How to Sharpen a Pocket Knife
Choose the kind of sharpening stone you wish to use to sharpen your pocket knife., Lubricate your sharpening stone., Identify the bevel angle of the blade., Position the knife at the proper angle against the stone., Glide the knife along the stone...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose the kind of sharpening stone you wish to use to sharpen your pocket knife.
No matter which type of stone you select, keeping to one that is at least 2x6 inches will make your sharpening job easier.
The several options available for purchase that include diamond stones, ceramic stones, and whetstone.
Whetstone:
These stones generally considered the easiest to use and are made from fine to coarse grit stone.
You must soak your whetstone in cold, clean water for ten minutes before you sharpen your blade on it.
Keep in mind that when a whetstone is used a lot, it often develops valleys or grooves where the knife is rubbed.
Ceramic Stones:
These stones must also be soaked in water before use, but only for three to five minutes.
They are harder than whetstones which means that they will sharpen your blade faster.
Ceramic stones generally last longer than whetstones but are a bit more challenging to use.
Diamond stones:
These stones come in several different varieties including harder, fine, and superfine.
Diamond stones are very hard and very porous.In many cases, diamond stones are actually metal plates with small diamonds attached to their surfaces.
These stones are the hardest sharpening stones and will sharpen your blade the quickest.
Keep in mind, that diamond stones are also by far the most expensive sharpening stone. -
Step 2: Lubricate your sharpening stone.
If you are using a whetstone or ceramic stone, you should soak the stone in the water for the correct amount of time.
Knife sharpening experts also recommend using a lubricant such as mineral oil.
You can buy this oil at your local hardware store.
The purpose of lubricant is to prevent the stone's pores from clogging up with filings and grit.
It also reduces the heat caused by the friction that is created when the knife is rubbed on the stone.
Too much heat can warp your blade.
Sharpening or machine oil can be used with a whetstone or ceramic stone, and thinned dish washing soap is handy for use with a diamond stone. , This is also called the rough grind angle.
The blade of every knife is honed at a particular angle to suit the purpose of the knife.
Most pocket knives have a bevel edge of 25 to 30 degrees.
If you are wary of sharpening your knife without knowing the exact angle, you can go into your local knife shop for help, or call the manufacturer of the knife.
You may also be able to find the specific bevel angle for your knife online. , Maintain the knife's position with the blade facing away from you at the determined bevel angle against the whetstone when sharpening.
Holding your knife in the same position for a long period of time can be challenging.
If this is your first time sharpening a knife, or you feel like your hands may not stay steady for long enough, you should consider buying a sharpening guide.
Sharpening guides attach to the knife and hold it at a steady angle.
Keep in mind that guides do not do very well with a curved blade., Sweep the knife down and off the end of the whetstone.
Repeat as many times as necessary to produce a sharp edge, usually about 12 times.
As you perfect your sharpening skills, this will become a more circular motion of the blade over the stone.
Blades that are curved or longer than your whetstone will need to be swept down and across the stone to evenly sharpen the entire blade. , Flip the knife over and draw the blade across and off the whetstone, guaranteeing the angle.
Do this between 6-8 times or until a sharp edge is accomplished. , Run your blade, at its proper bevel angle, along the finer side of the stone.
Doing this will remove any bumps or ‘burs’ that may have formed along the edge of the blade during the sharpening process.
Instead of using the finer side of the stone, you can also run each side of the blade down a honing rod at an angle more open than the one you held the blade at to sharpen it.
This removes the burrs and fine tunes the blade's sharpness.
Honing is also a quick way to refresh an edge in between sharpenings. , Hold up a piece of paper, and try to slice down through the paper with your knife.
A sharp blade will easily slide through the paper.
You can also test for any rounded part of the blade or imperfections by holding your knife up to a light (you could also use the sun) and looking for a bright light reflection.
Reflections only exist when there is a rounded edge somewhere along your knife, or a section of a knife that is no longer sharp. -
Step 3: Identify the bevel angle of the blade.
