The Biggest Beginner Knife Sharpening Mistake

The Biggest Beginner Knife Sharpening Mistake.
Knife sharpening doesn't have to be hard or time consuming. This will significantly shorten you sharpening time.
This is probably the biggest knife sharpening mistake most people make when it comes to sharpening knives.
Maintaining an angle is easier if you don't have to do it for any length of time. Maintaining an angle when sharpening for 15 seconds is easier then for 30 minutes. Why make it harder on yourself?
About⬇️
Hi, Im Alex, im a knife maker and KZbinr, based out of southern Pennsylvania and my youtube channel is Outdoors55. This channel started as an outdoor backpacking channel, but quickly grew into a knife/ knife making channel. Everything I do on my channel is family friendly. I primarily focus on knife / knife making videos but occasionally throw in something different. Thank you for watching!😀
Knife Sharpening stuff I recommend ⬇️
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Folding knives I recommend
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[@OUTDOORS55]

Here the stone in the video. amzn.to/2DaNHwU I’m not necessarily recommending this Stone but I know I’m going to be asked. It does do a good job at removing metal but needs to be paired with a finer stone as the 800 grit side is NOT 800 grit.😀 My website www.knifepointgear.com I make and sell strops and compound I actually use, using the best quality leather i can find. FULL DISCLOSURE THIS IS AN AMAZON AFFILIATE LINK. I earn from qualifying purchases.

[@pr0faker]

I would say everything above about 800 grit are polishing stones to polish the edge you create with coarser stones. You dont really create the profile for the edge with those but refine it to a finer sharper edge.

[@WarGrrl3]

@@jeffallen3382 I have the same problem on every knife I have no matter what shape the ties are.

[@WarGrrl3]

@@jeffallen3382 I have one as well n I still have the tip issue. Ugh

[@scoobydoo4312]

Jeff Allen the Lansky Diamond sharpening is a great tool. I used it for years and loved it. it seems I have gotten better with age and understanding. I just got the Lansky Diamond Stone(flat sharpening stone) back in the summer the rest is history. 4 passes per side and hit on the steel. I have spent most of my life trying to master the art of sharpening a knife. you just need the right tools.

[@scoobydoo4312]

Jeff Allen you will not be disappointed. Run your knife over a steel or leather to dress up your Edge this will result in the knives shaving if that's your desire.

[@spike4628]

Yes, I'm still watching a 3yr. old video and getting good information from it. You've been putting out great content for years and it's still useful. Thanks, Bruce.

[@thalegacy6]

Good knowledge is ageless. The Holy Bible.

[@bearform_jeff]

Me too

[@jamesbizs]

What a videos age have to do with getting good info? Was there some revolutionary step up in knife sharpening technique, in the last 3 years?

[@jamesbizs]

@@thalegacy6 yes. Don’t mix two types of materials. Mmhmm. Timeless.

[@7784000]

I'm watching it for the 3rd time or so. C'mon we need a new video!🥲

[@Osprey1994]

I legit made one of my knives more dull trying to sharpen it recently.

[@luchvk]

I had, and still have at times, the same thing. Just stick with it, keep learning/practicing, try to not be sloppy, and focus on what you're doing. You'll get it if you keep at it. As a side note, I would stay away from sharpening your more valuable knives until after you've become fairly comfortable and confident with sharpening for a while.

[@YoshiIkagawa]

luchvk What he said. Nothing wrong with getting a dollar store knife just to practice on until you've figured out what is or isn't working for you.

[@sityu82]

Just watch all his videos, and understand whats going on. Apex, burr, strop! And practice of course!

[@petegalvs]

I feel like you just summed up my entire life.

[@jn8601]

Same angle both sides that's the key

[@loganthesaint]

After practicing and practicing, I have finally sharpened a knife by hand that I can shave with and I have you and and your channel to thank. I know times are hard for you, but maybe you’ll feel a little better knowing your teachings have finally brought me success I have been trying for so long to get a knife sharp enough to shave with.

[@scottyj6226]

Same bro. I've been trying since I was a kid to do that. Then I read the instructions so to speak.

[@travisj.1938]

I hope to get where you are at sooner or later.

[@chanyy78]

Man your advice is so TRUE!!! I learn this the hard way, as i was sharpening my dull kitchen knives with the Spyderco sharpmaker and it NEVER work no matter how hard i tried, it nearly wreck my confidence and thought i must have used the wrong technique or i just do not have the skill to do this. So one day, i got fed up and bought myself a very coarse Norton stone (very cheap too compare to the sharpmaker), and sharp away, and within 3 to 5 minutes, i have got a very sharp knife, the first time in my life i have sharpen a dull knife to a somewhat sharp knife. I just wish i have watch your video earlier.

