Its SIMPLE, This is what I'd buy⬇ Watch to video for PROPER grit progression so you don't waste money! Stone 1 - amzn.to/3DixkhU Stone 2 - amzn.to/4ivTYDS Other stones DEPENDING on your knives (watch the video to find if you need these and what grits)⬇ amzn.to/3OMtd0n See description for other stuff mentioned. Affiliate links As an Amazon associate I earn form qualifying purchases.
@OUTDOORS55 I bought the Sharpal on your recommendation, and I really like it for smaller knives, but I prefer the 10" DMD 400,1200 for larger kitchen knives.
On your recommendation, I purchased an 8"x3" Sharpal 325/1200 about 3 months ago. I immediately fell in love with it and when they were on sale for Cyber Monday I bought 2 more as a back up. I have sharpened more knives and blades on this stone over the last few months than in the last 20 years using other stones and equipment - it still works perfectly. I also purchased two DMT diamond stones which I know are usually of excellent quality, however they are in the mist of replacing both of them because they are both severely lacking consistent diamond coverage in the middle of the stone. BTW I also made 3 strops form your recommended material and sources using the 4 micron Jende diamond solution. WOW!!! What a difference using the makes! Seems since I bought the Sharpal, there isn't a dull knife in the neighborhood now! LOL!!
Good to know... Im just starting out... I got a Dalstrong chef's knife for Christmas last year and decided a sharpening system was in order this year as I use it often and while still paper cutting shart, it's not quite where it was out of the box. I ordered the Sharpal 325/1200 as well.
Alex you are an absolute legend to the community- I’ve learned to sharpen so much better over the years because of you 👏 🙏 The Sharpal diamond stone I did buy because of you and YES it works very well… for anyone wondering 💭
I wanted to thank you for your videos - I've fallen into the amazon hole of buying cheap wetstones which cause me to spend hours sharpening my kitchen knives with sub par results. Ignore all the haters. I sharpened a kitchen knife today that was so sharp, I foolishly cut my finger and didn't notice for about 10 mins - it was a razor. Thanks for all your common sense advice, and solid, affordable recommendations!
I strop on a simple piece of balsa wood with diamond polishing compound, whole set of it all cost me maybe 10$ and so far its lasted over 6 years. The soft wood takes the compound very well and i have better results with it than with leather, which is also expensive.
Thanks for your videos man! After several years I’m seeing some progression in my sharpening, getting a Diamond Stone and a proper base (holder)was really what helped me, the stuff I was using just wasn’t removing enough steel or was warped and I really couldn’t learn what technique I was doing wrong. Thanks dude!
Agreed, I'd love some opinions on Arkansas stones, Belgian blue, and coticules. Unlike random natural stones that have 100% variation, these are at least somewhat consistent in hardness and grit.
I love my old stones, the translucent Arkansas stone leaves such an incredible edge... But I don't use them on anything harder than the basic carbon steels. Tool steels and stainless I use DMT plates. Though nothing is more enjoyable than the Arkansas stones.
Rough rooster knife sharpening has tons of videos and loves Arkansas stones. I agree with the others for basic carbon steels Arkansas are good but I wouldn't bother much with super steels on them.
I just discovered this channel and the attention to detail is off the charts!! The macro photography, the music, the chapter markers every aspect is tended to.
.You don't need fancy leather or anything like that for a strop. I've got several thousand dollars invested in sharpening equipment, and although I do have some very fancy strops using extremely particular course horse butt leather ( yes seriously) .... And extremely precise diamond lapping compound used for faceting gemstones....More often than not I find myself using one of my simple paint stir stick strops. The free sticks you get at Lowe's/Walmart/ or home Depot in the paint department. They also have large versions that are wider and longer. Also the one dollar wooden yard sticks are great. I flatten them using a card scraper or even a razor blade is fine. (Just don't use sandpaper obviously so not to contaminate the fibers with grit). Then Load them with a bit of compound on one side, and leave the other side plain. Not much compound is needed. You get a much cleaner and faster Cutting action with less compound. Using wood....you don't have to worry about the edge rolling over on leather if you get the wrong angle. If you want something a bit more pliable but still stiffer than leather... Glue cereal box cardboard or something similar with the plain side facing up. Or use MDF strops.
@ARAW-__- no worries. I leave one side of strop plain to hit a few swipes at the very end. It polishes off any remaining bur and compound. And is a finer last pass
@hullinstruments Ok, I guessed as much reading your comment but thought I'd ask in case I was missing something. Originally, I was thinking the plain wood would be coarser than the compound paster. Which may be true in terms of grain size, but in sheer abrasiveness is definitely not. Thanks !! 🫡
Thanks to your videos about a year ago, I got the ssatc and the 1000 Shapton. They work great for my purposes, and I even have the atoma 600 coming for Christmas as I have a few knives that would work amazing at 600 grit. I appreciate the work you put in, especially with those macro shots
For coarse sharpening (edge damage, reprofiling or when the cutting edge is really at the end of its useful life) I use Atoma diamond plates 140, 400, 600 and 1200 grit and for finer sharpening I use Shapton Pro ceramic stones, especially 1000 and 2000 grit. The ceramic grinding stones are less aggressive and produce a finer grinding pattern, which you can clearly see under a magnifying glass. For honing I use a Shapton Pro 5000 and for stropping I use Stroppy Stuff on leather (soft and hard) and wood (linden and oak). I use practically the same method with my TSPROF Kadet Pro system, Atoma diamond plates + Boride T2 stones + leather and wood with Stroppy Stuff.
