Favorite sharpening method.

[Twhite]

As I am new here and have been picking through millions of posts. I found it a bit strange there is not much talk of sharpening. I for one live to sharpen things. I use straight razors and needed to keep them keen. So I have a few different options for my knives.

My go to stones for my knives are my Arkansas. Washita for first polish after setting the bevel. Then move on to the Lily White and finish off with a hard black. But last month I got the Tru hone set from Dan’s Rough stone os a man made medium is a soft Arkansas and the Fine is a hard Arkansas. This is really working out nicely.

[Colonel26]

A kindred soul!!!! I love old whet rocks. I’m a free hand sharpened too, and a straight razor shaver myself. Looks like you have some nice old rocks.

[Mumbleypeg]

Welcome to AAPK. "Sharpening" is one of the more frequently discussed topics here - sorry you weren't able to find it.

Click on "Quick links" (above this, on the left), scroll down to "Search" and click on it. When the dialog box opens, type in "sharpening" and click submit. You'll get back 245 pages of posts with discussions of sharpening techniques, sharpening systems (Lansky, etc), sharpening stones (carborundum, Arkansas, oil, water, etc), links to YouTube videos, and an entire thread on sharpening stones. You'll find a lot of varying opinions.

Have fun!

Ken

[Twhite]

Welcome to AAPK. "Sharpening" is one of the more frequently discussed topics here - sorry you weren't able to find it.

Click on "Quick links" (above this, on the left), scroll down to "Search" and click on it. When the dialog box opens, type in "sharpening" and click submit. You'll get back 245 pages of posts with discussions of sharpening techniques, sharpening systems (Lansky, etc), sharpening stones (carborundum, Arkansas, oil, water, etc), links to YouTube videos, and an entire thread on sharpening stones. You'll find a lot of varying opinions.

Have fun!

Ken

Ken thank you for the tip. I find sharpening very relaxing and rewarding.

Tom

[Twhite]

A kindred soul!!!! I love old whet rocks. I’m a free hand sharpened too, and a straight razor shaver myself. Looks like you have some nice old rocks.

I have different rocks for my Straights. Naniwa progression. Then my naturals are Arkansas Translucent, Thuri, a couple of Coticuls, Yellow lakes and a JNat.

I much prefere natural finishes.

Tom

[Colonel26]

A kindred soul!!!! I love old whet rocks. I’m a free hand sharpened too, and a straight razor shaver myself. Looks like you have some nice old rocks.

I have different rocks for my Straights. Naniwa progression. Then my naturals are Arkansas Translucent, Thuri, a couple of Coticuls, Yellow lakes and a JNat.

I much prefere natural finishes.

Tom

Tom, I’m with you on sharpening for relaxation. I love sharpening knives, and razors too. Although I’m just now getting into the razor sharpening. I’ve touched mine up a few times, and they’re getting to the point they need a little refreshing. I’ve been looking at the waterstones, and the coticules. Haven’t made that plunge yet, but I see it coming.

[Mumbleypeg]

I find free-hand sharpening relaxing also. I sometimes do it while watching television. Once you learn how, it's kinda like riding a bicycle - you can do it by feel (and sound) without much thinking about it.

Here's an older thread you might find of interest. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=57311&hilit=Sharpening+technique

Ken

[Twhite]

I find free-hand sharpening relaxing also. I sometimes do it while watching television. Once you learn how, it's kinda like riding a bicycle - you can do it by feel (and sound) without much thinking about it.

Here's an older thread you might find of interest. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=57311&hilit=Sharpening+technique

Ken

Thanks that was a great read.

[orvet]

Hi guys as you probably noticed by now there is a new Sharpening Forum located in the Specialty Forums section.
As I come across them I will be relocating the topics on sharpening to the new Sharpening Forum.

Have fun playing with sharp objects that objects that make other objects sharp!

[Lansky1]

I'm a fan of the Lansky rod guided sharpening system.

[Sharpcutsbest]

Colenel 26 wrote: Tom, I’m with you on sharpening for relaxation. I love sharpening knives, and razors too. Although I’m just now getting into the razor sharpening. I’ve touched mine up a few times, and they’re getting to the point they need a little refreshing. I’ve been looking at the waterstones, and the coticules. Haven’t made that plunge yet, but I see it coming.

