Knife Sharpening Basics [Scandinavian Grind]

[@kameelelian6044]

Great advice and technique imop

[@foxtrot45]

Sharpening with stones is a skill that is slowly dieing, very few folks I come across know how to sharpen a knife freehand properly. On another note, your camera work and shooting is freaking excellent, felt like I was watching a Ray Mears tutorial.

[@Mr.Arrows]

Its coming back tho

[@llEverydayCarnivorell]

Def NOT a dying art. Ask any chef, line cook or prep cook.

[@NovaHiker50]

I'm just starting to get into sharpening and had recently purchased a new diamond sharpener. I find it very relaxing. Thanks for the video.

[@jeremyhall3162]

Hey, thanks a ton for this video. I had a Mora Companion which had been abandoned for awhile and I tend to use it for bushcraft and the like but the edge wasn't looking too good once I removed the little bit of cancer on it with sandpaper. I tend to be lazy with my pocket knives, since I found those quick sharpeners and stropping works pretty well, but I wanted to get this Mora back in shape because it was my first dedicated solo trip knife. When I carried a knife for self defense I'd always end up going for a hollow grind with a bench grinder but those knives never actually saw any usage more extreme than cutting open a stubborn bag of chips. I'd been having trouble keeping the whole blade level during the swipe, so knowing that it's alright to do portions of the blade was the best little bit of knowledge I've gotten in quite awhile. Got the whole thing cutting hair before the video was even over actually. I'll have to go to google, but I want to do a uniform patina on the blade to prevent if from rusting again once I sand it all out, should I need to sharpen the blade again afterwards? No big deal if that's the case, I'm just wondering if that happens to be the true.

[@RevanJJ]

I needed this! I will sharpen my Moras as you have shown. Thanks man. Best videos on here

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

You're welcome. Let me know if you have any questions. -Krik

[@SurvivalOnPurpose]

Good detailed demonstration, guys. I like the widescreen format with the branding elements top and bottom too. - Bryan

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

This was something new we tried out. We're both very pleased with how it turned out. Thanks for watching. -Krik

[@SurvivalOnPurpose]

You guys are inspiring me to raise the bar on my own production quality. Thanks. - Bryan

[@ghidfg]

I like what you said about putting your consciousness at the blade. I do the same thing

[@benhall4141]

Great video, thank you. I'm just learning how to sharpen my mora knifes. Really appreciate the advice.

[@MrSteampunked50]

Great video Krik, I'm glad I found BlackOwlOutdoors here on you tube, keep up the the great videos they are so informative.

[@barnaclebill1615]

Thanks for going into detail. I like how u explain the proper methods and importances. I like my mora but was always kinda scared to sharpen it. I feel much more confident now. Thanks! 👍

[@kalstreksandtrails7606]

Thank for uploading this video. Awesome video my friend

[@lloydmcphersonjr7108]

Great video thanks

[@barnygogl]

Spiritual blade maintenance, sharp mind, sharp knife I like it Thanks

[@Texaco4109]

Great video. Im just getting into sharpening my own knives and this was very helpful. Keep it up

[@jonathansheeder5153]

Yep. Good blade to learn on.

[@AyodhyaBandara]

Finally... someone did it right and filmed it right!!! Much thanks!!! And subbed

[@Nordrupby]

Very good ... I really needed a guide like yours. Excellently explained and very pragmatic. Regards and a thousand thanks from Denmark!

[@kickstand1111]

Hey I do the left hand thing too...thought I was weird. I do so because it makes sense to me. I feel vindicated. 👊🏻

[@GRDray]

Super video. Thanks for sharing man. ..

[@kan-zee]

One simple technique we show our youth in knife sharpening is to take a big wooden Popsicle and to try and make an edge on a flat stone or pavement, that,so they can see what type of edge they are making. Wheather that is a Convex, Scandi, chisel, Hallow edge, etc. Cheers ;-)) Have a great day !! Thank you for another great vid

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

That's a really good idea.