Can't tell you how much I appreciate you knowledge and counsel on stones. I own a high-end sharpening system (which does a wonderful job) but your recommendations on bench stone methods and stone progression are the ones I use the most. My only variation from you here is that I use Spyderco ceramic rather than Shapton. Thank you so much!
BOY, ALEX! Now that Grandview Outdoors is touting you (good move on their part) you are going to be CRAZY Famous! I predict a MIL by the end of next year. You Da' MAN for knife sharpening!
Would love to hear your thoughts around woodworking plane blades? Or chisels? Particularly backed with your usual high quality photography and theory...
I sharpen a lot of plane irons and chisels, but some knives as well. I recently purchased the Sharpal 300/1200 grit stone that you have given high marks to, and I love the stone. I also have a Shapton 6000 grit white water stone mounted to glass (you don't soak these stones, you just sprinkle a little water on them) which I purchased a long time ago. This stone will quickly bring a plane iron or chisel to a mirror like sharpness after sharpening on the 1200 grit diamond stone. Even though the Shapton stone is very fine, it cuts very quickly. You wouldn't think you could jump from 1200 to 6000, but with this stone it works.
Adam Savage has a saying: when starting a new skill forget the complex and expensive tools--buy the cheapest one possible from your local hardware store or supplier and start learning your new skill. I am in the same boat, I started watching your channel and went out and got a cheap 300/1000 diamond stone and then after watching your technique videos I can now turn any random blade into something that can shave hair. Now I'm thinking about moving up to something bigger than a pocket knife sharpener.
Thanks for your channel. I bought the Sharpal double sided stone you recommend, and i got my pocketknife sharp enough to shave hair off my arm for the first time ever by hand sharpening. Prior, i used a Harbor Freight 1x30 belt sander and a leather wheel on a polishing machine (looks like a grinder but rotates slower). That setup works, but it grinds too much too quickly and will destroy the temper on a blade if you're not quick about what you're doing. I still need to get better at holding my angle, but I'm getting better. Appreciate you!
Nice Marry Christmas Happy New Year vidio, Ive leared a lot from you over the years - yes Im a slow leearner - But got your knoladeg working for me . nice thanks
I would like if your reviewed some commonly available to buy strops and compounds. Maybe compare compound paste to diamond and leather to wood. Also when testing these recommended stones results without stropping on a strop are interesting to see
Based on your suggestion, I bought the SHARPAL some time ago and am extremely satisfied, it makes everything sharp, even as unskilled person when it comes to high quality knife shaprening, and also gets all the unevenness out of the knives. Problem, I have no more knives to sharpen 😅
Hello, I love your sharpening videos but I am still having trouble mastering the technique. Could you please make a video about sharpening blades with a single sided bevel (flat on the other side) such as a leather skiving knife? Thank you!
As a mediocre sharpener of a few months time, I want to emphasize to people who are thinking about trying this, it does NOT take a lot of skill to use a diamond plate to get nice, useful edges on your kitchen knives. Yeah, a hair whittling edge takes skill. Veggie cutting sharp? Meat trimming sharp? Its just not that difficult. When I first got the Sharpal dual sided plate after watching this channel, in fifteen or twenty minutes I had a very usable edge on a couple of German kitchen knives. They were not "shaving sharp." But man, they cut so much better than they had before. Right from the beginning. The point being, don't be afraid of getting a diamond plate and giving this a try. If your knives are fairly dull, you will likely get them much sharper after a few minutes practice. (If your knives are already quite sharp, and you are trying to get them "super sharp," that is different. But a nice, usable edge on a knife that does not have one? Not that difficult. )
Please, make a video for what you'd take in the wild to sharpen a knife and a bigger tool (like a machete) 🫡 I'm trying various solutions for the last few months (since you persuaded me pull-through are bad 😅)
Thank you for the great videos! I've learned a lot from you. If you have any thoughts on best field sharpeners to get as gifts for the outdoors/hunting folks, that would be awesome!
I have decent knives none like that you own I have a husky 300-1000 grit diamond stone works well for my knives because they are not the best steels but it works
I primarily use 2 plates. Atoma 140 is my base stone. 600 grit Atoma for final stone before strop. I use green compound on an 8" leather strop because diamond sprays are unecessary when i just need to deburr a little.
Thanks for the vids dude! I’ve been watching for a while, and have this year requested the Sharpal stone, and the leather and 6 micron stuff you recommended in your other strop video. Keen to finally start sharpening properly. I want to after this finally get a straight razor, and see if I can maintain the edge using that gear. Your info is *super* appreciated with this channel, thanks for doing what you do.
Same here, got my sharpal stone this year but have been using it to sharpen so far without a strop. Have to re sharpen weekly and now i ordered leather, will see if i manage to get a compound for that so i can refine the edge finally with a strop.
@@seanvalentinus tell us how it went when it arrives. I'm from Europe and don't know which 6 micron compound to get for my first stop. They all seem so pricey indeed as you said.
@@Ketnus From Australia here. From my research, I could only find 2 or 3 products, and out of them, the compound paste from DMT was the only one that had consistently positive reviews. I’ll try to remember to come back and let you know once I use the stuff, but as best as I could tell, they at least seem to be a brand selling a legit product.