[@lail118]

About a year after discovering your videos I finally say I have the confidence to sharpen about anything free hand. I want to say thanks a lot your videos were a big help along my journey

[@pseenazloy6409]

just coming back from a store with 1000/6000 grit stone and then watching this is a pain

[@jordyadriel2030]

Same feel

[@BavarianBarbarian69]

😅

[@nm2795]

Finally got mine and my sons knife a little sharp! Making progress. I’m a single momma and we all love our knives. But…. Didn’t know how to sharpen. So I’m trying hard to learn! Getting there. Thanks for all ur help

[@OUTDOORS55]

Great! Glad you're making progress! Thanks for stopping by 👍

[@djswizbeats4262]

"MAKE IT STAAAAAAAOP!!!!!" Subscribed!

[@averyarredondo1119]

You too?

[@RudolfSadolino]

As someone still new to knife making, your videos are certainly the most reassuring ones out there. It gives me more courage to experiment and try things out.

[@aviatoraw]

Many thanks for confirming what I finally discovered. Rough grit stones have their place. I have an old kitchen knife I use on my work bench and went from 220, 600 and 800. It’s a little gritty but very serviceable for general use.

[@eyeofbass]

This was great. Spot-on guidance with no-nonsense delivery. Thank you.

[@alicecullotto7530]

That Ludacris part was hilarious.

[@OUTDOORS55]

Someone thought it was colin kaepernick 😂

[@neldamurray4357]

@@OUTDOORS55 LMFAO

[@M70ACARRY]

@@OUTDOORS55 Colon Crapinmapants

[@krustysurfer]

Awesome

[@Sharberboy]

LUDA

[@Michael-qv7pn]

I had exactly that problem.. nowhere i found somebody saying that you need a coarse stone unless you have a completely broken blade and i almost turned crazy with sharpening my kitchen knives, they just didnt got really sharp Now i got a diamond two sided stone with 325 and 1200 grit i believe and now im done in a few minutes with making a pretty dull knive very useable sharp, its a joy! Great Video 👍🏻

[@OUTDOORS55]

Why work harder if you don't have to 🙂 Thanks for watching and the comment 👍

[@Akula114]

I really like how this is produced. The choice of a wide lens, close-up, and the "augmented available" naturalistic lighting helped me feel like I was actually handling the knives and stones myself. Filmmaking is the telling of a story with light and sound. Really GOOD filmmaking isn't limited to those. It can make you feel... Good job, guys

[@thesupernip2344]

The "make it stop" had me dying lol thanks for the tips my friend! Keep up the good work.

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thanks for taking the time to watch🙂

[@adamtimmins3035]

Great video as always. Your sharpening videos are what finally clicked in my brain and taught me how to sharpen. You have a good way of explaining things.

[@OUTDOORS55]

Awesome! Glad I could help!

[@willfitzsimmons8955]

same here, alex!

[@phillipcsandoval9094]

Adam Timmins, Well, for whatever reason I came across this amazing channel! Thank you bro!

[@flatasacueball6326]

I finally gave in and ordered a sharpening kit with 5 stones and guide rods. Worth it. Now my edges are all razor-sharp, and look better than the factory edges did.

[@danytostudios]

You've literally just made sharpening 0% intimidating. For me, at least.

[@wdr8303]

I always get confident watching this guys videos then I go and try and sharpen a knife and get discouraged

[@huangshangyun3337]

@@wdr8303 Practice makes perfect. I used to meet the same problem. But after destroying 2 roommates' chef knives, I found my way out.

[@huangshangyun3337]

​@SuperFutureTrunks1 Hmmm for all of my 3 whetstones(120-240, 400-1000, 3000-8000), the darker side is the coarser side. I'm not sure whether your whetstone is the same because 2 of my whetstones are marked with their grit number, and as for the coarsest one, I can actually tell the difference between its two sides by touching them. 2 possible reasons for your problem might be the edge angle and the whetstone. 1. Some axes may have larger edge angles than knives, maybe you should check the angles and make a comparison with your chef knives. If you do want a good sharp ax, you should make sure its edge angle is small enough, maybe 20 degrees on each edge. 2. As far as I've been concerned, you have only one whetstone with its grits number unknown. Although this KZbinr can do his knives with any kind of whetstone, I strongly recommend you to possess both coarse stone and fine stone. It's actually easier for a beginner to finish his knife and remove the burr of the edge on a fine stone.

[@huangshangyun3337]

@SuperFutureTrunks1 20 degrees on each side of the edge, 40 degrees together.

[@gabrielbennett5162]

Thanks for the tips, this really worked! I had some stones like these leftover from my grandfather and tried your method on an el cheapo Ozark Trail Walmart knife I've had difficulty getting a good edge on. Apexed it with the coarse grit, switched to the finer side and kept working it until it had a good edge, then finished up by polishing it smooth with the superfine stone. What a difference! To quote Doug Marcaida, "It will cut!" I could barely make it cut paper before, but now, I can literally shave with it!

