As a machinist, I likely have to sharpen more than the average person as I constantly sharpen drill bits and tool bits to keep costs down. I sharpen tools for customers on a variety of equipment that come in for repairs too.

- I use bench grinders and hand grinders to correct and reshape axes and lawn mower blades
- I use a good single cut(not crosscut) file on axes, lawnmower blades for finishing up.
- I still use stones and steels on my hunting knives and machetes though for the sturdier edges.
- I use course and fine stones for final hand sharpening of machine toolbits and course sharpening of house knives
- I like using those ceramic stones on really fine edged knives such as my filleting knives.

- I don't go in for the diamond grit as most I have tried don't last long for their price range compared to other techniques
- I hate those slide in cases and knife blocks with built in sharpeners that immediately destroy most blades edges
- usually the harder the steel, the softer the stone has to be to sharpen it. I have special stones on grinders at work just to sharpen carbides and ceramic bits
- I cannot use a round steel as well as a butcher but I have flat steels that I use on my Katana and other such edges nicely.
- I never used drill bit sharpeners before but do now for anything smaller than 1/4" because I can't see as well as age is hard on eyeballs

FIRST RULE:

You only sharpen into the edge, never with the edge! In other words, those folks who file a chainsaw's chain or axe with the edge should first question why you sharpen knives and everything else the other way.....

I hate sharpening stainless steel compared to good tool steel. Skinning knives are best in quality steels as the edge last far longer but they rust . Oil the knife and oil the case too to help prevent rusting. A good knife usually comes with a good sheath(the case). You can tell a good sheath because they have rivets on the corners to keep it together and yet those rivets should never touch the knifes edge. It usually takes either using 2 knives to skin a complete bear or moose or you otherwise have to resharpen 1/2 way thru the process and that is using a quality steel knife. I don't even carry a stainless knife hunting.

I agree on thumbs down with a stainless steel blade.

[ Knuckle wrote:
- I hate those slide in cases and knife blocks with built in sharpeners that immediately destroy most blades edges ]

The answer to this knife block problem which I've been doing for along time now, is to store the knife
upside down so the sharp edge is up and not sliding or touching against the knife block.

It works with most of my kitchen knives, and I have alot of them, but there are a few that are seem to be balanced
wrong and the point tips up when they sit like this. But about 80% of my knives are fine upside down.

Knuckle , can you explain better what you mean by " INTO the edge " , I think I understand but could be wrong.

I like that store the knife upside down idea....why'd I not think of that? 😮 I have a chopper that I keep in the sharpener (that we never use otherwise) and have to carefully place in each time we need it. 🙄

When you sharpen, you start at the edge and sharpen outwards towards the thicker. I too filed the wrong way when first sharpening chainsaws (as I was taught) until I used a wiser man's saw who explained why to sharpen into the tooth. Would you sharpen your knife staring at the thick side? Of course not. Yet some file their axe this way. And by the way, a file only cuts on the forward stroke. If you press or even drag hard on the back stroke(towards your body), your dulling your file.

Try taking your axe to a belt sander when sharpening. This is a fast accurate method and exceptionally lazy with fantastic results. Abrasive 60-80 grit sanding disks (not grinding disks) in a hand grinder work well too for final edges on both axes and lawn mower blades. Use the grinding disks for repairing damaged edges first to save money on disks or belts. Buy multiple grinders at Canadian Tire when their on sale for $20-$30 and you won't waste time changing discs back and forth. Don't worry, you will find many uses for them elsewhere too.

I don't like how this is guy is doing it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmDzdv3LD0Q

I don't like how this is guy is doing it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmDzdv3LD0Q

He's using a diamond deck. Expensive system. I agree fully. He is likely dulling it quicker as it seems he is maintaining fair pressure in backward stroke. Why even touch? Some claim when using a file in this way, they are self cleaning the file on the reverse stroke. Look at the teeth on a file. They work similar to a bandsaw blade. Would running it backward be good for the blade? It may not kill the file in a short run , but over a long period, it will dull much quicker. I have files that are 30 years old because I take care of them. Same with knives and other tools. many of my sharpening stones have come from people who have converted to other systems. Now I have stones at work, home, and even in my truck and RV. I have 2 round steels and never quite understood why I haven't mastered them yet....maybe it's the way I hold my tongue! Took me 10 + years to learn how to sharpen a drill bit as good as new just to achieve that age where I can't see the cutting edge as well and start down the incline to previous levels of my youth! Oh well, who knows, even dementia might be fun. 😆

As a machinist, I likely have to sharpen more than the average person as I constantly sharpen drill bits and tool bits to keep costs down. I sharpen tools for customers on a variety of equipment that come in for repairs too.

- I use bench grinders and hand grinders to correct and reshape axes and lawn mower blades
- I use a good single cut(not crosscut) file on axes, lawnmower blades for finishing up.
- I still use stones and steels on my hunting knives and machetes though for the sturdier edges.
- I use course and fine stones for final hand sharpening of machine toolbits and course sharpening of house knives
- I like using those ceramic stones on really fine edged knives such as my filleting knives.

- I don't go in for the diamond grit as most I have tried don't last long for their price range compared to other techniques
- I hate those slide in cases and knife blocks with built in sharpeners that immediately destroy most blades edges
- usually the harder the steel, the softer the stone has to be to sharpen it. I have special stones on grinders at work just to sharpen carbides and ceramic bits
- I cannot use a round steel as well as a butcher but I have flat steels that I use on my Katana and other such edges nicely.
- I never used drill bit sharpeners before but do now for anything smaller than 1/4" because I can't see as well as age is hard on eyeballs

FIRST RULE:

You only sharpen into the edge, never with the edge! In other words, those folks who file a chainsaw's chain or axe with the edge should first question why you sharpen knives and everything else the other way.....

I hate sharpening stainless steel compared to good tool steel. Skinning knives are best in quality steels as the edge last far longer but they rust . Oil the knife and oil the case too to help prevent rusting. A good knife usually comes with a good sheath(the case). You can tell a good sheath because they have rivets on the corners to keep it together and yet those rivets should never touch the knifes edge. It usually takes either using 2 knives to skin a complete bear or moose or you otherwise have to resharpen 1/2 way thru the process and that is using a quality steel knife. I don't even carry a stainless knife hunting.

Thanks for the tips. I really need to sharp my knives for hunting next year.