The same thing holds true for sanding wood. 300 grit to start, sometimes good enough, then 1000-1200 grit, most the time good enough for a nice finished wood, then 3000 for that glass finish.
That is the movie I needed. I actually have bought the cheapest Chinese whetstones and am struggling to learn anything from them. I am looking for something decent but not to waste my money.
Do not take lightly his "when combined with a strop" comment. IMO it's actually the single most important factor to getting a shaving capable edge that lasts. Yes the course stone matters to shaping the edge, and the proper fine stone is important to avoid the effects of grit contamination (so you're not literally ruining your edge with a course corrupted fine stone), but without the strop, all you're doing is flopping the burr over back and forth, forever. Perhaps with an infinitely fine grit progression over many more minutes you could remove the burr, but the same can be achieved with the strop in seconds, and once the burr is gone the edge will cut cleaner, and last longer. I have asked in the comments here before, what could be used in place of a strop if you don't have access to one (say you're sharpening knifes at someone else's house and they have stones, but no strop), and I've never gotten an answer to that question. As far I can tell, the answer is, always use a strop.
"As far I can tell, the answer is, always use a strop." I am mediocre at this at best, but get very usable results with just the stone. (I have a strop with 1 micron Gunny Juice. But I don't always use it.) The key, it seems to me, is minimizing the burr on the stone. Which Alex and others recommend anyway, strop or no strop.
.You don't need fancy leather or anything like that for a strop. I've got several thousand dollars invested in sharpening equipment, and although I do have some very fancy strops using extremely particular course horse butt leather ( yes seriously) .... And extremely precise diamond lapping compound used for faceting gemstones....More often than not I find myself using one of my simple paint stir stick strops. The free sticks you get at Lowe's/Walmart/ or home Depot in the paint department. They also have large versions that are wider and longer. Also the one dollar wooden yard sticks are great. I flatten them using a card scraper or even a razor blade is fine. (Just don't use sandpaper obviously so not to contaminate the fibers with grit). Then Load them with a bit of compound on one side, and leave the other side plain. Not much compound is needed. You get a much cleaner and faster Cutting action with less compound. Using wood....you don't have to worry about the edge rolling over on leather if you get the wrong angle. If you want something a bit more pliable but still stiffer than leather... Glue cereal box cardboard or something similar with the plain side facing up. Or use MDF strops.
Thank you for all your content. You do a LOT of testing and you do a great job of teaching how to sharpen. I've recently gotten into knife collecting and sharpening and I've purchased some quality equipment based on your recommendations. The problem I'm having is.. well. I suck. I can't seem to keep my wrist locked to maintain my angle. I'm assuming it'll get better with time and practice, but do you have any suggestions to help speed up the process of getting batter at manual sharpening on a stone?
Great video!!!! I struggle with deciding over stones you are recommending vs a fixed angle system like KME. I have a Lansky system and butchered my mini Osborne. Not doing that again and freehand scares the heck out me. Buy a system for my folders and kitchen knives or find a sharpener locally.
I'm always watching your videos and really started to understand the process and physics of sharpening knifes. Just want to ask what is Nagura and how does it open blade-edge carbides?
Alex, can you put a video together with a travel friendly sharpening setup? I travel for work and don’t want to bring 2 or 3 full size stones, or a large fixed angle system.
Great advices! I wonder, have you ever thought of making a video comparing the durability of a sharpened knife cutting food on different chopping boards? (plastic, glass, steel, etc.)
Thank you for sharing all that you do! Been sharpening on a Sharpal 156/162 for a couple months. Mostly using 8” chef’s knives, and kitchen knives. The 325 course side does everything, and then I move to a strop. My question is, What diamond stropping compound(s) do you recommend for me? I’m just realizing the aluminum oxide green bar is terrible. Thanks man!
LOL - I hate you! (joke) I found your channel about a year ago after I just bought one of those el cheapo stone kits from Amazon & I was looking for how best to use them. I got some German kitchen knives & block that normally retail upwards of AU$200 for $20 because owner hadn't a clue about sharpening them. I know basics but needed to learn more so I got on YT. THEN I find you! I don't do enough sharpening to warrant chucking them yet but I have learned a LOT from you about knives et al. Thanks for all your hard work informing us. I did buy 2 knives based on your info - Aussie knives from TassieTiger - both excellent, one folding & the other a hunting knife.
Well i just bought 3 Naniwa (220, 1k, 3k) super stones... it aint much but it will do the job for what i need them. Perhaps a diamond stone would come handy.
Wish Id found this channel before wasting money on a King whetstone. I used the thing once and honestly its just too much of a hassle. You have to soak the stone for at least 30 minutes before use on the medium side, on the fine side you need to continually splash water, your knife will make a dirty mess all over while you use it, then after cleaning it off you cant just put it away in a drawer because it needs to air dry. If anything I wish I'd done no research at first though, because at least I would have only wasted $10 on a cheap stone that will just sit in my drawer than wasting $30 on one.
I've considered getting a DMT 8" 4000 grit "medium extra fine" stone, as that's the next step they have above 1200, just unsure if it would fit in the sharpal holder, seems like it could be a nice 3 stone solution that I could keep together all the time.
Really looking forward to the strop video. Specifically, how to clean a gunked up strop? what do I do if my strop gets knicked? Why does compound (green, red or diamond) gather on my edge when stripping - is that normal or a sign of poor burr removal or something else?
