knife sharpening, how to?

[kellory]

I just got off the phone with my barber (yes, a real, honest to God barber, not a chain, and I asked him about where to get a strope, what was best to use, surface texture, what I should exspect to pay, that type of thing. He said take mine, as I haven't used it in 15 years!. Straight rasors are bad form now, and he can get a closer shave with safety rasors. He said he will dig it out for my next visit.

[Woods Walker]

See if he's got two of them!!!!! Seriously!!!

[kellory]

See if he's got two of them!!!!! Seriously!!!

I think I just started a run on barber shops! Woodsie, I have never seen you without your Guilli-suit, if you have any hair left, ask your barber, that is if Obama has left you any hair...

[luvhuntin]

that is if Obama has left you any hair..

HEY HEY HEY !

I resemble that remark!
best hair horse shoe you have ever seen! seriously! LOL!

Still trying to perfect the shallow angles i have 2 of the same knives one i went with a 22* angle 15* on the other.

not even close to what i want yet on the 15*.

the 22* is my best work yet.

[Woods Walker]

Oh it takes a while! But keep at it. I start by laying the knife blade completely flat on the stone, and then I raise the back edge of the blade up slightly. That puts me at about a 15 degree angle. With a guide it should make it a lot easier. I had to learn without the guide, because we didn't have them yet then.

[Woods Walker]

You can also "strop" a sharp blade on a soft piece of wood (like a pine/fir 2X4). This has a lot of the same affect, and many times that can be the final step that makes a fairly sharp blade into one that is shaving sharp.

[kellory]

I am suprised no one has mentioned a buffing wheel. There is a guy out in California I knew, who would sharpen then buff, and you could cut a stray though off with one of those knives. Esetially, it would be a high speed strope. This guy gets paid to polish dragster parts and racing equiptment. Croming and polishing, but his knives were wicked sharp.

[Big Horse]

I take my knives to a buddy who uses paper wheels on a bench grinder and jewlers polish to buff em.

Sharpest I've ever seen.

Years ago there was a guy that set up at all the gun shows in the area and would sharpen knives with this same set up.

[jonny5buck]

I use ''smiths'' precision sharpening kit.....comes with the 3 stones ...i usually only need 2 of them ..plenty of oil ..and exact strokes per side...i usually do 10 per side ...flip 10per side...check 10per side ..and repeat...then use the fine stone when i have nothing to do..and take my time honing the fine ark stone...i use the 20~ slot for fillet knife and 25~ slot for hunting/skinning knife...

had it for yrs and have had buddies borrow and return ...def. worthwhile investment ....

[Woods Walker]

"..plenty of oil .."

YES, YES, YES!!! It's impossible to use too much oil! I watch for it on sale and stock up when I can. My 4 stone set has an oil tray that sits underneath the stones so that the bottom stone is always submerged in oil. Messy? Yes.....but that's the whole point!