Knife Sharpener

The Edgemaker Pro is what I have been trying to use and I just don’t seem to have an understanding on keeping a knife sharp. Here is a picture of what I’m using. Anyone care to help out this knife challenged fella ?

I’ve never had much luck with those fixed-cross stick designs, they develop a groove in them and will no longer sharpen.

Typically for big knives I use something called a ‘crock stick’ which is actually a wooden base with two ceramic sticks at 15° sticking vertically out of it. You just run the knife down one and then the other. This is really a finishing tool, though, and the knife had better be pretty sharp before you start if you want good results. I’ll see if I can dig up a picture.

For small blades (broadhead blades) I use an arkansas stone. It’s a really fine white powdery stone that shaves off as you run the blade forward across it. Works great.

I’m just looking for something to keep my fillet knifes sharp…one day I might actually catch a fish and eat it

One good habit I picked up butchering deer is to keep the knife sharpener handy while you’re working. Every so often go over and take a few swipes at the blade and it’ll stay razor sharp throughout the job and you won’t have to do a painful ‘from scratch’ sharpening afterward.

I do the same thing when I’m filleting fish (sorry Iowa guys, I caught & ate the fish, so we can all stop chasing him now).

Hi Dave
I have the same type of knife sharpener.I bought it at a locall sports show a nuber of years ago and I must say I like it.It will sharpen knifes sharp enough to shave the hair on my arms.So if we ever meet on the Miss and you see bald spots on my lower left arm you’ll know what I have been doing One thing I noticed in your pic is that you need to hold the knife more vertical.As you draw the knife down use less and less presure.Use the sharpenning side to start out with and then use the honeing side to finish up.I have used it to sharpen all type of knives from kitchen knifes to my pocket knife and my Buck knife(used to clean deer) and I have been happy with it.I have used all types of sharpeners from stones to cross stick type shapeners.I get asked alot by friends to sharpen thier knifes and they always been happy with the results when I returned them.So sharpen on and good luck.
Danny Jarosh(jardan)

I use a Butcher Steel…I think that’s what they are called. This thing is easy to use and has kept my filet knives sharp for many years! This one is from Chicago Cutlery. Here is a picture:

Hey Jon nice picture..
That is what I use to sharpen my knifes..
Works get I use it every time I start and finish..
Blades have stayed in great shape..

I too was blade impaired untill I bought a DMT sharpening system. Basically its a metal bar with diamond dust. coarse on one side medium on the other.Hold the knife to it at about a 25 degree angle and proceed like you are taking a thin slice off the top. Take it easy and not too fast. workes real good for me.

Lansky and Gatco make excellent and easy to use knife sharpeners. I have a Lansky and love it. Gatco looks pretty much the same.

http://www.sharpknives.com/lansky_diamond_sharpener.htm

I have had a Lansky for years and love it for ‘starting from scratch’. I use a sharpening steel for touch ups.

Dad taught me how to use a “steel” or as Jon called it, a butcher’s steel.

Once you have an edge, you can maintain it with a steel. It takes a little practice, but I use my index finger as a guide by placing it on the back of the blade. The key is not to try and kill the blade by placing a lot of pressure. Gently swipes work best with slight pressure.

Ceramic sticks work fine, but the difference between ceramic and steel is that ceramic removes blade material and steel forms it. The pores in ceramic sticks then fill up with blade material, thus clogging and reducing performance. If you know a good butcher, stop in and have him re-shape your knife and give you a good starter edge, then you can maintain with a steel. Perch and walleye bones are hard on a filet knife, so it takes consistent maintenance.

My recommendation is to get away from ceramic and go with steel.

Gary

I used a steel for years but my dad bought a unit like Dave’s 3 years ago and let me try it out. It was WONDERFUL! I now own one myself.

One point that is being missed is that while grooves my form or pores may fill, this unit is capable of adjusting the cross bars as needed. When used regularly during cutting activities, it maintains the edge very well and lasts WAY longer than those “fancy” cutlery crossblade sharpeners! I’ll stick with what Dave pictured because it works. However, I do carry a steel into the woods with me to maintain my buck knife while dressing deer or small game…………just hang it off the hip like a carpenter would a hammer!