[@jamesortiz5388]

I bought a cheapo elk ridge from big5 to practice on. I used a course stone and started to take to much off. I'll try a fine diamond doufold next.

[@Traderjoe]

I think that the reason that those guys that tell people to start at 1000 grit are saying that because they are under the mistaken impression that everyone has a razor sharp knife on them all the time. It’s untrue and especially for novice guys who are just starting out. The super experienced guy will be walking around with scalpel sharp knives all the time that barely need a strop. 1000 grit is way too fine to remove material efficiently. And if you did start out with a dull knife and spent 45 minutes grinding away on your knife and ended up with a terrible edge, you’ll be so disappointed that you may just give up on sharpening altogether.

[@OUTDOORS55]

For sure. I don't think most people new to sharpening realize how bad a shape their edges really are. At least thats how it was for me when I started.😂 Thanks for the comment man👍

[@sandarelliott5319]

i have a combination diamond stone that has 200,300,400, and 600. i rarely ever use them as all my knifes are normally up to scratch but i also use it for flattening my 1k,2k,3k,5k stones cause i just love that crisp edge. :))

[@joshuakollman9102]

This has happened to me more than a few times! I'll get it sharp to the point it's almost cutting hair, then thinking I'm doing right, I'll run my knife across a few more times and boom, fuckin dull. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, lol

[@jeanhickey5238]

traderjoes z

[@Me-pt7ik]

traderjoes I have 1000 6000 stone Thant I sharpen on and I make sure that I don’t let my knives get close to dual but when I do touch ups it takes 10-20 mins and that brings the knife to ink cutting sharp but when I do my first sharpening it takes an hour

[@MrFreeGman]

I just ordered a 1000/6000 King from amazon the other day. This video makes me feel better about the $15 mystery grit stone I bought a while back from Home Depot and never gave much of a chance due to thinking it was too coarse.

[@milesryan6321]

Glad I stumbled across this video in my late night random KZbin videos as I procrastinate about going to sleep for work tomorrow.. Man knows how to sharpen a knife! Cheers brother

[@JayL781]

Alex I just wanted to say thank you once again I took what you showed in just two of your videos practiced on a cheap knife and then worked on my mother's chef knife she used it an awful lot when she was alive there were chips in the blade it wasn't Sharp now the blade is cleaned up no chips and I checked I can shave with it so I went ahead and subscribed and I look forward to watching a lot more of your videos

[@astrazenica7783]

I was struggling to get a mystery metal knife sharp for ages until I just blasted it on crappiest, roughest stone I had to start again the grind.

[@astridbrusin5115]

Thanks for tips! I just bough a while ago my first ever carving knife, its a swedish Mora for handcarving, short and skinny. I need it now for removing thinck layers of paint from 250 year old wooden couch, so its gets dull superfast and needs to be very sharp in use all the time. Im excited about to learn more knives and becoming a really good sharpening it and allready planning a small carving project! Thanks again🙂☀👍

[@robertthompsonii6657]

The editing on this one was hilarious! Especially the scene of you editing lol! Great info! Always my go to when I have a sharpening question!

[@Algo_de_Alguem]

Yesterday I managed to sharp a knife to a point where I could cut a cardboard without much effort. Not so sharp as you cut paper in your videos but I was very satisfied with my results. I saw I don't need my 1200 grid stone, because 350 was enough. Im still learning Thanks, your videos teached a lot already

[@rx323bug]

I would also say sharpening your knife blade dragging toward the cutting edge as you do is not a technique I would recommend for beginners. A little slip up in your angle and it is far quicker at undoing all your hard work and can gouge your expensive stone in an instant.

[@LancelotChan]

You're correct. I use very coarse stone to start my sharpening. They're necessary for me to get as little strokes to apex as possible. :)

[@rafioli6851]

Alex, I 100% agree about extra course stones. The only things I rarely touch with my xcourse grits are my slicers that don't get much hefty wear. But even just touching up an edge, I'll do a few strokes with my course grit and follow-up with a 1000/8000 and then strop. Because who wants to spend more than a few minutes on a single knife

[@OUTDOORS55]

For sure. Completely agree👍 Thanks for the comment my friend!

[@juancassinerio1580]

I am a physics methalurgist, and we only use 1000 grit or higher just for polishing.

[@allamas1227]

2:40 I laughed harder than I should have 😂🤣

[@Jackthompson01]

bro ive been thinking this for a while, i've had these knives for like 7-8 years which have never been sharpened so are just ridiculously dull. Here I am trying to sharpen them with 1000grit and getting nowhere. You're the only one I've seen make this point. I think most people who make these sorts of videos are knife geeks and never imagine that someone will even posess completely dull knives. Just ordered a 320 grit cheers

[@teruyoneedham7219]

I used to struggle with stones. Life’s too short. Now it’s a couple swipes through the coarse, medium, and stropping wheel of my Chefs Choice and done in 15 seconds. Shaves like a razor.