I use a straight razor myself and was taught on a woodworking form that for shaving your face, the edge has to be sharp AND smooth. At that time, I was shaving after a translucent Arkansas stone. Not smooth enough, ouch!
I got a 4 inch wide, 24 inch long, 1/4 inch thick piece of balsa from Hobby Lobby and charged it with 10 micron graded chromium oxide powder then put a little mineral oil on it to make it stay put better. Good improvement.
Got another "stick" of balsa and charged that with 5 micron graded iron oxide (rust). It came with it's own oil included. Better improvement.
Was told to get a HARD leather strop called horse butt leather to minimize rolling the fragile edge on a razor.
I rarely put the razor on a stone unless I bump the edge on my fingernail. It's mostly just stropped on the leather.
Occasionally, I'll put it on the rust to touch up.
Also, I've learned to shave with cold water. You want to hydrate the whiskers to cut easily, like green wood. Hot water makes the whiskers go limp and the razor skips over them.
Hope this helps, sorry for the novel.

[Twhite]

Colenel 26 wrote: Tom, I’m with you on sharpening for relaxation. I love sharpening knives, and razors too. Although I’m just now getting into the razor sharpening. I’ve touched mine up a few times, and they’re getting to the point they need a little refreshing. I’ve been looking at the waterstones, and the coticules. Haven’t made that plunge yet, but I see it coming.

I use a straight razor myself and was taught on a woodworking form that for shaving your face, the edge has to be sharp AND smooth. At that time, I was shaving after a translucent Arkansas stone. Not smooth enough, ouch!
I got a 4 inch wide, 24 inch long, 1/4 inch thick piece of balsa from Hobby Lobby and charged it with 10 micron graded chromium oxide powder then put a little mineral oil on it to make it stay put better. Good improvement.
Got another "stick" of balsa and charged that with 5 micron graded iron oxide (rust). It came with it's own oil included. Better improvement.
Was told to get a HARD leather strop called horse butt leather to minimize rolling the fragile edge on a razor.
I rarely put the razor on a stone unless I bump the edge on my fingernail. It's mostly just stropped on the leather.
Occasionally, I'll put it on the rust to touch up.
Also, I've learned to shave with cold water. You want to hydrate the whiskers to cut easily, like green wood. Hot water makes the whiskers go limp and the razor skips over them.
Hope this helps, sorry for the novel.

I too finish of my Straights with rust on a piece of leather mounted on aluminum. Works great

Tom

[Colonel26]

Colenel 26 wrote: Tom, I’m with you on sharpening for relaxation. I love sharpening knives, and razors too. Although I’m just now getting into the razor sharpening. I’ve touched mine up a few times, and they’re getting to the point they need a little refreshing. I’ve been looking at the waterstones, and the coticules. Haven’t made that plunge yet, but I see it coming.

I use a straight razor myself and was taught on a woodworking form that for shaving your face, the edge has to be sharp AND smooth. At that time, I was shaving after a translucent Arkansas stone. Not smooth enough, ouch!
I got a 4 inch wide, 24 inch long, 1/4 inch thick piece of balsa from Hobby Lobby and charged it with 10 micron graded chromium oxide powder then put a little mineral oil on it to make it stay put better. Good improvement.
Got another "stick" of balsa and charged that with 5 micron graded iron oxide (rust). It came with it's own oil included. Better improvement.
Was told to get a HARD leather strop called horse butt leather to minimize rolling the fragile edge on a razor.
I rarely put the razor on a stone unless I bump the edge on my fingernail. It's mostly just stropped on the leather.
Occasionally, I'll put it on the rust to touch up.
Also, I've learned to shave with cold water. You want to hydrate the whiskers to cut easily, like green wood. Hot water makes the whiskers go limp and the razor skips over them.
Hope this helps, sorry for the novel.

I agree completely about the cold water. It’s a much better shave. I strop my razors, and I have a block of balsa with iron oxide. I also have a couple old barber hones I touch up with.

Maybe I’m just trying g to excuse some new hones.

[Nev52]

I like the Natural Whetstone Company Arkansas stones. Then strop with compound. Over the years I have used Smith's Tri hone. The Lansky system. I like them all but my go to is the Arkansas stone.

[TripleF]

Freehand sharpener myself. I can only sharpen carbon at this point......

[sparkyv]

I'm still "honing" my freehand skills, but the Lansky is my go-to.

[JMAC]

https://imgur.com/gallery/O0gdo0s

Plus one vote for old school.

[Twhite]

https://imgur.com/gallery/O0gdo0s

Plus one vote for old school.

Nice Rocks you have there.

[rpenland]

I have a Case Moon Stick that I like to use. My grandpa was an avid Case knife collector and it was what he used.

[TripleF]

Freehand sharpener myself. I can only sharpen carbon at this point......

Based on this thread and my previous reply I thought....ya know, ya have to learn how to sharpen all knives....so I pulled
out my Lansky system to freehand sharpen my SS and CV knives and anything that ain't carbon and I discovered a new man!!!