Brandon270
Well-known member
I bought one a few months ago, makes the job so much easier!
Sharpening Stones/ products
- Thread starter JFish
- Start date
pre6422hornet
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 21, 2015
- Messages
- 525
I use my 2x72 Ameribrade grinder with a 600 belt and set the platen at the angle I need/want and clamp the knife into my own jig.
After that my Lansky does a great job.
After that my Lansky does a great job.
Mark1970
Member
Walking up to an animal on the ground ready for field butchering can be intimidating, especially if you dont get much practice at it, but knowing you have good tools can really help.
An easy way is to just buy a knife with very good steel (S30V, 20CV and up) and have it professionally sharpened between each harvest. That said, I sharpen my own and here is my experience:
I started with the drag through V type. Those basically did nothing, unless I use the carbide V and then it just gouged up and damaged my blade.
Then I went to a Lansky fixed angle sharpener. Those work after you learn to use them. I dont like how small the stones are on it though. I would slide off the end of the stone sometimes and damage the blade.
Then I went to a Ken Onion Worksharp. That makes a different type of curved edge instead of flat, so the first time profiling your edge you need a more aggressive belt to get the shape right. I Use that for all my kitchen knives at 20' except for my VG10 knives which I set to 17'. Because its motorized and also does not require clamping the blade, it does fast work, but you must be careful not to accidentally take the tip off your knives.
For my hunting knives I use a Ruixin RX-008 (sadly, yes, its a Chinese item). Its a fixed angle sharpener like the Lansky, but with bigger stones, and on mine I mostly use Diamond. Shaving sharp. I find I can get a better edge with the fixed angle manual sharpeners than I can with the motorized worksharp, and to me it is worth the time for a hunting knife.
As for angles, I ignore the original factory angle. I use an angle based on the quality of steel, and the usage model.
Soft steel (440a, 7Cr14MoV), cannot take a fine edge because the microscopic edge tip will just flex back and fort creating a burr which wont always strop off. Even if you did get a decent edge it would just get bent over on the first use. Those knives may get a 25' angle. Note that these are my friends knives that I sharpen for them, but I suggest better steel for hunters.
Mid grade steel (AUS8, 440c) that is going to get worked will get a 17-20' edge. Harder steel (D2, S30V and higher) can take a 15-18' angle, but you must be careful not to hit something hard with them or they can chip.... but they will be incredibly sharp.
On any of these sharpening systems, the knife still needs to be stropped after sharping. Even if you go to a very fine grit stone, there is always a micro burr on the edge that the strop will polish off. As the knife dulls, you may find that you can just strop it back sharp again with out actually using a sharpener. I use diamond compound on my strop.
For hunting, these days I lean towards having a high quality blade and sharpen it razor sharp. It will field dress the whole animal with one blade just fine. I do not carry a sharpener in the field with me. I still carry a replaceable blade scalpel knife with me as a light weight back up, but rarely use it.
An easy way is to just buy a knife with very good steel (S30V, 20CV and up) and have it professionally sharpened between each harvest. That said, I sharpen my own and here is my experience:
I started with the drag through V type. Those basically did nothing, unless I use the carbide V and then it just gouged up and damaged my blade.
Then I went to a Lansky fixed angle sharpener. Those work after you learn to use them. I dont like how small the stones are on it though. I would slide off the end of the stone sometimes and damage the blade.
Then I went to a Ken Onion Worksharp. That makes a different type of curved edge instead of flat, so the first time profiling your edge you need a more aggressive belt to get the shape right. I Use that for all my kitchen knives at 20' except for my VG10 knives which I set to 17'. Because its motorized and also does not require clamping the blade, it does fast work, but you must be careful not to accidentally take the tip off your knives.
For my hunting knives I use a Ruixin RX-008 (sadly, yes, its a Chinese item). Its a fixed angle sharpener like the Lansky, but with bigger stones, and on mine I mostly use Diamond. Shaving sharp. I find I can get a better edge with the fixed angle manual sharpeners than I can with the motorized worksharp, and to me it is worth the time for a hunting knife.
As for angles, I ignore the original factory angle. I use an angle based on the quality of steel, and the usage model.
Soft steel (440a, 7Cr14MoV), cannot take a fine edge because the microscopic edge tip will just flex back and fort creating a burr which wont always strop off. Even if you did get a decent edge it would just get bent over on the first use. Those knives may get a 25' angle. Note that these are my friends knives that I sharpen for them, but I suggest better steel for hunters.
Mid grade steel (AUS8, 440c) that is going to get worked will get a 17-20' edge. Harder steel (D2, S30V and higher) can take a 15-18' angle, but you must be careful not to hit something hard with them or they can chip.... but they will be incredibly sharp.
On any of these sharpening systems, the knife still needs to be stropped after sharping. Even if you go to a very fine grit stone, there is always a micro burr on the edge that the strop will polish off. As the knife dulls, you may find that you can just strop it back sharp again with out actually using a sharpener. I use diamond compound on my strop.
For hunting, these days I lean towards having a high quality blade and sharpen it razor sharp. It will field dress the whole animal with one blade just fine. I do not carry a sharpener in the field with me. I still carry a replaceable blade scalpel knife with me as a light weight back up, but rarely use it.
Last edited:
NMGuy
Well-known member
I have a Lansky and don't care for it. It seems I can't get the same edge on a knife that I can with my Hamaguri Knife Sharpener. Haven't tried using my 2x72 yet.
