# So what's the best way to get the sharpest knife



## Atrain316 (Nov 7, 2016)

I know people say by hand but I don't have stable hands. I am looking for a perfect sharpened knife every time I can shave hair with a ken onion work sharp but is there a way to test above that sharpness


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## daveb (Nov 7, 2016)

What kind of onion are you shaving with? Never heard of such.

Sharpening with whetstones involves a little bit of a learning curve, most start with less than stable hands but getting to a proficient edge is quickly learned. It would not take long before you can sharpen as good as if not better than the gizmo edge.

Gizmo sellers will not tell you about the importance of thinning your blade to maintain good cutting properties in food. If a knife only sees gizmos it will quickly develop thick shoulders that may shave hair just fine but won't cut a carrot worth a damn. Other things gizmos won't do is properly sharpen an asynchronous edge and of course single bevel edges.

To test the cutting properties of an edge I like to cut scallions for a clean cut without accordians, dice onions to ensure tip is sharp and thin, cut carrots and observe any splitting noise to check thinness. In other words to test "sharpness", I cut food. If I have a reason to think I may have a ding in the edge, I may use paper to identify if and where.


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Nov 8, 2016)

"asynchronous edge" ... yeah, the edge being there in the wrong place at the wrong time, heard the only thing I can sharpen to avoid that is skill, and damn it comes with a nasty burr.

The work sharp being a mini belt grinder, I guess he can use it for thinning better than anything if he can keep the steel cold.

I guess if he combines that with something like an edge pro for the front bevels....


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## Foxy (Nov 8, 2016)

The work sharp actually looks pretty good! I wish I had bought that years ago rather than the edge pro. Maybe I wouldn't have ended up going down the sharpening by hand route!


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## Atrain316 (Nov 8, 2016)

I have found on low speed knife don't even get warm


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## Ruso (Nov 8, 2016)

One wonder if this kind of threads are commercial shills. Basically it smells.


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## Mucho Bocho (Nov 8, 2016)

red herring


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## daveb (Nov 8, 2016)

You guys are too cynical. Anyone dropping coin on one of the gizmos probably has an interest in sharp knives. When it turns out it's not all lollipops and orgasms they come over here.

(Do agree that some like to ask a question just to be able to provide those that have not asked it the answer.)


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## Mucho Bocho (Nov 8, 2016)

We meant you Dave


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## WildBoar (Nov 8, 2016)

Atrain, are you a pro or a home cook? If a pro, maybe you can find someone else in the kitchen who is willing to sharpen for you if you are unable physically to do it yourself.

If you are a home cook, send the knives out periodically to a pro sharpener like Dave Martell.

You do not indicated what type of knives you are trying to keep sharp; that makes a difference as well.


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## Atrain316 (Nov 8, 2016)

I'm just one of those guys who wants the best I can get


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## WildBoar (Nov 8, 2016)

Best for what? What hardness are the knives? What steel(s)?

Help US help YOU, as stones are the "best you can get" but you have ruled them out.


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## gic (Nov 8, 2016)

I actually think the ken onion worksharp is a very good solution for someone who otherwise might use an edge pro or chef's choice. The basic belts do a good job and you get a slightly convex edge which is good for beginners. The trouble is the basic unit only goes down to 15 degrees. Quick passes and a water bucket are needed of course and thinning on a belt takes some skill as the steel comes off awfully quickly..

With the blade grinder attachment the Ken Onion is basically as good (and about as expensive!) as my 1x42 belt grinder, you can even go down to 10 degrees

You can quickly get a really great edge with them and using stones on softer, abrasion resistant steels isn't fun!


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Nov 8, 2016)

Will freehanding on a belt grinder (I have none) be more difficult or easier than on a stone for the OP?


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## milkbaby (Nov 8, 2016)

LifeByA1000Cuts said:


> Will freehanding on a belt grinder (I have none) be more difficult or easier than on a stone for the OP?



It's faster to f* it up on a belt sander than on a stone. Don't ask me how I know... :O


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## gic (Nov 8, 2016)

Yep, learn to use a grinder on knives you buy at a thrift store!


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## Atrain316 (Nov 8, 2016)

I got a set of victornox knifes and a miyabi and some knives that are about 59 hardness and miyabi is 61 but I can get them arm hair cutting sharp but just want to see if there is a system to take them to the next level that does a perfect sharp every time I just like perfection


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Nov 8, 2016)

If you are KEEPING these arm hair sharp without constantly grinding them on the ken onion, you are probably stropping and/or steeling them well, which means your hands are capable of more steadiness than you think


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## Atrain316 (Nov 8, 2016)

Actually just use the belts and that's it and I just use the guide that's on it


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## TheCaptain (Nov 8, 2016)

gic said:


> Yep, learn to use a grinder on knives you buy at a thrift store!



(facepalms!!!) This is so freaking obvious why didn't I think of it! I was going to practice on my decent German knives first before working on my better knives...


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## DanHumphrey (Nov 8, 2016)

Let me shill (not really) for Jon's diamond stone combo set. Fast enough to get it done without much time for wobbling and leaves the sharpest edge I've ever managed.