[@PhantomKobra]

I just got a carbon steel opinel but the edge was dull, thanks a lot for the video 👌

[@lukedupont6238]

This is absolutely spot on. I had the hardest time learning to sharpen woodworking tools by hand at first -- not because my skill was insufficient (I actually was very consistent and had good technique), but because I bought a 1000# grit waterstone like everyone recommended, and it wasn't able to remove enough material to reprofile the bevel and flatten the back in a sane amount of time. The problem is compounded by the fact that waterstones wear away quickly and become uneven. I switched to 400 grit sandpaper, and was finally able to profile my tools and learn to sharpen. I then switched to diamond, and finally settled on oilstones (wonderful and really under rated stones, in my opinion!) since then, and start at about 400 grit -- going as low as 180 grit on tools that I've never touched before. You can, of course, sharpen with just a fine / middle range stone if you keep very good edge geometry and don't get any nicks, after initially setting the bevel and (if a flat tool or single bevel knife is being sharpened, flattening the back, which can take even longer), but that requires developing skill and preperation, both of which are best done on a coarse stone first. Now, I just recommend people to get a diamond stone of about 400 grit, or a combination Norton India oilstone, with a coarse and fine side (the fine being about 320-400 grit). That will get most people set up to sharpen quickly, and they can move on to finer waterstones or oilstones. Geometry first.

[@mfreeman313]

I have a very dull hatchet to sharpen, and you know I'm not going to put it anywhere near some Naniwa stone that cost more than most of my knives. For that kind of job I've got a canoe-shaped tool stone I inherited from my shoemaker great-grandfather. It's not for razors (although my grandfather, I'm pretty sure, was the first owner of the insanely hard Franz Swarty razor stone I also inherited). There's a place for coarse stones in your sharpening life. You, me, Alex, and my great-grandfather all agree on that. : )

[@HerrWeberMFT]

I work at a high end grocery store in the meat department and am new to butchering. Our knives used to be very dull since we use them a lot and it seemed almost impossible to keep them up to par. Your video has helped me tremendously especially since we have a 1000 - 6000 grain stone there that did take a while to get them sharp. I do use a honing steel rod and wanted to get your opinion if I should use that with a wet stone or only a wet stone by itself. The honing rod seems to get a basic edge much faster and the stone provides a nice finish.

[@pavolblaho]

amateur home chef here - I use both whet stone and honing rod. I sharpen my kitchen knifes once per month on whet stone and do few runs with honing rod before each cutting. My understanding is that during cutting, sharp blade tip can sway to side - to you it might feel like dull, but that edge is still there, only moved to side. Honing rod will help you to re-center it

[@whiteboy6905]

After years and years of the old honing rocks. I tried a smiths diamond home and never looked back

[@coyoteslings]

Thanks for the information. I just ordered a 1000/6000 grit stone,but I have two courser whetstones already.

[@shonuffisthemaster]

ive been sharpening for 30 years, and ive tought several sharpening classes. i used to start out teaching people with a coarse stone, but found that they can really mess up a knife fast on that coarse stone with the bad technique they almost always start with. begenners need to spend time learning proper technique, and the 1k stone gives them the time they need to work on technique before having a chance to really do some damage. i actually now start them out on a smooth piece of steel instead of a stone, so that they can get a feel for the technique and motion before even taking off any steel. the medium and fine stones also give better feedback than the coarse stone, which is critical to learning freehand sharpening. I also think that 1k stone your using must be a verry slow cutting stone. I have not heard good things about norton's attempt at waterstones, and have never heard of serious sharpeners useing them. i think mostly woodworkers that are used to the norton brand use them. i could easily bring an edge like that back on a decent 1k stone, even a king / traditional stone, in probably about 10mn or less. the other thing you u have to pay attention to is the big nasty ragged burr and deep scratches uyou are getting with that stone, that will be hard to deal with later in the process. i always tell people to use the finest stone they can within reason. less chance of screwing up the bevel, less dealing with big nasty burrs or getting out deep scratches, and less metal removed prolonging the knife or tools life. yes if you need to use a coarse stone you should, but usually you can get by with a 1k for most knives with mosy normal amounts of wear

[@nicholasdesnoyer8505]

I 100% agree with this... I am a brand new sharpener and really messed up one of my knives staring with the course stone. Luckily I was eventually able to Apex my edge and get it to a point you could shave with it. Took a long time to do and became my pet project for a while. I'll stick with 1k until I become more proficient with my technique

[@MethodOverRide]

I agree with you as well. A king 1k could bring that edge back in a reasonable amount of time. Also no one is going to be dealing with that kind of damage. It's easier to keep a sharp knife sharp. Most don't need an edge greater than 1k for every day use and can keep a good edge with stropping.

[@StuninRub]

@@MethodOverRide That is fucking bullshit. I use diamond stones and 1000 grit is not enough to apex in a reasonable amount of time. Hell not even 120 grit diamond is fast enough to apex for some steels. And if you are using water stones, you're wasting your time.

