Hi I am looking for an easy way to get a sharp edge on my carbon steel and stainless knives. I am 72 years old and have tried for 50+ years to use a stone and all I accomplished was wearing the blade and stone away. I have a Lansky but again I wear the stones out and it is time consuming. I have a box full of electric chef sharpeners that don't work very well. I have a 7 inch buffing wheel but it isn't tight enough to sharpen a blade plus I'm not sure of what grit compound and how to apply it to saturate the wheel. How do the factories sharpen their blades? I'm tried of buying a new knife every time I want to skin a squirrel lol. I have good knives that are sharp for some time but they all lose their edge sooner or later. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

Mike

What are your "good knives"?

Rada, easy and fast.

Kent

I'm an exception and use old timey
conventional Norton and Arkansas
stones

If I couldn't do that or ever got to where
I couldn't do that anymore, I'd be
ordering myself one of those havalon
piranta knives and packages of blades
and not look back or give it another thought

I'd order one anyway if I didn't have
several lifetimes supply of knives
already

Rada and/or Spyderco Sharpmaker.

Spyderco. I think they were making the sharpener before they became a knife company.

A Work Sharp kit works great for me.

The only thing about those kits and the
electrical things is that if you're on a
walk-in camp out or hunt and are in a
primitive camp, you'll not be wanting to
pack in a box of stones and guides or
anything requiring electricity

You'll need a pocket stone of some kind
and to have the ability to use it

We're trying to help the OP with a specific question.

Right. I read that he said he had a lansky and a
wheel and a " boxfull of electric sharpeners "
and that none of that worked for him

If you can't do it with any of that, it's time
to use a disposable blade knife

Couple years ago I picked up a Smith's 6" Tri-Hone Sharpening System. Has a 3 sided block for coarse, medium & fine that mounts on a non skid base, some honing oil, an angle guide, and most importantly, (for me), a full set of clear instructions. Forgot the exact price but the 30-35 dollar range is about right IIRC. I had almost no experience at this stuff and now I'm not worried about a knife needing sharpening or just a little freshening up. Got it at a Runnings, Home, Farm, & Outdoor Center if there's any in your area, and I've seen Smith's products at other retailers also.

Dear Sir, thank you for this interesting question. It seems, that you have indeed put in plenty of effort, time and money to master the, thruth be told, rather straight forward task of blade sharpening.
By no means do I intend to sound condecending, but might it not be, looking back on 50 years of wearing away stones and knives and having not figured out a buffing wheel (kudos though for your effort in trying) to, in going forward, safe time, nerves and money by just handing your knives to a guy or girl, who knows what he/she is doing for sharpening and pay for their effort?

I would have to agree with this. I used to be able to get a good edge free hand on stones but really struggle to do so now. I've been using a Gatco kit for years with great results, but that is the same concept as the Lansky, just bigger stones. The only thing I can add is that if I touch up my better quality knives frequently on a steel or strop before they get dull, I very rarely need to go back to the stones to re-establish the edge.

Try and focus.

It makes the website a more helpful place.

If you can't use the Lansky, the Edge Pro and similar systems are out. I like the Sharpmaker for quick touch ups but it isn't my favorite for dull knives. It may work for you with the extra stones. The Work Sharp would be another to look at.

https://wickededgeusa.com/collections/sharpeners/products/wicked-edge-go

A Worksharp costs $70 or 80 but it puts a great edge on knives. You have to follow the directions carefully or it'll round off the tip but it puts on a very good edge. It also works on scissors and other blades, too. The belts aren't very expensive if you go online for them. Ebay carries a lot of them at lower prices than Amazon.

I've tried for 20+ years to demonstrate to my
hunting buddy how to get a properly sharp
edge on a knife with every method listed up
there ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
The lansky, the wheels, the little belt sander,
pretty much all of it, but he still can't make
any of it work.
His fix was to buy one of those TV packages
of 200 chingchong knives for $139.95, and
when one quits, he trashes it and grabs another.

Another possibility is to buy a half dozen of
the desired knife and keep 3 in use and send
them back to the factory for professional
refurbishing. Professional meat cutters do
It, and mountain men carried several for
their use as they dulled. I would guess they
didn't stop work to sit down and re do a knife.

No shame in not being able to sharpen a
knife. I know as many that don't know
than those who do

KME works for me. Not as easy to setup as Sharpmaker, but gets me shaving sharp when nothing else I tried over 50+ years did. Customer service, BTW, has been outstanding. Any question about absolutely anything gets answered quickly on their FB page or, in my case, a phone call from their CS guy.

