Knife Sharpener Shootout

[bel_dad]

Hey Noss... Love the site even though it has cost me $$$ :) Love to see you do a knife sharpener shootout. Now that I have aquired half a dozen from your tests, I'd love to know the best way to keep'em sharp. I've never been a very good knife sharperner, so any help would be great! Would be interesting to see you put an edge back on one of the winners...

bd

[eatingmuchface]

... sharpening for the most part, is really personnal preference.
I prefer to use wet and dry paper and a mouspad.
while some others may like to use lansky's or something.
it just depends what you like really.
I think alot of these new things make people think they don't need technique to sharpen knives.
it's kind of like a way for them to instantly get shaving sharp knives.
well, I like to learn to do it free hand better.
:D

[AfterTFD]

One thing that I've noticed but cannot explain is that a knife sharpened with a coarser stone will keep its edge longer than a knife sharpened to the same sharpness with a finer stone.

However you decide to sharpen your knives learn to get them shaving (arm & legs, not face) sharp with just a coarse stone. This is the best way to sharpen work knives and the skill definitely helps when you want to use finer stones to put a hair splitting polished edge on something.

I also recommend getting the hang of using a strop. Many improvised option exist that work very well including cardboard, demin, and flat belts..

[eatingmuchface]

ehhh... doesn't a polished edge hold an edge longer?
idk... i though a rough edge would hold a loigner edge for a while, than I thought polished. idk.
:D

[Noss]

Not a bad idea. I like a coarse edge better on my knives then a polished edge.