[@navigator1383]

Zhida Zhou problem with diamond is that they wear out quickly. My king 1000 sharpens very quickly. I flatten with a diamond plate .

[@StuninRub]

@@navigator1383 Do you realize how stupid you sound? In the same comment you said Diamond wears out too quick while also saying Diamond is what you use to flatten the stone which you use to sharpen your knives. Were thrown head first at the wall by your mother as a baby?

[@jc2557]

Totally agree, if you don't start on a course enough stone to quickly remove metal, your just waisting your time. I start on Veneve F100 (300 grit approx) 10 to 20 pases on each side per stone and then progress up as far as you need, toothy, or polished depends on your use/want. Thanks for the knowledge. I've just sent your clip to my son as a first how to video, cheers.

[@barryhernandez6428]

From my experience I say you are right on the money using a coarse stone for apexing. Anything else doesn't make sense, that is my humble opinion.

[@andym3511]

identified the same problems too. so glad im not alone. thanks man.

[@markcahoon2534]

I don't know why all the thumbs down. I was a slaughterman for 33 years, and nothing you said is wrong, in fact its very good advice. When you use too fine a stone, once you get tired from all the rubbing, you tend to increase the angle to get the job finished, well I do anyway. If you want perfect angles, get yourself something like and edge pro, or something that controls the angle. For me, a convex edge is king, and I use my knives, so i don't really care about a few scratches. If you use common sense, and your knife is only a bit dull, start with the 1000 grit, or even the 6000. Thanks.

[@BBBYpsi]

wicked edge over edge pro

[@markcahoon2534]

I have never used any device to sharpen a knife, but both of them are way overpriced for what they are. The wicked edge would be my choice, simply because it is quicker, but it is a lot of money. The Chinese knockoff of the edge pro is what I would buy if I wanted that perfect angle. It's only about $33-$50, plus maybe a few extra dollars if it didn't have the stone of choice in the kit. For the price you pay for the name brand sharpeners above, I think the money would be better spent on a Worksharp, or similar. I understand that people don't want to scratch an expensive knife, and-or cant be bothered learning to do it freehand. Thanks.

[@JayL781]

Thank you for the knowledge that you give

[@ObservingLibertarian]

I don't know why more people don't understand: sharpening - *is polishing* - both sides of something to a fine edge. That's what you're doing, you're quite literally polishing something on two sides to a fine edge. Start rough, work up to smooth: it's the same process because it's the same thing. Where people get confused about this concept: I have no idea.

[@mfreeman313]

It's not that hard but like with a tennis backhand or casting a fly rod, if you get off to a wrong start it's hard to correct. Life is better if you're careful to establish good habits from the beginning.

[@Jimmothyhalpert]

watching a 5 year old video and still getting great value out of it!!! Thank you!

[@colegmr]

Yeah I just learned this recently Dont neglect your low grit stones!

[@merpinallday]

This was such a big help. I was going at it yesterday with a 1000/6000 stone and I thought I was doing something wrong. I’m going to buy a more coarse stone now. Thanks

[@Woodswalker1965]

Yup yup I agree once again! Well done Sir! Wade

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thank you my friend!

[@Dr._Klopek]

How do you know when the blade has been apexed? What do you feel for on the edge?

[@seanchen9623]

I think you mean developing a burr- you feel that on the edge like a tiny overhang on either side.

[@mariogutierrez3432]

Thanx for the tips very sharp advice👍😂

[@RErnie-gv1hv]

And right to the point.

[@DiJAndy]

I am a beginner and because of this video I bought wet stone 400/1500 which is quiet good for sharpening kitchens knives. Usually takes me about 30 minutes to get sharp

[@alasdairdouglas7485]

The angle is most important, keep the same each side, then use a finer grade to give your knife the edge you want, you don't need to rub your knife like he's doing, his is a knife a lot blunter, but careful, you will slice a tomato before you realise it,very sharp just be careful, just one tip don't let your knife get to blunt, it's easily sharpened

[@BlankSpot07]

I agree... I always work my way all the way out to a polish to have a blade how i like it... Thanx for your work !

[@REgamerPRO]

Thanks Alex, i've learnt a lot about sharpening because of your videos, now my biggest problem is to maintain an angle when i sharpen my knives free hand, i try my best but every knife that i sharpened freehand looks terrible, but i wont give up on trying with new knives :D

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thats on of the benefits of using coarser stones is that you don't have to maintain the angle as long. Its much easier to maintain an angle for 10 passes rather then 100. It will come with practice. Go slow at first, and make every pass count. 😀

[@ohioknifelover]

Its all just practice buddy! I’ve gotten a knife razor sharp with a cheap stone from Harbor Freight because I took my time to focus. The edge doesnt look as nice as my Lansky edges but I’m proud that I can get a sharp knife from a stone

[@REgamerPRO]

OUTDOORS55 I'll try Alex :) but i have one question. Recently i bought a Lansky Benchstone Diamond sharpener, but i cant really find aby information on using water with diamond, what do you think, should i soak those in water?

