Thread: Knife Questions

Hey you old coote.... Have a squiz on trade me. I spent less than $50 and got a neat sharpening set that keeps the angle correct like expensive scarey sharp jobbies. I have to hold the knife handle in one hand and stone with other . Really good system and easy to use.

I had a set of those coloured diamond blades once but I wore them out sharpening chisels and plane irons so went back to the trusty old oil stone

Originally Posted by Happy Jack

I had a set of those coloured diamond blades once but I wore them out sharpening chisels and plane irons so went back to the trusty old oil stone

After you used the diamond sharpeners on your chisels, did you do anything else to the chisel edge?

I remember the boss of the carpentry division of the Ministry of Works telling me that sometimes a chisel edge can be improved (work-hardened maybe?) by peening it with a hammer.

Originally Posted by Coote

After you used the diamond sharpeners on your chisels, did you do anything else to the chisel edge?

I remember the boss of the carpentry division of the Ministry of Works telling me that sometimes a chisel edge can be improved (work-hardened maybe?) by peening it with a hammer.

Just what I have always done stropped them on my leathery hand, same with plane irons. The only real advantage to the diamonds is you only need water.

A few tips from an ex slaughterman.

The key to a sharp knife is learning how to create, maintain and manipulate the burr or feather edge. It takes a fair bit of practice but once you learn it becomes second nature.

I'd recommend starting out with a carbon steel knife. You can't go wrong with a decent Victory knife, the steel is soft and easy to manipulate with a honing steel. Get a Norton combination whetstone, you can pick them up cheap from bunnings or mitre 10. Soak the stone in water and when ready to sharpen just use soapy water (dish washing liquid or liquid handsoap) to lubricate. Dont use oil on a whetstone whatever you do! It'll clog up with the slurry from your knives and be a nightmare after a few sessions. Run your knife from heel to tip or tip to heel (both ways will sharpen). Try to use the entire surface of the stone, that way it will wear evenly.

Practice keeping a constant angle while sharpening on the whetstone, the more symmetrical your edge is the sharper your knife will be. Even strokes, even pressure and eventually you should have a nice shoulder/bevel. Once you have an even bevel along the full length of your blade you can start focusing on the feather/burr. When you can feel a rough burr forming (check by running your thumb from shoulder to edge) you're ready for the next step, or further sharpening using progressively finer grit stones. With a decent combination stone you should be able to get an almost mirror like finish to your bevel. The next step involves removing the burr/feather that you've just worked so hard to create. There are a few ways to do this, the first and probably most widely used practice is to use a strop. The other method is to run your blade through a material that won't destroy your edge but will catch the feather. This is where your trusty plastic handled honing steel comes in handy. Cambrian, F.Dick or even the cheap Knifecut brand will do. Don’t use the cheap steel that comes in most kitchen knife sets! They're a gimmick! Carefully run the entire blade through the plastic handle, dont press too hard. This will remove the burr. Check burr for roughness, it shouldn't catch on your thumb when checking now.

The next step is honing on your steel. The same principle applies as sharpening. Even strokes, even angles, even pressure. Hone at the same angle as you sharpened. The first few strokes on the steel will need to be quite hard to get the knife to run. Then gently ease off the pressure applied until you're only "feathering" the edge lightly.

The last step involves manipulating the burr further on the steel. This step is unnecessary if you require a coarse edge with more bite, but will result in a sharper finer edge. Hone your blade at a wide angle 35-45°. Similar to earlier, apply more pressure for the first few strokes and then slowly button off to little to no pressure. Congratulations, your edge is now set. As your knife starts to feel dull, give it a few light strokes on the steel at the wide angle and then at the angle it was sharpened and it will be like new again.

Its weird, I spent a silly amount of money with a local blacksmith and I do like that knife, but probably my fave is a gerber Vital skin and gut (I dont use the gut hook for opening the abdomen but I do use it for making the long cuts in the hide down the legs and belly.) It's shit steel, and really ugly but the utility and ergonomics just work for me, a really great skinning knife. So much so I've been thinking about taking it back to my blacksmith and getting a nice version of it made.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Hey you old coote.... Have a squiz on trade me. I spent less than $50 and got a neat sharpening set that keeps the angle correct like expensive scarey sharp jobbies. I have to hold the knife handle in one hand and stone with other . Really good system and easy to use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aospX9OCwQc

Tell the truth. LOL.

as every has said. insanely personal thing. i use a knife kutt sheep skinner profile. lives on my belt. carry it every day. works for me. if want razor sharp use a guide set up. if i want good enough ill free hand it. mind you ill cut all sorts besides animals....