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https://archive.org/embed/razoredgebookofs0000jura
I don't know whether the book is still in print, but it's in stock at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Razor-Edge-Book-Sharpening/dp/0966605...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Nice. I learned this "at the knee" from my grandfather and father. A few things in no particular order... This skill takes practice, the sharpening systems only help to get the angle consistent; you'll be happier if you learn to do it without one, practice on knives and especially scissors you don't care too much about first, you'll need a few stones and probably end up with several before you find the ones that work…
Or you can buy a jig like Spyderco Sharpmaker and have a razor-sharp edge in 5 minutes.
Not a bad read. Looks like it's got a lot of technique(s) and basics. Could probably use some updates on materials and tooling for higher end (modern/powder metallurgical) steels. Knowing how to sharpen your tools is something just about everyone should learn. Almost all of us have at least a kitchen knofe that needs attention.
Nice. I learned this "at the knee" from my grandfather and father. A few things in no particular order... This skill takes practice, the sharpening systems only help to get the angle consistent; you'll be happier if you learn to do it without one, practice on knives and especially scissors you don't care too much about first, you'll need a few stones and probably end up with several before you find the ones that work…
For more information about this, including the proof with SEM photos and extensive testing via scientific method, check out the work of Dr. Vadim Kraichuk
https://www.amazon.com/Knife-Deburring-Science-behind-lastin...
There is a lot of discussion about this in the Tormek forums, where Dr. Kraichuk was a frequent contributor. I can attest to how well this works, every knife and woodworking tool in my house is hair splitting sharp, and they stay that way with little effort.
I happen to own a paper copy of this book, and as usual for sharpening books, they throw in a chapter on axes as an afterthought. Sharpening an ax is different enough from most other sharpening that you should get a specialized text for it. It's not that difficult or terribly specialized, but knife sharpeners always seem to want to apply the ideas of knife sharpening to axes, which isn't quite right all the time. Two…
https://openlibrary.org/works/OL495023W/The_Ax_Book
So is "One Moving Part" https://openlibrary.org/works/OL36779701W/One_moving_part
I happen to own a paper copy of this book, and as usual for sharpening books, they throw in a chapter on axes as an afterthought. Sharpening an ax is different enough from most other sharpening that you should get a specialized text for it. It's not that difficult or terribly specialized, but knife sharpeners always seem to want to apply the ideas of knife sharpening to axes, which isn't quite right all the time. Two…
Years ago, when I lived in Seattle, I remember meeting an old Japanese blacksmith. I found him when I was looking to buy some of the pull-style hand saws, but when I met him to pick up the wares, it turned into a bit of a social call. He must've been around 80 or so, lived by himself in a house that was half home half workshop. Got into talking about saws and chisels and blades and sharpening, complete with a Mr.Miya…
Anyway Ima procrastinating today and saw this HN item and hesitated, oh no, have I been doing something wrong all these years? So in the spirit of never stop learning I bit the bullet and read it.
I didn't have to read far though. First came the don't use oil bit and then next the relief and the burr, and nope! Hooray, whatever we read back in the day was the equivalent of this. Maybe it was the same people, I remember a folksy tone.
The sad thing is in all those years none of the people of my acquaintance, with the exception of my daughter, have ever had any interest in sharpening/maintaining their knives, and if they do anything (most don't), it's an electric sharpener. I've passed through some home kitchen horror shows, and now if I know I'm going to be cooking in somebody else's kitchen, I bring my own knives, even internationally. Mandatory for AirBnBs. I remember reading up on packing a set of knives on a Thalys train and reading some worrying restrictions. But decided, well WTF to chefs do in France? I didn't get hassled, maybe I was lucky.
Anyway, even though I don't think I've ever converted anyone, I always encourage people to learn to sharpen/maintain their knives. I will usually haul a big DMT hone along with me on trips to home kitchens and do a quick repair job on the host's knives. Weirdly, quite a few people are very wary of sharp knives! Dull knives are what terrifies me...
-randomly swipe that long skinny thing that's in the knife block along a chef's knife, perhaps aiming for 45 degree angle -as a kid my dad had something I think he called a whet stone. He'd put 3-in-1 oil on it and we'd carefully swipe the blade against the stone.
Either of these right?
These are the methods I'm aware of: -randomly swipe that long skinny thing that's in the knife block along a chef's knife, perhaps aiming for 45 degree angle -as a kid my dad had something I think he called a whet stone. He'd put 3-in-1 oil on it and we'd carefully swipe the blade against the stone. Either of these right?
The whetstone sounds right. I think there's a lot of technique to how you swipe it, you can't just go in all guns blazing. But I don't know how to do it, so I'm not sure.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Nice. I learned this "at the knee" from my grandfather and father. A few things in no particular order... This skill takes practice, the sharpening systems only help to get the angle consistent; you'll be happier if you learn to do it without one, practice on knives and especially scissors you don't care too much about first, you'll need a few stones and probably end up with several before you find the ones that work…
Re your last point: There is some well researched material, along with scanning electron microscope images of edges, that says this is incorrect. When sharpening to say “working sharp” you leave a burr on the edge that can quickly be folded over, and reduce longevity of the sharpness of the edge. The most durable edges have been deburred to the true edge apex, and this often will give you an edge that would rate “raz…