Great Video ( Sharpening )

A place to share, learn, & show off sharpening tips, tricks, techniques, & tools for sharpening edges of all kinds.
Post Reply
old4570
Posts: 129
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2021 2:58 am

Great Video ( Sharpening )

Post by old4570 »



Saw this video = Very good .
Mr. Chips
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 2:34 am

Re: Great Video ( Sharpening )

Post by Mr. Chips »

FINALLY someone emphasizes the need for the burr as the key to getting a knife sharp, which I have been teaching for years, and, I have found, comes as a revelation to my students, some of whom are chefs and meat cutters, who you would think would know this.

You will NEVER get your knife really sharp unless you raise that burr and then get rid of it.

All kinds of people are afraid that they will ruin their knife if they sharpen it that far. Very unlikely. Even if you did ruin a knife in learning to sharpen, it would be worth it.

A few of points to consider:
Make sure that you raise the burr for the entire length of the edge - not just in one part
A really good strop can be made out a strip of denim, like from an old pair of jeans, which is just as good as leather and easier to get. Stick it
down to a flat board with double sided carpet tape
Green or white buffing compound from the (nearly) omnipresent discount tool store will do a great job as a stropping compound. Don't use red - it
is designed for soft metals, not steel, does practically nothing.
Bare strops are not effective, except for bending the burr back and forth until it breaks off.
Do not flip the knife at the end of each stropping stroke. If you do, you will start anticipating that flip and will be dragging your edge at too steep
an angle, thereby making it dull. (I have seen a lot of people do this!). Just give it 20 or so strokes on one side with firm pressure and no little flip
or flourish at the end of the stroke, all the while fanatically maintaining the sharpening angle and then 20 on the other side. Repeat.

As this guy rightly points out, it does not take a bunch of expensive equipment to make a sharp edge. Hold the angle, get the burr and strop properly.

Someone who knows what they are doing can produce a shaving edge using a concrete building block for a stone, and a corn flakes box for a strop.

All of this pre supposes that you want a knife to cut stuff with, and not just to look at. I have never understood the concept of having a knife that is not used to cut, or a rifle that is not actually used to shoot, but am aware that there are those that just want to own things and never use them for their intended purposes. If you are there, then the above information is kind of academic, though I suspect that there may be some knives in your kitchen that could benefit from some informed attention.
User avatar
cudgee
Posts: 6185
Joined: Thu May 16, 2019 7:21 am
Location: Victoria. Australia.

Re: Great Video ( Sharpening )

Post by cudgee »

Mr. Chips wrote: Sun Apr 25, 2021 8:15 pm FINALLY someone emphasizes the need for the burr as the key to getting a knife sharp, which I have been teaching for years, and, I have found, comes as a revelation to my students, some of whom are chefs and meat cutters, who you would think would know this.

You will NEVER get your knife really sharp unless you raise that burr and then get rid of it.

All kinds of people are afraid that they will ruin their knife if they sharpen it that far. Very unlikely. Even if you did ruin a knife in learning to sharpen, it would be worth it.

A few of points to consider:
Make sure that you raise the burr for the entire length of the edge - not just in one part
A really good strop can be made out a strip of denim, like from an old pair of jeans, which is just as good as leather and easier to get. Stick it
down to a flat board with double sided carpet tape
Green or white buffing compound from the (nearly) omnipresent discount tool store will do a great job as a stropping compound. Don't use red - it
is designed for soft metals, not steel, does practically nothing.
Bare strops are not effective, except for bending the burr back and forth until it breaks off.
Do not flip the knife at the end of each stropping stroke. If you do, you will start anticipating that flip and will be dragging your edge at too steep
an angle, thereby making it dull. (I have seen a lot of people do this!). Just give it 20 or so strokes on one side with firm pressure and no little flip
or flourish at the end of the stroke, all the while fanatically maintaining the sharpening angle and then 20 on the other side. Repeat.

As this guy rightly points out, it does not take a bunch of expensive equipment to make a sharp edge. Hold the angle, get the burr and strop properly.

Someone who knows what they are doing can produce a shaving edge using a concrete building block for a stone, and a corn flakes box for a strop.

All of this pre supposes that you want a knife to cut stuff with, and not just to look at. I have never understood the concept of having a knife that is not used to cut, or a rifle that is not actually used to shoot, but am aware that there are those that just want to own things and never use them for their intended purposes. If you are there, then the above information is kind of academic, though I suspect that there may be some knives in your kitchen that could benefit from some informed attention.
Interesting post. I always like to listen to and hear other peoples views and methods. You say that you strop 20 times both sides then repeat. When you just want to give a quick strop after use, do you just do a few swipes on alternate sides eg. one swipe one side then the other side then just alternate a few times, or do you do say 5 one side then 5 the other side.
Mr. Chips
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 2:34 am

Re: Great Video ( Sharpening )

Post by Mr. Chips »

When I notice that the edge is not as razor sharp as I need it - for whittlin' say - I give it 5 or so firm stroks on one side and then 5 on the other side and its usually good to go again.

I can usually touch it up at least 25 times on the strop before I need to use the stone again.
Mr. Chips
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 2:34 am

Re: Great Video ( Sharpening )

Post by Mr. Chips »

If you want to strop on alternate sides, it is important to be very careful when turning the knife over. Flipping it backwards, so that the spine of the knife is facing the strop as it is turned over, will keep you from rounding the edge.
User avatar
cudgee
Posts: 6185
Joined: Thu May 16, 2019 7:21 am
Location: Victoria. Australia.

Re: Great Video ( Sharpening )

Post by cudgee »

Mr. Chips wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 3:07 am If you want to strop on alternate sides, it is important to be very careful when turning the knife over. Flipping it backwards, so that the spine of the knife is facing the strop as it is turned over, will keep you from rounding the edge.
Good advise, had not heard of that one before. I always stop then lift the blade off completely before i turn it over. :)
Mr. Chips
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 2:34 am

Re: Great Video ( Sharpening )

Post by Mr. Chips »

As long as you really do that you'll be ok.

I have seen MANY people anticipate the flip, and wipe their edge off, so I always advise against forward flips.
old4570
Posts: 129
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2021 2:58 am

Re: Great Video ( Sharpening )

Post by old4570 »



Razor edge
Post Reply

Return to “Sharpening Forum”