[@Zedoutdoors]

Great walkthrough as always Krik, kind regards from here in London ~Peace~

[@JMTEAMROPER1]

Excellent tutorial ! so much information! keep it up!

[@johnschmalbach8243]

Moras have secondary bevels (small) for durability so are you not essential reprofiling the edge?

[@nicholasdobberstein4076]

I really enjoyed this video and learned a lot from it. Thanks for the knowledge Krik!

[@alexfarres4956]

for the knives with other grinds, do you wanna approach it at steeper angle?. Also, what leather can I use to make a strop

[@PrimalEdge]

great video... I'm the same way with trying to force myself to learn how to improve dexterity in my left hand. One thing that helps me, is using one of this dry erase style Alphabet Charts. The kind you use yo teach children how to write letters. It sounds weird, but it works.

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

That's a great idea. Sometimes I'll designate a week where I'll only try to use my left hand. Now, I only really brush my teeth with my left hand. Gotta change it up for our brain's sake. -Krik

[@opalprestonshirley1700]

Good video. Thanks for the tips.

[@matthewjeffres1289]

Great job Krik! I never thought to hold the stone eye level.

[@n9oqu]

The cardboard backing of a paper tablet is good for "raising the edge" on the blade to scary sharp status. try it the same way you would use a strop or a stone.

[@leogadget]

Nice video, thanks for sharing. I don't know much about sharpening knives, but I've seen a few videos of Japanese artisans using wet stones. What's the difference between a dry and a wet stone?

[@modestadventurers]

Thanxs Very informative

[@Stoitism]

Great video. I'm really digging that hat too.

[@tomcarey5938]

What type of stone are you using in this video? Does it require some type of fluid?

[@DanuraJay]

Tom Carey it's an oilstone, which are also known as Carborundum stones or India stones as far as I know. As the name suggests, it's better to use some motor oil etc when sharpening but it's not really necessary. I find I get a much sharper edge when I don't use any oil.

[@63viet]

Thanks for a great video. I am new at this so your video was great help. I purchases janese whet stones to sharping my knives and they are great!

[@gladokie]

Thanks for the video. Lots of good tips. Would like the 152OT, I had one lost.

[@markushofer4874]

Thank you, very nice style! Try to regrind my Roselli hunter UHC, i have completely messed it up.

[@SteveB357]

Do you have any idea about the life expectancy of the Smith? I've had one for a while and it doesn't seem to be working real well.

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

No, I don't. Sorry man. I know others have complained about diamonds in general losing their effectiveness. -Krik

[@RichardT2112]

I’m 7 years late to the party, but great tutorial as I’m trying to figure it out … just curious as to the coarseness of the stones used?

[@section8as]

What stone would you recommend ? Obviously a two sided course and fine grit , companys tho ? Thank you in.advance , great and simple video ! Answered a lot of questions for me

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

section8as I wish I had more experience with different stones. It comes down to how much you're willing to pay. I really want to purchase some water stones. But I've been using a two sided DMT diamond bench stone and have good results with it. -Krik

[@raven.art1717]

Thank you! I've been looking for a video that demonstrates the proper angle. I appreciate the detailed instruction. What angle would you use for a kitchen knife with cheap steal and no grind?

[@stonedape3285]

If the knife has no grind you can add a grind of your choice (a convex is my favorite for food prep) I will tell you how i do it when my knifes are tottaly blunt I take a 200grit sharpening stone and sharpen until i got the edge geometry i want the i use a 400 grit and start putting a actual edge on it, i sharpen on the 400 until the edge is kinda sharp. Then i move up to a 1000 and make it razor sharp. Also i usually sharpen my convex knifes with a 20°-30° (Sorry for my english)

[@GabrielMeneghetti]

What grain should the stone be? 1000 to 3000 is good? I'm going to buy one!

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

Depends on how bad your edge is. But I would get something coarser than 1000 as well. Maybe 200-500

[@MaNi-cn7to]

Thx for information! better without wet the stone?

