# Free Hand Sharpening



## Keith Sinclair (Jun 13, 2017)

There are many sharpeners here with different styles. Whatever works. Since I started teaching have modified techniques some to make it easier to learn. Main thing is they get their knives sharp with even bevels.

Have picked up tips from both Dave & Jon. Feel like any on line sharpening school with sound teaching is a good thing. As you know there is quite a bit of not so good information on the internet.


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## daveb (Jun 13, 2017)

+1


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## Benuser (Jun 13, 2017)

Why do you require even bevels??


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## foody518 (Jun 13, 2017)

Benuser said:


> Why do you require even bevels??



Probably meaning that they are not wavy going along the edge


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## panda (Jun 13, 2017)

curious keith, what motivated you to start this thread? 

benuser, keith has an interesting way of saying things. i'm pretty sure he meant clean bevels.


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## Keith Sinclair (Jun 14, 2017)

Thinning a little behind the edge and micro bevel a steady spine all the way heel to tip. I am sure those in the business have seen high heels and deformed tips on knives I know I have. Even though a knife has wear, it can still have a clean edge without all kinds of waves in it.

I just thought the other thread got a little out of hand. Bottom line is more free handers is a good thing no matter our differences.


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## Dave Martell (Jun 14, 2017)

keithsaltydog said:


> . Bottom line is more free handers is a good thing no matter our differences.




lus1:


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## Benuser (Jun 14, 2017)

keithsaltydog said:


> Thinning a little behind the edge and micro bevel a steady spine all the way heel to tip. I am sure those in the business have seen high heels and deformed tips on knives I know I have. Even though a knife has wear, it can still have a clean edge without all kinds of waves in it.
> 
> I just thought the other thread got a little out of hand. Bottom line is more free handers is a good thing no matter our differences.


I see. Thanks.


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## Ruso (Jun 14, 2017)

Good stuff ! :doublethumbsup:


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## HPoirot (Jun 21, 2017)

I clicked on this thread thinking there you were giving hand sharpening out for free!


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## Ucmd (Jun 21, 2017)

HPoirot said:


> I clicked on this thread thinking there you were giving hand sharpening out for free!



Ditto


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## chinacats (Jun 21, 2017)

HPoirot said:


> I clicked on this thread thinking there you were giving hand sharpening out for free!



Teach a man to fish...


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## Nemo (Jun 21, 2017)

chinacats said:


> Teach a man to fish...



... and he'll need to learn to sharpen his filleting knife?


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## oval99 (Jun 22, 2017)

The timing of this post is uncanny. Thank you for the validation that it doesn't really matter what your technique is. Essentially: hold your nose and go to the stones. Everyone has to start somewhere, and you learn as you go. I felt this way about programming/coding until I finally realized: "geez, I can either stay paralyzed by this perplexicating stuff or I can just jump in and see what happens." So far it's been going well.

So hopefully this weekend I'll belly up to the stones and make a go of sharpening my CCK cleaver, come what may. Heard it's a good knife for beginners. Bevels? Microbevel? Burr? De-burring? Sharpening angle? Stone progression? My motto: "Jesus Christ man, just do it and see what happens!"


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## frog13 (Jun 22, 2017)

I'll chime in because it wasn't that long ago I started free hand. I started with a WorkSharp before I had any Japanese or custom steel. Worked great for what I had. Bought my first J-knife and decided I needed to go to stones and off to EdgePro I went. Also worked well, but I was missing something. So, started with a Shapton Pro progression and didn't do so good. Read everything, watched everything, just couldn't quite get it. Went back to the EdgePro and one day it just hit me. This was what I needed to do on the stones only upside down with the stone anchored instead of the knife. Ok, I have a long ways to go still but I can make a blade sharp now and getting better every time. So yeah, just do it! It is so worth it in the end.


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## labor of love (Jun 22, 2017)

keithsaltydog said:


> There are many sharpeners here with different styles. Whatever works. Since I started teaching have modified techniques some to make it easier to learn. Main thing is they get their knives sharp with even bevels.
> 
> Have picked up tips from both Dave & Jon. Feel like any on line sharpening school with sound teaching is a good thing. As you know there is quite a bit of not so good information on the internet.



Dave has a video for thinning takedas floating around on YouTube, I use the techniques he discusses to thin most knives and it's great. For anyone that wants to thin more evenly from heel tip I recommend it.


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## Garm (Jun 22, 2017)

labor of love said:


> Dave has a video for thinning takedas floating around on YouTube, I use the techniques he discusses to thin most knives and it's great. For anyone that wants to thin more evenly from heel tip I recommend it.



I'd be very interested in seeing this technique. Do you have a link or keywords to search for?


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## labor of love (Jun 22, 2017)

This one https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MezIEKGk9T0


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## Garm (Jun 23, 2017)

labor of love said:


> This one https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MezIEKGk9T0



Thanks a lot!


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