I am not a beginner and a experienced machinist/ mechanic I am starting all over at 65 to be a better sharpener because of your videos. YOU ARE THE BEST ON UA-cam IMO !!
You’re right about these being the best sharpening reviews on UA-cam. Straight up honest opinions from a guy who’s actually using the products/techniques and paying for them out of his own pocket. Not some shill that’s getting a kickback for suckering people into buying junk they don’t want or need. I stumbled (and subbed) onto this channel a few months ago and have found lots of good content. He seems to actually read the comments and addresses points brought up there in his videos. I appreciate that he knows and shows what does AND doesn’t work and is willing to demonstrate and experiment. My own sharpening skills and tools (found out about dmt products here) have both benefited from watching him. If you need proof that he knows what he’s doing just check out the close ups, I wish I could view my own work like that.
You'll find it a rewarding hobby/skill. Maintain the same angle for your passes would be my most important point. You'll get the knack quick and really appreciate the steels differences. It's kind of relaxing with time in on it.
I picked up the 400/1000 diamond and 1000 shapton because of you 2 weeks back, and I have some balsa wood and dmt 3 micron paste on order now. One thing you have not covered are flattening and dressing / cleaning stone. Any products there that you can recommend, especially for the shapton 1k and potentially 2k in the future?
Fuck yeah dude. Before I started watching his stuff I was dulling knives on a stone instead of sharpening them, now I can get a real nice edge with diamond stones
I picked up the Koramaku 1000, 2000 and 5000 on your recommendation. I use them with my Japanese kitchen knives of various steels up to HAP40 and they do a great job. Thanks for your videos, they seem like good honest advice from someone who knows what they're talking about, and not just intended to sell a product.
@@kristianandersen5732i went 320, 1000, 2000, 5000, and 12000. I'm really new to using whetstones, and for the knives i use, I'm pretty much going with the 1k or 2k to finish the edge. But in my job i use wood chisels, so the 5000 and 12k are nice to give it a super fine edge and that mirror look
ahem, it's 黒幕 kuromaku that translate directly to black veil, or more accurately refer to mastermind/behind the scene because they're supporting knife so that they can shine
As a beginner my beginner advice would be: buy a course stone. I had recently bought the shapton koramaku 1000 as my first stone, mostly because of your recomendation. I started out on the dull kitchen knives I had because I didn't have any experience yet and didnt want to dull my knives that where decently sharp. Couldn't figure out why I could not get a burr to form. I thought I must be doing something wrong. Turns out my knives where just extremely dull and after two hours(!) of sharpening I finally got a burr and eventualy got it shaving sharp. The correct grit to start on probably would have been 100. I think a lot of beginners who have never sharpened before are likely to have extremely dull knives that they continue using until they decide to buy a new one and chuck the old one in the drawer.
The burr is the key. No burr, no sharp. Once people get a burr, the world will never be the same. I'd always get coarse diamond first, though, since they cut much faster.
When I started out, I did not take the advance of buying just a single 1000 grit stone. I'm pretty familiar with abrasives due to my experience in different trades, mostly sandpaper, files, scotch pads, and cutting compound. Nobody goes out and buys 1000 grit sandpaper and uses it for every job out there. Giving the advice to only buy a 1000 grit whetstone and use it to sharpen every knife you have is like telling someone to buy a spade and use that to dig every hole you need. Or to buy a single general purpose hammer and use it for every job that needs a hammer. Some jobs need a drilling hammer or a sledge, and some jobs need a ditch witch or an excavator. A lot of people also recommend buying cheap whetstones like Kings, which wear fast and dish, and then move to a better quality. That doesn't make sense to me; why spend $30 on a whetstone, only to replace it when you wear through with another higher quality stone that costs $50. You just spent $70 when you could have just bought the quality stone at $50, learned to care for it and benefited from the higher quality, the harder wearing, the feedback and the better performance. So, I think the most appropriate advice to give to a beginner is to buy a set of quality whetstones to start. Buy a coarse, a finer grit and something in between. I've had luck with 320, 500, and 2000 on the Shapton Rock Star line. Shapton Kuromaku 220 or 320, 1000 and the 2000 are a good set. Naniwa S2 Advance 220, 400 and 1000 are another. These are great because you can repair a damaged knife and set a new bevel with the 220/320 grit stones, or quickly sharpen a very dull knife with the 400, 500, and sharpen to a good cutting edge with the 1000/2000. If you have to start at the 220/320, it's good to have an intermediate step to make it to the end. Some knives don't need 320 and can benefit by starting with 400/500 or even 1000. Some of these stones are also not truly at their marked grit and may be more or less coarse/fine. I would also encourage beginners to buy a bunch of cheap knives from websites or at sporting good stores to practice technique before sharpening or repairing good, expensive knives.
Definitely get the diamond cheap stone he recommended. I also have the 1000 stone and the cheap whet stones. I got a burr so fast with the diamond, it really was an eye opener. He's totally right that that's the stone to learn from starting out. Now i have a strop and need to work on getting hair shaving results.
Good that you didn’t give up. Get the Alex recommended diamond plates and it will be fast. I have used mine at a family member’s house who wrecks knives and it cuts well. I want to get the dmt. Good luck.
@@testboga5991You dont need a burr to get a knive sharp. You need to align two bevels at the apex, not to overgrind them making a burr which youll have to remove later.
Thank you for your videos! I have been sharpening knives all my life. At first a little carborundum stone and a strop loaded with jewlers rouge. With my father's instruction circa 1972. Moved to moon stick and then later diamond stones. A couple of months ago I purchased Koramaku 1000 and 5000 stones. Holy smokes they work better than anything I have ever used. I just ordered a 2000 grit. Should be here next week. BTW the diamond paste strop is working great for me as well !
Alex you are the real deal! I wish I could trust other channels half as much. I bought the S SATC stone, made a strop out of some belt leather, and use some polishing compound on it. That and your tips on keeping the wrists locked have made so much difference in my sharpening ability. I was hardly ever able to get shaving sharp after a ton of work, but now I've been able to sharpen most of my knifes to shaving sharp in a few minutes. My next investment is definitely going to be the diamond compound.
@@BloodSprite-tan YES! im having a hard time finding a diamond compound paste like used in the videos in Amazon UK. not sure what micron should i buy first as my first paste?
@@nicosalfos like the video suggest you should look for 6 micron diamond, it doesn't have to be paste you could get it from any available source. like spray powder etc. If you can't find anything you could always just use the green chromium oxide, but I wouldn't bother with a nice strop if you do so. you could just put green compound on mdf or other porous soft wood surfaces. since it needs to be scrapped off and replaced more often.
I've made all of the mistakes you've said to avoid and this advice rings very true and accurate. I still make the jump from the 1000 Shapton Kuromaku to the 5000, but I agree that an in-between stone would make the 5000 much easier. I've been looking to replace my very cheap and messy coarse stone and you've convinced me to go with a diamond plate. Awesome video. Thank you!
Man I've been watching you for years and I just gotta say that your videos have come a really long way. As far as communication, production quality , and just everything in general. Good job on always improving yourself and your product
I've bought all your recommendations, up to Number 3! Also made my own strop. I don't use high end steels, mainly basic carbon steel. I am bringing all my knives, including kitchen knives, up to an enjoyable sharpness. Thanks for all your advice! Take care, Eddie.
Ive been sharpening by hand since around 2005 and ive owned and used all kinds of stones. I once thought that DMT was the best until i got an Atoma diamond stone. Nothing compares. Nothing. Its the best. I got a 140 and a 600 grit and within no time you can slap an edge on anything. Then i got to a 1200 grit diamond very quickly and lightly and then a 5000 grit whetstone to polish and a very light pass on a strop afterwards. Hair whittling stuff within a few minutes. Just dont make a burr with the first two diamond stones. Take it very very close tho
Why do I watch your videos over & over? It is simple comprehensive instructions and recomendations a simpleton like me can understand. Thanks for all you do. 🤷🏻♂️ 👍🏻😁
I got the double sided near perfect Sharpal you recently recommended and I am very happy and amazed with the results I'm getting as a beginner. The key has been locking my wrists and turning with my body as you have demonstrated. Thanks!
