The Handloaders Bench Home
Home Search search Menu menu Not logged in - Login | Register
The Handloaders Bench > General > The cutting edge > How do you sharpen your blades?

How do you sharpen your blades?
 Moderated by: Poacher
 New Topic   Reply   Printer Friendly 
 Rate Topic 
AuthorPost
 Posted: Sun May 17th, 2009 04:34 AM
   PM  Quote  Reply 
1st Post
miestro_jerry
Administrator


Joined: Sat Jun 28th, 2008
Location: Somerton - A Terrorist Free Community, Ohio USA
Posts: 3879
Photo: [Download]
Are you a handloader?: Yes
Favorite type of cartridge to load?: I load everything!
My favorite chambering is:: 5.56 NATO
Status: 
Offline

  back to top

As that I have been a guild knifemaker, I have learned many ways to sharpen my knives. But I still like to sit down with my set of Arkansas stones and get the edge almost razor sharp. For most people that some by, I use a set of compressed paper wheels that are mounted on a bench grinder, that does a good job and fairly fast.

So do you all sharpen your edged tools?

Jerry

 



____________________
No Goats, No Glory


NRA Benefactor Member
Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association Member
The Cast Bullet Association
Bethesda Farmers and Sportsmen Club
ODNR Certified and Licensed Hunter


 Posted: Sun May 17th, 2009 05:38 AM
   PM  Quote  Reply 
2nd Post
Rockydog
Administrator


Joined: Tue Jul 26th, 2005
Location: Wisconsin USA
Posts: 1462
Photo: 
Are you a handloader?: Yes
Favorite type of cartridge to load?: I load everything!
My favorite chambering is:: 8mm Mauser
Status: 
Offline

  back to top

Jerry, For really dull knives... Coarse stone/fine stone/Steel.

         For Touch up......Fine stone, Steel

I sharpen toward the edge as if I was trying to shave a slice off the stone or steel. Circles or dragging the blade backward across the knife only leads to wire edges. When "shaving" across the stone be damned sure your finger tips are below the top of the stone or you won't have to worry about police records containing fingerprints.  RD



____________________
"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." ~ Thomas Jefferson ~



 Posted: Wed May 20th, 2009 04:58 PM
   PM  Quote  Reply 
3rd Post
fryboy
Moderator


Joined: Sun Feb 24th, 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 1325
Photo: [Download]
Are you a handloader?: Yes
Favorite type of cartridge to load?: I load everything!
My favorite chambering is:: ones that work
Status: 
Online

  back to top

depends on the blade ,usually on my skinning knives a couple swipes on a crock stik is all i need,new to me blades if bad i used diamond stones if really bad one of my belt sanders/grinders,my chip carving knives i use a leather strop and super fine sandpaper finishing with the strop impregnated with rouge(very sharp polished edge-scapel like but way more wicked )my bread knife i use a fiskars/gerber dual mini crock stik combo,my hunting hatchet is flesh/bone only and i use a small fine diamond stone on it ( eze-lap but my oldest smoothest one )my chainsaw blades i use the dremel tool on ( love that system ! )axes n adz i use a file on and finish with a fine whetstone ,scissors if not to bad a small crock stick (just like cutting with them ) rougher stuff like the mowers get the old trusty grinder



____________________
(happy shootin'-the best way to get empty brass!)


 Posted: Wed May 20th, 2009 08:41 PM
   PM  Quote  Reply 
4th Post
Gutshot
HB Pro Staff
 

Joined: Mon Sep 1st, 2008
Location: Justin, Texas USA
Posts: 94
Photo: 
Are you a handloader?: Yes
Favorite type of cartridge to load?: I load everything!
My favorite chambering is:: 270 Win ...
Status: 
Offline

  back to top

Where can one get a razor strop? They are scarce since on can't use them for disipling our kids with(hence the moral state we're in...but don't get me on a soap box...all of us here know that anyway). Or do you make one. If so how does one do that and what materials does one use?

 

                                          Gutshot 



 Posted: Thu May 21st, 2009 12:02 AM
   PM  Quote  Reply 
5th Post
miestro_jerry
Administrator


Joined: Sat Jun 28th, 2008
Location: Somerton - A Terrorist Free Community, Ohio USA
Posts: 3879
Photo: [Download]
Are you a handloader?: Yes
Favorite type of cartridge to load?: I load everything!
My favorite chambering is:: 5.56 NATO
Status: 
Offline

  back to top

Find a barber supply place, they sell strops, if you can't find one of those places, here is a decent place on the net:

http://www.classicshaving.com/Razor_Strops_Hones.html

For leather sharpening, I have a little 1 x 30 belt sander that several places sell leather belts in that size. It does work well.

