Water stone or scary sharp?

[rivervalley47]

I wonder what your thoughts are on the best and most efficient way to sharpen your axes, knives, or hatchets. I have used my Japanese water stones to sharpen draw knives but I have never tried the "scary sharp" method.

[crashdive123]

Most efficient? I cheat and use a 2 x 72 belt grinder followed by a buffer (1.5 hp @ 3450 rpm).

To be more practical though - water stones are good (a lot depends on the grits you have). If you don't have the finishing stones (roughly translated to 5,000 - 10,000 grit) then finish with ceramic and leather.

[kyratshooter]

What is it with you newbies?

Have you not gotten to the bottom of the forum index before you start posting threads?

We have an excellent knife and eged tools section for just these discussions.

Same for guns, primitive tools, kit and homesteading.

General discussion is for what does not fit any of the specialty areas. It also tends to draw comment from folk with no specialized knowledge of the topic and generates much mistaken comment. Folk with little knowledge and no interest in the specialized topic usually do not go to those designated areas except on rare instances when they desire specialised guidence.

[randallss7]

I cheat also I use a paper wheel system followed by a buffing wheel with green compound, or for Damascus knife a leather strop with green compound, I also use belt sander from time to time. For field use I have a Lansky system nice little box with everything you need in it, I just added a small piece of leather and a small piece of green buffing compound.

[AR7]

I use an Arkansas water stone, then ceramic and leather. And all my blades are razor sharp, I mean all my knives (inox and carbon steel, folders or fixed) can shave paper or the hairs of my arms.

[randyt]

I generally use norton bench stones and slips with kerosene for a lubricant. I have a few of the diamond water type stones too. I tried out wet/dry paper fastened on a board over a piece of mouse pad.

I've been wanting to get a paper wheel but have been dragging my feet.

[Rick]

I don't think I ever saw grandpa use anything but a file and stone and he seldom needed the file. If it was good enough for him....

[Goodfella]

For sharpening I employ many methods with my favorite being a DC4 stone with one side diamond and the other ceramic, works great. Once you obtain a razors edge you can get away with honing and stropping to maintain the edge from then on in, providing you do not let the tool get really dull or chip it. If you are not confident freehand sharpening Lansky and Spyderco make some pretty good and fairly easy to use systems.

Someone once told me "you only sharpen your knife once, then the rest is maintenance."