[@Mr.56Goldtop]

That's good news. I bought a leather belt at the 99 cents store, front side is finished and the back side isn't finished so I have two different surfaces to work with. I guess the finished side would be the finishing side. Thanks!

[@shamanicvibrations]

any suggestions on stones and price range and brands? Thanks

[@Black_Kakari]

7:10mins he goes way too deep. I put myself in the blade. My consciousness in the blade. Hahahahahahha the blade and I are one

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

I’m practically wearing a fedora, so...

[@SanDiegoSWOT]

Great video- I learned a lot- thank you!

[@johncreen5957]

great video Krik and Stoney, what grit would you recomend for sharpening? there is so many different variations to choose from.

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

Depends what you need to do with the edge (if it's damaged or not). If it is damaged, then you want to start with the coarsest you can find (the Lansky system has their coarsest at 70), then work to a super fine grit, ending with ceramic and or a strop. That help? Is your knife damaged? -Krik

[@johncreen5957]

Thank you Krik, it does help, im only learning to sharpen knives and one particular knife is giving me problems, after watching your video has given me new hope,

[@chubby-dz8tb]

i was sharpening my v edge knives with my sharpener.and then i mistakely used the v edge sharpener on my mora so now i think it has a secondary v edge.any way to revert it to a true scandi???PLEASE HELP

[@DeanO]

nicely done

[@daveannis307]

you'll save your self a lot of arm hair using just your fingernail to test sharpness. rest the knife on your nail at a 45 degree angle(or sharper), knife straight up,cutting edge down,finger nail at angle.test several spots and angled both ways.if knife bites(with no pressure but its own weight) it's sharp.test for nicks or flat spots by running edge gently across end of finger nail. I've been sharpening knives axes and straight razors for damned near 50 years and this is the best method I've found. actually,your's is the first sharpening video I've seen where there was nothing said or done that i flat out disagreed with. nice job!

[@MitchellGreenOutdoors]

Nice video I sharpen my knives with a stone as well.

[@The_Bearded_Lady]

I know this is old, but I'm still feeling like I'm not doing well with that method. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? I feel like I make my blades worse when I sharpen them. I will try to get a better stone as the one I'm using is pretty jacked up, but even with the little Smith's 3in1 sharpener or the tiny diamond stone on my mora sheath... I just feel like I'm doing it wrong? I'd love to find someone to chat with about this. Thanks

[@YoutubeCommenter1]

Keep angle consistent, and do same amount of strokes on each side. Do less, and less amount of strokes, until you only stroke one time on each side. Also some stone (like the one in the video) need to be soaked in water.

[@jclaudemoran504]

AL Genaro The reason why you are not doing well is because you have probably not been doing this long enough. Just keep at it, and you will gradually get better at it. I know it's a cliche, but "practice makes perfect".

[@ernestmiller8943]

+AL Genaro The easiest steel in knives to sharpen is high carbon steel like many Mora knives. Next is good quality stainless steels. Steel that is impossible to sharpen is cheap Chinese stainless, because when the edge becomes thin, it just folds over. It is easier to sharpen knives with narrow secondary bevels than knives like Mora, which have only one bevel because you have to remove so much metal to get them sharp.

[@The_Bearded_Lady]

Thanks. I've found more luck when I got an Arkansas soft stone and some honing oil. I have a mora bushcraft black, bk 22, random kershaw folders, ckrt Doug Ritter mk5 (which is hardest for me to sharpen), and Leathermans & Victorionoxs. Then a bunch of beaters and such. But I'm having better luck now that I'm using better sharpening tools and doing it more

[@EarlyMist]

This is good info I have heard numerous times and I like the way you actually demonstrate the angles by video. I notice you do exactly what I tend to do if I dont watch for it...you draw the main part of the blade across nicely but the tip you are hitting the secondary bevel and thus aren't really sharpening just reprofiling the tip creating a weak thin tip over time. Correct me if I am wrong and maybe its just as you're going slow for the vid. I always find the tip on spearpoint/droppoint blades hardest to sharpen. I didnt have time to watch the whole vid so if you addressed it later kudos. Ta guys. Ant

[@peteswright]

Hi. Please do you have a link to the other technique vid you mentioned at the end of this one. Thanks in advance. This was a very good vid BTW. Pete in the UK.

