All About Pocket Knives

I have loved to whittle ( rolling shavings off a piece of red cedar) since I was old enough tp try it. I have picked up a few well used knives over the years and have been confused at times by what I found. Some knives have been laid flat when sharpened and whittle great and some knives have been sharpened but still look like steeper factory bevel and whittle great. I’m not an expert sharpener by any means and sometimes I get one to whittle good and sometimes I don’t. Just wondering what other options are on the subject about the angles to sharpen a knife for whittling. I carry the same knife all the time. Usually a boker 7474. I keep one blade for working like wire stripper or cardboard cutting. My papaw is done passed on,who was a long time whittler, before I got to question him on the subject. Just wondering other’s preferences on it.

I use a pocket knife to whittle a lot of the time. A factory bevel doesn’t work great, I usually have to “lay it down” quite a bit more to get a good edge for whittling. I don’t use a guided sharpener, just freehand. There is a wood carving section here on the forum, a lot of my stuff is posted on there.

I like to lay them flat to thin them a little and to keep them from getting fat behind the edge as they are sharpened down. A relatively coarse edge works best for me.

For what it is worth, ChatGPT lists 20 degrees. A slightly narrower bevel
of 15-17 degrees slices wood more easily but sacrifices edge durability.

20 degrees is the standard Case knife edge.

I have yet to use a knife for whittling. Maybe when I go into
full retirement!

Bob

Wrmii wrote: ↑Sat Aug 23, 2025 7:09 pm I.....

https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... .php?f=113

Sorry didn’t see the sharpening topics. Didn’t mean to be in the wrong place I’ll go looking there. But thanks for the replies.