Knife sharpening

[johnv474]

I own several types of stones and whatnot, but here is what I do.  I am not a sharpening enthusiast, and do not care to sharpen just for the sake of sharpening.  However, I find that VERY sharp knives are a requirement for good leatherwork... or at least for refined leatherwork.

 

First, I only use a few knives.  At any point I could tell you whether a given knife is especially sharp.  A good set would be a McKay type A knife (such as this one: https://www.rmurphyknives.com/store/mckay-stitcher-2-1-8-inch-5-4-cm-shoe-knife-pn-mcky-1-b-details.html ) or a Tina right handed knife (like this: https://www.rmleathersupply.com/products/tina-shoemakers-knife?variant=26075664643 ), and then a head/round knife (Kevin Lee or Osborne are the bang-for-the-buck options, but there are better ones out there for triple the money).

 

That McKay knife is a great trim knife.  For one thing, it is very short so it doesn't go beyond your fingers (which means it is more like an extension of your hand).  For another, the blade tapers and gets thinner, front to rear so you get it into some very tight places (great for starting to cut out stitches, for example).  Third, it's cheap and can get surprisingly sharp.

 

Second, I do not use any sort of angle guide.  The type of abrasive you use doesn't matter but you need to go from coarse to finer and finer.  My favorite overall is to use this set of diamond hones (here: https://www.dmtsharp.com/sharpeners/guided-sharpening.html , the one with the 7 angle guide).  Unless a blade is very dull or damaged, that is a good setup.  For a coarse stone I have a few but just use a cheapo from wherever that cost $10 or so.  Most of the time, my coarse stone is used for reshaping tools like narrowing the teeth on pricking irons.

 

Cheaper than nice sharpeners is to just get some wet-dry sandpaper from an auto body shop or the auto section of Walmart.  Go up to 2000 grit or so.  Tape the sandpaper to a piece of glass or your granite stone so you know the surface is flat.

 

Instead of an angle guide, I go by feel.  I lay the flattest part of the blade on the abrasive and then tilt up just a bit.  I don't care about multiple bevels or anything and would use a full flat grind if it were available.  I am not looking for the longest lasting edge; I want the sharpest edge.  (You basically have to pick one or the other for a given knife).

 

Third, GET A HONE.  Get a butcher's steel.  This makes more difference than you'd believe.  Many times a blade is sharp but the edge is not as straight as it could be.  You don't need sharper, just more aligned.  If you do not have a butchers steel, use the back of a pair of metal scissors or something.  A few passes on either side with medium and then light pressure is all it takes.

 

Fourth, POLISH THE BLADE.  My favorite is to use either green compound on a strop, or a magic eraser + Mother's Magnesium and Aluminum wheel cleaner (from the auto section at Walmart).  Your blade, especially near the cutting edge, needs to be smoooooth.  

 

I leave my strop and butcher steel within arm's reach of my working space.  I will touch up each knife on the steel every day before I use it, and usually give a strop or two also.  This takes seconds.  

 

If I am skiving something down to paper-thin, I might only be able to go a few feet before needing to hone again (a few seconds) and then voila.  If it takes effort, it isn't sharp, polished, or honed enough.  Of course, better knives with newer, better super steels are much easier to keep sharp for a long time.  One of my favorite leather knives is made of S35VN and it holds its edge for a very long time: https://www.kabar.com/products/product.jsp?item=5103

 

 

 

 

[Wayne0820]

The costless may is to use sand paper. Last Friday I did the test with two of my old knives. Since they are dull, I apply sand paper of #120, then #400 and finally #2000. After that, I strap it on leather strap with green stropping compound.

I'm satisfied with the result Easily cut 8oz leather.

 

[McCarthy]

Felt buffing wheel and a loooooong strop paddle. Both with green compound. Also a 1" wide strop specifically for box cutters. I used to do the japanese water stones but now I'm just too lazy. The buffer gets the job done in seconds.