[@kyleladd9216]

HEY! I do the same thing with my left hand because i am right handed. I do it because i feel like I'm becoming more efficient.

[@fixedgearforlife]

I've got a razor strop that I like to finish my blades with. Scary sharp.

[@AdamDrew]

I have a Mora Companion, and I have trouble getting the tip sharp, like the first 2 cm or so from the point. Wondering if you have any, uh, tips.

[@Turtleu1]

What is you opinion on using a two handed draw on the knife if the stones are secured to a surface and won't slip

[@kennyb2497]

do you hold the knife flush, or lift the end slightly on the curved part of the knife at the end of your stroke?

[@StelmansLT]

I sharpen/hone my Mora knives on a 1000/2000 grit Lansky stones. It leaves shiny and polished edges. No need for coarser stones at all.

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

Coarse stones are only need if there's edge damage.

[@greenjoe4202]

+Black Owl Outdoors exactly Iam working on a damaged edge right now

[@SailfishSoundSystem]

Or if you want a toothy edge.

[@Cliff_Dixon_42]

Any thoughts on using something like a "turn-box" sharpener (the kind w/ rods placed at fixed angles) to try to sharpen a scandi grind? I only ask because I'm still relatively new to knives, and an absolute newbie when it comes to sharpening them.

[@omershmueli-bino201]

What about a mora bushcraft black? Isn't the sharpening going to remove the black coating? How do i prevent that?

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

Omer Shmueli-Bino Yes, the sharpening will remove the coating. You cannot avoid that.

[@mihailsaltirov5333]

Omer Shmueli-Bino What about my crambit is pay for laser sharp and be shure :/

[@StelmansLT]

You can prevent that if you will only sharpen the micro bevel. Scandi grind bevels will remain coated.

[@jerms7100]

what products/equipment would you recommend for knife cleaning?

[@earldavis694]

I have a question black owl Outdoors. I recently bought a mora haven't used it enough to dull--it yet and I was wondering how to sharpen it and watching your video. I sharpen all of my other knives in a circular motion at a certain angle As long as I keep the angle consistent could not I do the scandi the same way it's the same thing as doing it the way you were doing it only holding it at the at correct angle and then going in a circular motion from the hilt to the tip would that be all right? Thank you

[@robertbrunston5406]

Thanks

[@mcruz352]

Question how about with a modified Scandi Grind. I have a Tops Scandi Trekker? Same concept?

[@bubbalove765]

These videos are good because the old saying goes if you don't use it you loose it

[@Skin5aNdshaNnaGinS]

Can you put a video up of the other angle for sharpening! Also what grit is the stone?

[@2008JKguy]

A good diamond stone should last for years. I have 2 EZ-Lap 600 grit stones. One is worn from years of use, and I use it as a honing, or finish stone. The other still cuts fast enough to clean up nicks. Like Krik said, you can shorten a knife's life by over sharpening it. A light honing on a fine stone is usually sufficient to bring the edge back.

[@TinyIslandMaine]

Are you using any oil or water as lubricant on the stone or is dry okay?

[@madferret2045]

The scandi grind is just infinitely easier to sharpen, imao

[@dennisleighton2812]

5:01 mins: Looking at your first few passes, the grind surface sits flat on the stone, until you reach the curve. Then your edge lifts right off the stone completely, so you're only working the upper edge of the bevel while the cutting edge is untouched. This is exactly why I seriously question the statement that the Scandi grind is easy to sharpen. You've just proved it is NOT! Continued use of this method will gradually turn the front of the knife into a complex bevel. I'd value your comment.