Would you mind making a video focused on kitchen knife sharpening (not only on what setup to use, but what angle favours secondary geometry and edge retention and how to homogenously sharpen a long blade)
Holy shit Alex! Another gem to the knife-sharpening community! Super straight to the point, easy to understand and as always incredibly good advice.. Please keep blessing us with your knowledge/experience!
I went backwards a bit as i bought the DMT Fine plate before i purchased the DMT extra coarse plate. I am still breaking in the extra coarse plate, but I am really liking how fast I can get a burr i can feel with the extra coarse plate. I also found one of your older videos on cleaning strops so I cleaned all the gunked up green compound off the strop, gave it a quick sand with 150grit sandpaper and loaded it with 6 micron DMT diamond paste. That old strop works so well that i almost cant believe it.
Youre vids brought me to overthinking my buying decisions according to whetstones. Rare honest and experience based content. Clear and technically on point! Hands down.
I have used all the stones you mention here and may others. I think you are spot on with your recommendations. I may replace the 400 diamond with the Atoma 400, but it's a lot more expensive, and not necessary. Those Naniwa resin bond plates are amazing. If they made one at 10,000 grit I would use them exclusively for my woodworking tools. What you say about getting an edge on the 400 grit before moving on is key. Took me a while to learn that. Excellent informative and accurate video.
Your channel is great and has been super inspiring in educating myself on sharpening. Also love your approach for giving advice and testing products, including clever DIY and budget options.
For me, a strop was what I was missing this whole time when it comes to making any stone work, it really does take things to the next level. I spend *less* time properly sharpening/touching up my cheapass kitchen knife now than I did using shitty pull through tools that give an edge that never lasts. Really appreciate the information you've put out
For real. Even just stropping on my cutting board changed how the knives feel right off the stone. Getting rid of that burr so it doesn't fold over is key
Rinse with water and give it some random passes with the diamond plate. Use a pencil to scribble the top, run the plate over it, and you'll see if it's flat or not. Too easy.
@@silvermediastudio Most ppl starting out & in general don't own a diamond plate tho, they are really expensive for just flattening & are hard to rationalize buying when u can get multiple whetstones for the same price. I've been buying knives for year and don't have one. it's not needed
@@solosamuraiz1526 SATC Diamond Sharpening Stone 2 Side Grit 400/1000 Diamond Plate is $22 on Amazon. Stop making excuses. Your comment is the only thing not needed here.
Great Video! After having these two-sided sharpening stones from amazon for quite some time, I now got the Shapton Pro 1000 and it works great! Next up will be a cheaper 400/1000 diamond stone. One suggestion for an upcoming video: it would be nice if you could show how to keep the correct angle on longer knives, especially ones that have more of a curve to them like traditional chefs knives. I struggle a bit there on the rounded part. Also it would be interesting to do some comparison of all the tricks that are floating around: using a stack of coins/using an angle guide etc. I made myself some wooden ramps in the correct angle to make sure I am consistent. For the coin/thumb trick I suspect that this might work on some knives but not ones with a wide or narrow blade.
Excellent video. I especially appreciate the simplicity and directness. Thank you. P.S. Would you consider doing a video on sharpening convex edges just using strops? I have a bunch of knives that are in CMP 3V with convexed edges.
This is a great video for anyone who is starting out... I remember when I was learning how to sharpen I would frequently end up with a beautiful mirror-polished bevel on a knife that wasn't properly apexed so it was still rather dull.
Fantastic videos. I bought set of stones 10 years ago and have been learning since as the place I bought them from (a full service knife store) scoffed when I asked if they had any books, classes or recommendations on how to sharpen with stones. Kudos!
A year or two back, i bought myself an Arkansas stone with a budding interest in sharpening things as an extension of my solidifying interest in tools which eventually leads to an interest in something bladed. I couldn't for the life of me get anything done with it, not even a simple chisel and quickly gave up. Today I found that abandoned stone, and decided this would be my time to lock in and actually learn. I feel like your videos have the best array of tips for where to start, and after binging on a boring day I'll be starting with the DMT Extra Coarse, Kuromaku 1000 and a lenght of leather to make my strop+compound. Thanks so muuch for the body of knowledge! I went ahead with the second stone upfront as a sort of "sunk cost" to give me one more reason to hang in there until I get it this time though I really think my issue before was I didnt do the research (iirc, I was trying to use the Arkansas stone dry).
It certainly feels like there is a big interest in the community for this knowledge - myself included! Love the videos and this exact one is a must watch. I was just about to order some stuff based on your other videos and this just made the decision process so much easier. Thank you. Seriously.
Great job, again, thank you. Short yet detailed, to the point but thoroughly explained. Much appreciated. Here is an idea, you made diy strop video, what about strop maintenance one? Cleaning, reapplying, when to do so, how, why... ?
Good stuff, Alex! I've said for years that virtually all the actual sharpening is done on the first stone. If you're not shaving-sharp off the arato there's no point to moving on to another stone. I don't know what percentage of users are doing S110V, Maxamet, etc. most of the time? I have some of those knives but I'm a chef so most of my knives are Aogami, AEB-L or one of the Hitachi White steels. A couple of my gyutos are "super steel" and those respond well to diamonds or one of the Shapton lines. Honestly, for the more 'pedestrian' steels I could get by with my Atoma 140 diamond, 320 Shapton Pro and Naniwa Green Brick, although for my money the best single stone out there is the Naniwa 1k...at least if you're not doing Maxamet, HAP40, etc.
Isn't the shapton 320 pro too coarse? I have a 2000 pro and need something coarser, the 1000 pro is nowhere to be found, only the 320 pro and 500 glass.
Your channel is by far the very definition of essential, clear and honest information on sharpening. Simply put, you made a very saturated topic abundantly clear for this viewer and you've gotten yourself another subscriber. Keep it up and power through
I personally like the smaller size plates. especially if the majority of your knives are folding pocket knives and even for up to 5-6" hunting knives. I think it makes it more affordable to get better quality abrasives. I also prefer the feel and feedback of holding the stone in one hand and the knife in the other and the smaller stones are more manageable in the hand. I really like the DMT double-sided diasharp plates. One plate with diamond coarse and fine is a pretty good sweet spot. I feel like the dmt coarse is already a really fast cutter that even with really hard maxamet-class steel there is little need for the extra-coarse. Then the fine side allows you to refine a bit. In fact i will typically go to the fine side for the bur minimization after grinding on coarse. For a second stone, i like the Venev Cerberus Dog Series Dual Side Diamond plates. Again, it's a two-sided stone, so you don't have to trade off skipping grit sizes for economy. after a DMT fine, i think the venev 400-800 or 800-1200 makes a good refinement stone.
THANK you, Alex, for this series of sharpening videos! Although I use a KME, I find your videos to be incredibly informative, well structured, and very well presented. I ALWAYS learn new things when I watch your videos. Plus, they are entertaining, as well!!
I'm using these as reference because of a random hair to get into sharpening. No strop because I just wanted to try my hand at it and still getting stupid clean lines in paper cardboard paper towels even. I notice dulling after a bit most likely because of that burr but needed to get some more references past the ~1000 grit stage too lol. I love these kind of recommendations for getting into things and investing and what priority because it helps when you need some direction. I'm currently getting the kind of sharp that with a little pressure just glides through stuff. I want to get some psychotically sharp.
After watching your videos i purchased a three pack of the Ultra Sharp diamond stones. I just received them and i have to say, i am impressed. The quality appears to be excellent. They are made in the USA. They are heavy. I have a huge knife collection and im sick of not being able to sharpen them well. Hopefully, with the help of your video's, i can figure this out. Thank you.
Thanks man! Bought a 20€ diamond stone and a Sharpal leather strop. Finally I am able to sharpen my knifes after a lot of failed attempts with whetstones and other sharpening tools!
Recently got a Shapton Glass 1000 and been using it to mantain my Mora knives and my leatherman multitools. So far, great results. First ever stone and still learning, but managed to get the edges to shaving sharp and its just VERY satisfying.
I bought what seems to be the European market version of the S SATC stone and a leather strop (as the belt kits you recommended from the strop making video are unavailable here) and am using the trend mirror paste and got paper cutting sharpness on knives that had almost no bevel left. It's absolutely fantastic.