Rada.

I like ceramic sticks with a wood block. Should be able to get a set with 2 coarse sticks, 2 fine sticks, and the block should have a 20 and 25 degree settings.

When things are awful I use a Lansky or a WorkSharp to re-establish and edge then go back to the ceramics for maintenance.

You have to clean the ceramic sticks once and a while. A little Ajax or similar powdered cleaning compound will clean up your sticks so they can "cut" your knife edge again.

The rada weighs almost nothing and is small in the pack, easy to use, don't over think it.

Had a hunter kill an elk and pull out a havalin disposable blade knife and in a few minutes broke the blade off inside the cavity somewhere. If you want disposable buy a 5 pack of cheap paring knives, razor sharp and 2 or 3 will dress/skin an elk. Toss'm when done, weigh nothing.

Kent

I like that Spyderco setup.

The hardware store sells a little pocket/keychain version, I think made by Lansky. It has a carbide V on one side and 1/8" ceramic rods on the other side. The carbide is good for sharpening a hoe or shovel, in a pinch, but I only use the ceramic on my knives.

Heck, I often put a shaving edge on my pocket knife or a hunting knife using the unglazed bottom and then the glazed side of a ceramic coffee mug. But if one struggles to hold the appropriate angles when stroking the edge, the V sharpeners are fool proof.

added: google Lansky quick fix knife sharpener. I see one listed at $7

Thanks ya'll for reminding me. I have to run out to the truck and touch up my EDC on the window edge

Been using those since they were wood and yellow plastic, over 20 years.

I have stones, lanskey, belt sander.. mostly I use a steel to touch up and a rada to set the relief when needed.

Kent

Yep, this works great !

Home, stone & steel.

I use the Arkansas stones if i want a really sharp razor edge.

This can’t be beat for quick, easy, and lightweight.

I can sharpen almost any knife I own sharp enough to shave with and I've shown a lot my friends how I do it. Most of can't do it because they just don't have the patience. I use ceramic rods, Arkansas stones and a Smith diamond sharping pad (if the edge is real beat up) followed by a steel. I've given my SIL (who can't sharpen a knife) everything I have except I gave him a diamond plated steel instead of a Diamond sharpening pad. For his 50th birthday I gave him of these:

https://warthogusa.com/product/xtreme-edge/

I haven't used one of these but I saw a bigger model on the counter at McBrides gun shop and a customer was sharpening his knife on it. He said he had one at home and it's all he uses now. I don't know if SIL has tried his yet.

I use a Lansky and have for 30 years. Think I’m on my 4th set of stones. It works fine for blades about 5” or shorter and great for many broadheads.

this

on the stones, I might spend several hours sometimes.

I have the Smith's 50594 Diamond Precision Knife Sharpening System. When I first sharpen any knife I use the course diamond stone until I get a wire bead rolled over on one side and then work the other side until the bead moves over. Then I go to the medium diamond stone and work the bead back over both sides (it will be smaller this time). Then I work it back on both sides with the fine hard stone, then strop it on some leather. It is usually hair shaving sharp by this stage. Cheap or soft steel knives will never get a great edge and they won't keep an edge for long. A decent piece of steel may take more work up front but will hold the edge and will be easier to get back to sharp.

Yes, That is actually the type I have. A couple of them in the camper and in the kitchen. I failed to remember the brand name.

The Lansky quick fix mentioned above appears to be an equivalent replacement.

Geez. What kind of steel and what kind of stones? I am curious.



As for the OP you have a couple of choices. You can learn to sharpen on stones. Many good Youtube videos. Search for Cliff Stamp, Steel Drake, and Calton Cutlery. If you can't learn to sharpen from those guy's videos (which I doubt) maybe you just flat can't and need to move on. Up until youtube came along I could half azz sharpen on stones and used a Lansky jig. Then I learned the pieces of the puzzle I didn't know.

You can get a sharpening gadget. Jigs, mini belt sanders, pull throughs etc. Eventually you are going to need a way to "thin" or lay back the edge and some of these limit you on that. The better jigs are the KME and Edge pro.

Problem is that good sharpening stones and gadgets are expensive. So the third choice of something disposable could be just the ticket. I call em "glorified box cutters" but they certainly would solve your problem. Sell off your good knives, get a glorified box cutter and buy something else nice with the balance of the money.


A lot of knife makers offer a sharpening service. You can send a Buck in and they will sharpen it for you for a few bucks.....no pun intended.