I bought Atoma 140 and 400, and a Kuromaku 1000. For about... $46, $42 and $29, respectively? (it was during a trip to Japan 😏) I also got my hands on some quality leather. The issue is getting something to glue them on, and what glue to use. Once I fix that, I'll have quite a good sharpening setup!
@@ZarlanTheGreen The screen on your phone is probably secured with this type of tape - does it move around much? The type of tape I'm suggesting is really just a layer of glue that is sandwiched in wax paper so it can be applied perfectly evenly.
@@numbstranger Not all glues are equal, and I don't expect glues in tape, to be on the stronger or firmer side ...and the wax paper is also a clear weak-point.
Make you a paddle out of MDF and glue with ORIGINAL Gorilla Glue. Comes in a 2 oz. bottle. Original is the foaming kind. I use a small 25 Lb. anvil to hold things down for 24 hours.
Have you tested the Wicked Edge sharpening system? The Wicked Edge is a fixed angle sharpening system that I like because you can work both sides of the edge at the same time. I'm sure the stones are not very good quality but I'm interested in your opinion the system.
Another great video, thanks Alex. Do you still recommend the Shapton Kuromaku 2000 if I have the Sharpal 162N and a strop for kitchen knives? I don't have diamond compound yet but plan to get some, I've just been using the gray compound that came with my strop. Is 1 micron from the Sharpal 1200 too big of a jump? or should I go 6 micron or something?
Hey Outdoors55, big fan! Could you do a video on alternative strop materials for people who don't want to use leather? (Vegans) I've heard some use denim or other fabrics, i think it could be an interesting video in any case.
@@kknappmiller I have thought about using some MDF or HDF and load it with the cheap polishing compound (all i have currently) for my work chisels, but have not gotten around to trying it yet.
Great video! I have the Kuromaku 1000 and 2000. I’m finding a need to have one coarser stone. I would like that stone be high quality and lasting a long time. Where I live I can get Venev Orion for 79 euros, which I have understood to be the best of the best. But the question is that is it really worth the money when talking about the starting stone coursness? Would I get better edge with the Orion or the same? How much longer the Orion would last compared the 20 dollar option?
In my opinion bonded coarse diamond stones offer no benefits over traditional plated stones in coarse grits. Bonded diamond really only matters for grits above about 1000.
Have you ever tried naniwa superstone ceramics? If so is it comparable to a shapton? Also great video as always, and i definitly have skill issue with wethstones , cant get an edge anywhere close with a 400 grit naniwa superstone ceramic to what i get with 325 sharpal..
Its SIMPLE, This is what I'd buy⬇ Watch to video for PROPER grit progression so you don't waste money!
Stone 1 - amzn.to/3DixkhU
Stone 2 - amzn.to/4ivTYDS
Other stones DEPENDING on your knives (watch the video to find if you need these and what grits)⬇
amzn.to/3OMtd0n
See description for other stuff mentioned.
Affiliate links
As an Amazon associate I earn form qualifying purchases.
@OUTDOORS55 I bought the Sharpal on your recommendation, and I really like it for smaller knives, but I prefer the 10" DMD 400,1200 for larger kitchen knives.
On your recommendation, I purchased an 8"x3" Sharpal 325/1200 about 3 months ago. I immediately fell in love with it and when they were on sale for Cyber Monday I bought 2 more as a back up. I have sharpened more knives and blades on this stone over the last few months than in the last 20 years using other stones and equipment - it still works perfectly. I also purchased two DMT diamond stones which I know are usually of excellent quality, however they are in the mist of replacing both of them because they are both severely lacking consistent diamond coverage in the middle of the stone. BTW I also made 3 strops form your recommended material and sources using the 4 micron Jende diamond solution. WOW!!! What a difference using the makes! Seems since I bought the Sharpal, there isn't a dull knife in the neighborhood now! LOL!!
Good to know... Im just starting out... I got a Dalstrong chef's knife for Christmas last year and decided a sharpening system was in order this year as I use it often and while still paper cutting shart, it's not quite where it was out of the box. I ordered the Sharpal 325/1200 as well.
Totally agree
Alex you are an absolute legend to the community- I’ve learned to sharpen so much better over the years because of you 👏 🙏
The Sharpal diamond stone I did buy because of you and YES it works very well… for anyone wondering 💭
Probably the best video on this topic. Short, to the point, no nonsense.
I use the Sharpal then go straight to a strop and I'm happy enough with the results I get. Thanks for all your advice! It has help me very much.
I wanted to thank you for your videos - I've fallen into the amazon hole of buying cheap wetstones which cause me to spend hours sharpening my kitchen knives with sub par results. Ignore all the haters. I sharpened a kitchen knife today that was so sharp, I foolishly cut my finger and didn't notice for about 10 mins - it was a razor. Thanks for all your common sense advice, and solid, affordable recommendations!
Excellent! Definitely looking forward to the strop video since that was specifically my question a few weeks ago. 👍🏼
I strop on a simple piece of balsa wood with diamond polishing compound, whole set of it all cost me maybe 10$ and so far its lasted over 6 years. The soft wood takes the compound very well and i have better results with it than with leather, which is also expensive.
Where do you find balsa wood?
@@blaiseutube any shop that sells stuff for model plane makers or similar, its the base material for them
What diamond compound do you use?
@@chrisflamion2283 some cheap set of 7 for maybe 5$ from ali but it was years ago, might be different now.
