Spyderco Sharpmaker

[45guy]

What's the theory on a dull knife for personal protection?

A dull knife hurts a lot more than a sharp knife. You can cut someone with a very sharp knife and they will not feel it. A real clean slice will bleed more and not hurt as much, but a dull knife will tear the skin more damaging more nerves. Razor blades are a good example, I know people that have cut themselves with a razor blade and not know it until they see the blood. Edited February 19, 2014 by 45guy

[45guy]

I use an oil tri-stone to sharpen my knives.  I use a metal steel with very fine ridges that is magnetized for feathering the edge.  When I am using the oil stone I stand with the stone in the middle of my body with both feet square. This is important so you get consistent pressure through each stroke along the whole blade.  The oil serves to help keep the knife from heating up while sharpening and it also shows me the angle of the last stroke when I turn the knife over to sharpen the other side. I try to sharpen the last 8th of an inch of the blade. Turning the blade after every stroke. So my bevel is about an 8th of an inch on each side. The reason for this is you maintain a v shape on the metal and not end up with a u shape. This keeps you from having to spend a lot of time working the u into a v all at one time. Be careful using electric sharpener as it will be very easy to heat up the metal and ruin the temper and the knife will never hold an edge again. It may get sharp but will not stay sharp. There are many good ways to sharpen a knife. I recommend being consistent. If someone ever sharpened my knife I could tell, and it took me a while to get my edge back. As you wear the metal down wear it in a consistent way.  They always told me "you never cut yourself with a sharp knife" the idea is if your knife is sharp you need less force to cut something giving you more control over the knife. The more force you have to use the less control over the blade the more you will end up cutting something not intended. It took me several years of sharpening my knives a few minutes everyday to get a good consistent edge.

 

My first job was in an old fashioned butcher shop. The 72 year old owner on the 1^st day walked up to me and handed me my 1st knife and said “ there are 2 things you do not mess with, my wife and my knife” I still have that knife 33 years later.

[Ted S.]

The spyderco seems to be very popular. I'm stuck on the lansky system though...love a mirror finish edge!