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Step 4: Position the knife at the proper angle against the stone.
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Step 5: Glide the knife along the stone.
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Step 6: Sharpen the other side of the blade.
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Step 7: Flip the stone over so that the finer side is facing up.
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Step 8: Test your pocket knife for sharpness.
Detailed Guide
No matter which type of stone you select, keeping to one that is at least 2x6 inches will make your sharpening job easier.
The several options available for purchase that include diamond stones, ceramic stones, and whetstone.
Whetstone:
These stones generally considered the easiest to use and are made from fine to coarse grit stone.
You must soak your whetstone in cold, clean water for ten minutes before you sharpen your blade on it.
Keep in mind that when a whetstone is used a lot, it often develops valleys or grooves where the knife is rubbed.
Ceramic Stones:
These stones must also be soaked in water before use, but only for three to five minutes.
They are harder than whetstones which means that they will sharpen your blade faster.
Ceramic stones generally last longer than whetstones but are a bit more challenging to use.
Diamond stones:
These stones come in several different varieties including harder, fine, and superfine.
Diamond stones are very hard and very porous.In many cases, diamond stones are actually metal plates with small diamonds attached to their surfaces.
These stones are the hardest sharpening stones and will sharpen your blade the quickest.
Keep in mind, that diamond stones are also by far the most expensive sharpening stone.
If you are using a whetstone or ceramic stone, you should soak the stone in the water for the correct amount of time.
Knife sharpening experts also recommend using a lubricant such as mineral oil.
You can buy this oil at your local hardware store.
The purpose of lubricant is to prevent the stone's pores from clogging up with filings and grit.
It also reduces the heat caused by the friction that is created when the knife is rubbed on the stone.
Too much heat can warp your blade.
Sharpening or machine oil can be used with a whetstone or ceramic stone, and thinned dish washing soap is handy for use with a diamond stone. , This is also called the rough grind angle.
The blade of every knife is honed at a particular angle to suit the purpose of the knife.
Most pocket knives have a bevel edge of 25 to 30 degrees.
If you are wary of sharpening your knife without knowing the exact angle, you can go into your local knife shop for help, or call the manufacturer of the knife.
You may also be able to find the specific bevel angle for your knife online. , Maintain the knife's position with the blade facing away from you at the determined bevel angle against the whetstone when sharpening.
Holding your knife in the same position for a long period of time can be challenging.
If this is your first time sharpening a knife, or you feel like your hands may not stay steady for long enough, you should consider buying a sharpening guide.
Sharpening guides attach to the knife and hold it at a steady angle.
Keep in mind that guides do not do very well with a curved blade., Sweep the knife down and off the end of the whetstone.
Repeat as many times as necessary to produce a sharp edge, usually about 12 times.
As you perfect your sharpening skills, this will become a more circular motion of the blade over the stone.
Blades that are curved or longer than your whetstone will need to be swept down and across the stone to evenly sharpen the entire blade. , Flip the knife over and draw the blade across and off the whetstone, guaranteeing the angle.
Do this between 6-8 times or until a sharp edge is accomplished. , Run your blade, at its proper bevel angle, along the finer side of the stone.
Doing this will remove any bumps or ‘burs’ that may have formed along the edge of the blade during the sharpening process.
Instead of using the finer side of the stone, you can also run each side of the blade down a honing rod at an angle more open than the one you held the blade at to sharpen it.
This removes the burrs and fine tunes the blade's sharpness.
Honing is also a quick way to refresh an edge in between sharpenings. , Hold up a piece of paper, and try to slice down through the paper with your knife.
A sharp blade will easily slide through the paper.
You can also test for any rounded part of the blade or imperfections by holding your knife up to a light (you could also use the sun) and looking for a bright light reflection.
Reflections only exist when there is a rounded edge somewhere along your knife, or a section of a knife that is no longer sharp.
About the Author
Alice Ramos
Committed to making DIY projects accessible and understandable for everyone.
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