Dale,
I like the Flexcut Gold as well and also use aluminum oxide compound on some strops. You bring up a great point about stropping returning a razor edge. When folks speak about sharpening I don't often hear the mention of using a strop. In my opinion, if you maintain your blades by stropping after use, you can limit the need to use a stone and prolong the life of your blades. Of course, at some point the edge will round and you will need to touch up on a stone, but I think many folks would do well to strop first then determine if a stone is needed.
Are Pocket Sharpeners Bad
- carvin don
- Bronze Tier
- Posts: 1186
- Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 2:03 pm
- Location: Virginia
Re: Are Pocket Sharpeners Bad
On most forums, strops and compound discussion is prolific in whole threads.
Re: Are Pocket Sharpeners Bad
I posted this on another forum last fall, they probably won’t mind my recycling:
“Carbide pull-through sharpeners can improve a dull edge to kinda half sharp enough to cut stuff, IF certain conditions are met and your expectations of result are lower than average for a member of this forum.
First, the angle. Is the angle they are set at the angle you want? If not, proceed no further. If so, move on to the next question.
Are you capable of drawing the blade through them exactly perpendicular to the “V” on every stroke? If not, you’ll create an asymmetrical edge to start, and before long you’ll just be scraping the shoulder, not even reaching the apex.
Finally, do you want the microscopic scratches at your microscopic edge to be parallel to the length of the blade, thus denying yourself the benefit of the microscopic “saw teeth” that perpendicular abrasive action produces?
If you answered “yes” to all three of these questions, then pull through sharpeners can work for you. Best of luck.
Personally, I see them used poorly all the time, and I’ve never had success producing an edge that I was satisfied with. I can’t think of any knife I own that I wouldn’t prefer to sharpen or touch up with a small whetstone or diamond rod or ceramic rod or upside down coffee cup.
If you can make them work, great. But I found that particular road to be a dead end.”
If you ever get a chance to look through a microscope at the edge a pull-through sharpener produces, it’s quite enlightening.
Parker
“Carbide pull-through sharpeners can improve a dull edge to kinda half sharp enough to cut stuff, IF certain conditions are met and your expectations of result are lower than average for a member of this forum.
First, the angle. Is the angle they are set at the angle you want? If not, proceed no further. If so, move on to the next question.
Are you capable of drawing the blade through them exactly perpendicular to the “V” on every stroke? If not, you’ll create an asymmetrical edge to start, and before long you’ll just be scraping the shoulder, not even reaching the apex.
Finally, do you want the microscopic scratches at your microscopic edge to be parallel to the length of the blade, thus denying yourself the benefit of the microscopic “saw teeth” that perpendicular abrasive action produces?
If you answered “yes” to all three of these questions, then pull through sharpeners can work for you. Best of luck.
Personally, I see them used poorly all the time, and I’ve never had success producing an edge that I was satisfied with. I can’t think of any knife I own that I wouldn’t prefer to sharpen or touch up with a small whetstone or diamond rod or ceramic rod or upside down coffee cup.
If you can make them work, great. But I found that particular road to be a dead end.”
If you ever get a chance to look through a microscope at the edge a pull-through sharpener produces, it’s quite enlightening.
Parker
Re: Are Pocket Sharpeners Bad
Every sharpener should have a pocket micro-scope, even if it's just to educate yourself and help you understand what is actually happening. They can be bought for about $20, money well spent.