fine was the Grandfathers, been straighten on glass, I use turps instead of oil its cuts better, brings out the oil in the stone. All free hand, I'm another chippy, touching up tools often.

Cheers everyone for the info and yes, I like the idea of going cheaper and learning. Will practice on the Mrs knives then move on from there, nothing like a bit of danger in the life

Happy Jack, we live in Mahana

Someone mentioned the Warthog sharpening system. I like mine. Quite a few threads on them. As mentioned, don't work so well with very thick or hard metal blades. I've just done my filleting knives.

Originally Posted by BK10

oilstones are good and cheap, I like diamond stones but they cost a bit, main thing is patience and practice with whatever you use and a good strop on some leather to finish will always help

I use dish washing liquid instead of oil.
Water cleans the stone instantly. And knives don't need degreasing.
Regarding knives for skinning. If I'm in the field usually a Mercator or lately a little rubber handled Geber folder with a three inch blade. (Interesting story about it. I found it and know who lost it. But the c....t owes me about eighty grand so he's not getting it back).
If I'm skining back at the shed/chiller I use a victorinox bone or shepherd.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

I use dish washing liquid instead of oil.
Water cleans the stone instantly. And knives don't need degreasing.
Regarding knives for skinning. If I'm in the field usually a Mercator or lately a little rubber handled Geber folder with a three inch blade. (Interesting story about it. I found it and know who lost it. But the c....t owes me about eighty grand so he's not getting it back).
If I'm skiing back at the shed/chiller I use a victorinox bone or shepherd.

Or more accurately there may be one way he can potentially get it back

Originally Posted by inglishill

Or more accurately there may be one way he can potentially get it back

Nah I'd still keep it as a momento.

It’s worth persisting and mastering using water stones. It’s very satisfying getting a good edge. My water stone is due for replacement.

I recently bought one of the cheap($50 or less) sharpeners off trademe.the stones are twice the size of the lanski ones and it maintains angle like a scarey sharp except I have to hold knife in place...it works bloody brilliant. To the OP..buy a bacho. Too easy to keep sharp and easy to use.