Thanks for your videos man! After several years I’m seeing some progression in my sharpening, getting a Diamond Stone and a proper base (holder)was really what helped me, the stuff I was using just wasn’t removing enough steel or was warped and I really couldn’t learn what technique I was doing wrong. Thanks dude!
I'd love to see a video talking about natural Arkansas stones. I enjoy them and would love to hear your take on them.
Agreed, I'd love some opinions on Arkansas stones, Belgian blue, and coticules. Unlike random natural stones that have 100% variation, these are at least somewhat consistent in hardness and grit.
Excellent stones that i grew up with but dont work well on anything above 440C but even then they struggle on 440C
I love my old stones, the translucent Arkansas stone leaves such an incredible edge... But I don't use them on anything harder than the basic carbon steels. Tool steels and stainless I use DMT plates. Though nothing is more enjoyable than the Arkansas stones.
Rough rooster knife sharpening has tons of videos and loves Arkansas stones. I agree with the others for basic carbon steels Arkansas are good but I wouldn't bother much with super steels on them.
I've used my on sv30 with great results. No other sharpening stones I've used are as much fun.
I appreciate all your testing you do and all the sharpening information you give.
my favorite knife channel. Keep up the great work.
I just discovered this channel and the attention to detail is off the charts!!
The macro photography, the music, the chapter markers every aspect is tended to.
.You don't need fancy leather or anything like that for a strop. I've got several thousand dollars invested in sharpening equipment, and although I do have some very fancy strops using extremely particular course horse butt leather ( yes seriously) .... And extremely precise diamond lapping compound used for faceting gemstones....More often than not I find myself using one of my simple paint stir stick strops.
The free sticks you get at Lowe's/Walmart/ or home Depot in the paint department. They also have large versions that are wider and longer. Also the one dollar wooden yard sticks are great.
I flatten them using a card scraper or even a razor blade is fine. (Just don't use sandpaper obviously so not to contaminate the fibers with grit). Then Load them with a bit of compound on one side, and leave the other side plain. Not much compound is needed. You get a much cleaner and faster Cutting action with less compound.
Using wood....you don't have to worry about the edge rolling over on leather if you get the wrong angle. If you want something a bit more pliable but still stiffer than leather... Glue cereal box cardboard or something similar with the plain side facing up. Or use MDF strops.
Very interesting thank you man. Why did you specify to put the compound on just one side ?
Btw, I was thinking of sanding it down, good call 😁🙏
@ARAW-__- no worries. I leave one side of strop plain to hit a few swipes at the very end. It polishes off any remaining bur and compound. And is a finer last pass
@hullinstruments Ok, I guessed as much reading your comment but thought I'd ask in case I was missing something.
Originally, I was thinking the plain wood would be coarser than the compound paster. Which may be true in terms of grain size, but in sheer abrasiveness is definitely not. Thanks !! 🫡
This is one of your best videos!!! Thank you!
Thanks to your videos about a year ago, I got the ssatc and the 1000 Shapton. They work great for my purposes, and I even have the atoma 600 coming for Christmas as I have a few knives that would work amazing at 600 grit. I appreciate the work you put in, especially with those macro shots
Thanks!
Oh wow! You didn't have to do that! Thank you so much! I really appreciate the support 🙏🙏🙏
For coarse sharpening (edge damage, reprofiling or when the cutting edge is really at the end of its useful life) I use Atoma diamond plates 140, 400, 600 and 1200 grit and for finer sharpening I use Shapton Pro ceramic stones, especially 1000 and 2000 grit. The ceramic grinding stones are less aggressive and produce a finer grinding pattern, which you can clearly see under a magnifying glass. For honing I use a Shapton Pro 5000 and for stropping I use Stroppy Stuff on leather (soft and hard) and wood (linden and oak). I use practically the same method with my TSPROF Kadet Pro system, Atoma diamond plates + Boride T2 stones + leather and wood with Stroppy Stuff.
Can't tell you how much I appreciate you knowledge and counsel on stones. I own a high-end sharpening system (which does a wonderful job) but your recommendations on bench stone methods and stone progression are the ones I use the most. My only variation from you here is that I use Spyderco ceramic rather than Shapton. Thank you so much!
BOY, ALEX! Now that Grandview Outdoors is touting you (good move on their part) you are going to be CRAZY Famous! I predict a MIL by the end of next year. You Da' MAN for knife sharpening!
5:02 So, what about straight razors? Do you know how to sharpen them and do you want to talk about them at some point?
I've never been more excited to get stones
Timing of this video is perfect, christmas gifts for sharpening fanatics!
Brilliant, no bull, concise video!! Thanks for sharing!! 🤜🏼🤛🏻
Oh man, I just bought the $20 diamonds stone you mentioned as the best beginner stone in a previous video. Now it’s a different one! Ugggghhhhhhhh 😢
I did the same but I wasn't planning on spending $60+ anyway. At least till I figured out what I was doing.
Would love to hear your thoughts around woodworking plane blades? Or chisels? Particularly backed with your usual high quality photography and theory...
I got the Sharpal just before you recommended it!
Had mine for 2-3 years, a 325/1200, love it!
I sharpen a lot of plane irons and chisels, but some knives as well. I recently purchased the Sharpal 300/1200 grit stone that you have given high marks to, and I love the stone. I also have a Shapton 6000 grit white water stone mounted to glass (you don't soak these stones, you just sprinkle a little water on them) which I purchased a long time ago. This stone will quickly bring a plane iron or chisel to a mirror like sharpness after sharpening on the 1200 grit diamond stone. Even though the Shapton stone is very fine, it cuts very quickly. You wouldn't think you could jump from 1200 to 6000, but with this stone it works.
