Getting your knife razor sharp

[Retired Army]

That's what I looked into....in the meantime, I used my 1" X 42 inch belt sander without the belt backstop with a 1000 grit belt. The only thing I have to do is keep the blade at the same angle throughout the pass on each side. The unsupported belt allows the belt to give a convex grind vs a flat bevel. I've got to where one pass on each side is what keeps them sharp.

Thats what I like about the WS. It has a dial to set the angle and a guide. I go from 17 degrees on my filet knives to 25 degrees on my cleaver. I used the coarse belt to reprofile my BIL’s knife he broke the tip off in about 10 minutes and had it razor sharp again. Unsupported belt also.

 

[Inatree]

Im damn good at sharpening knives but Ive had knives that just wouldn't get there, Probably heat treatment. Try another knife.

 

[Gaffer1968]

Thats what I like about the WS. It has a dial to set the angle and a guide. I go from 17 degrees on my filet knives to 25 degrees on my cleaver. I used the coarse belt to reprofile my BIL’s knife he broke the tip off in about 10 minutes and had it razor sharp again. Unsupported belt also.

I agree.....right now they're at $129 at Amazon......If they go on sale or down by 10% I'll probably pull the trigger....

 

[Granite3]

 

[EMC45]

Blade steel (temper/hardness), blade bevel and blade thickness. I say blade thickness because I carry a Spyderco Endura 50/50 Clipit and that sucker is like sharpening a hatchet - Thick with a crazy bevel.

A good high carbon steel blade will keep an edge longer than most SS blades on the market (more and more options for SS blades are making this better). Sometimes carbon steel blades are harder to sharpen and take more time to get that good edge on them, but when you do they hold.

Like has been said work your edge to a burr and either strop it off or fine whetstone it off. I sharpen until I can't see light reflection on the blade edge, then I drag my nail across the bevel on either side to see which way it leans (it will scrape your nail). I then either strop that side or lightly run it on the whetstone to finish. My knives will slice paper and shave hair, but I have scissors and a razor to shave my face with, so those are just tests to see the overall usefulness of the edge.

 

[Rogue Wolf]

The thing about "shaving sharp" is that it's not going to stay that way. I've sharpened alot of knives in 40 years. I try to get them practical sharp. If you can shave snow flakes on your thumb nail it will do most anything you need it to do. If you really need more than that get a stereoscopic microscope about 80 bucks on Amazon and look for what's wrong. P. S. Don't cut your self.

Lol thx ...what is sending me insane is that I cannot seem to reach that level lol...my chef knives are maintained along with my hunting and goof around knife to be sharp but not impossible ( unless i got free time)... i want to be able to get them to the next level if i wanted to

 

[Retired Army]

I agree.....right now they're at $129 at Amazon......If they go on sale or down by 10% I'll probably pull the trigger....

I got mine at the 2019 Blade show along with a good friend. I think we paid $109 and got to meet Ken Onion. Not sure when they go on sale. Maybe Father’s Day or Black Friday?

 

[Rogue Wolf]

Until a few years ago, I sharpened knives with whetstones/diamond stones and could put a good edge on them. I have since invested in a Ken Onion Worksharp. I can get my knives as sharp as I wish now in a fraction of the time. And I’m talking scary sharp. I hate dull knives. I use it for everything. Best investment I’ve made when it comes to knives.

I might buy on i brought their adjustable set up one but i might do that belt sander style.... keeps them razor blade sharp??? Always was questioning them

 

[Gaffer1968]

I might buy on i brought their adjustable set up one but i might do that belt sander style.... keeps them razor blade sharp??? Always was questioning them

In my case, I already had the 1 X 42 belt sander so it's just an angle problem now that can be ameliorated with practice. I would, however, very much like to have the WorkSharp system - so I don't have to worry about angle....just need to get a cheaper price...

 

[Retired Army]

I might buy on i brought their adjustable set up one but i might do that belt sander style.... keeps them razor blade sharp??? Always was questioning them

love mine. The first time is the longest to sharpen. After that, based on how much you use them, simple touch up in just a few minutes. If you use the finest grit belt, it will give you a mirror finish. I rarely do that step. I sharpen mine as needed. Filet knives more often than kitchen knives.