[@aimansyahmidzulkhairy909]

Susanoo Why don't you try sharpening your knife on convex edge, it can be as sharp and has more steel to support the edge. You don't even have to worry about the angle, just sharpen your knife in back and forward movement until you got the burr then polish on finer stone and strop the blade. It will leave a curve on the stone by time but you can easily flatten them.

[@REgamerPRO]

Aiman Syahmi Dzulkhairy i want to be able to perfectly sharpen a knive in a normal way, because in the future i'd like to make my own knives so i want to have all knowledge and ability needed :)

[@1dswylde]

Just discovered this video. Thanks for the tips, advice, knowledge, and lessons.

[@AD4MRick]

I believe you are absolutely correct. I have found in my limited experience the same thing. Keep up the excellent instructions. R

[@jordanbourke8368]

You don't need to sign off on comments, people can see your username

[@JC-km2io]

Thank you for this video. Again, great advice. You saved this newbie endless hours trying to sharpen knives. As a newbie, I thought that using a coarser stone unnecessarily removes metal and wears down the knife much faster and I thought I could extend the life of my $100+ knives just by using very high grit stones every time. I"m starting to realize that a knife can have a very long lifespan even if they were sharpened using coarse grit stones. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.

[@wross5961]

As long as you don't go too steep on angle just because you want the sharpest edge possible but brittle over a utility edge which last longer,you should be fine.

[@RattyfromInsideFPV]

Thanks as always Alex, your tips are always helpful. My sharpening is slowly getting better. I actually achieved a shaving sharp edge (only on a chisel) this week for the first time. I do wonder about the amount of pressure used to sharpen. Not sure if it would be helpful to do a video about how much pressure you use, maybe put a set of bathroom scales under your stones? It is taking me a long time to reach an apex, so i wonder if i am not pressing hard enough.

[@OUTDOORS55]

Some stones require more pressure then others. Too much pressure on some stones (like the Norton stones) will wear the stone out prematurely. If they are not slurry stones then I use slightly higher pressure. For cheaper stones like the one in this video its important to keep the surface of the stone clean and grit free but again I use higher pressure to apex and lighter pressure as I move on through the grits. Hope this helps!

[@RattyfromInsideFPV]

Awesome thanks. Ill continue experimenting. Keep up the good work mate.

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thanks!

[@69CamaroSS]

Grit and pressure are *DIRECTLY* related!!! Lower grit (coarser)= lower pressure or you will remove material too fast! Higher grit (finer) = higher pressure or you will almost never remove enough material!!!

[@RattyfromInsideFPV]

Thanks Camaro, i will continue my experimentation.

[@benwilde4337]

Very appropriate advice... I also think the added advantage is that you can set your own bevel angles faster and thus find your preferences vs. manufacturers’ standard choices...

[@OUTDOORS55]

Agreed👍

[@tokenopinion]

I worked as a cutler for about eight years... Never before have I heard the term “apexing.” Upon watching your other video, I discovered this means sharpening... The reason most pros recommend finer grit stones is two-fold. First is the question of damage control. There’s really only so much harm you can do to the edge with a 1000 grit stone. The second is a question of maintenance- it’s better to maintain the edge of a knife than to re-sharpen it.

[@OUTDOORS55]

The video is titled “sharpening” not maintaining. Hence the talk about coarse stones.

[@tokenopinion]

I agree that course stones are needed to fully sharpen a stone. But professionally I never recommend such a stone to folks new to sharpening.

[@StuninRub]

@@tokenopinion No shit, you would be out of business if people learned to sharpen their own shit.

[@tokenopinion]

Zhida Zhou lol- truth. My manager and I clashed with the owner on this point. We were big on teaching sharpening, he was not.

[@kalev60]

bastard file and a realy smooth water stone, nothing else needed :D

[@paw45]

I own a Norton IM313. I've owned it for over 40 years. My grandchildren may possibly own and use this Three stone system long after I am gone.

[@davidcoats1037]

Great info Alex. Thank you! 👍🏼

[@graywolfowls1445]

Thank you 🙏

[@ZENMASTERME1]

H E Double Hockey Sticks “Yes” That Was An Epically Awesome Way To Put It As Simply As Possible!! For Beginners!!! Sharpening Made Easy!! For Beginners!!! Thanks Alex! May You And Your Family Always Be Blessed With Good Fortune!

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thanks my friend!