Adam Savage has a saying: when starting a new skill forget the complex and expensive tools--buy the cheapest one possible from your local hardware store or supplier and start learning your new skill. I am in the same boat, I started watching your channel and went out and got a cheap 300/1000 diamond stone and then after watching your technique videos I can now turn any random blade into something that can shave hair. Now I'm thinking about moving up to something bigger than a pocket knife sharpener.
Thanks for your channel. I bought the Sharpal double sided stone you recommend, and i got my pocketknife sharp enough to shave hair off my arm for the first time ever by hand sharpening. Prior, i used a Harbor Freight 1x30 belt sander and a leather wheel on a polishing machine (looks like a grinder but rotates slower). That setup works, but it grinds too much too quickly and will destroy the temper on a blade if you're not quick about what you're doing. I still need to get better at holding my angle, but I'm getting better. Appreciate you!
I wish this video was out about 10 years ago. Very solid information. Keep up the good work!
Nice Marry Christmas Happy New Year vidio, Ive leared a lot from you over the years - yes Im a slow leearner - But got your knoladeg working for me . nice thanks
Awesome dude cheers I point all my knife making students in your channels direction. 🤜🤛
Thank bro! Appreciate the support 👊
Great information sir. Thank you
I would like if your reviewed some commonly available to buy strops and compounds. Maybe compare compound paste to diamond and leather to wood. Also when testing these recommended stones results without stropping on a strop are interesting to see
Thanks' to your suggestions I now have all the the correct sharpening stones and strop to sharpen all my knives
Based on your suggestion, I bought the SHARPAL some time ago and am extremely satisfied, it makes everything sharp, even as unskilled person when it comes to high quality knife shaprening, and also gets all the unevenness out of the knives. Problem, I have no more knives to sharpen 😅
Hello, I love your sharpening videos but I am still having trouble mastering the technique. Could you please make a video about sharpening blades with a single sided bevel (flat on the other side) such as a leather skiving knife? Thank you!
Great advice Alex. I appreciate your recommendations for those stones that get it done.
The SHARPAL Double sided, along with much practice, has served me well. I'm not hair whittling yet but I can cut tomatoes thinly.
As a mediocre sharpener of a few months time, I want to emphasize to people who are thinking about trying this, it does NOT take a lot of skill to use a diamond plate to get nice, useful edges on your kitchen knives. Yeah, a hair whittling edge takes skill. Veggie cutting sharp? Meat trimming sharp? Its just not that difficult. When I first got the Sharpal dual sided plate after watching this channel, in fifteen or twenty minutes I had a very usable edge on a couple of German kitchen knives. They were not "shaving sharp." But man, they cut so much better than they had before. Right from the beginning.
The point being, don't be afraid of getting a diamond plate and giving this a try. If your knives are fairly dull, you will likely get them much sharper after a few minutes practice. (If your knives are already quite sharp, and you are trying to get them "super sharp," that is different. But a nice, usable edge on a knife that does not have one? Not that difficult. )
Please, make a video for what you'd take in the wild to sharpen a knife and a bigger tool (like a machete) 🫡
I'm trying various solutions for the last few months (since you persuaded me pull-through are bad 😅)
Thank you for the great videos! I've learned a lot from you. If you have any thoughts on best field sharpeners to get as gifts for the outdoors/hunting folks, that would be awesome!
thank you very much brother&MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
wow Thank you so much great content
Great video! Looking forward to the strop vid
I have decent knives none like that you own I have a husky 300-1000 grit diamond stone works well for my knives because they are not the best steels but it works
Man… your videos that you put out like this always bring me back to reality. I really appreciate that. Aloha 🤙🏽🤙🏽
I primarily use 2 plates. Atoma 140 is my base stone. 600 grit Atoma for final stone before strop. I use green compound on an 8" leather strop because diamond sprays are unecessary when i just need to deburr a little.
I love my Atoma 400 grit! It gives so much feedback when sharpening, not to mention it's nice and flat. High quality Japanese stuff 👍👍
@ indeed, Neeves knives mentioned them, so i had to follow suit. No regrets as a chef they serve my knives at work too.
Do you end up with shaving sharp blades?
@ yes. Use light pressure when deburring on the stones. I do this and stropping is minimal afterwards
Thanks. I have the Sharpal two-sided stone coming to me for Christmas....😊
Thanks for sharing 👍
Thanks for the vids dude! I’ve been watching for a while, and have this year requested the Sharpal stone, and the leather and 6 micron stuff you recommended in your other strop video. Keen to finally start sharpening properly. I want to after this finally get a straight razor, and see if I can maintain the edge using that gear. Your info is *super* appreciated with this channel, thanks for doing what you do.
Same here, got my sharpal stone this year but have been using it to sharpen so far without a strop. Have to re sharpen weekly and now i ordered leather, will see if i manage to get a compound for that so i can refine the edge finally with a strop.
@@Ketnus Hopefully the compound lasts a little while, had a bit of sticker shock on the pricetag for it when I first looked
it up 😅
@@seanvalentinus tell us how it went when it arrives. I'm from Europe and don't know which 6 micron compound to get for my first stop. They all seem so pricey indeed as you said.
