My father was a tool and die guy, so I had access to plenty of stones as a youth.
I used free hand stones for about 50 years. I got pretty good at it. I ended up buying three larger (longer stokes)
bench stones of various grits and made a small fixture to hold them. I always sharpened standing
with my elbows locked into my sides and the stones at the same height every time if possible.
I thought I was doing well, but kept hearing about scary sharp. When Boise loaned me his Edge Pro
I found out what scary sharp is. I no longer use free stones for sharpening.
Keeping the stones CLEAN and the angle CONSTANT is very important in sharpening blades, especially the newer steels
heat treated to higher rockwells.
I fear the old days of setting around the deer hunting campfire spitting on an arkansas stone and working up a
slather swishing your high carbon soligen blade heat treated in the mid 50s around is about gone.
I now also use the Work Sharp for my filet and kitchen knives. Does a pretty good job and is quick touch up
after setting the convex bevel the first time.
So anyhow, I feel that almost any fixtured system will normally beat free hand for sharpening.
Just my 2 cents.
Tim