[@HyperPete]

I have a *LOT* of sharpening stones from my dad's shop. He's gone now, so I can't ask him about them. 1) Is there an easy way to tell if it is a water stone, or an oil stone? If oils has been used with a water stone, can it be used as is, or cleaned, and if the latter, with what? 3) Without purchasing a special tool, can I "level" dished stones? I've heard about glass with sandpaper. Can you elaborate? How about flat files? 4) I also have a Lansky sharpening system that I have been using to maintain angle and sharpness when they get past using a steel. Is there a way to transition from the Lansky to using the various stones without damaging my knives? Thank you for your videos. 🌝

[@dreadnought8363]

Your opinion on course stones matches mine like 98%. I guess great minds just think alike ;D.

[@MonstrMatt]

I needed a refresher snd your two videos taught me a lot. Thank you.

[@georgemarsilio5122]

You are truthfull..I know all about sharpening knives, I'm a chef..yu have the correct ideas...

[@Baltihunter]

I like your patter. Knowledgeable, not in the pockets of anyone and very concise. Since I’ve bought a 1x30” I don’t use my stones or even quality diamond stones any more. I just but all possible grit belts and work through them. Change my mind ha ha

[@OUTDOORS55]

I have a 2x72 with a vfd and all the belts you can imagine and i still use diamond stones and a strop to sharpen. For me its still way faster, just grab the stone and go, 60 seconds and your done. With zero risk of burnt edges.

[@theone614]

I wish I had a coarse stone when I started out. It was hard to get any kind of edge.

[@HybridphotoPro]

Hey buddy, great job on this video. You solved a lot of mysteries about sharpening I’ve had my entire life. I’m off to buy a stone like yours. Thanks!

[@unocarb]

I went like Hank Hill UUUGH when I saw the mug 😱

[@bcubed72]

DANG IT, Bobby!

[@Fluffy246]

I recently came across an old kabar that was dulled and rusted to hell. glad I found this vid. nice sharpening tips

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thanks for watching😀👍

[@nathanfishback7146]

I would recommend switching sides of the blade more often, especially with a coarser stone. Too many strokes on one side before addressing the other side of the bevel can create uneven wear on the bevel. I do no more than 5-7 strokes per side before flipping the blade over and addressing the other side. You want the strokes on each side to be equal or very close to it.

[@sandarelliott5319]

no

[@lukedupont6238]

This is inefficient. It doesn't matter at all if you count strokes, or if you feel for a burr, or if you just use your eyes to eye the bevel. I go until I feel a burr, and then go about the same until I feel a burr on the other side. If you never allow a burr to form, it's difficult to assure that you're down to the edge when doing initial shaping work.

[@adifferentangle7064]

I just look at the bevel thickness. same both sides = ok. Create bur first... if you don't create the bur properly it can be hard to tell flipping after a few strokes. This limits the time you might spend going back to the previous grit stone.

[@nowonmetube]

If you switch too often then it gets to uneven, because you're a human and human can't be 100° precise with such small angles.

[@adifferentangle7064]

@Dylan McLernon VG-10 can't really be taken over 60 rockwell.. If it's taking a while to sharpen your stones might not be ideal for stainless. My VG-10 knives are somewhere around 58-60 R and are comparatively easy to sharpen on my Sigma Power stones. But those stones are really designed for carbon steel and HSS.

[@danno1800]

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks- much appreciated…

[@amstorm1633]

Thanks for the info. Great video! Short, simple, and to the point.

[@sachinagaskar2093]

Hi, Thanks for the tip on apexing, I had chipped the edge of my karambit. Was able to get a nice point back. Thank again.

[@shannonheathcliffmul]

as a person who worked as a hard wood sander for 2 years this seemed like common sense and the fact it isn't is insane to me

[@jackson4861]

Finally a common sense down here o earth method, straight to the point all points covered. Rock on knife man.

[@f9qo]

Stones require maintenance for the best results using them, that is keeping them flat. After every use, truing them up with an abrasive plate or whatever, is a good habit to get into. The stones shown in the vid don't appear flat. Truing up the slight irregularity incurred after each use is better and easier than the tedious task of truing them up after they get a big belly in them. Instead of sharpening both sides of your knife on the one side of the stone, flip it around for the other side of the knife to try and get even wear on both sides (not turn it over). That goes a little ways to keeping your stones wearing evenly and then less effort needed to true them up. (Tips from four years in a Japanese woodwork shop where all the craftsmen used a myriad of water stones). Another thing is to break the long edges of your stones with an abrasive wheel or something, so if your hand slips off the edge with whatever it is that you are sharpening, you won't cut yourself on the sharp edge of the stone.

[@nazeerbhorat]

I agree with you about beginning with a rough grit but this only applies to very dull knives

[@ellasilva4576]

LMAO! You're hilarious! That's a major plus in my decision on whether or not to subscribe to a channel! Thanks for the laugh this morning!

[@deasttn]

Coarse stones are nice for kitchen knives. They give a bite to the edge and are easy to use (handful of strokes)

[@TheGearhead222]

When you're saying "apex" , you mean setting the bevel?-John in Texas

[@joeshaves2020]

TheGearhead222 I always heard setting the bevel, never apex.