@@Ketnus From Australia here. From my research, I could only find 2 or 3 products, and out of them, the compound paste from DMT was the only one that had consistently positive reviews. I’ll try to remember to come back and let you know once I use the stuff, but as best as I could tell, they at least seem to be a brand selling a legit product.
The same thing holds true for sanding wood. 300 grit to start, sometimes good enough, then 1000-1200 grit, most the time good enough for a nice finished wood, then 3000 for that glass finish.
Hey Alex, can you please make a video on serrated knives and how to sharpen them ?
That is the movie I needed. I actually have bought the cheapest Chinese whetstones and am struggling to learn anything from them. I am looking for something decent but not to waste my money.
Thanks a lot! ☀️🌿✨
THANK YOU VERY MUCH Alex. I needed this guidance from a sharpening master like you. Much obliged!
Do not take lightly his "when combined with a strop" comment. IMO it's actually the single most important factor to getting a shaving capable edge that lasts.
Yes the course stone matters to shaping the edge, and the proper fine stone is important to avoid the effects of grit contamination (so you're not literally ruining your edge with a course corrupted fine stone), but without the strop, all you're doing is flopping the burr over back and forth, forever. Perhaps with an infinitely fine grit progression over many more minutes you could remove the burr, but the same can be achieved with the strop in seconds, and once the burr is gone the edge will cut cleaner, and last longer.
I have asked in the comments here before, what could be used in place of a strop if you don't have access to one (say you're sharpening knifes at someone else's house and they have stones, but no strop), and I've never gotten an answer to that question. As far I can tell, the answer is, always use a strop.
"As far I can tell, the answer is, always use a strop." I am mediocre at this at best, but get very usable results with just the stone. (I have a strop with 1 micron Gunny Juice. But I don't always use it.) The key, it seems to me, is minimizing the burr on the stone. Which Alex and others recommend anyway, strop or no strop.
.You don't need fancy leather or anything like that for a strop. I've got several thousand dollars invested in sharpening equipment, and although I do have some very fancy strops using extremely particular course horse butt leather ( yes seriously) .... And extremely precise diamond lapping compound used for faceting gemstones....More often than not I find myself using one of my simple paint stir stick strops.
The free sticks you get at Lowe's/Walmart/ or home Depot in the paint department. They also have large versions that are wider and longer. Also the one dollar wooden yard sticks are great.
I flatten them using a card scraper or even a razor blade is fine. (Just don't use sandpaper obviously so not to contaminate the fibers with grit). Then Load them with a bit of compound on one side, and leave the other side plain. Not much compound is needed. You get a much cleaner and faster Cutting action with less compound.
Using wood....you don't have to worry about the edge rolling over on leather if you get the wrong angle. If you want something a bit more pliable but still stiffer than leather... Glue cereal box cardboard or something similar with the plain side facing up. Or use MDF strops.
Thank you for all your content. You do a LOT of testing and you do a great job of teaching how to sharpen. I've recently gotten into knife collecting and sharpening and I've purchased some quality equipment based on your recommendations. The problem I'm having is.. well. I suck. I can't seem to keep my wrist locked to maintain my angle. I'm assuming it'll get better with time and practice, but do you have any suggestions to help speed up the process of getting batter at manual sharpening on a stone?
Great video!!!! I struggle with deciding over stones you are recommending vs a fixed angle system like KME. I have a Lansky system and butchered my mini Osborne. Not doing that again and freehand scares the heck out me. Buy a system for my folders and kitchen knives or find a sharpener locally.
The question #1 conserning such stones is how to keep angle on them? I wouldn't recommend at whole such sharpening method for most users.
I'm always watching your videos and really started to understand the process and physics of sharpening knifes. Just want to ask what is Nagura and how does it open blade-edge carbides?
I saw the title of this video, then looked at the pile of stones behind me. I dont have a problem, you have a problem!
Oh my god you are the "stone whisperer"
Can I have your autograph?? 😂😂😂😂😂
@@kincaya5510 I'll trade you for a stone :(
Alex, can you put a video together with a travel friendly sharpening setup? I travel for work and don’t want to bring 2 or 3 full size stones, or a large fixed angle system.
shapton glass series with their expensive custom holder
Great advices! I wonder, have you ever thought of making a video comparing the durability of a sharpened knife cutting food on different chopping boards? (plastic, glass, steel, etc.)
Can't wait for the strop video where you finally tell us you're selling your compound again! 😆
Thank you for sharing all that you do! Been sharpening on a Sharpal 156/162 for a couple months. Mostly using 8” chef’s knives, and kitchen knives. The 325 course side does everything, and then I move to a strop. My question is, What diamond stropping compound(s) do you recommend for me? I’m just realizing the aluminum oxide green bar is terrible. Thanks man!
Our host taking a hit on products, doing reviews so we don't have to. 👍 Thanks
Heheh, the man sure likes his shallow depth of field traversal shots. :)
LOL - I hate you! (joke)
I found your channel about a year ago after I just bought one of those el cheapo stone kits from Amazon & I was looking for how best to use them. I got some German kitchen knives & block that normally retail upwards of AU$200 for $20 because owner hadn't a clue about sharpening them. I know basics but needed to learn more so I got on YT.
THEN I find you! I don't do enough sharpening to warrant chucking them yet but I have learned a LOT from you about knives et al. Thanks for all your hard work informing us.
