PC wrote: ↑Thu Apr 09, 2020 12:48 pm
I have a couple nice knives that may as well be Walmart knives because I can't keep an edge on them. I've tried a few sharpeners, but have ultimately landed on having the guy at the farmer's market do it in his mobile knife-sharpening-studio. I'd prefer to do it myself, but haven't landed on the best method. What do you all recommend?
You've hit on the best method. Find a reliable pro, have them do it. Learn to use a hone and actually use it, daily.
I have a tri-stone wet stone, a tri-stone dry/oil stone (at my 'rents), a bench grinder and have tried an assortment of knife sharpening sticks, a small flat oil stone and products/gimmicks. Getting a really big, solid stone (keeping it flat) and using it frequently works great, but is expensive, time consuming and high(ish) skill, plus it's super easy to mess your edge up and an expert job to fix it. I use a bench grinder or a small flat stone for "utility" knives, the small flat stone for sharpening broadheads and the wet tri-stone for my nice knives (get them done professional every once in a while).
I don't use my nice knives for everyday crap, instead I use cheapo serrated knives. This really prolongs the edges, but is the kind of ass-backwards "abstinence best birth control" logic. Also, keto helps since cutting big chunks of meat into small ones is not really handicapped by this. If I was cutting tomatoes/bell peppers/taters everyday I'd go back to using the nice knives all the time and touching them up frequently.
Now, if you really want to do a top quality job of this at home and don't want to make knife sharpening a hobby (i.e. put in the practice it takes to get and stay good at it): Get a slack belt sharpener, a strop and use them. Seriously, slack belts (once you get a bit of practice on setting the angle) are almost idiot proof. Use a finer grit than you think you need, go slow and you can't do too much damage. They don't require resurfacing/flattening (like modern compressed grit whetstones), they don't require careful re-shaping to handle curves and (with a fine belt) won't "oopsie" and destroy your edge in half a sec like a bench grinder.
Go through a few Walmart knives for practice first, it takes a bit to get the hang of it.
EDIT: Just kidding, I just saw the rec'd for a Work Sharp and googled it. It's an idiot proof slack belt, get that. It looks amazing. It's a slack belt that sets the angle for you. Seriously, this product looks perfect. I'm also having the vague recollection of having had this discovery before, and having forgot all about it, so bookmarked and sent to wife. Xmas gift for me, my dad and fil.