@@smrsgv unfortunately I can't as Alex has disabled the posting of links in his comment sections (I just spent 20 minutes writing a reply to your comment with all the links and lost it).
@@susceptibility_ On Am@zon UK (can't spell the name of the site because UA-cam blocks it). Kalolary for the sharpening stone, BeaverCraft Stropping Leather and Trend Mirror paste as the abrasive
Sharpening stones can be a rabbit hole. I learned how to sharpen on a little pocket stone. I have many stones, even one I found on the ground I flattened it and it works great on the small Texas toothpicks and similar sized blades. Cool video!
I took your advice on diamond stones and ordered a DMT 3 stone set (coarse/325 mesh/ 45 micron, fine/ 600 mesh/ 25 micron and extra fine/ 1200 mesh/ 9 micron), a suede/ smooth strop (came with green honing wax) and the yellow 3 micron DMT Dia-sharp honing paste. Only spend around $140. I've had shaving sharp before but not hair whittling sharp. Now my chef's knife is literally hair whittling and it didn't take but 5 minutes or so! Doubtful I'll need another stone for the rest of my life (not a knife aficionado, just need a sharp kitchen and survival/camping knife). Thanks so much!
Great video! My grand dad made he’s own knifes passing them only to he’s own hunter circle, and they were well known. He always said, -Keep it simple. In Sweden a long time ago, it was the kids job out at the farms cranking the round grinding stone for the grown people to sharpening axes, knives and scythes being used whole day to the fields or forest. I was lucky there wasn’t that many tools. Dad always wanted to use the old fashioned stuff though we had chainsaw’s and so on. I have the stone setup still in service and my twin daughters whining whenever they have to crank! 🤣
I just got the DMT extra course off the back of one of your other videos. Absolute n00b beginner here. Excited to give it a try when it arrives. Thanks so much for your help, you are a fantastic educator and your knowledge is the best kind, that gained through trial and error.
I have read elsewhere that you get better "feedback" from a ceramic stone than from a diamond or glass stone, and that this makes it easier to learn proper technique as a beginner. As someone buying their first stone, I have no idea what that really means or how important it is. Can you explain what they mean, and whether it's something I should care about when starting out?
Feedback is is subjective. Learn what the knife edge should look like from his videos. His technique is simple. His microphotogaphy shows the results. I never used a ceramic stone and can sharpen a cheap knife on a dollar stone because I watched his videos. I intend to buy a 1000 grit diamond stone and have confidence I will use it effectively,
I love that for mere mortals such as me, you recommend a single stone & grit. That's what I've been using but was self conscious I should be using more stuff. I'll keep watching your tutorials & get my technique better rather than buying more kit 🙏👍🏻
What would you bring in the bush for edge maintenance inclunding dings ? I make camping videos and often dig firepits with my machetes. Would LOVE a dedicated video, as you're a sharpening master and UL enthusiast !
I know you weren't asking me, but Sharpal makes a good set of credit card sized diamond stone "plates" that you can carry in your wallet for those situations.
For "digging edges" like on shovels or the upper edge of a machete that see dirt often I carry a small file, about 6 inches or less, my pocket carry one is a Nicolson ignition file, 5-1/4 inch, tungsten point file model 02375NN, cuts most anything and takes nicks out fast (note: that is 5-1/4 overall, it's tiny and thin and will flex). Practice a bit before you use it on your favorite tool, holding the angle takes practise with the short file.
Thanks, guys ! For now, I mostly : - Don't do anything and leave the digging portion blunt. - Use a pull-through sharpener on the edge - Use a full-size metal file OR a piece of sandpaper layed upon my palm (gloves on 😅) Seeing Alex's videos on pull through sharpeners, I stopped using mine. Thinking the most ultralight way would be pieces of sandpaper and leather, layed on top of my thigh (dragging motion, not shaving motion... 😅) Alex, I'm curious what your take is ! 🫡
I started out freehand and bought most of these recommendations and had great results. I'm glad I learned to freehand sharpen. I did finally get the newest version Work Sharp Professional Precision Adjust Knife Sharpener Tool, complete angle adjustable knife sharpening system. Being able to use the digital angle finder to the exact degree you want has been a game changing. I rarely use the freehand stones anymore. So now looking back I would just get this newest Work Sharp Professional Precision Adjust or the KME. This is just my personal opinion after trying everything mentioned and more. The newest digital guided Sharpeners are more precise at exact angles and also faster in my opinion. Stick with what works best for you. Also have fun and enjoy your knives while building skills.
You are responsible for my most recent $100 Amazon order! Thanks for your awesome, technical, in depth videos. I know it takes a lot of time to produce something of this quality!
I picked up the four stone set of Dia-sharp DMT stones from sharpening supplies and they are awesome. The kit comes with stones in 220grit, 325grit, 600grit, and 1200grit. They also have a really nice stone holder for about $35 and I also picked that up. I bought this set after spending about a year using shapton ceramic stones. I taught myself how to sharpen by hand with shapton stones, mostly using kitchen knives. As of the last few years I've gotten into higher end edc knives and that's what prompted the stone upgrade. Some of these newer super steels are just ridiculously hard and their vanadium content is high. Having said that, they are no match for the diamond stones!! In addition, I think a good strop and some proper diamond emulsion is actually far more important than most people realize. I think a quality stropping rig gets overlooked by a lot of people and that's a mistake. A two sided strop, rough on both sides, with some gunny juice is perfect. I like rough sided because it holds emulsion better. I use a 4 micron on one side and a 0.5 micron on the other and my edges will usually whittle a hair. You don't have to use Gunny Juice, that's just one option, I frequently use Jende Max, and it works just fine.
My dad showed me when i was very young how to sharpen a blade. He never mentioned a burr and apex. 50 years later I see your videos. That explains The science of proper sharp edges. Too bad UA-cam wasn’t available in the sixties. 😊
I go from the Korumaku 1000 straight to the 8000 and haven´t had issues so far. I rarely use polishing stones since so few tools benefit from it but shiny things look nice so it still gets used once in a while.
You made me finally achieve a hair whittling edge. I watched you videos on strops and said ok you talked me into it. I got 6 and 1 micron diamond powder so I cleaned my strops and took the time to do it. I got it to cut and whittle hair but not with the ease you show. So I went back and watched a few more of your videos. I didn't bother to follow my scratch patterns so ill be doing that next. Your dragging me into the hair whittling sharp realm. My hair is pretty short. My niece was over who has long red hair...😅
You are great, thanks for all your help here on this channel, getting amateurs like me to be reasonable knife-sharpeners. (And I hope commenting helps to push your videos in the algorithm :)
I was wondering if you could do a video one day talking about sharpening larger blades I have been working on restoring a old hickory style knife and a machete and honestly I could use some tips
I'm not the guy you asked, but you can work on the knife in sections or hold the knife at a diagonal orientation and sharpen along the length of the stone, pulling the knife as you go. May still have to work in sections.
my main tip would be to use blade files or get the ken onion work sharp. I hate to say that it is super hard to use a big stone to sharpen such a long edge. there are dmt diamond files. which are the more affordable option, but if you have the spare cash, the worksharp is stupidly easy and fast. if you want more out of it you can get very high quality belts from Micro Surfaces in most of the necessary grits. the other option would be to build a jig I guess. i have multiple machetes and frankly the work sharp chews through the steel with little effort.
Amateur sharpener here. Really trying to keep kitchen knives sharp and learning from your vids. I’ve been using a cheap ceramic Mizu Knives 1000/6000 stone and, yes, it’s curved. So, I bought the SATC 400/1000. The only instruction on the box is a tip that says: “We recommend conditioning your diamond sharpening stones before the first use. Gently rub both sides with a flat steel piece for about 30 seconds, and then clean both surfaces to remove any loose diamonds. After this initial conditioning, your stone will provide a smoother sharpening experience.” Any thoughts about this? I’m thinking of using the bottom of an old stainless steel bowl.
@outdoors55 The S SATC 400/1000 grit stone is unavailable on Amazon right now. Do you have an alternative in the same price range of comparable quality?