I did buy 2 knives based on your info - Aussie knives from TassieTiger - both excellent, one folding & the other a hunting knife.
Great review
Well i just bought 3 Naniwa (220, 1k, 3k) super stones... it aint much but it will do the job for what i need them. Perhaps a diamond stone would come handy.
I really have to practice sharpening by hand because I SUK AT THIS MOMENT.
Man I've got a pile of stones but I don't have any diamond stones. The Norton crystolon course side. Does pretty good
Very interested in an in depth video on strops.
Good stuff!
Wish Id found this channel before wasting money on a King whetstone. I used the thing once and honestly its just too much of a hassle. You have to soak the stone for at least 30 minutes before use on the medium side, on the fine side you need to continually splash water, your knife will make a dirty mess all over while you use it, then after cleaning it off you cant just put it away in a drawer because it needs to air dry. If anything I wish I'd done no research at first though, because at least I would have only wasted $10 on a cheap stone that will just sit in my drawer than wasting $30 on one.
I've considered getting a DMT 8" 4000 grit "medium extra fine" stone, as that's the next step they have above 1200, just unsure if it would fit in the sharpal holder, seems like it could be a nice 3 stone solution that I could keep together all the time.
I waited for this video 🙂
Thanks for the video
since you mentioned it - Can you do a video on sharpening straight razors?
Really looking forward to the strop video.
Specifically, how to clean a gunked up strop? what do I do if my strop gets knicked? Why does compound (green, red or diamond) gather on my edge when stripping - is that normal or a sign of poor burr removal or something else?
I bought Atoma 140 and 400, and a Kuromaku 1000. For about... $46, $42 and $29, respectively? (it was during a trip to Japan 😏) I also got my hands on some quality leather. The issue is getting something to glue them on, and what glue to use. Once I fix that, I'll have quite a good sharpening setup!
For glue you could consider double sided tape. I'm using 3M 9080HL: it's quick, easy and clean to make the fix and it's perfectly flat.
@@numbstranger I have a difficult time believing, that double sided tape would hold it as firm and strong, as a proper glue.
@@ZarlanTheGreen The screen on your phone is probably secured with this type of tape - does it move around much? The type of tape I'm suggesting is really just a layer of glue that is sandwiched in wax paper so it can be applied perfectly evenly.
@@numbstranger Not all glues are equal, and I don't expect glues in tape, to be on the stronger or firmer side ...and the wax paper is also a clear weak-point.
Make you a paddle out of MDF and glue with ORIGINAL Gorilla Glue. Comes in a 2 oz. bottle. Original is the foaming kind. I use a small 25 Lb. anvil to hold things down for 24 hours.
Please make the next video on sharpening gear from temu, like fixed angle systems, sets of diamond sharpening stones, strop, strop compounds etc.
Do you have recommendations for cutting boards?
Hi @OUTDOORS55, great channel. You learn me how to sharp.
What do you thing about Norton India Oilstone Coarse/Fine?
Any suggestions for hand plane irons and chisels? Or is it the same information.
What do you think about the Tormek sharpener?
Have you tested the Wicked Edge sharpening system? The Wicked Edge is a fixed angle sharpening system that I like because you can work both sides of the edge at the same time. I'm sure the stones are not very good quality but I'm interested in your opinion the system.
What's your opinion on the Sharpal strop and compound combo? I was thinking of getting the 8x3inch.
i just got freaking smahshed and i have storng urge to sharpen knife but maybe this isn't the best idea rn
A combination India or cyrstolon stone is the best bang for your buck.
Another great video, thanks Alex.
Do you still recommend the Shapton Kuromaku 2000 if I have the Sharpal 162N and a strop for kitchen knives?
I don't have diamond compound yet but plan to get some, I've just been using the gray compound that came with my strop. Is 1 micron from the Sharpal 1200 too big of a jump? or should I go 6 micron or something?
Hey Outdoors55, big fan!
Could you do a video on alternative strop materials for people who don't want to use leather? (Vegans)
I've heard some use denim or other fabrics, i think it could be an interesting video in any case.
You can just use wood loaded with a compound.
@@kknappmiller I have thought about using some MDF or HDF and load it with the cheap polishing compound (all i have currently) for my work chisels, but have not gotten around to trying it yet.
basswood maybe. look up stroppystuff i think he may have a video going over stropping on different things or something like that
Can you use the SHARPAL 325 to flatten the Shapton? Also, would you recommend this setup for chisels and plane blades as well?
what do you use for straight razors?
Great video! I have the Kuromaku 1000 and 2000. I’m finding a need to have one coarser stone. I would like that stone be high quality and lasting a long time. Where I live I can get Venev Orion for 79 euros, which I have understood to be the best of the best. But the question is that is it really worth the money when talking about the starting stone coursness? Would I get better edge with the Orion or the same? How much longer the Orion would last compared the 20 dollar option?
In my opinion bonded coarse diamond stones offer no benefits over traditional plated stones in coarse grits. Bonded diamond really only matters for grits above about 1000.
I bought everything
Have you ever tried naniwa superstone ceramics? If so is it comparable to a shapton?
Also great video as always, and i definitly have skill issue with wethstones , cant get an edge anywhere close with a 400 grit naniwa superstone ceramic to what i get with 325 sharpal..
The link to the Shapton KUROMAKU 1000 in the description takes me to the "sign up for prime" page.
How low on grits would you recommend going for heavy reprofiling? Large number of knives