How I sharpen my stuff

[Razor]

A belt sander and a cotton buffing wheel..

A belt sander upside down in a homemade stand..
My belt rotation is down and towards me...up and away ought to work just fine too...
I ALWAYS grind/sand from the spine to the edge...
A well worn belt works best for touching up an edge..aluminum oxide, zirconia, no matter..
A light touch is good.. no need to bear down hard...
A can of water for a cooling dip after every pass..
22 & 1/2 degree angle (thereabouts)
One swipe per side..from handle to tip...then go to the other side....
Don't hold the knife stationary and 'rock' the edge.. MOVE the knife across the belt
You are looking for a 'wire' edge..You will see the light reflecting off it as it develops..
Once it's nice and even on both sides, no gaps or missing spots...you're ready for the buffer..


On the Buffer....
I hold the edge perpendicular to the middle of the wheel..
Just barely let the wheel kinda brush the wire edge...No more than 1/8th inch.
You don't need to feel any pressure from the wheel on the edge..
You looking for the wire edge to 'disappear'..(it's going to the other side)
One pass on each side...alternately...
Might take 8 or 10 passes on Gooood steel.. some stainless mebbe 2 or 3....
You're done when you get a clean pass on either side..no wire edge reflection...

Now you can SHAVE with it...

[Dryball]

Thank you Razor! That looks to be worth a try.

DB

[obxman]

Very interesting Thanks!! All I ever do with most sharpeners is ruin my knives. I have a couple of the wheel style sharpeners that you just drag the knife through gently. They work but not like a real sharpener.

[Razor]

I hope some folks get some use out of this.. :D
This took me near 40 years to figure out..
I have used 'bout everthing made trying to get consistant reliable results.
Lansky and 8 other types of sharpening jigs..
They may work for others but not for me..
Ceramic sticks, sharpening steels, diamond files, hones, sandpaper ..yada yada ...(oh, and a pyramid too )
I must have 40 stones, everything from rough-as-a-curbstone to a surgeons scalpel stone...
flat, round, oval, triangular..slips etc.
natural, synthetic ...
I did get very good   ::) with stones, but this is so much faster and easier...Not near the frustration level.
very rarely use'em any more..
Just my 2 cents worth...


Razor

[bull frog]

Thanks, will give it a ty.....bullfrog

[Smokin_Gun]

Razor, that cotton buffin' wheel and the razor sharpness reminded ma tha i am still lookin' for an Old Time Barbers razor strap set...I jus' used my last sharp enough straight razor about 3 weeks ago. I was still workin' but all tree razors need a good strappin'. They are kinda antiques, were my Grandfather's and one my Great Grandfathers...
Any idea where to get a Strap set? Call me crazy but like shavin' with um.

SG 8)

[Roaring Bull]

OK yor crazy.

[Razor]

Nope, sorry there SG..
No idea where to find a razor strop..

I tried shaving with my straight razor once, got the cheeks an' chin just fine...started
shakin' when I got close to the jugular...
Bic disposibles work just fine ..

[Leathermonger]

Razor, that cotton buffin' wheel and the razor sharpness reminded ma tha i am still lookin' for an Old Time Barbers razor strap set...I jus' used my last sharp enough straight razor about 3 weeks ago. I was still workin' but all tree razors need a good strappin'. They are kinda antiques, were my Grandfather's and one my Great Grandfathers...
Any idea where to get a Strap set? Call me crazy but like shavin' with um.

SG 8)

SG if you do a search on ebay, there have been several sellers that carry brand new strops for sale at a very reasonable price, everything from double seal skin to canvas/ seal skin combo, cant beat a good seal skin strop!

[Smokin_Gun]

CowboyCS, thank you very much for the instructions I can give that a try... and your right about the closest shave there is...I even tried them Mach 5's or what ever they are called ... trick to not cuttin' yersef is a hot hot towel for at least 5 min. Then a good latherin', and a slow steady hand.

Leathermaker, Thank you for the eBay tips will go take a look at them Strops.

SG

[roundball]

"...A belt sander..."

I do the same thing...my belt sander happens to lay flat on its back without needing a stand...instead of a buffing wheel, I use a few passes on a sharpening steel to remove the feather

[Mike 56]

SG is this what you are looking for?



Mike