When your stones wear and are.no longer flat, it's hard to get a fine edge. It gets more and more frustrating.
If the knives aren't high quality, then a cheap carborindum from a discount store will serve you well for practice and starting with a square flat surface .

There's umpteen instructionals on YouTube.
Lots of good advice.

Here's one. Cliff is a good farmer who likes all things sharp.
Do a search and you'll find one here on basic how to.
https://m.youtube.com/user/CliffStamp/videos

Do you have a family member who is a barber, meat cutter, machinist?
They will do it for you for buying them lunch.

Blessings,
Happy Camper

I bought a 1x30 belt sander from Horrible Freight, 40 bucks on sale. prosharpeningsupply.com has belts from 120 grit to 1000 grit, and leather strop belts. They also have a neat angle guide that fits that sander, makes it easy. Amazing edge.

I use a diamond stone or oil stones. It’s a feel thing. I can feel when it goes slick. I hit a couple licks on a piece of saddle girth. It rips hair off your arm.

The Rada thing is great for kitchen knives, but I wouldn’t use it on my good knives.

Warthog

After 50+ years, I'd say it's time for a course correction...

Just get one of these...and never again be tasked with the burden of having to sharpen a blade ever again...!

one with nitro steel, a couple of s30v, and a couple of san mai 111 knives. the really hard Arkansas black stone is the one that takes awhile I just use the weight of the blade when I'm doing it.

I bought one of these a few years back,
https://www.edgeproinc.com/
have tried a few others and like this sharpener, you can hone the edge and then polish with 3000, once sharp its is a lot more durable and can tune it up in the field with a steel...

I prefer the Spyderco but it depends a lot on the moon as to how sharp it will get the blade.

But it does!

Thanks for all the replies

Mike

Accusharp, they make them for scissors and axes too. No skill required so a perfect tool.



mike r

+1

my grandson broke off one of thos narrow blade disposables in an elk one time, that's when i went to the havalin.
i also bought a couple of the rada's after reading of them on here, they work pretty good.
my knife fetish was there before the firearms.
the problem is unlike my father neve could sharpen a knife worth a damn.

I use the heck out of the lanky mini croc sticks. Mostly on viki paring and boning knifes and pocket knives. The pocket size plastic deal with two ceramic rods. Good option for youR pack.

It’s like $5.

just got a rada based on recommendation here. Works well and is very easy to use.

First time ever uttered in our kitchen by my wife- "Ow that knife is sharp" lol

The Rada works, and is easy and fast. No, I wouldn’t run a custom or a $150 “nice” knife through it, but for blades that I look at as “tools”, and not “heirlooms”, it’ll get you within 90%-95% of where you wanna be (maybe not “razor” sharp, but extremely sharp).

This white and black speckled arkansas
been all over the planet.
Aint never had a drop of stupid oil on it. JMO....
Spit is all ya need....

STX nailed it.
At the end fine sharpening
Just the weight of the blade.
Takes me about 3 to 5 mins max to freshen an edge.
It's feel and angle and small forward going circles for me along the length then flipped over and repeat.
I dont lenght sharpen a blade on a stone in 1 pass, then flipped over and repeated.
YMMV....
Technique.....

Strop off on my blue jeans upper front thigh.
Many dont strop a blade to get rid of the micro curl on the last side passed.


What I call a dull knife others call sharp.
Seen it many times....
When ya hand a dude a sharp knife sometimes ya see a amazed look on their face when they get to work with it.


No pressure shaving is when ya know a blade is sharp.
Dont even wanna show the 1976 110.
That blade is evil sharp.
You could gut a man from his belly to sternum with that knife with one upward thrust and slice easy.
This is the modern buck 110 the ole lady found on the road walking grandog brady several weeks ago.

Nothing works better than an EdgePro

That might work for some people.. but when you break off a razor sharp blade in a deer or elk you can cut your finger to the bone feeling around inside the animal looking for the broken piece.. and its not funny..

Not trying to bust on what you posted at all.

But why would anyone fish around blindly elbows deep or whatever in a abdominal or chest cavity for a broken knife like that.
Common sense to not do that.


Time to split the breast bone all the way up, pry the ribs apart and wedge a branch in em and finish the job being able to see what is what.....

Just saying.....

Mike, at this point in the game, why not just use a sharpening service. It’s inexpensive and it sounds like you have enough knives so you could keep one or two to use while you’re waiting on the next package of sharp knives.

You could learn to use a strop after each use to extend the time between sharpening.

^^^^^^^
Lmfao!!!

Had to check out "edge pro".
Cause the "SAGE" says nothing works better.
Holy schit..
All that rube goldberg schit just to sharpen a knife????
Models currently from 150 to 750 bucks online.
YGTBFKM........