Thank you for your video i never thought about knife sharpening until i saw a couple of your vids and im become more and more interested in it as a skill to have thanks to you
You mentioned about using the Kuromaku stones in series and not skipping grits. Can you see a different between the scratch pattern of a 5000 grit after 1000, Vs a 5000 grit after a 2000? Or are you simply referring to the time it takes to refine the pattern up to the 5000 grit? If you can see a difference it would be great if you could let us see your close-ups! *as a side note, buying a jewellers loupe/magnifying glass was one of the best investments I made when learning to sharpen, I can only imagine how useful your setup is!
I think he means you don't want to start with 220 and jump to 5000. Since the 220 is very coarse, and the 5000 very fine, it's gonna take quite a while for the 5000 to sand down the scratches from the 220. So, therefore it's a wiser investment to go from a 220 to a 1000 to a 3000 to a 5000. Don't think you'll see a difference, just the scratch pattern from the last stone you used.
Just had 0.5 and 0.1 micron paste arrive yesterday, in the process of making 2 better strops than my last strop. your advice and macro lens closeups are amazing, and I also picked up that jewellers' loupe a couple years back too! You're a legend
Whenever someone asks me about sharpening stones, I will be guiding them to this excellent video. Thanks Alex, now I don't have to explain to unexperienced minds, I just send them to you.
I don't know if I consider myself a beginner, but I rarely go through each grade of grits/materials on my knives if they are regularly maintained. I am a working Chef, I usually do the extra fine dmt(green), then leather strop(no compound). Some blades I need super fine and biting, some blades I need for chopping(santoku or nakiri). For chopping knives I do a more rounded bevel for the constant hammering. For the rounded bevel I will use a ceramic whetstone to a rough strop(with diamond compound). The metals for most of my chef knives is s35vn and vg10(most japanese companies use a form of vg10 or bd1)
The Glass Stones are being phased out by Shapton because the Japanese consumer believes that the Glass Stone is too thin and poor value. It makes sense because why would you wanna spend the same amount for a Glass Stone that's only 5mm thick vs. the Kuromaku line which comes with 4x the stone as the Glass Stone does? The Kuromaku is a better value in terms of stone x price than the Glass Stones are. Shapton is replacing the Glass Stone with the "Rock Star" line, which are great, hard wearing stones. Most of my stones are Shapton Rock Stars, I have a 320, a 500, a 2000, a 4000, an 8000 and I have a 1000 coming to replace my Suehiro 1K/6K stone. They are hard wearing, splash and go, give great feedback and are 10mm instead of 5mm. They are a better value than the Glass Stone.
How many knives do you need to sharpen to wear out a Shapton glass. I've had mine a couple of years now but there's no discernable wear that I can see.
@@twatmunro Apparently the binder Shapton uses for the Glass Stones doesn't play well the thinner the stone gets, and results in the stone itself breaking. This is why it's adhered to a glass base and not a standalone stone. I've the same experience with the Rock Stars. I was sharpening a friend's half serrated knife and caught the edge of my Rock Star with one of the teeth. I thought for sure I had gouged it, but once I cleaned it up and let it dry, there was no evidence it ever happened.
This recommendation is 100% spot on. When I got started 2000ish I fooled around with some junk. Eventually got a Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker and that was great (still works today). Never bought in to the Lansky system which a few guys had but they took forever and were fiddly. By 2005 or 2006 I stepped up and got a 300/1000 diamond stone and suddenly my sharpening time was down to two minutes not twenty. I was using a similar strop on a 1x1 with the green 1micron compound. Eventually I picked up the 1000mesh Shapton glass ceramic and while it's great for the larger blades and high carbon Japanese stuff, I rarely use it anymore. I think the diamond paste is where I need to go next.
I think the Shapton 1000 (see internet videos showing this) is more like a 800 grit stone which makes it almost a given that you use the 2000 grit stone before moving on to the 5000 . Depending on what your sharpening 5000 really isn`t needed . I have the 5000 shapton(now broken after it fell to the ground , but still usable . in 2) I now stop with the 2000 grit Shapton (on kitchen knives)and strop it with diamond paste up to 14K and that works very good ,imo . Thanks for the video , you do very nice work sharing what you know to the world ...
Your excellent videos are helping me educate myself when it comes to sharpening. My main concern is sharpening my kitchen knives, but I have a question: have you done anything on sharpening kitchen shears and scissors? I couldn't find anything on your website. Thanks.
I still remember my first stone, it was a Japanese waterstone from amazon and i never realized that it needs to be reflattened... yea i wasn't exactly the brightest 13 year old
Thanks for the great videos! My first sharpening purchase about 5 years ago was a king 1000/4000 whetstone, which is fine, but looking back MAN. I wish I had learned on the S SATC instead. I picked one up recently for 20 bucks after seeing one of your other videos, and the difference in how long it takes to get a good starting edge is insane. To be honest the 1000 side of the king is absolutely terrible compared to both sides of the SATC, constantly went out of being flat, catching the blade on the stone, etc. The 4000 is fine and I will probably still use it as it does put a mirror finish on, but as far as sharpness goes, the diamond stone alone got my knives sharper than the whetstone ever did, and in much less time. Just picked up the stuff to make a strop too, which unfortunately ran me closer to 40$ on amazon, so I will see how that goes when the stuff gets here. I had been planning on picking up a higher grit glass stone at some point too, but I think I will wait to see how well the strop meets my needs.
Excellent video. Well produced, direct to the point and no adds or promotions of shady companies with crappy products. Thank you for your recommendations! One friendly suggestion: maybe try putting the scale of the amplification when you zoom into the edge of the knives? Not necessary, but I think it'd be a nice touch to make your videos look even more professional.
My question is regarding magnification: what do you recommend to be able to get good look at the edge I just created by sharpening? (I don't need to video it or record it for the future, just to see it; though if video is the best way that's fine too). It could plug into a computer or into an iPhone maybe; or be standalone. I did watch several of your videos including the ones you referenced in this video. Thanks.
I am not a beginner and a experienced machinist/ mechanic
I am starting all over at 65 to be a better sharpener because of your videos.
YOU ARE THE BEST ON UA-cam IMO !!
Thanks! Really appreciate it🙏👍
You’re right about these being the best sharpening reviews on UA-cam. Straight up honest opinions from a guy who’s actually using the products/techniques and paying for them out of his own pocket. Not some shill that’s getting a kickback for suckering people into buying junk they don’t want or need. I stumbled (and subbed) onto this channel a few months ago and have found lots of good content. He seems to actually read the comments and addresses points brought up there in his videos. I appreciate that he knows and shows what does AND doesn’t work and is willing to demonstrate and experiment. My own sharpening skills and tools (found out about dmt products here) have both benefited from watching him. If you need proof that he knows what he’s doing just check out the close ups, I wish I could view my own work like that.
You'll find it a rewarding hobby/skill. Maintain the same angle for your passes would be my most important point. You'll get the knack quick and really appreciate the steels differences. It's kind of relaxing with time in on it.
I picked up the 400/1000 diamond and 1000 shapton because of you 2 weeks back, and I have some balsa wood and dmt 3 micron paste on order now. One thing you have not covered are flattening and dressing / cleaning stone. Any products there that you can recommend, especially for the shapton 1k and potentially 2k in the future?
Fuck yeah dude. Before I started watching his stuff I was dulling knives on a stone instead of sharpening them, now I can get a real nice edge with diamond stones
I picked up the Koramaku 1000, 2000 and 5000 on your recommendation. I use them with my Japanese kitchen knives of various steels up to HAP40 and they do a great job. Thanks for your videos, they seem like good honest advice from someone who knows what they're talking about, and not just intended to sell a product.
I got the 320, 1000 and 2000
@@kristianandersen5732i went 320, 1000, 2000, 5000, and 12000. I'm really new to using whetstones, and for the knives i use, I'm pretty much going with the 1k or 2k to finish the edge. But in my job i use wood chisels, so the 5000 and 12k are nice to give it a super fine edge and that mirror look
ahem, it's 黒幕 kuromaku that translate directly to black veil, or more accurately refer to mastermind/behind the scene because they're supporting knife so that they can shine
Thanks for your very informative video. I told myself months ago I was going to give up. After viewing your video will try again with a diamond stone.