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Nov 9, 2016)

Oh, for learning stones it is the wrongest advice, so that it might be the unwrongest advice for a belt grinder might bear repeating.


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## Atrain316 (Nov 9, 2016)

So if we were to get in a competition do you think I stone would be sharper then belt sander paper wheel or any other method just looking for what would be sharpest


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Nov 10, 2016)

Ever seen somebody sharpen his or her razor on a belt sander or paper wheel?


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## daveb (Nov 10, 2016)

That would be a short video I would think.


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## Atrain316 (Nov 10, 2016)

Well I havent really looked for sharpening on paper wheel or sander for razor because to me it seems like sharpening on stones is primitave


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## DanHumphrey (Nov 10, 2016)

To me that's part of the appeal... details about the steel and heat treat (and maybe stone) aside, there's something satisfying about doing the same thing that was done hundreds or thousands of years ago.


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## malexthekid (Nov 10, 2016)

Steady hands and practice . The most important components of a sharpening setup


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Nov 10, 2016)

@DanHumphrey you mean the way some of us will give a market stand full of julienne peelers a disdainful look, leave and go do nakiri practice?

@malexthekid he mentioned steady hands are a problem for him.


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## malexthekid (Nov 10, 2016)

Yes but the OP wasn't asking for themself, they asked for the best and in a competitiom etc...

So my point still stands... unsteady hands on a belt are just as bad, if not worse, than stones.

And in response to other point, just because something is primative doesn't mean it is bad... heck modern efficiency is more often than not "inferior" to the primative ways of the past.


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## ecchef (Nov 10, 2016)

Atrain316 said:


> ...it seems like sharpening on stones is primitave


Ummm...I see your point. Steel as a material is primitive too. You should probably switch to ceramic blades.


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## DanHumphrey (Nov 10, 2016)

Ceramic has been used for thousands of years. Longer than steel, even. Fancy modern man there should insist on silicene or carbon nanotubes or somesuch.


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Nov 11, 2016)

Or on a powered tool. Oh yeah, that one sometimes turns all blunt on you and/or severs your fingers, or suddenly makes a stranger come and stab you with it, reboot and update firmware at your next convenience.


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## ThEoRy (Nov 11, 2016)

I want obsidian knives dammit! Obsidian!


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## WildBoar (Nov 11, 2016)

I use a CNC machine for food prep. Perfect cuts every time.


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Nov 11, 2016)

@WildBoar while probably distasteful to most here, you just described a food trend that could sell big time to hipsters.


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## daveb (Nov 11, 2016)

If it sells to hipsters that in itself is evidence that it is wrong.


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## WildBoar (Nov 11, 2016)

Can one make enough $$$ at their barista job to afford a CNC machine?


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## Atrain316 (Nov 11, 2016)

A Cnc machine I would imagine could put on a better edge then a hand sharpening


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## TheCaptain (Nov 11, 2016)

daveb said:


> If it sells to hipsters that in itself is evidence that it is wrong.



Ok, as a Global Mod and the poster of the above quote I have to register my first complaint about this forum. We need a "like" or thumbs up button.

:rofl2:


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Nov 11, 2016)

Atrain316 so it would seem. If it worked, there would be sightings in the wild of OOTB edges (honbazuke excepted) that don't suck.


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## malexthekid (Nov 11, 2016)

Atrain316 said:


> A Cnc machine I would imagine could put on a better edge then a hand sharpening



You imagine wrong.


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## malexthekid (Nov 11, 2016)

Robotic process lines maybe can get quite a good edge. But the key with all of this is profile and the algorithms to re calibrate technique for different knives (and of course 3d scanning for that). Aka sure a machine could do it if you had a few mil spare.

Or you could use a $100 stone


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## Atrain316 (Nov 11, 2016)

So with that being said with stones being the best who is the best sharpener


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## daveb (Nov 11, 2016)

Is this one of those fraternity prank "Dear Ann Landers..." letters?


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## ThEoRy (Nov 12, 2016)

Atrain316 said:


> So with that being said with stones being the best who is the best sharpener



Anyone can get excellent edges with practice.


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## WildBoar (Nov 12, 2016)

Atrain316 said:


> So with that being said with stones being the best who is the best sharpener


Murry? Murry Carter,is that you?

Are you looking for someone to sharpen a knife for you so you can win a sharpening contest??? Murry, I highly suggest Dave M at Japanese Knife Sharpening or Jon Broida at Japanese Knife Imports. Both are in the elite ranks of sharpeners in the US, and are also discrete so your secret will be safe. Good luck in the competition!


:wink:


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## marc4pt0 (Nov 12, 2016)

This is the first I've heard of this sharpening device. My first thought was could this be used to polish knives that have the horizontal polishing? I know the belt is rather narrow for something like this,but could be done still, right?


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Nov 13, 2016)

Anyone ever had something sharpened by the two famous Korin guys?


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## daveb (Nov 13, 2016)

Yes.


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Nov 14, 2016)

@daveb I assume you would be lauding them if it was ULTRA great, but would be giving us a rant if the sharpening was anything less than very solid.


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