July 6th, 2023
7minute read
Learning to sharpen a knife is not beyond your grasp.
Nevertheless, many people have expressed concern about ruining their blade by using the wrong tool or technique.
Do you know what most people carry in a pocket or purse?
Do you know how to sharpen your knives? In this article, the author talks about the tools and techniques you can use to keep your edge sharp.
A dull knife, thats what.
For years, I ran a small-time business selling knives to first responders and friends.
What I didnt foresee in the future of that endeavor was what I called warranty work.
A ceramic rod like this one can be great for field use. It is compact and lightweight while allowing you to keep a sharp edge on your knife when camping, hiking or hunting.
They didnt know what to do with it.
Hence, I became better and better at giving the steel a workable edge.
In the process, I experimented with many different methods and tools for achieving this end.
Here the author uses an oil stone with some common 3-In-One oil to sharpen hisSpringfield Armory Model 2020 knife.
Lets start with the bench whetstone.
Whetstone comes from an Old English translation ofhwettan,which means to whet or sharpen on a stone!
Finding the Knifes Edge
Whetstones, also called sharpening stones, come in different compositions and uses.
In this photo, the author uses a waterstone to sharpen a kitchen knife. Both oil and water whetstones serve similar purposes.
it’s crucial that you know whether you are using a water stone or an oil stone.
Water and oil assist in the sharpening process by floating away undesirable particles.
These are variously called swarf or slurry.
The principles of blade sharpening remain the same with a curved blade like the one on theCRKT Provoke karambit. The author is using a SpydercoTri-Angle Sharpmaker.
A manufacturer will generally tell you what key in of whetstone you have purchased.
If you have a used stone of unknown origin, you could add some water to the surface.
The water will soak into a water stone or pool on top of an oil stone.
There are many different tools you can use for sharpening your knives. Each can work well with much depending on your technique and desired results.
Oil stones can be made of Novaculite, silicon carbide (carborundum), or aluminum oxide.
Oil stones wear longer but cut slower and are messier.
Either bang out will get the job done.
The author uses his Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker to touch up his blades. It has both medium and fine honing rods in addition to brass safety guides.
For stones, grits between 320 and 800 are employed to establish or repair a knife edge.
Grits ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 are for finishing and polishing the edge.
And a super keen edge may dull faster during brutish tasks.
The author uses a Work Sharp Knife and Tool Sharpener when working to put an edge on a brand new knife. For sharpening existing blades, he recommends other tools.
To the Point
You have your blade, and you have your stone.
Are you ready to start sharpening?
Do you understand angles?
This abused Benchmade 910BT was returned to the author for warranty work. If your EDC knife has a similar appearance, you can learn to sharpen it.
Most pocket or field knives do very well with a 20 to 25-degree edge.
There is your angle for most utility and field-grade knives.
Others grind in both strokes.
All can work for you.
Choose whichever way to use a whetstone you think is best for your knives.
There is a metric ton of videos online that show each Einsteins individual technique to sharpen the blade.
Be patient and put in the work.
Heeding these will prevent bandages and stitches.
Essentially, you are raising a burr on one side of the edge at a time.
As you progress to a fine sharpness, you will want to strop your finished edge.
This breaks off the burr and polishes what you have accomplished.
My Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker has medium and fine honing rods, a stand, and two brass safety guides.
I use this frequently for touching up blades.
Again, think of angles as you remove metal.
It is essential that your knife has a good edge with which to start.
A much-loved field tool is the DMT Diafold Double-Sided Diamond Sharpener.
It has a course side (325 mesh) and a fine side (600 mesh).
Its handle is both a safe grip and folds to make a guard to protect the stones faces.
The Diafold rides nicely in a hunters backpack or vehicle.
For carbon steel knife blades, I have used vegetable oil or mineral oil as rust inhibitors.
There are pricier edible options such as KPL Knife Shield, Froglube, and other products.
If the blade is not used for cutting foodstuffs, car wax is an inexpensive coating.
Some folks use Renaissance Wax, Sentry Solutions, Flitz products, and so on.
Pick your poison, so to speak.
Remember that stainless steels are only stain-resistant and need protection as well.
Final Thoughts About Sharpening a Knife
So back to warranty work.
I have been aghast at what some people do to their cutting tools.
A knife is for slicing.
As that is itsraison detre, a keen edge is mandatory.
One co-worker brought me a Benchmade Stryker 910BT for a refresh.
I had sold the knife to him some fifteen years before.
While it needed a deep cleaning, the most horrifying part was that the blade was butterknife blunt.
Knife sharpening takes care and practice.
All of us can sharpen knives.
Im not asking anyone to knap flint here, for goodness sake.