As a beginner my beginner advice would be: buy a course stone. I had recently bought the shapton koramaku 1000 as my first stone, mostly because of your recomendation. I started out on the dull kitchen knives I had because I didn't have any experience yet and didnt want to dull my knives that where decently sharp. Couldn't figure out why I could not get a burr to form. I thought I must be doing something wrong. Turns out my knives where just extremely dull and after two hours(!) of sharpening I finally got a burr and eventualy got it shaving sharp. The correct grit to start on probably would have been 100. I think a lot of beginners who have never sharpened before are likely to have extremely dull knives that they continue using until they decide to buy a new one and chuck the old one in the drawer.
The burr is the key. No burr, no sharp. Once people get a burr, the world will never be the same. I'd always get coarse diamond first, though, since they cut much faster.
When I started out, I did not take the advance of buying just a single 1000 grit stone. I'm pretty familiar with abrasives due to my experience in different trades, mostly sandpaper, files, scotch pads, and cutting compound. Nobody goes out and buys 1000 grit sandpaper and uses it for every job out there. Giving the advice to only buy a 1000 grit whetstone and use it to sharpen every knife you have is like telling someone to buy a spade and use that to dig every hole you need. Or to buy a single general purpose hammer and use it for every job that needs a hammer. Some jobs need a drilling hammer or a sledge, and some jobs need a ditch witch or an excavator. A lot of people also recommend buying cheap whetstones like Kings, which wear fast and dish, and then move to a better quality. That doesn't make sense to me; why spend $30 on a whetstone, only to replace it when you wear through with another higher quality stone that costs $50. You just spent $70 when you could have just bought the quality stone at $50, learned to care for it and benefited from the higher quality, the harder wearing, the feedback and the better performance.
So, I think the most appropriate advice to give to a beginner is to buy a set of quality whetstones to start. Buy a coarse, a finer grit and something in between. I've had luck with 320, 500, and 2000 on the Shapton Rock Star line. Shapton Kuromaku 220 or 320, 1000 and the 2000 are a good set. Naniwa S2 Advance 220, 400 and 1000 are another. These are great because you can repair a damaged knife and set a new bevel with the 220/320 grit stones, or quickly sharpen a very dull knife with the 400, 500, and sharpen to a good cutting edge with the 1000/2000. If you have to start at the 220/320, it's good to have an intermediate step to make it to the end. Some knives don't need 320 and can benefit by starting with 400/500 or even 1000. Some of these stones are also not truly at their marked grit and may be more or less coarse/fine. I would also encourage beginners to buy a bunch of cheap knives from websites or at sporting good stores to practice technique before sharpening or repairing good, expensive knives.
Definitely get the diamond cheap stone he recommended. I also have the 1000 stone and the cheap whet stones. I got a burr so fast with the diamond, it really was an eye opener. He's totally right that that's the stone to learn from starting out. Now i have a strop and need to work on getting hair shaving results.
Good that you didn’t give up. Get the Alex recommended diamond plates and it will be fast. I have used mine at a family member’s house who wrecks knives and it cuts well. I want to get the dmt. Good luck.
@@testboga5991You dont need a burr to get a knive sharp. You need to align two bevels at the apex, not to overgrind them making a burr which youll have to remove later.
Thank you for your videos! I have been sharpening knives all my life. At first a little carborundum stone and a strop loaded with jewlers rouge. With my father's instruction circa 1972. Moved to moon stick and then later diamond stones. A couple of months ago I purchased Koramaku 1000 and 5000 stones. Holy smokes they work better than anything I have ever used. I just ordered a 2000 grit. Should be here next week. BTW the diamond paste strop is working great for me as well !
Alex you are the real deal! I wish I could trust other channels half as much.
I bought the S SATC stone, made a strop out of some belt leather, and use some polishing compound on it. That and your tips on keeping the wrists locked have made so much difference in my sharpening ability. I was hardly ever able to get shaving sharp after a ton of work, but now I've been able to sharpen most of my knifes to shaving sharp in a few minutes. My next investment is definitely going to be the diamond compound.
Awesome! Glad to hear 👍👍
This was an awesome "decision making selection" video, honest and without the prejudice of sponsorship. Best wishes from here in the UK.
i like two how he showed different brands
I bought the 400/1000 yesterday and is arriving tomorrow can’t wait to take my first step into sharpening!
all thanks to your videos 🤩
I really believe that the strop is necessary you should take the next step soon.
@@BloodSprite-tan YES! im having a hard time finding a diamond compound paste like used in the videos in Amazon UK. not sure what micron should i buy first as my first paste?
@@nicosalfos like the video suggest you should look for 6 micron diamond, it doesn't have to be paste you could get it from any available source. like spray powder etc. If you can't find anything you could always just use the green chromium oxide, but I wouldn't bother with a nice strop if you do so. you could just put green compound on mdf or other porous soft wood surfaces. since it needs to be scrapped off and replaced more often.
i had the 400/1000 in my cart yesterday and now it’s sold out lol
@@MortalMayonnaise It sold out after his video lol, but the American one that costs 2x more is in stock so ima prob get that.
I've made all of the mistakes you've said to avoid and this advice rings very true and accurate. I still make the jump from the 1000 Shapton Kuromaku to the 5000, but I agree that an in-between stone would make the 5000 much easier. I've been looking to replace my very cheap and messy coarse stone and you've convinced me to go with a diamond plate. Awesome video. Thank you!
Naniwa pro 3k is amazing stone. Smooth, lots of feedback, slow wearing, fast to make a burr. It's really good.
Man I've been watching you for years and I just gotta say that your videos have come a really long way. As far as communication, production quality , and just everything in general. Good job on always improving yourself and your product
I've bought all your recommendations, up to Number 3! Also made my own strop. I don't use high end steels, mainly basic carbon steel. I am bringing all my knives, including kitchen knives, up to an enjoyable sharpness. Thanks for all your advice! Take care, Eddie.
Ive been sharpening by hand since around 2005 and ive owned and used all kinds of stones. I once thought that DMT was the best until i got an Atoma diamond stone. Nothing compares. Nothing. Its the best. I got a 140 and a 600 grit and within no time you can slap an edge on anything. Then i got to a 1200 grit diamond very quickly and lightly and then a 5000 grit whetstone to polish and a very light pass on a strop afterwards. Hair whittling stuff within a few minutes. Just dont make a burr with the first two diamond stones. Take it very very close tho
Why do I watch your videos over & over? It is simple comprehensive instructions and recomendations a simpleton like me can understand. Thanks for all you do. 🤷🏻♂️ 👍🏻😁
Arguably, your most helpful video.
I got the double sided near perfect Sharpal you recently recommended and I am very happy and amazed with the results I'm getting as a beginner. The key has been locking my wrists and turning with my body as you have demonstrated. Thanks!
Would you mind making a video focused on kitchen knife sharpening (not only on what setup to use, but what angle favours secondary geometry and edge retention and how to homogenously sharpen a long blade)
The wider the angle, the higher the retention.
The type of metal affects edge retention, also.
I wish I knew this 15 years ago. I had to learn the expensive way. Great information.
Same here!! Learn from expensive way!!!!!!
As usual, Outdoors55 never fails to deliver a super entertaining, informative, useful and detailed video.👍🏻
Holy shit Alex! Another gem to the knife-sharpening community! Super straight to the point, easy to understand and as always incredibly good advice.. Please keep blessing us with your knowledge/experience!
I went backwards a bit as i bought the DMT Fine plate before i purchased the DMT extra coarse plate. I am still breaking in the extra coarse plate, but I am really liking how fast I can get a burr i can feel with the extra coarse plate. I also found one of your older videos on cleaning strops so I cleaned all the gunked up green compound off the strop, gave it a quick sand with 150grit sandpaper and loaded it with 6 micron DMT diamond paste. That old strop works so well that i almost cant believe it.
Youre vids brought me to overthinking my buying decisions according to whetstones. Rare honest and experience based content. Clear and technically on point! Hands down.
I have used all the stones you mention here and may others. I think you are spot on with your recommendations. I may replace the 400 diamond with the Atoma 400, but it's a lot more expensive, and not necessary. Those Naniwa resin bond plates are amazing. If they made one at 10,000 grit I would use them exclusively for my woodworking tools. What you say about getting an edge on the 400 grit before moving on is key. Took me a while to learn that. Excellent informative and accurate video.
