knife sharpening

[Bogie]

So, I bought a few sharp pointy damascus things from Mad Mike... And while they were pointy, they're not all that sharp. But they're still pretty... 1075 steel, folded with nickel...
 
I hate using whetstones (takes patience, takes time, squirrel!), and I'm a bit of a tool whore... So I picked up a $50 1x30 bench sander at my local China Fright, and ordered a pack of decent belts, including a leather stropping belt, and we're gonna see how this goes... I like one of the little knives I got from him for every day use at work (tends to not be pretty sometimes...), and the 1075 steel should survive that where D2 or other steels would crack or chip... I also have a bunch of other knives that need work... Funny, but the Chicago Cutlery knives that I picked up at Wally World cut MUCH nicer than the Calphalon set...

[bedlamite]

I've tried a few other sharpening systems, but I keep going back to my lansky.

[K Frame]

I've tried a few other sharpening systems, but I keep going back to my lansky.

Yep. Lanskey gives me the best edges I've ever been able to set on a knife.

[Ben]

Big Worksharp fan here. I still use stones occasionally just to keep the skillset up, but the Worksharp is just so much faster that it's my go-to.

[RoadKingLarry]

Ken Onion edition Worksharp for the bigger blades, Lansky type for smaller blades.

[HankB]

Been using a Lansky for 30+ years.

[Kingcreek]

I have several good stones and have always used stones since my grandpa taught me to sharpen his chisels and planer blades 60 years ago.
But I have considered buying one of the 2x72 belt sanders, mainly for axes and mower blades but also want to do a couple stock removal knives.

[MechAg94]

My Dad has one of the Worksharp belt sharpeners.  I need to bring a few knives with me and use it.

[RocketMan]

Ken Onion edition Worksharp for the bigger blades, Lansky type for smaller blades.

Ken Onion edition Worksharp here, too.  Works best for me.  I'm hopeless with stones.

[sumpnz]

King water stones is my go-to.  But my FIL just gave us (among a lot of stuff, mostly crap) a grinder that includes a polishing wheel.  A very fine grit polishing compound would put a very sharp edge on an already well sharpened blade.

[Tuco]

Flat bastard, mill file, medium Arkansas, fine arkansas, yellowstone on the back old 1.5" filson belt.

[griz]

I've used the same HF 1X30 for a while now.  The biggest thing is finding belts that are fine enough.  Can't find anything finer than 180 locally, I've mail ordered everything.  600 is about the coarsest I use for sharpening, and only for blades that are really dull.  Most of the time I start with a 1000 grit belt that feels like cloth and finish up with the leather belt to strop it. 

[charby]

I've tried a few other sharpening systems, but I keep going back to my lansky.

X2

[charby]

Funny, but the Chicago Cutlery knives that I picked up at Wally World cut MUCH nicer than the Calphalon set...

I have a set of forged Chicago Cutlery knives I bought over 20 years ago, I remember paying $60 for a set of 3 knives then a few more additional knives at $20-50 each. I would actually compare my set against Wusthof or Henckles as either equal or maybe a little nicer.

[Ben]

Speaking of Worksharp, I don't know how new it is, but I just stumbled upon this Worksharp Precision, which is a manual sharpener. This actually looks pretty neat at half the price of my Ken Onion.

One of the toughest things for me with the band sharpener (as well as stones) is trying to keep an even angle along the full length of the blade. It looks like that would be easy with this one (refer to the video).

https://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-Precision-Adjust-Sharpener/dp/B08L72P245

[charby]

Speaking of Worksharp, I don't know how new it is, but I just stumbled upon this Worksharp Precision, which is a manual sharpener. This actually looks pretty neat at half the price of my Ken Onion.

One of the toughest things for me with the band sharpener (as well as stones) is trying to keep an even angle along the full length of the blade. It looks like that would be easy with this one (refer to the video).

https://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-Precision-Adjust-Sharpener/dp/B08L72P245

Lansky beat them to the party years ago.

[Ben]

Lansky beat them to the party years ago.

When thinking "Lansky" I always thought of this:

https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-2D2C-Diamond-Ceramic-Four/dp/B008EKY5OA

However, reading the one star reviews on both the Worksharp Precision and the Lansky version, neither of them in practice seem to be as good as they are in concept.

[cordex]

The Lansky sharpener I tried was maybe one step up from freehand sharpening on a tiny, single-grit whetstone.  The idea is fine, but it has small and cheap stones, coarse angle adjustment (which means you'll probably need to reprofile most of your blades - good luck with the stones that are included), and limited sizes/shapes of blades they can effectively sharpen.

If I want to take my time to get a hair-popping blade I'll use my KME.  If I just want to get the blades usable again I'll use my Ken Onion Worksharp.

[K Frame]

This is the Lansky system I have. Works great.

https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Deluxe-5-Stone-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8IEA4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1ZIM18MM5R9JA&keywords=lansky+sharpening+system&qid=1679412012&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=lanskey%2Csporting%2C173&sr=1-3

[Bogie]

I've only had a few minutes to play with it, but the one that I picked for EDC is already much better.

[charby]

This is the Lansky system I have. Works great.

https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Deluxe-5-Stone-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8IEA4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1ZIM18MM5R9JA&keywords=lansky+sharpening+system&qid=1679412012&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=lanskey%2Csporting%2C173&sr=1-3

I have the same thing, an old guy gave me a base for the T dealio, its a piece of all thread with nuts in a wooden block that holds the knife holder/angle gauge. Easy peasy to sharpen at the table that way.

[bedlamite]

This is the Lansky system I have. Works great.

https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Deluxe-5-Stone-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8IEA4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1ZIM18MM5R9JA&keywords=lansky+sharpening+system&qid=1679412012&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=lanskey%2Csporting%2C173&sr=1-3

Same here, except diamond.

https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-4-Stone-Deluxe-Diamond-Sharpening/dp/B000B8L6LS/

[K Frame]

"an old guy gave me a base for the T dealio"

I need to get a base. It's getting harder and harder for me to really sharpen my knives adequately with the arthritis creeping up in my hands...

[JTHunter]

For most of the last 40 years, I have used a 2" x 6" double grit "block".
About 15 years ago, I bought a 3-stone set-up on a wood base.  The coarse stone is (IIRC) an aluminum oxide with soft and hard Arkansas stones.  Most of the knives I have to sharpen are multi-blade pocket knives, single blade folders, and assorted kitchen cutlery.  The pocket knives I can get sharp enough to shave the hair off of my arm.
When I have to do my ax, hatchet, or machete, I clamp them in my vise and use the double grit stone on them.  They don't need to be much sharper than that as it can allow too much damage to the edge.

[HankB]

This is the Lansky system I have. Works great.

https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Deluxe-5-Stone-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8IEA4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1ZIM18MM5R9JA&keywords=lansky+sharpening+system&qid=1679412012&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=lanskey%2Csporting%2C173&sr=1-3

Same here. Easy to get my knives "shaving sharp" . . . and after a sharpening session, I've got the bald spots on my forearm to prove it. 

The only downside is that the stones ARE small - and after I do a couple of knives, I start to get cricks in my finger joints and have to quit for a while.