EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

I've been fighting with different wet stones, sharpeners and contraptions for years and I finally found a stone that works well for me. Sharpening knives is about as varied a skill as hog tying techniques, so for the sake of conversation, what kind of stone do you use and how do  you get a razor edge?

T-Bob,
 
     If you would have just waited a few minutes, Cutter Bay would have put up another post asking the same thing... just after his post asking what color drawers you wear.

In answer to your question,

   Mandi bought me this sharpener.
https://lansky.com/

After a couple of attempts, I wanted to throw it in the garbage.

I carried around a dull knife for a while, and when I decided it was a hazard, and that I had to figure out a way to sharpen it, I remembered some of my dad's knife stuff.  I went and dug it out of the box, and used a couple of his whet stones and went to work. Between the whet stone and the leather, I had the knife razor sharp.  All the times before, I just never spent enough time to get the right edge...

I use a the old buchers steal. My grandpa showed me how to use one. It is not the easyist thig to learn. But once you get it figured out it is easy as heck.I also follows it up with a razor strap and not a strap on Cutter.

I use a tri stone w all arkansas stones out of Hot springs ar. Only place in the world that has the type of stones. Jewelers come from all over the world to buy these stones to sharpen their equipment. I love mine. My family has been using them for years. I have had all those quick sharpeners and machines and I just dotn think they do as good of a job. By the time I get to the second stone, I can shave with it. After the 3rd, its scary. There is a technich that takes a lil practice to get but it pays off when you skin a hog with a knife that is like a razor. here is a link to one.

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=AC22

Mr Ronnie,

   I use a butchers steel on the kitchen knives, but I have never dulled one real bad and needed to put an edge back on it with the steel. Just keeping the edge maintained is all I use it for.   Does it work on a sure enough dull knife?

I like the steel... but I have seen a few fellows use 2 knives against each other for a razors edge on both...It doen't take but a minute to do from what I have seen.

So T-Bob, which is that stone you are talking about? I might want to get me one.

Chris I dont know about a sure nuff dull knife. I have never let mine get that dull.My steal is by my chair so when Im watching my big screan tv Im sharping my knives.The stones that T-Bob are talking about are some of the best on the maket.

Well, great responses guys. There's definitely a mojo to getting one shaving sharp but now that I've got my mind right, I sharpen my daily carry sodbuster Jr every other day. Not that its right for everyone but what I've got is a good Arkansas fine stone and then polish the edge with an ultrafine diamond grid stone. I grew up thinking I was supposed to make small circles on a stone but now I use even pressure straight slices like I'm shaving the stone. I've got it down to the point where I can easily take hair off an arm or leg but its not comfortable to attempt sideburns or mustache shaving.

I would like to know how yall use a strap, the last one I saw was my great granddaddy's but I was a lil guy back then

Also Mr. Ronnie, if I ever get to meet you, you'll have to show me how to use the steel in person as I believe that piece of equipment was invented in the deepest bowels of hell and is impossible fir southpaws like me to use. :laugh:

T-Bob the steal has been around for ever. And there is a deffinent art to use one.But once you get the hang of it you want have to hit it but about 6 times and the edge will be back. Most times the edge on a good knive is not gone it has just rolled to one side or the other and the steal is the best way to get it rolled back.It would be my utmost pleasure to show you how one day.

I am a knife freak and have tried allot of sharpeners over the years and found finally last year the spyderco sharpener.. IT IS THE SHIZZZ It will make your knife craxy sharp time and time again. I bought mine on amazon for 30 something dollars. It works popo

I like a fine diamond stone! They work good for me!

Been using the same type for ever, its a 3 way corse medium fine stone shaped like a triangle sits in oil, same thing butchers use in the back room, they have gotten up to about $130 from that place in Uston Tecksus, ever seen one, has a knob on it so u start to coasre, then to medium, them to fine, there are some clones of it on ebay and on the place in Houston, will try to find the link and post it lattters.  They sell just the replacement stones themselvels, used to peeps would glue on a board and leave it near the hog skinning tree o under a truck seat in leather so it wont break off.  I have seen peeps use the window on a old truck too but i never had any luck with that or a steel??  Guess its what u like and got taught.  I always buy all of those cermic sticks and drag thrus and yea they kinda work a lil but if u got a droughted out tuff full of lice n ticked up boar hog to skin with tons of scars and bowhunters arrows in it will sure dull out before u can finish seems like, maybe hogs hides are tuffer now days???lol

I use the ceramic filament out of a high powered light bulb, they are hard to get but work the best.

anybody use hone steel?

(http://thumbs1.ebaystatic.com/m/mqJzuL3a5WBIUjfWQKGn7eQ/140.jpg)

My brother-in-law puts the best edge on a knife of anybody I know and this is what he uses, I make him work on all mine everytime I see him

Depends on the thikness and steel used in the knife blade for me. I like steel and ceramic to finish it off. You can shave with em after using the right ceramic.

Ceramic is another material I usually do ok with. The bottom of a coffee mug has put me back in business a time or 2.

I have used 1 of those flat steel doohickeys before and did alright, but my ultimate goal is to get a knife so sharp it can separate atoms ;) that's part of being a grown up with ADD, I don't concentrate real well but when I do, I've got a kung fu death grip focus..... Oh look a bird ;D

There's a dual stone spring loaded mechanism called a warthog that is a real bad boy

i bought a warthog before i got the spyderco sharpener, the warthog worked great but the replacement stones were crazy expensive so i bought the spyder