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Working on the edge.

Hi, the other day my wife complained that all the sharp tools are in my workshop, and not in the kitchen. She was of course referring to knives. The only sharp knife was the one I used, too big for her to handle.
So for a happy life, I needed a happy wife which meant a sharp knife …. or two, or more…. Is there a song here somewhere?

Anyway, I set up to sharpen the kitchen knives and got them done. I was not happy with the outcomes, but the wife was…so happy wife, happy life, and nearly sharp knives.

Why am I telling Y’all this? Read on…
Well, after doing the kitchen knives I collected the knives from around my workshops and benches,

…yes, it surprised me as well,

and started to sharpen them while I was in the mood. I found that they were so much easier and quicker to get a good sharp edge on, one I could shave the hairs on my arm with. Most of the knives, as can be seen in the photos, are recycled and had been given to me by an old butcher mate.

I cut them up sometimes getting two or three blades out of one original blade. I then added handles as required, and then ground them to the required shape. Some are dedicated to a particular job, some ground on only one side, like a chisel.
Cheers Taff

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Permalink Reply by Infirmity Citrus President on June 24, 2022 at 3:36pm

My experience with knife sharpening advice: Every American male is born knowing how to sharpen a knife, drive fast, ride a horse and shoot a gun. That is why you never hear about any accidents in those activities

my experience with people who want to use my stones: I tell them I don't have any oil ( everyone who knows me freeze-frames with their WTF? look on ). If they say they don't need oil they don't touch my stones

ATF works very well. someday I need to try vegetable oil

if you want real advice on knife sharpening talk to someone who learned it as a step to something else. A butcher or a chef or a woodcarver knows what he's talking about.

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on June 25, 2022 at 12:44pm

Hi I C P, thanks for chiming in. I learnt sharpening and the use of sharp tools from the old tradesmen when I was an apprentice. Regarding the use of a stone by others. When I was learning my trade in London, I was told that no one ever loans a sharpening stone to another tradesman. I remember the old guys guarding their stones like it was the last one in existence. Every worker would have a different action when sharpening chisels, knives, or planer blades, and they did not want their stones ruined.
You also mentioned accidents, I think it’s a known fact that blunt cutting tools can cause more accidents than sharp tools.
I realize that your comment “Every American male….” Was a tongue-in-cheek comment, and I had to chuckle to myself. But I also wondered why you do not hear of accidents with the items you listed. Knives I can understand, you cut yourself go to the doctors, no big deal. However, It was interesting to learn that there are over 1000 deaths associated with knives, each year in the US.
Also, just as a matter of interest, gun accidents in the US are 4 times higher than that of other high-wage-earning counties around the world. Also, 11000 high-speed deaths a year and 78000 hospital visits from horse riding accidents.
Anyway, back to the woodwork. Thinking back I remember as an apprentice the foreman had a go at me for the way I had sharpened my pencil, then spoke to the guy training me for not showing me how to use a chisel to do it properly.
I'll post a photo of my sharpening station later.
Cheers Taff

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Permalink Reply by Kim Colgin on June 28, 2022 at 1:02pm

I will have to agree with Taffy. I have used antique woodworking tools as a hobby for over 40 years. During that time I have tried oilstones, Japanese water stones, and the Scary Sharp system. After all of the trial and error, I went back to Arkansas stones which I do not loan to anyone (not even my wife). One of my favorite stones has an end broken but I still use it. Since I learned how to sharpen on Arkansas stones from my grandfather, they still seem to work better.

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on July 20, 2022 at 10:26pm

As promised here are some photos of my sharpening station.

It is in two parts, the top part is a work table that pulls out and has the sharpening stones that I am using at the time on it, as well as a leather strop or two.
In the first photo are shown two diamond-faced stones, these are what I use the most now. Hmmm, come to think of it maybe one could lend one of those to somebody else without fear of any damage.

In the drawer below that supports the worktable are spare Arkansas stones, water stones, and attachments for the wet grinder [ also in the first photo] and slip stones for gouges.

And it all pushes back out of sight when not in use.
Cheers Taff