As the Razor sharp, generally that is a high carbon steel blade, you can do it with a combination of stones, including a black hard Arkansas stone, the the leather belt on the sander.

There is another level above razor sharp, it is called scary sharp. THis is a level of sharpness that is beyond razor and surgical sharp, if you try to shave the hair off your arm with such a sharpened blade, you will remove a layer of skin and not even feel it until you see the blood. :rolleyes:

Jerry

 



____________________
No Goats, No Glory


NRA Benefactor Member
Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association Member
The Cast Bullet Association
Bethesda Farmers and Sportsmen Club
ODNR Certified and Licensed Hunter


 Posted: Thu May 21st, 2009 02:20 AM
   PM  Quote  Reply 
6th Post
fryboy
Moderator


Joined: Sun Feb 24th, 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 1325
Photo: [Download]
Are you a handloader?: Yes
Favorite type of cartridge to load?: I load everything!
My favorite chambering is:: ones that work
Status: 
Online

  back to top

i had my huntin axe like that once ( u should of seen the look on the face of the guy who said it wasnt sharp when running his thumb over the edge when he saw the fine 1/4"wide layer of skin he had shaved :P )

gutshot u can make one -i often do for the carving knifes , best way is start with a decent leather strop(clean) i prefer 1 1/2 " wide , a razor needs a rough and a fine (or rather fine and finer )tho i usually use the red jewler's rouge one the most (finer) get a stick of compound and start stroking it on the strop dry ,like sidewalk chalk sorts and filling in large area's) when thoroughly covered take some lite oil ( 3 in 1 works )and oil the strop rubbing the compound deeper into the leather work the ol in and then rub the compound on again , a couple coats followed last with the compound usually works ,do two straps ( fine and finer )then attack handles and a swivel and u will have a geeniwine homemade razor strop ,tho for most use i use it on the edge of a table or board ,

as jerry said there are places on the net that one can buy strops even mugs and brushes etc here's the link to one of my fav's
http://www.heimerdingercutlery.com/catalog/category.cfm?Category=114&CFID=547958&CFTOKEN=52652550



____________________
(happy shootin'-the best way to get empty brass!)


 Posted: Sun May 24th, 2009 07:44 PM
   PM  Quote  Reply 
7th Post
DesertMarine
Moderator


Joined: Wed Nov 12th, 2008
Location: New Mexico USA
Posts: 380
Photo: [Download]
Are you a handloader?: Yes
Favorite type of cartridge to load?: rifle
My favorite chambering is:: 
Status: 
Offline

  back to top

Never been able to get the angles right when sharpening, so I went with the Edge Pro sharpening system.  Tried Arkansas stones, Japanese water stones, Spyderco system, no can do.  The Edge Pro works good for me. 

I tried the sharpening wheels, not good for me. 



____________________
DesertMarine


 Posted: Fri Jun 5th, 2009 03:47 PM
   PM  Quote  Reply 
8th Post
caz223
Handloading Master


Joined: Sun May 29th, 2005
Location: Michigan USA
Posts: 385
Photo: 
Are you a handloader?: Yes
Favorite type of cartridge to load?: pistol
My favorite chambering is:: 
Status: 
Offline

  back to top

A coarse file for touch-up, abrasive 'steel', then a fine Arkansas stone.
I go with the grain on the file rather than against it, it makes micro-serrations in the blade that really make it cut better without affecting smoothness.
It's impossible to do the finger test on a blade of good carbon steel after I sharpen it, as it will draw blood.
What's the point of a dull knife?
I use an electric razor to shave, and think an edged weapon should stay away from my face/neck.

Last edited on Fri Jun 5th, 2009 03:57 PM by caz223



____________________
I'm not just a gun, I'm YOUR gun. (Hold me!)


 Current time is 02:01 AM
The Handloaders Bench > General > The cutting edge > How do you sharpen your blades?
Top




UltraBB 1.17 Copyright © 2007-2008 Data 1 Systems
Page processed in 0.1965 seconds (14% database + 86% PHP). 26 queries executed.