Amazing! Just real, sound, well explained, approachable, beginner friendly, and budget friendly advice. Perfect. Thank you!
Your channel is great and has been super inspiring in educating myself on sharpening. Also love your approach for giving advice and testing products, including clever DIY and budget options.
For me, a strop was what I was missing this whole time when it comes to making any stone work, it really does take things to the next level. I spend *less* time properly sharpening/touching up my cheapass kitchen knife now than I did using shitty pull through tools that give an edge that never lasts.
Really appreciate the information you've put out
For real. Even just stropping on my cutting board changed how the knives feel right off the stone. Getting rid of that burr so it doesn't fold over is key
You briefly mention clogging. Can you do a refresher on de-clogging and also on flattening? Love your content. Thanks.
Rinse with water and give it some random passes with the diamond plate. Use a pencil to scribble the top, run the plate over it, and you'll see if it's flat or not. Too easy.
@@silvermediastudio Most ppl starting out & in general don't own a diamond plate tho, they are really expensive for just flattening & are hard to rationalize buying when u can get multiple whetstones for the same price. I've been buying knives for year and don't have one. it's not needed
@@solosamuraiz1526 SATC Diamond Sharpening Stone 2 Side Grit 400/1000 Diamond Plate is $22 on Amazon. Stop making excuses. Your comment is the only thing not needed here.
Great Video! After having these two-sided sharpening stones from amazon for quite some time, I now got the Shapton Pro 1000 and it works great! Next up will be a cheaper 400/1000 diamond stone.
One suggestion for an upcoming video: it would be nice if you could show how to keep the correct angle on longer knives, especially ones that have more of a curve to them like traditional chefs knives. I struggle a bit there on the rounded part. Also it would be interesting to do some comparison of all the tricks that are floating around: using a stack of coins/using an angle guide etc. I made myself some wooden ramps in the correct angle to make sure I am consistent. For the coin/thumb trick I suspect that this might work on some knives but not ones with a wide or narrow blade.
I really like the DMT dual-sided diamond stone. I think you can manage with that and a strop.
Correct
Excellent video. I especially appreciate the simplicity and directness. Thank you. P.S. Would you consider doing a video on sharpening convex edges just using strops? I have a bunch of knives that are in CMP 3V with convexed edges.
clearest honest advice from a man who have helped from afar for my daily usage of knives on the farm.
This is a great video for anyone who is starting out... I remember when I was learning how to sharpen I would frequently end up with a beautiful mirror-polished bevel on a knife that wasn't properly apexed so it was still rather dull.
It's nice to see a more comprehensive video about stones Burrfection recommended years ago.
Fantastic videos. I bought set of stones 10 years ago and have been learning since as the place I bought them from (a full service knife store) scoffed when I asked if they had any books, classes or recommendations on how to sharpen with stones. Kudos!
I have DMT and Arkansas stones, and man I still love the Arkansas stone feel and edge it creates. Not quite as fast but man it feels good...
DMT coarse, plus an Arkansas to do the fine work, that's a good combo.
A year or two back, i bought myself an Arkansas stone with a budding interest in sharpening things as an extension of my solidifying interest in tools which eventually leads to an interest in something bladed. I couldn't for the life of me get anything done with it, not even a simple chisel and quickly gave up. Today I found that abandoned stone, and decided this would be my time to lock in and actually learn. I feel like your videos have the best array of tips for where to start, and after binging on a boring day I'll be starting with the DMT Extra Coarse, Kuromaku 1000 and a lenght of leather to make my strop+compound.
Thanks so muuch for the body of knowledge! I went ahead with the second stone upfront as a sort of "sunk cost" to give me one more reason to hang in there until I get it this time though I really think my issue before was I didnt do the research (iirc, I was trying to use the Arkansas stone dry).
It certainly feels like there is a big interest in the community for this knowledge - myself included! Love the videos and this exact one is a must watch. I was just about to order some stuff based on your other videos and this just made the decision process so much easier. Thank you. Seriously.
Great job, again, thank you. Short yet detailed, to the point but thoroughly explained. Much appreciated. Here is an idea, you made diy strop video, what about strop maintenance one? Cleaning, reapplying, when to do so, how, why... ?
Good stuff, Alex! I've said for years that virtually all the actual sharpening is done on the first stone. If you're not shaving-sharp off the arato there's no point to moving on to another stone. I don't know what percentage of users are doing S110V, Maxamet, etc. most of the time? I have some of those knives but I'm a chef so most of my knives are Aogami, AEB-L or one of the Hitachi White steels. A couple of my gyutos are "super steel" and those respond well to diamonds or one of the Shapton lines. Honestly, for the more 'pedestrian' steels I could get by with my Atoma 140 diamond, 320 Shapton Pro and Naniwa Green Brick, although for my money the best single stone out there is the Naniwa 1k...at least if you're not doing Maxamet, HAP40, etc.
Isn't the shapton 320 pro too coarse? I have a 2000 pro and need something coarser, the 1000 pro is nowhere to be found, only the 320 pro and 500 glass.
@@gigel99324 The 500 GlassStone is pretty good, too. The 320 Pro finishes pretty well and I often go from it to a 1k.
I can sharpen rexx121 on a shapton koramako only use diamond on chips n such.
Your channel is by far the very definition of essential, clear and honest information on sharpening.
Simply put, you made a very saturated topic abundantly clear for this viewer and you've gotten yourself another subscriber.
Keep it up and power through
Brilliant advice, I havebeen that person who thought better stones would produce better results, rather than better technique !!
I personally like the smaller size plates. especially if the majority of your knives are folding pocket knives and even for up to 5-6" hunting knives. I think it makes it more affordable to get better quality abrasives. I also prefer the feel and feedback of holding the stone in one hand and the knife in the other and the smaller stones are more manageable in the hand.
I really like the DMT double-sided diasharp plates. One plate with diamond coarse and fine is a pretty good sweet spot. I feel like the dmt coarse is already a really fast cutter that even with really hard maxamet-class steel there is little need for the extra-coarse. Then the fine side allows you to refine a bit. In fact i will typically go to the fine side for the bur minimization after grinding on coarse. For a second stone, i like the Venev Cerberus Dog Series Dual Side Diamond plates. Again, it's a two-sided stone, so you don't have to trade off skipping grit sizes for economy. after a DMT fine, i think the venev 400-800 or 800-1200 makes a good refinement stone.
THANK you, Alex, for this series of sharpening videos! Although I use a KME, I find your videos to be incredibly informative, well structured, and very well presented. I ALWAYS learn new things when I watch your videos. Plus, they are entertaining, as well!!
I'm using these as reference because of a random hair to get into sharpening. No strop because I just wanted to try my hand at it and still getting stupid clean lines in paper cardboard paper towels even. I notice dulling after a bit most likely because of that burr but needed to get some more references past the ~1000 grit stage too lol. I love these kind of recommendations for getting into things and investing and what priority because it helps when you need some direction. I'm currently getting the kind of sharp that with a little pressure just glides through stuff. I want to get some psychotically sharp.
After watching your videos i purchased a three pack of the Ultra Sharp diamond stones. I just received them and i have to say, i am impressed. The quality appears to be excellent. They are made in the USA. They are heavy. I have a huge knife collection and im sick of not being able to sharpen them well. Hopefully, with the help of your video's, i can figure this out. Thank you.
Thanks man! Bought a 20€ diamond stone and a Sharpal leather strop. Finally I am able to sharpen my knifes after a lot of failed attempts with whetstones and other sharpening tools!
Recently got a Shapton Glass 1000 and been using it to mantain my Mora knives and my leatherman multitools. So far, great results. First ever stone and still learning, but managed to get the edges to shaving sharp and its just VERY satisfying.
I have a very large collection of stones and that Shapton glass 1000 has been my favorite post-profiling stone. You chose wisely.
I bought what seems to be the European market version of the S SATC stone and a leather strop (as the belt kits you recommended from the strop making video are unavailable here) and am using the trend mirror paste and got paper cutting sharpness on knives that had almost no bevel left. It's absolutely fantastic.
hey, bro, can you share the links?