[@darthanubis4204]

Bro he is sharpening fine for one hand while holding a camera keeping it focused. A scandi grind is a single bevel so theres no upper bevel where hes not hitting the cutting edge unless you're talking about the tip that he missed on a few passes which is fine, lots of people sharpen the tip last anyways.

[@dennisleighton2812]

@@darthanubis4204 Ahhh, thanks. Still looks far more complicated than a thin secondary bevel. Cheers!

[@kurttroter3730]

do you wet the stone? if so what do you use?

[@Mr.56Goldtop]

Do you really need compound on a piece of leather to strop or can you just use plain leather?

[@bushcraftjack9386]

You can just use a plain piece of leather :)

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

Yes, and no. There are many things to take into account when using materials to sharpen an edge. The simple answer, if you have the correct piece of leather, you don't need compound. Sharpening works on the principal of coarse to fine, and the "hardness" of the surface doing the abrading. There are many good threads online that address this specific topic. Check 'em out. -Krik

[@vegabikes]

great video!!!!

[@HPM2006]

Just tried sharpening my mora companion epic fail oh well I'll just get a new one and practice with the one I have now

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

What happened? -Krik

[@zombiefighterof1987]

is 750 grit fine or coarse?

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

The higher the number, the finer the grit. You can get upwards of a 2000 grit for super fine finishing. -Krik

[@HPM2006]

When from semi sharp to dull but this is my first time trying to sharpen a knife...live and learn Ps digging the vids and waiting for the hats to be release to the public 👍

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

Don't get discouraged. Keep trying. What are you using to sharpen the edge? Can you see consistent friction on the bevel? -Krik

[@bricehershiser7228]

Where did you get that hat

[@bazzmidas]

Hi Krik, of topic but we love your shirt, any info on that? It's a bit like a Carhartt?

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

+Bastiaan Bujis It's actually from Woolrich. Not sure if they still make it.

[@nutellalover4366]

+Black Owl Outdoors can you use sand paper to sharpen?

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

+Nutella lover43 absolutely

[@nutellalover4366]

+Black Owl Outdoors thank you!

[@pennsylvaniaoutdoors3782]

Can you give me a link to the sharping stone Love the vids

[@stanchata]

How do you hone an already sharp knife?

[@michaelstjohn6086]

Hey Owls I bought my first Mora yesterday thanks to you. Not for sure why but the tip back two inches was laser sharp, flat part not so much. So I thought how hard can this be :) Anyways couldn't get it shaving sharp but when I shaved some wood I was impressed and it would shave! What am i doing wrong lol.

[@jedadiahsmith6956]

Sometime when you shapen a knife you are left with a very very thin strip of metal. And it needs stripped. Like an old times barber on cloth or leather to get the metal bur removed. Thats what you did when you shaved the wood.

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

Jedadiah is correct. After you finish with the stone, you'd want to use a strop or ceramic to remove the finest teeth and bur. If you don't do that, you can do some light carving which will pretty much do the work of a strop. -Krik

[@HPM2006]

@kirk using a whet stone I kept at it and didn't give up now my mora is hair shaving sharp woohoo

[@TheRunereaper]

Another good video Krik. I've said it before but you are an excellent teacher. I've never sharpened in the field but I do know I would never carry around a Japanese water stone "just in case". As we all know, Nature abhors a straight line and I've never found a piece of truly flat stone, so would you say that we have to accept that we must carry our own flat surface (like a folding saw blade) & stick some high grade emery cloth to it in order to make a lightweight, portable sharpening rig? Can I also ask what your take is on the difference between a Skandi and a Sabre grind? I think this question really boils down to what is a sabre grind as the skandi is a single bevel zero grind, sharpened in the way you have shown. I really do admire the open, modest approach you always adopt. Thanks for the post. Paul

[@sig415]

Can someone help? I've been trying to find the recommended angle for sharpening the Companion for hours now.

