speaking of knivies

[cycloneman]

I use wyoming knives to shin deer, in addition to filet knives. The reason is i just can't sharpen a knife worth a darn. I like the razors. I find that a rapala filet knife works just great for deer and of course fish.

How do you guys sharpen knives to a razor edge? I want to be able to shave the hair off my arm just like when i first buy one of those filet knives.

Please educate me.

[kutaho]

I use an Arkansas soft stone, extra fine

[gdmoody]

Get a Lansky sharpening system, you can't go wrong with it - if they still make them.

[Insulation Tim]

This is a great article on the whole science/art of knife sharpening. It's about a 2 beer read but it will help you to understand what's involved. The key, IMHO to a sharp edge is good blade steel. Cheap stainless is hard to maintain.

Go HERE

[carver]

Originally Posted by cycloneman

I use wyoming knives to shin deer, in addition to filet knives. The reason is i just can't sharpen a knife worth a darn. I like the razors. I find that a rapala filet knife works just great for deer and of course fish.

How do you guys sharpen knives to a razor edge? I want to be able to shave the hair off my arm just like when i first buy one of those filet knives.

Please educate me.

All you really need is the correct tecqunick. I can take a pocket stone and sharpen any decent knife in a few minutes that will shave you.
Insulation Tim has posted a site that will explain things to you. I started out sharpening razors in my fathers barber shop when I was 13.

[shootstr8er]

Originally Posted by cycloneman

I use wyoming knives to shin deer, in addition to filet knives. The reason is i just can't sharpen a knife worth a darn. I like the razors. I find that a rapala filet knife works just great for deer and of course fish.

How do you guys sharpen knives to a razor edge? I want to be able to shave the hair off my arm just like when i first buy one of those filet knives.

Please educate me.

a formal apologie,cycloneman, for my outburst last nite.i find knife sharpening easy.carbon steel is fast,i dont like stanless,as its hard to hold an edge,many devices out there.. but i prefere to do by hand,sight and feel.a good stone(ie)whet or wet as u see fit.i use water or any licquid,but no oil, as it rots the stone..use even strokes along the whole blade,equal to both sides.try to keep the angle the same on both sides..u can feel and hear when u have it..look at and feel the blade often, untill the wire forms.thats a folding over of the blade. strop it on leather or heavy cardboard to remove the curled steal.. ur knife is now sharp, but more skill is needed to bring a razor sharpness..with good steel,stones,techneic,and resolve u will too.

[Bill DeShivs]

Oil will certainly NOT "rot the stone."

[cycloneman]

Thanks for the info everybody.

[artabr]

Originally Posted by gdmoody

Get a Lansky sharpening system, you can't go wrong with it - if they still make them.

+1 for me on the Lansky

http://www.lanskysharpeners.com/LKCLX.php

I'm pretty sure that you can find them cheaper than this.



Art

[delta13soultaker]

I carry a diamond sharpening pen....it's like a pen but there's a diamond-dust coated steel rod in it. It sharpens very quick and very sharp. I believe they're about $10 in sporting good stores (I've had this one 5 years.)

I grew up in Arkansas as a kid, so I'm still partial to an Arkansas stone. Boy Scouts gave us those for a deal back then and many years later I still keep a few course and fine stones in the hunting box. Granted, the Arkansas stones they sell now aren't like they were decades ago, but they're better IMO than the knockoffs. A real Arkansas stone is just efficient.

Spit, water, oil, dry...I can get a razor edge regardless so I'm not going tp claim to know the big deal on lube.

That's the tools.

The rest is technique.

The blade style determines the angle, but in general go shallow and be consistent. Be patient, let the stone do the work.

Practice. I still sharpen my co-workers' Gerbers and knives just for practice. Kitchen knives and steak knives are fairly soft steel and are good to learn on. Sharpening is like painting...you have to do it a lot before you get the strokes reliably working.

Strop. An almost razor edge can become a razor edge by stropping with some leather. My grandfather used to strop on his jeans. It's just dragging the edge over a course cloth/fiber that polishes the microscopic burrs away.

[Insulation Tim]

Originally Posted by delta13soultaker

Strop. An almost razor edge can become a razor edge by stropping with some leather. My grandfather used to strop on his jeans. It's just dragging the edge over a course cloth/fiber that polishes the microscopic burrs away.

A flat piece of cardboard works well in a pinch. The key to stropping is to not roll the edge when you come to the end. Stop, pick up the knife, flip it and do the other side. I also prefer light pressure. The spine leads and the edge follows.

[delta13soultaker]

Originally Posted by Insulation Tim

A flat piece of cardboard works well in a pinch. The key to stropping is to not roll the edge when you come to the end. Stop, pick up the knife, flip it and do the other side. I also prefer light pressure. The spine leads and the edge follows.

Great advice.