I also could not find something for EU
@@smrsgv unfortunately I can't as Alex has disabled the posting of links in his comment sections (I just spent 20 minutes writing a reply to your comment with all the links and lost it).
Can you tell the brand name, or something? I am really looking for similar stone for the EU.
@@susceptibility_ my comments are being blocked by UA-cam for some reason
@@susceptibility_
On Am@zon UK (can't spell the name of the site because UA-cam blocks it).
Kalolary for the sharpening stone, BeaverCraft Stropping Leather and Trend Mirror paste as the abrasive
Sharpening stones can be a rabbit hole. I learned how to sharpen on a little pocket stone. I have many stones, even one I found on the ground I flattened it and it works great on the small Texas toothpicks and similar sized blades. Cool video!
I just bought the 240 grit Shapton glass stone and I was not disappointed. I also put some lapping film on the glass and bam, I got a lapping plate!
You are becoming the best knife channel. Congratulations!
Suggestion: edge geometry, thickness behind the edge, practical uses of either...
Just good old fashion common sense No BS. Thank you, sir!
I took your advice on diamond stones and ordered a DMT 3 stone set (coarse/325 mesh/ 45 micron, fine/ 600 mesh/ 25 micron and extra fine/ 1200 mesh/ 9 micron), a suede/ smooth strop (came with green honing wax) and the yellow 3 micron DMT Dia-sharp honing paste. Only spend around $140. I've had shaving sharp before but not hair whittling sharp. Now my chef's knife is literally hair whittling and it didn't take but 5 minutes or so! Doubtful I'll need another stone for the rest of my life (not a knife aficionado, just need a sharp kitchen and survival/camping knife). Thanks so much!
Your videos showed up in my algorithm and now I have another high precision craft/hobby to get into...
Exactly what people starting out need😊
Great video!
My grand dad made he’s own knifes passing them only to he’s own hunter circle, and they were well known. He always said, -Keep it simple.
In Sweden a long time ago, it was the kids job out at the farms cranking the round grinding stone for the grown people to sharpening axes, knives and scythes being used whole day to the fields or forest. I was lucky there wasn’t that many tools. Dad always wanted to use the old fashioned stuff though we had chainsaw’s and so on.
I have the stone setup still in service and my twin daughters whining whenever they have to crank! 🤣
I just got the DMT extra course off the back of one of your other videos. Absolute n00b beginner here. Excited to give it a try when it arrives. Thanks so much for your help, you are a fantastic educator and your knowledge is the best kind, that gained through trial and error.
This is the best sharpening advice on the internet!
Thank you so much!
I'm trying to learn and take better care of my equipment myself.
I have read elsewhere that you get better "feedback" from a ceramic stone than from a diamond or glass stone, and that this makes it easier to learn proper technique as a beginner. As someone buying their first stone, I have no idea what that really means or how important it is. Can you explain what they mean, and whether it's something I should care about when starting out?
Feedback is is subjective. Learn what the knife edge should look like from his videos. His technique is simple. His microphotogaphy shows the results. I never used a ceramic stone and can sharpen a cheap knife on a dollar stone because I watched his videos. I intend to buy a 1000 grit diamond stone and have confidence I will use it effectively,
I love that for mere mortals such as me, you recommend a single stone & grit. That's what I've been using but was self conscious I should be using more stuff. I'll keep watching your tutorials & get my technique better rather than buying more kit 🙏👍🏻
This video is very welcome. I was about to commit many mistakes... Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Thank you for this video. Very interesting and informative. I especially appreciated the microphotographs.
What would you bring in the bush for edge maintenance inclunding dings ? I make camping videos and often dig firepits with my machetes. Would LOVE a dedicated video, as you're a sharpening master and UL enthusiast !
I know you weren't asking me, but Sharpal makes a good set of credit card sized diamond stone "plates" that you can carry in your wallet for those situations.
For "digging edges" like on shovels or the upper edge of a machete that see dirt often I carry a small file, about 6 inches or less, my pocket carry one is a Nicolson ignition file, 5-1/4 inch, tungsten point file model 02375NN, cuts most anything and takes nicks out fast (note: that is 5-1/4 overall, it's tiny and thin and will flex). Practice a bit before you use it on your favorite tool, holding the angle takes practise with the short file.
Files, Lansky Pucks, or Worksharp Field sharpener all great bush options
Thanks, guys !
For now, I mostly :
- Don't do anything and leave the digging portion blunt.
- Use a pull-through sharpener on the edge
- Use a full-size metal file OR a piece of sandpaper layed upon my palm (gloves on 😅)
Seeing Alex's videos on pull through sharpeners, I stopped using mine. Thinking the most ultralight way would be pieces of sandpaper and leather, layed on top of my thigh (dragging motion, not shaving motion... 😅)
Alex, I'm curious what your take is ! 🫡
Thank You For Sharing Your Honest, Educated Thoughts And Opinions ! This Video Is Very Informative. Take Care.
I started out freehand and bought most of these recommendations and had great results. I'm glad I learned to freehand sharpen. I did finally get the newest version Work Sharp Professional Precision Adjust Knife Sharpener Tool, complete angle adjustable knife sharpening system. Being able to use the digital angle finder to the exact degree you want has been a game changing. I rarely use the freehand stones anymore. So now looking back I would just get this newest Work Sharp Professional Precision Adjust or the KME. This is just my personal opinion after trying everything mentioned and more. The newest digital guided Sharpeners are more precise at exact angles and also faster in my opinion. Stick with what works best for you. Also have fun and enjoy your knives while building skills.
You are responsible for my most recent $100 Amazon order! Thanks for your awesome, technical, in depth videos. I know it takes a lot of time to produce something of this quality!
I picked up the four stone set of Dia-sharp DMT stones from sharpening supplies and they are awesome. The kit comes with stones in 220grit, 325grit, 600grit, and 1200grit. They also have a really nice stone holder for about $35 and I also picked that up. I bought this set after spending about a year using shapton ceramic stones. I taught myself how to sharpen by hand with shapton stones, mostly using kitchen knives. As of the last few years I've gotten into higher end edc knives and that's what prompted the stone upgrade. Some of these newer super steels are just ridiculously hard and their vanadium content is high. Having said that, they are no match for the diamond stones!! In addition, I think a good strop and some proper diamond emulsion is actually far more important than most people realize. I think a quality stropping rig gets overlooked by a lot of people and that's a mistake. A two sided strop, rough on both sides, with some gunny juice is perfect. I like rough sided because it holds emulsion better. I use a 4 micron on one side and a 0.5 micron on the other and my edges will usually whittle a hair. You don't have to use Gunny Juice, that's just one option, I frequently use Jende Max, and it works just fine.
My dad showed me when i was very young how to sharpen a blade. He never mentioned a burr and apex. 50 years later I see your videos. That explains
The science of proper sharp edges. Too bad UA-cam wasn’t available in the sixties. 😊
I go from the Korumaku 1000 straight to the 8000 and haven´t had issues so far. I rarely use polishing stones since so few tools benefit from it but shiny things look nice so it still gets used once in a while.
You made me finally achieve a hair whittling edge. I watched you videos on strops and said ok you talked me into it. I got 6 and 1 micron diamond powder so I cleaned my strops and took the time to do it. I got it to cut and whittle hair but not with the ease you show. So I went back and watched a few more of your videos. I didn't bother to follow my scratch patterns so ill be doing that next. Your dragging me into the hair whittling sharp realm. My hair is pretty short. My niece was over who has long red hair...😅
You are great, thanks for all your help here on this channel, getting amateurs like me to be reasonable knife-sharpeners.
(And I hope commenting helps to push your videos in the algorithm :)
Check out the shapton rock star stones. They are the same as shapton glass but double the thickness and without the glass back
I was wondering if you could do a video one day talking about sharpening larger blades I have been working on restoring a old hickory style knife and a machete and honestly I could use some tips
I'm not the guy you asked, but you can work on the knife in sections or hold the knife at a diagonal orientation and sharpen along the length of the stone, pulling the knife as you go. May still have to work in sections.
my main tip would be to use blade files or get the ken onion work sharp. I hate to say that it is super hard to use a big stone to sharpen such a long edge. there are dmt diamond files. which are the more affordable option, but if you have the spare cash, the worksharp is stupidly easy and fast. if you want more out of it you can get very high quality belts from Micro Surfaces in most of the necessary grits. the other option would be to build a jig I guess.
i have multiple machetes and frankly the work sharp chews through the steel with little effort.
