# A little pleasurable sharpening.



## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

There are times when I just have to polish something. The weather is cold and windy here and going outside probably won't happen. As you know, I am quite fond of my Sicilian Boy Scout Knife, and it needs a little touch-up. I went with a more toothy edge last time, and it did not trip my trigger. Today the edge gets the full polishing treatment. Ken Schwartz sent me some new stones and I found some uber-fine polish I forgot I had. It should be a good project.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I made my first new passes, and the edge slid remarkably smoothly. It bit my fingerprints even at this stage.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

@The Tourist I know zero about sharpening a blade. Can you direct me to a YouTube video that won't steer me in the wrong direction? I don't even know what tools/equipment/supplies I might need.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

*@paulag1955*, let me tell you something in all seriousness. I never found a "system" or singular stone that made tools sharper. Just like in any other aspect of excellence, you succeed by honest trial and error. If I took a picture of my sharpening area, you would see a fixture covered in blue painters tape and about two dozen stones or differing grits and manufacturers. And people who've watched me sharpen say I should take up "tap dancing" because of the continuous way I waltz around the knife to get the polishing stone at the right angle.

The secret (for me) is the continuous application of a black magic marker on the edge of the knife. Then I lightly make a pass on this edge to see if the stone engages the bevel uniformly. I also have a 3x9 metal flattening device I got from Ken Schwartz. During the procedure I take a pencil and make three large "X" marks midway on the stone. I then make asymmetrical passes on the flattening device until the marks are gone.

If you can find a guy who's part diamond cutter and blacksmith, that's your guy.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

The Tourist said:


> *@paulag1955*, let me tell you something in all seriousness. I never found a "system" or singular stone that made tools sharper. Just like in any other aspect of excellence, you succeed by honest trial and error. If I took a picture of my sharpening area, you would see a fixture covered in blue painters tape and about two dozen stones or differing grits and manufacturers. And people who've watched me sharpen say I should take up "tap dancing" because of the continuous way I waltz around the knife to get the polishing stone at the right angle.
> 
> The secret (for me) is the continuous application of a black magic marker on the edge of the knife. Then I lightly make a pass on this edge to see if the stone engages the bevel uniformly. I also have a 3x9 metal flattening device I got from Ken Schwartz. During the procedure I take a pencil and make three large "X" marks midway on the stone. I then make asymmetrical passes on the flattening device until the marks are gone.
> 
> If you can find a guy who's part diamond cutter and blacksmith, that's your guy.


Thanks. I'm going to let my brain digest this for a while.


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## KUSA (Apr 21, 2016)

paulag1955 said:


> @The Tourist I know zero about sharpening a blade. Can you direct me to a YouTube video that won't steer me in the wrong direction? I don't even know what tools/equipment/supplies I might need.


Get this and learn to use it.

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Edge-Pro-Apex-Model-4-Knife--13168


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

KUSA said:


> Get this and learn to use it.
> 
> https://www.bladehq.com/item--Edge-Pro-Apex-Model-4-Knife--13168


Thank you.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

I usually just stone by eye but have been thinking about one of these. My eyes not so good anymore, not as steady as I used to be either.
https://wickededgeusa.com/?utm_camp...MI15Xjg_qL5gIVjMPACh2Feg_MEAEYASAAEgIiKPD_BwE


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

How awesome to get multiple suggestions. I'm looking into them now.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

I also have a 3x9 metal flattening device, isn't this also known as dressing the stone? I never heard it called a metal flattening device before.


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## KUSA (Apr 21, 2016)

paulag1955 said:


> How awesome to get multiple suggestions. I'm looking into them now.


I'm pretty sure Tourist has an Edge Pro similar to the one I linked. I have one and I can get a blade sharp enough to give you a skin graph.


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## Robie (Jun 2, 2016)

KUSA said:


> I'm pretty sure Tourist has an Edge Pro similar to the one I linked. I have one and I can get a blade sharp enough to give you a skin graph.


My Dad used to do it free-hand on his bench stone. I tried for years to imitate him...to no avail.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

Robie said:


> My Dad used to do it free-hand on his bench stone. I tried for years to imitate him...to no avail.


My dad did, too. I wish I had paid attention.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Not hard, today. Gadgets make it easy.

Bought a knife from a "polisher" a few months ago. Got a knife in the manufacturer's box without the polishing. Matter of fact, it wasn't as sharp as I wanted. Sharpened it to shaving-quality by hand. Took a little time to keep the angle right but it is just a matter of time. Not polished but a surgeon would appreciate it.

Here's something to watch. You can even polish the edge...


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

The Tourist said:


> There are times when I just have to polish something. The weather is cold and windy here and going outside probably won't happen. As you know, I am quite fond of my Sicilian Boy Scout Knife, and it needs a little touch-up. I went with a more toothy edge last time, and it did not trip my trigger. Today the edge gets the full polishing treatment. Ken Schwartz sent me some new stones and I found some uber-fine polish I forgot I had. It should be a good project.
> 
> View attachment 101565


Tourist, . . . got a question that probably you can answer, . . . couldn't find a straight answer on line.

I've got white jeweler's rouge, . . . green polishing compound in a 1 inch square stick about 5 inches long, . . . and a big hunk about 2 inches square and 10 inches long, . . . that is red polishing compound.

What is the difference between them?? I tried on my wheel to get one or the other to polish something different than the others, . . . nothing doing.

BUT, . . . I tried to polish a stainless parade bayonet, . . . the red did not do well, . . . nor the white, . . . green did the best, but even it was slow going.

Any hints or tips you can toss my way???

Thanks, may God bless,
Dwight


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

I have used a Lanskey System since the 1970's. I have worn out 3 of them, now using my 4th.
It consists of a guide you clamp on the blade, and stones on guide rods that ride through the guide so you get a constant angle. There are 4 different angles you can choose, for fine light duty kitchen knives, to a heavy angle for hard working knives.
I swear by these.
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Standard-Lanskey-Sharpening-System-P103c57.aspx

This is the Standard set. There are others with more stones, but this is all I really need.
(Even works on bayonets:vs_rocking_banana


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

KUSA said:


> Get this and learn to use it.


An excellent idea, KUSA. It's a great little system for guys who just want to do their own knives for camping or kitchen use.

If you buy the serious sharpening stand, 30 to 40 various grit stones for the myriad of blade alloys and the room needed for this set-up, you will be over 400 bucks just getting set up. And every new stone is about fifteen to twenty bucks because of the trimming and affixing the stone for use on the stand.

The little stand might take longer to use, but as a newbie you'll probably do what I did getting started--I made a singular pass, stopped everything, examined the stone for errors and made another singular pass.

And as I always tell folks, call Ken Schwartz at 209-612-2790 for superior equipment. The few bucks extra you pay beats destroying or ruining an expensive tool.

Edit: And BTW, the instruction videos always show a master sharpener making uniform passes down the length of the knife's edge. There was probably a straight edge when he started. Get some old knives and a magic marker or two and make a light pass. Some areas will scape across the full width of the bevel, and some will not. The best edge is a uniform one, front to back and left to right.


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