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A little pleasurable sharpening.

2K views 16 replies 8 participants last post by  The Tourist 
#1 ·
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.

Tableware Wood Knife Tool Hunting knife
 
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#4 · (Edited)
@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.
 
#14 ·
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...

 
#15 ·
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
 
#16 ·
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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