# how many of you switch hands to shapen your knives?



## kohtachi (Aug 22, 2015)

I used to sharpen just with my right hand but i found it easier to switch hands after getting the hang of it. I ended up with a more consistent finish throughout the blade.


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## mkriggen (Aug 22, 2015)

I have always switched hands. I can't say if it works better or not as I have never tried flipping the blade.


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## spoiledbroth (Aug 22, 2015)

my entire left arm is like a ghost appendage to me... I flip the blade and hold it in my right hand always.


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## chinacats (Aug 22, 2015)

Flipper. Strangely, the only thing I've ever been able to do with ny left hand is use a straight razor :scratchhead:


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## daveb (Aug 22, 2015)

flipper


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## aboynamedsuita (Aug 22, 2015)

Hand switcher. To add another dimension, I also prefer to sharpen with the edge away from me, I just seem to get more consistent results but YMMV


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## Pensacola Tiger (Aug 22, 2015)

Switcher for sharpening, flipper for stropping.


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## Matus (Aug 22, 2015)

When I started to learn sharpening I was switching hands, but found it hard to keep the hand that holds the knife clean (and thus keep the handle clean). I have moved to flipping knife which solves the problem, but makes it harder (at least for me) to keep the sharpening angle on the flipped side (left side as I am right handed).


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## berko (Aug 22, 2015)

i do switch hands.


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## Roger (Aug 22, 2015)

I switch hands, but sometimes I do flip particularly for the tip and/or finishing touches. I prefer to switch hands if there is anything I need to spend time on.


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## cave_dweller (Aug 22, 2015)

Both. I'm left hand dominant, so I start off 'backwards' to most folks, holding the knife handle and heel in my left hand and guiding the blade with my right, then flipping the blade over. Sometimes on longer blades though I just find myself switching hands. 

I'm equally bad both ways around! Probably because I don't have the same muscle memory on both sides.


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## kohtachi (Aug 22, 2015)

@tjangula if you like sharpening into the edge you must like hard stones?


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## aboynamedsuita (Aug 22, 2015)

kohtachi said:


> @tjangula if you like sharpening into the edge you must like hard stones?



I have the Choseras at the moment, seem pretty good. I apply more pressure on the edge trailing strokes (ie when drawing the blade towards me) to prevent gouging the stone.


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## Ruso (Aug 22, 2015)

I started as hand switcher, but after Jon's videos I decided to try flipping the knife. Have been a "flipper" ever since.


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## The Edge (Aug 22, 2015)

I flip the knife, and I'm also a bit odd since I keep the stone at about a 30 degree angle from me as well. This way, my right hand only controls the angle and speed at which the knife moves, and the left adjusts the pressure used. This makes my left arm push straight down the stone, allowing me to finely tune the amount of pressure I'm using.


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## knyfeknerd (Aug 22, 2015)

Ruso said:


> I started as hand switcher, but after Jon's videos I decided to try flipping the knife. Have been a "flipper" ever since.



+1


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## Keith Sinclair (Aug 22, 2015)

It may be easy at first to switch hands with the spine always toward you. A steady spine is one of the most important things in sharpening & it is always in line of sight when switching. When flipping the spine is out of sight on one side. Beginning sharpeners often have some difficulty when the spine is away from them. Most common is when pushing blade up the stone have a tendency to drop the angle some.

It is no big deal though once it is pointed out to the student they are able to correct it right on the spot.


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## mc2442 (Aug 22, 2015)

Another hand switcher, it feels more natural to me.


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## ShaggySean (Aug 23, 2015)

Switch for sharpening not for stropping


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## idemhj (Aug 23, 2015)

Flipper too. Started out as a switcher  not good at all. Now I flip, and like The Edge I have my stones sloping away from me. Why do I do that? Maybe just because its cool, but I really think it helps me maintain a better angle and less wobbling  due to displacement of forces. However, like Matus, my right bevel is way better than my left  (I too am right handed).

Another question, though  do you sit or stand when you sharpen? Traditionally the Japanese sit, but I stand Could not imagine sitting


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## kohtachi (Aug 23, 2015)

Switcher found it alot easier if I need to apply pressure 
Flipper stroping 
Sharpen edge towards me
Standing
Strange most of the vids I see they flip, but I see alot of the older videos switching. I might be the only one that switch from flipping to switching.


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## CompE (Aug 24, 2015)

I started off switching, but I tried flipping and I found that I like the edge better. I think that it has to do with the direction of the scratch pattern.


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## Benuser (Aug 24, 2015)

Never switch hands, left one is hardly usable


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## brooksie967 (Aug 27, 2015)

I switch hands. I like sharpening blade edge towards me with my fingers in my non-grip hand placed near the portion of the edge i'm trying to hit.


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## _PixelNinja (Aug 27, 2015)

Quite interesting to read how many of you switch hands. I flip.


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## gregg (Aug 29, 2015)

I switch when I need to do "heavy" wide bevel work and flip when doing the actual qharpening. I find it hard to stay consistent as a right hander switching unless I have the (wide) bevel to lean on. I like to sit, unless the work surface is really high.


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## rick alen (Aug 29, 2015)

I'm somewhat ambidextrous, but still better with my right. I always switch hands during the rougher sharpening fazes but sometimes flip for the final finishing strokes. Depends on the day/moment.



Rick


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## Dave Martell (Aug 30, 2015)

I use both hands and can do edge leading and trailing with both as well. Even with all the practice I get my right (dominant) hand is still the more stable, I have to slow down with the left to get the consistent results the right gives up easily. 

I'm not sure if I wasn't a pro sharpener if I would have taught myself to use both hands or not. I needed to use both hands to belt sharpen so that had to be learned, but the stones don't require it.


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## panda (Aug 30, 2015)

flip just feels awkward to me, always been switcher.


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