Esee edges and sharpening advice

Discussion in 'ESEE® Knives and Gear' started by nathan shepherd, Sep 9, 2016.

  1. 066logger

    066logger Member

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    So, first post here. I have been lurking for a little while searching for the best way to learn to sharpen my knives. I have used knives my whole life, and never have had much luck getting them back sharp after they inevitably become dull. I just bought my first esee and I want to keep this thing sharp! I absolutely love the knife and so far it seems to really keep the edge well. What do you all recommend for someone starting out? I'm not looking for a crazy insane sharp knife, just one sharp enough to butcher deer, and whittle on stuff while I'm out in the woods. IMG_0628.JPG
     
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  2. nathan shepherd

    nathan shepherd Member

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    Welcome to the forum. I recommend getting a leather strop. @Flex who is a member on here sells some really nice ones. Use black compound on it and it will keep your Esee really sharp. There are a ton of videos on YouTube go help you get the technique right. That's all I use on my knives 95% of the time.
     
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  3. C99c

    C99c Member

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    Get a Spyderco Sharpmaker. Simple to use and works very well. Then get a bench stone or two to practice freehand on. Doesn't have to be an expensive one and lot's of companies offer good ones. Then just practice a lot.
     
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  4. 066logger

    066logger Member

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    Thank you guys, I think that I will do just what you both recommended, strop for the esee and a sharpmaker for all my other neglected knives... my Gerber lmf is definitely going to need some love, on a dual sport trip last year we were way back in the mountains, set up camp went to cook dinner and realized we forgot the can opener . My poor knife had a rough 3 days.... no major nicks in the blade but it's not as sharp as it once was. Do you think the sharp maker will do okay with the partially serrated blade?
     
  5. C99c

    C99c Member

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    The Sharpmaker works great for serrations.
     
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  6. 066logger

    066logger Member

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    Awesome, thank you. I think I'll go ahead and get one of those ordered. I messaged the strop guy as I'm curious about using one of them, I have 0 experience with stropping so hopefully he can get me lined out on what size to get. Do you strop after using the sharpmaker?
     
  7. C99c

    C99c Member

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    I don't but I rarely strop anything.
     
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  8. 066logger

    066logger Member

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    So, I got the sharpmaker. Still working on the strop. Gotta wait until the wife becomes less suspicious lol. But man I'm impressed with how sharp i have been able to get my knives with just a black marker and the sharpmaker. My esee 4 is a perfect 20deg edge. The Gerber lmf is pretty darn close too. But one that really surprised me was my buck 119, it's 15 degrees or a little less. And one of the sides by the tip was ground at a really jacked up angle. The sharpie made it very clear where to correct it. I am so glad I got the sharpmaker. Now every single knife I have will shave hair. And the esee will push cut notebook paper! Thanks for the advice!
     
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  9. nathan shepherd

    nathan shepherd Member

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    Great video by Cliff. A good reminder to remove steel when sharpening a knife.

     
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  10. nathan shepherd

    nathan shepherd Member

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  11. Giungla

    Giungla Member

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    Did you build that sharpening rig?
     
  12. Randy Wheeler

    Randy Wheeler Member

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    I've got a Sharpmaker I'll sell you. I bought one to use and just dont really like it. PM me off-line if interested.
     
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  13. 066logger

    066logger Member

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    So, the sharpmaker works pretty good on knives with a consistent bevel. Unfortunately as I’m finding not many knives have a consistent bevel :/. So I have spent a good bit of time trying to figure out what to do. I believe I want to bite the bullet and try going free hand. No more “systems” for me... does anyone here use these stones? https://www.chefknivestogo.com/ch7pcshset.html
    I’m thinking about just buying the best stones I can find so I have no excuses. Is there something better out there?
     
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  14. nathan shepherd

    nathan shepherd Member

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  15. Solitary

    Solitary Member

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    Dont do it.

    Waterstones are too easy to **** up and will need resurfacing.

    Get some cheap ice bear and a cheap knife.
    Practice then decide which expensive stones seperately to buy if deemed necessary.

    You may find the particle sizes do not suit you and some stones work better on different kinds of steel than others.

    I stuck with ice bear as i know how they behave and can use them, shapton and chosera not worth the outlay unless you sharpen a lot and i found some really thin
     
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  16. KMCMICHAEL

    KMCMICHAEL Member

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    The choseras are used heavily by the straight razor crowd. I use the Shapton glass stones up to 30k on my razors. I have used Norton water stones on my knives... usually. If for some reason I want to go past the Norton 8k, I use an inexpensive Chinese 12k.

    The Ice bear seems to be popular for the kitchen knife crowd. My wife and I have separate kitchen knives. As she is not considerate of them at all, I sharpen her's on a hand turned grinding wheel. I thought the Ice Bears were synthetic water Stones? Do they not need the occasional flattening?

    I find the diamond stones wear out pretty quick.
     
  17. FortyTwoBlades

    FortyTwoBlades Moderator Staff Member

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    All bonded stones eventually need either flattening or resurfacing. Abrasive grain only lasts for so long, so the grains on the surface need to come off one way or another when they get blunted. That means the stone should either be shedding grit to expose fresh cutting surface (in which case periodic flattening is needed) or is so hard that the particles need a bit of help coming loose (necessitating periodic resurfacing.) Only coated abrasives don't need either of these, because they simply wear completely out and need replacing.
     
  18. KMCMICHAEL

    KMCMICHAEL Member

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    Yes, well put. I was attempting to elicit a response from the prior post regarding his Ice bear stones as I do not believe them to be drastically different from the other synthetic stones.

    I have never used a Japanese natural but have used black oil stones as well as the Chinese 12 k. I have never needed to flatten them. They are slow.
     
  19. nathan shepherd

    nathan shepherd Member

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    I think the fact that water stones need resurfacing is over stated, a little like 1095 always rusts. I've had mine of 6 years now and have never had to resurface them. I've used them a fair bit to keep my 20-30 knives sharp. I think the average diy user would find the same. If your a professional knive sharper I'm sure that would be different. I just find it a little odd that the first thing most people say about them is they will need resurfacing. That probably just repeating things they've heard on the internet rather than real world used. Just my 2 cents worth.
     
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  20. Solitary

    Solitary Member

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    They are more cost effective and as you said yourself. Not drastically different.
    Just trying to save him some £ sorry $
     

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