Whetstone Knife Sharpening: A Dying Art?

[Wudidiz]

I still sharpen my hunting and folding knives with whetstones. I enjoy the process and results. I’ve been doing it that way for over 50 years. I like a wet 800-1000 grit then finish usually with a 6000. When I was a kid we used a pedal grinder stone for the heavy stuff and whetstones were common for the knives. Are the new electric sharpeners better? Maybe I’m missing something.

 

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

That's the only thing I use. Most of the every day sharpening is done on a coarse carborundum stone. My belt knife gets used a lot and it's not all cutting. Every once in a while I will get our the Arkansas stones and do one up right.

I do have a small, high speed grinder that I use for sharpening wood chisels and lathe tools. If I'm in a hurry and out in the shop I'll pass my knife over that stone for a quick razor edge.

Alan

 

[studenygreg]

Depends on the knife. Ones I don't care much about I will use the Ken onion work sharp. I use whetstone for most of my pocket knives

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[Hoji]

Arkansas stone with a leather strop to finish.

 

[Tnhawk]

My grandfather was a barber in addition to farming. I wish I learned more about sharpening a blade from him.

 

[etmo]

I'll use my high-speed grinder to do big re-shaping. Maybe I want to change the angle of the grind or the type of grind, maybe I'm restoring a blade with a damaged edge, etc. When there's lots of metal to be removed, there's no substitute. I use an 8" CBN wheel, and I can grind right to a wire edge without overheating the metal.

Then I'll go to my wet grinder. I have a Tormek T-8 and it's great for getting to a good baseline with total ease and repeatability, and of course since it's wet, there's no danger to the metal.

Then I have a 2k, 5k and 10k japanese wet stones for honing. I like the Sigma Select from Japan, they remove metal quickly, even the modern powdered miracle metals.

Strop with horse butt, and Bob's your uncle. Maintain monthly or perhaps quarterly, and the strop is all I need, unless some serious work got done, then I'll go back down to the stones or even the grinders, depending on what I did to the edge.

 

[no2gates]

Only thing i use for my pocket knives is a whetstone.
Only thing I use for kitchen knives is a sharpening steel.

 

[skfullgun]

Whetstone and a steel. Most times, just a steel, unless it’s really dull or damaged.

 

[Moonpie]

I bought one of those Ken Onion belt sander/sharpening things. It okay for massive reprofiling of a blade.
For fine sharpening I like the V ceramic rods.

 

[Mowingmaniac 24/7]

I start out at 400/1000/3000/8000 and then a strop and I also have a big one that has 2 grits laminated together, but I've forgotten their grits, but it's my quick and dirty go to stone.

If we ever get rain again, I have a whole passel of knives to sharpen...why rain?

Because 'sharpening knives' is a rainy day acitvity.

 

[Texasjack]

Knife sharpening - by hand - is a skill that should be a requirement in order to get your man card.

I've used whetstones since I was a kid, but it wasn't until I watched an old guy sharpen a pocket knife that I really learned how to do it. I've tried some of those cool sharpening tools that are real hot items for a year or so and then disappear. They kinda work, but not like a good stone and strop. Grinders are for super cheap knives. Anything that works that fast has to heat up the edge and will ultimately ruin it. As a general rule, motor driven tools allow you to screw things up much faster than you could by hand.

I read somewhere that before you go to sharpen your good hunting knife, go in the kitchen and get a handful of those knives. Chances are that they're dull (especially likely if my wife has been using them) and settling down to sharpen them will get you into the rhythm that you need to do a good job on the knife you're going to rely on.

 

[Tnhawk]

.... I've tried some of those cool sharpening tools that are real hot items for a year or so and then disappear. They kinda work, but not like a good stone and strop. Grinders are for super cheap knives. Anything that works that fast has to heat up the edge and will ultimately ruin it. As a general rule, motor driven tools allow you to screw things up much faster than you could by hand....

Motor driven tools accomplish the same damage to knives as dremel tools do to guns.

 

[Tnhawk]

Only thing i use for my pocket knives is a whetstone.
Only thing I use for kitchen knives is a sharpening steel.

One of my Protech knives reached the point that I put it to a whetstone. The result was a usable blade but nowhere close to the original edge.

 

[Wudidiz]

I’ve used the Langsky carbide-ceramic-diamond sharpeners and other non-motor types but I get a much sharper finish with the wet stones. It does take me about 20 minutes to get my Benchmade Griptilian Mini (daily carry) to a razor edge with the stones but it’s not difficult once you find the right angle and pressure.

 

[Tnhawk]

I’ve used the Langsky carbide-ceramic-diamond sharpeners and other non-motor types but I get a much sharper finish with the wet stones. It does take me about 20 minutes to get my Benchmade Griptilian Mini (daily carry) to a razor edge with the stones but it’s not difficult once you find the right angle and pressure.

I'm still learning the angle and pressure for whetstone sharpening but wasn't satisfied with the Langsky sharpeners I had years ago.

 

[Mowingmaniac 24/7]

...and never, ever put a good kitchen knife in the dishwasher.

 

[TheDan]

I still sharpen my hunting and folding knives with whetstones. ... Are the new electric sharpeners better? Maybe I’m missing something.

Do whatever works for you. I can get a serviceable edge with a whetstone, but do better with a belt sander. I have a leather belt for stropping, too.

The pros use a 3" or 4" belt, but the little 1" works fine for me. The tiny ones like the Worksharp are kind of toys IMO, plus a 1x30 sander is cheaper and more versatile.

 

[TheDan]

...and never, ever put a good kitchen knife in the dishwasher.

I have carbon steel kitchen knives from my grandmother that both her and my mom would put in the dishwasher or leave wet in the sink. Just rub the rust off with a green scrubby... adds patina

 

[oldag]

Yes, it is a dying art.

For kitchen knives, the Ken Onion Worksharp does a great job and is quick.

For a true razor edge, have to get out the surgical Arkansas stone.

 

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

Most of the time I try not to get my knives too sharp... Because then I need bandaids...

Alan