[@e.s.l5861]

Your humor.... really has a nice edge to it

[@RErnie-gv1hv]

As does your rapier-like wit.

[@mikelikesknives428]

You certainly have a talent for sharpening and this video makes a great point. Lower grits are your friend. I still use a KME but do free hand sometimes. Just need more practice time. It's all about time!👍

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thanks for the comment my friend!

[@gunny4029]

kme is bs the only set up i will use is the apex and that would be to keep an expensive knive at a perfect clean edge. my feild knive i go by hand all the wy. some of my knives go for at least 2'504 and still go by hand and they re razoe sharp and at times i after sharpening to a high 3,000 i go to stop and compound going past that 300 on nainwa chosera stones is usually uneeded, and some cutting chore you can not need such razor edges so you ru tour knive lightly across a steel or ceramic making a bit of micro serrations , which is best for food cutting' s sharp slight seration will go throu or bite through a tomato better than a razor edge

[@davejones3585]

3 oui P in no

[@theworldaccordingtogoat4482]

Great tips and I agree. I dabble in hand wood working and use chisels and planes and you are exactly right. Those coarse stones are dismissed but are very valuable. Great tip. Keep em coming.

[@OUTDOORS55]

Hey it’s the world famous Goat! Thanks for watching my friend 👍

[@theworldaccordingtogoat4482]

You got it Alex. Great stuff.

[@Kankudai]

Last video “only sharpen backwards, never forwards and never back and forth”. This video: does the exact opposite.

[@lecoachonsporctif]

Did you really watch the last video ? After your comment i do. He explained that for beginners it's better to stick to backwards because it's easier to maintain the angle, but that he, as an experienced sharpener, used a mix forwards/backwards

[@Kankudai]

@@lecoachonsporctif yes I watched both of them. He didn't say for beginners only. He recommended backwards only, always.

[@lecoachonsporctif]

@@Kankudai No. He said, i recommend backward because it's EASIER to maintain the angle. But for an average sharpener, it's commonly recognized that it's better to frontwards for coarse and medium grit because it limits the burr, which is a good thing. Anyway, do what you want pal. Both methods works

[@benth162]

We were taught as an apprentice meat cutter that you draw your blade accross the stone and equal amount of times on each side. Meaning; If you draw your blade across the stone 10 times on one side, then turn it over and do ten time on the other side. Repeat on each finer grit stone until you have it as sharp as you want it. There is a reason for this verses what he is doing because of how the steel edge loses it metal, thus leaving a tail on the side you have not yet done which then you must also grind off, which may or may not break off in chunks depending on how high a carbon content you blade has. Way back then we always used a stone to keep our blades sharp.

[@scottscott9150]

SO start with 1 grit sandpaper IE: throw a stone at it..

[@Hungrybird474]

Been using a multi pack of sandpaper 1000 -3000 grit wrapped around a 2x4 scrap piece finish with a strop . Anything works but I haven’t had much luck using a stone solely to get a razor edge but mine is the same. As yours . I seen they have higher grit stones that prob do an incredible sharpening job but my father advised me to use the sandpaper method before buying a bunch of heavy stones . He said keep it simple but I do like the options they have out there for sharpen blades . I will buy thst wood one you showed in a video where the ceramic or diamond rods fit into the degrees holes and just bring the knife down on the angle seems like it would be easiest and best before stropping . Lots of people struggle with sharpening knives

[@martingalvez503]

Great job 👍

[@gregkral4467]

very good. always rough grit to get shape, fine grit to refine edge, great demo.

[@blainwilson7937]

Wanna sharpen even faster??? Use motorized sanding belts of varying grits.

[@KoyotBravo]

To sharpen a knife/sword/anything you must use whetstones. Belt grinder is a GRINDER. IT IS MADE TO GRINDING. NOT SHARPENING.

[@fatboysgarage7984]

I got my grandpa's old wet stone when he passed away. It had barely been used and it gets the job done for me. Yeah, it's a cheaper one with a 180 grit side and 500 grit side, but it's done me good for the past 5 years. Unless I have major dings in the blade or the edge has rolled from use at work, I just use the 500 grit side and call it a day.

[@rajgill7576]

That 12$ amazon stone ooks A LOT like harbor frights 2$ stone haha. Especially when you mention the grits seeming a lot lower.

[@OUTDOORS55]

It may be the same stone. The grits are definitely lower than stated. Impossible to tell if they are exactly the same though.

[@jselwocki]

Navraj Gill I started with a norton for my straight razor and tried using it but it wasn’t until I used that harbor freight 4 sided block to realize it does a way better job I just cut myself without realizing

[@fredrossi1334]

I was wondering aboutt that stone last time i was there. I gotta go back!

[@User-ghcwvouvmgs]

I use a 400/1000 grit stone, I'm a beginner so I'm not great at it yet but I'm planning on getting better :3