Hahahahahaha!!!

I will stick with the 1985 white and black speckled arkansas stone bought out in the Springs at some knife shop in the mall when I was at Carson.
Cost like 15 bucks back then, one of the better ones they supposedly had in stock.


Glad I was a cub scout and learned how to sharpen a knife.....





I'm a dik........

LOL!!!

cant give it up can you.?

A strop is a must have!

https://www.worksharptools.com/shop/sharpeners/powered/ken-onion-edition-knife-tool-sharpener/
Excellent knife sharpener, it's fast and gets a knife sharp. I do carry a blue and red diamond stone - steel in my pack for touch ups. Blue jeans or the upper part of a leather boot will finish an edge off beautifully. Holding a piece of butcher paper and shaving little pieces off will tell you if your knife is really sharp.

renegade50
What kind of steel and hardness you sharpening on a soft dry stone??????

Already posted about the gist of it all, and about Buck 110,s which take an excellent edge.
Also have a 119 and a gerber dirk.
The 119 takes a razor edge but ya gotta use pressure to get hair.
The gerber dirk is probably super sharp to the average person, it can take a few hairs with alot of pressure.

Whatever they use for metalurgy.
Im sure someone can chime in about the science of the metal.
IDC.
Other answers below to your post which have been hit on previously.
Stone has spit on it when I use it.
It's a medium hard white and black speckled arkansas bought in 1985.

It's all about feel thru the blade.
If your wearing in a stone to where it has a curve into it.
Or see a blade line starting to curve in.

IMO your sanding/ grinding a blade with too much pressure and a really bad angle.
Or have a inferior stone or inferior metal in your knife/stone combo.

When what you should be seeking is a continuous unbroken readable angled edge with no dark spots or light refractions when held up to a light source.
Reading the pool of greyish blackish residue while sharpening will tell you things about the progress of your session also from start to finish.
Black line residue off the blade edge on the stone.
Small C shaped line residue off the edge of the blade on the stone
Transistion from start to finish of session of the color of the residue from dark to very light.
All while being worked.
Stroping a blade to get rid of the micro curl/burr on it from sharpening is important also.

Everyone has their ways of doing things and what works for them.


JMO....

Most knives just need to be steeled for 30 seconds, or stroped if you have one handy, crock sticks. No need to take metal off every time it gets a bit dull.

30 seconds on a rada and 30 seconds with a steel will be hair shaving sharp, steel frequently after that until you need to take the relief back again.

Butcher's know what they're doing... steel...

Kent

That Rada tool is tough on a blade. Butchers use inexpensive knives that they dispose of when the blade is wiped away from a tool like the Rada. I wouldn't put a nice blade through that thing.

I have butcher knives over 100 years old, the handles are beat to chit, the blades were sent to professional 'grinders' that take the angle way back and it's not pretty, those blades are still good and would last another 100 years. They grind the blades back to keep the blade so they can steel over and over again and only send them in for grinding each year.

Anytime you use any 'sharpener' you take metal off, it's physics. You don't need to reangle or cut the relief back as soon as the knife starts getting dull... steel it back straight, I mean you could use a super smooth stone and straighten it back without taking metal off, but a steel is easier for the same thing, as is a strop.

But most start with a coarse stone, taking off metal, then work to a smooth every time, so what's the difference?

Steel,steel,steel,steel... learn that, cut your relief angle anyway you want when it gets 'blunt', steel in between will save your blade.

I only have working knives and will never wear one out, though I've seen guys that use their knives only a few times, but sharpen them down to nubs with stones.

Kent

When using a wet stone, try assuming the angle is a lot more shallow than you think, because it probably is. Start holding it flat, then raise it gradually till you feel the flat of the edge, then hold it at that angle while you slide the blade across the stone. The motion doesn't matter nearly as much as holding that angle and sweeping the blade across the surface. Do that, and it won't take long before you feel a bite in the edge on your thumb.

Here's the thing about the rada or similar, if you have a 50 buck folder or kitchen knives your wife abuses, once it sets the angle, by pulling it trough and removing metal, it's set. A few swipes by anyone and the knife is fairly sharp immediately. If you are field dressing an elk, it takes a few swipes to reset even it it seems sharp still it isn't and makes a difference, bloody hands and all, 10 seconds and it almost as sharp as if it was steeled.

Constantly changing sharpening gadgets and technique means different angles and removing metal. Pick one and stay with it, but if it's not in your pack in elk canyon and readily usable, meh...

Kent