This is gold! Very informative! I know what I am buying now without a doubt. Thank you!
Amateur sharpener here. Really trying to keep kitchen knives sharp and learning from your vids.
I’ve been using a cheap ceramic Mizu Knives 1000/6000 stone and, yes, it’s curved. So, I bought the SATC 400/1000. The only instruction on the box is a tip that says:
“We recommend conditioning your diamond sharpening stones before the first use. Gently rub both sides with a flat steel piece for about 30 seconds, and then clean both surfaces to remove any loose diamonds. After this initial conditioning, your stone will provide a smoother sharpening experience.”
Any thoughts about this? I’m thinking of using the bottom of an old stainless steel bowl.
@outdoors55 The S SATC 400/1000 grit stone is unavailable on Amazon right now. Do you have an alternative in the same price range of comparable quality?
Same question.
Thank you for your video i never thought about knife sharpening until i saw a couple of your vids and im become more and more interested in it as a skill to have thanks to you
This is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you!
You mentioned about using the Kuromaku stones in series and not skipping grits. Can you see a different between the scratch pattern of a 5000 grit after 1000, Vs a 5000 grit after a 2000? Or are you simply referring to the time it takes to refine the pattern up to the 5000 grit? If you can see a difference it would be great if you could let us see your close-ups!
*as a side note, buying a jewellers loupe/magnifying glass was one of the best investments I made when learning to sharpen, I can only imagine how useful your setup is!
I think he means you don't want to start with 220 and jump to 5000. Since the 220 is very coarse, and the 5000 very fine, it's gonna take quite a while for the 5000 to sand down the scratches from the 220. So, therefore it's a wiser investment to go from a 220 to a 1000 to a 3000 to a 5000. Don't think you'll see a difference, just the scratch pattern from the last stone you used.
Just had 0.5 and 0.1 micron paste arrive yesterday, in the process of making 2 better strops than my last strop. your advice and macro lens closeups are amazing, and I also picked up that jewellers' loupe a couple years back too! You're a legend
hearing how important a strop is was the gold i needed from this
Whenever someone asks me about sharpening stones, I will be guiding them to this excellent video. Thanks Alex, now I don't have to explain to unexperienced minds, I just send them to you.
Some good reccomendations. A good strop is absolutely critical to getting a keen edge that lasts.
I don't know if I consider myself a beginner, but I rarely go through each grade of grits/materials on my knives if they are regularly maintained. I am a working Chef, I usually do the extra fine dmt(green), then leather strop(no compound). Some blades I need super fine and biting, some blades I need for chopping(santoku or nakiri). For chopping knives I do a more rounded bevel for the constant hammering. For the rounded bevel I will use a ceramic whetstone to a rough strop(with diamond compound). The metals for most of my chef knives is s35vn and vg10(most japanese companies use a form of vg10 or bd1)
The Glass Stones are being phased out by Shapton because the Japanese consumer believes that the Glass Stone is too thin and poor value. It makes sense because why would you wanna spend the same amount for a Glass Stone that's only 5mm thick vs. the Kuromaku line which comes with 4x the stone as the Glass Stone does? The Kuromaku is a better value in terms of stone x price than the Glass Stones are. Shapton is replacing the Glass Stone with the "Rock Star" line, which are great, hard wearing stones. Most of my stones are Shapton Rock Stars, I have a 320, a 500, a 2000, a 4000, an 8000 and I have a 1000 coming to replace my Suehiro 1K/6K stone. They are hard wearing, splash and go, give great feedback and are 10mm instead of 5mm. They are a better value than the Glass Stone.
How many knives do you need to sharpen to wear out a Shapton glass. I've had mine a couple of years now but there's no discernable wear that I can see.
the whole point of the glass stones is that they are thin and so hard as to not dish or wear out.
@@twatmunro Apparently the binder Shapton uses for the Glass Stones doesn't play well the thinner the stone gets, and results in the stone itself breaking. This is why it's adhered to a glass base and not a standalone stone. I've the same experience with the Rock Stars. I was sharpening a friend's half serrated knife and caught the edge of my Rock Star with one of the teeth. I thought for sure I had gouged it, but once I cleaned it up and let it dry, there was no evidence it ever happened.
Found your channel a week ago, And I have to say I just love your videos man
This recommendation is 100% spot on.
When I got started 2000ish I fooled around with some junk. Eventually got a Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker and that was great (still works today). Never bought in to the Lansky system which a few guys had but they took forever and were fiddly.
By 2005 or 2006 I stepped up and got a 300/1000 diamond stone and suddenly my sharpening time was down to two minutes not twenty. I was using a similar strop on a 1x1 with the green 1micron compound. Eventually I picked up the 1000mesh Shapton glass ceramic and while it's great for the larger blades and high carbon Japanese stuff, I rarely use it anymore. I think the diamond paste is where I need to go next.
Ive had that diamond stone for years. Not the same brand but similar im sure. Definitely the best forst stone
I think the Shapton 1000 (see internet videos showing this) is more like a 800 grit stone which makes it almost a given that you use the 2000 grit stone before moving on to the 5000 .
Depending on what your sharpening 5000 really isn`t needed . I have the 5000 shapton(now broken after it fell to the ground , but still usable . in 2)
I now stop with the 2000 grit Shapton (on kitchen knives)and strop it with diamond paste up to 14K and that works very good ,imo .
Thanks for the video , you do very nice work sharing what you know to the world ...
Your excellent videos are helping me educate myself when it comes to sharpening. My main concern is sharpening my kitchen knives, but I have a question: have you done anything on sharpening kitchen shears and scissors? I couldn't find anything on your website. Thanks.
as others have mentioned, appreciate your help, I'm struggling to hold the angle and did watch your video on locking your wrists, keeping at it
I still remember my first stone, it was a Japanese waterstone from amazon and i never realized that it needs to be reflattened... yea i wasn't exactly the brightest 13 year old
I really enjoy watching your videos very informative. Thank you so much.
Sharpening!!! my dude you are so weird and Im here for it. im glad your back after that long break
Thanks for the great videos! My first sharpening purchase about 5 years ago was a king 1000/4000 whetstone, which is fine, but looking back MAN. I wish I had learned on the S SATC instead. I picked one up recently for 20 bucks after seeing one of your other videos, and the difference in how long it takes to get a good starting edge is insane. To be honest the 1000 side of the king is absolutely terrible compared to both sides of the SATC, constantly went out of being flat, catching the blade on the stone, etc. The 4000 is fine and I will probably still use it as it does put a mirror finish on, but as far as sharpness goes, the diamond stone alone got my knives sharper than the whetstone ever did, and in much less time.
Just picked up the stuff to make a strop too, which unfortunately ran me closer to 40$ on amazon, so I will see how that goes when the stuff gets here. I had been planning on picking up a higher grit glass stone at some point too, but I think I will wait to see how well the strop meets my needs.
Excellent video. Well produced, direct to the point and no adds or promotions of shady companies with crappy products. Thank you for your recommendations! One friendly suggestion: maybe try putting the scale of the amplification when you zoom into the edge of the knives? Not necessary, but I think it'd be a nice touch to make your videos look even more professional.
My question is regarding magnification: what do you recommend to be able to get good look at the edge I just created by sharpening? (I don't need to video it or record it for the future, just to see it; though if video is the best way that's fine too). It could plug into a computer or into an iPhone maybe; or be standalone.
I did watch several of your videos including the ones you referenced in this video. Thanks.
Thanks!
Thanks so much for the support 🙏🙏🙏
You helped me a ton. Love my homemade strop!
Just subscribed! Was going down the rabbit hole for knife sharpening stones and your content was so helpful. Thank you! I know what to buy first :)
Just got myself a cheap 400/1000 Chinese diamond a strop with 6 micron and got a Shapton 1000 and 2000 on the way.Thanks for the great advice.👍