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

sig415 Just sharpen to the already established edge angle. -Krik

[@sig415]

BlackOwlOutdoors I figured that. Do you know the exact angle measurement from the factory though? I've collecting from different searches that it could be 23 degrees.

[@chrismacro2012]

@@sig415 you do it by feel. it's a huge bevel.

[@LCFTW93]

Isn't that scandi grind Mora also a zero grind? how do you find the right angle on blade that isn't, when you can't exactly roll it to the right angle because the edge is smaller than the grind

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

LCFTW93 Are you talking about grinds with smaller secondary bevels?

[@LCFTW93]

Black Owl Outdoors hmm, yes I suppose so. Most grinds (to my understanding at least, so sorry if I'm incorrect) go by how the blade itself looks, such as V, chisel, hollow, etc. But often you see that even if it has a bevel like a V/scandi grind, where it is sharpened is not all the way up to the bevel, like in the video (and when it is, it's called a zero grind[to my understanding, I'm still learning]) and when most sharpen knives, they're only sharpening that shallow edge rather than all the way up to the bevel. Like I said, I'm still learning so I apologize if I'm wrong about it

[@ruvanstander]

can i go from 600 grit to 1200 grit

[@waltersmith4743]

great ideir use your weak side thanks walt

[@kan-zee]

When do you apply the water or oil ? Excellent video demonstration. I like how you say 'how you abstractedly imagining yourself being the blade' That is a good tip. Can you show us some of your 'Stropping techniques'?? Thanks ;-))

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

I've kept this a dry stone. While you can use oil, I chose not to for this particular stone. Once you use oil on a stone, you always have to. That's what I've been told. But if I were using oil, I'd apply it at the very beginning before the blade touched the stone. -Krik

[@stvincents2007]

Where can I buy a hat like yours with a chin strap?

[@kan-zee]

Can you also talk about the Different edges used in various types of outdoor activities. Such as which is the most effective edge for, Cleaning game, Cleaning fish, making fluff (feather sticks), wooking wood, good leather repair work, cordage cutting, batoning wood, Axe usage, and also share tips/info on different types of sharpening stones, sharpening pucks, etc. Well ..that's it for me..i am outta here for a bit..waiting on next vid. Cheers ;-))

[@kalieb2739]

Can anyone explain how to hone a knife? And what a bur is?

[@ojibelalang8805]

Saya menggunakan victorinox dual sharpener,bentuknya yg oval dan memanjang memudahkan untuk mengasah pisau sejenis scandinavia

[@Nanchi]

I always end up not getting a perfect t angle on the tip

[@georgigeorgiev134]

So does he

[@susannschmidt6915]

2:21 but don’t use a honing steel thats a bad idea

[@altalector9351]

my mora came razor sharp, if you keep it maintained with a diamond/ceramic rod & a strop you shouldn't need to use a stone.

[@grovesy333]

Will get dull eventually regardless every knife regardless of its steel will need to be sharpened eventually

[@aptcmpasion]

why 'scandinavian' grind? would be easier on samurai sword, wider bevel?

[@wolfelau5602]

Unrelated to knives but I do the same with my left hand. Force it to work.

[@kan-zee]

Since you asked at the end of your vid "if you have any other techniques/style let you know' We like to get all our community grandma kitchen knives together once a month (about 50 of them) and the youth will get plenty of practice, and also do a bit of community work for the elders. Before we did this, we use to go to Thrift stores to pick up old kitchen knives to just practice their sharpening, before they would get into the expensive 100-200$ bushcraft blades and sharpening. Its all about building up the confidence first, before making a big Boo-boo that requires reprofiling an edge. Cheers ;-)) P.s. have you heard about using the bottom of a Coffee Cup for knife honing? can you demonstrate that technique for us. thank you again. Enjoy your day

[@BlackOwlOutdoors]

Yep, I've heard of that technique. We plan to do more videos revolving around knife edges and sharpening. -Krik