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Blade sharpening...WOW

He's absolutely correct about the burr. I use multiple stones down to 4000 grit, strop with ruby, leather, and finish on linen paper or my arm if feeling steady enough. Keeping the angle true is important but I never drag the edge back across the stones. It takes a lot of practice but I use one hand and flip the blade at the end of the pass and return the other side in the reverse direction. Works well for me as I never have to resharpen for one deer using the same blade to debone, and process. I do use a separate knife to gut and skin. Broadheads same.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
I was browsing around YouTube the other day and I came upon this guy's channel.
The 1st video that I watched was on strops. I learned a lot and I decided I needed to watch a few more of his videos. Very educational.
The high magnification he uses showed me that I only thought I knew what a burr was. But if you view it down to the microscopic level I realized that I haven't really been forming and completely removing the burr...I just thought I was.
I also learned that if the microscopic burr remains, then it's that which allows an edge to dull so quickly. We have some higher end kitchen knives and I can get (what I thought) was a very sharp edge on them. But the edges just never hold up. No matter how carefully we baby those knives, the hair popping edge just won't last. I now realize that it's because I left a microscopic burr and it's actually the burr that rolls so quickly during use making the edge dull.
Click to expand...

His video popped in my feed the other day as well. I've watched it twice. And another 10 of his videos, and then spent some money on Amazon :)
I was always aware of the burr, but never realized that when I sharpened both sides and thought I'd removed the burr, I really hadn't.
Looks like I better find a few movies to watch when the stones and strop come in - I see several nights of sharpening everything I own in my future!
 
BackSpasm said:
I also went down a rabit hole here.... very interesting info for sure. I feel like I'm always chasing a better sharpening method
Click to expand...
I think the more educated you are about something, the less of a rabbit hole it becomes. A little bit of knowledge is what gets me in trouble. It's just enough to have me confused and scattered on which direction to take. Then when something doesn't work as I hoped, I go off on bunny trails only to find out later that I was on the right track but I neglected a detail.
Seeing the high magnification of burrs/no burr, is confirming to me that I wasn't truly removing the burr and it's that remaining burr that rolls so easily which makes an edge less durable and dull so quickly.

One issue that I probably have is poor eyesight when I hone. My reading glasses are okay for reading but they just don't get it for seeing ultra fine detail like a micro burr. I wonder if one of those magnifiers that a jeweler uses would be helpful to scrutinize a burr?
 
Allegheny Tom said:
I think the more educated you are about something, the less of a rabbit hole it becomes. A little bit of knowledge is what gets me in trouble. It's just enough to have me confused and scattered on which direction to take. Then when something doesn't work as I hoped, I go off on bunny trails only to find out later that I was on the right track but I neglected a detail.
Seeing the high magnification of burrs/no burr, is confirming to me that I wasn't truly removing the burr and it's that remaining burr that rolls so easily which makes an edge less durable and dull so quickly.

One issue that I probably have is poor eyesight when I hone. My reading glasses are okay for reading but they just don't get it for seeing ultra fine detail like a micro burr. I wonder if one of those magnifiers that a jeweler uses would be helpful to scrutinize a burr?
Click to expand...

 
I did try looking at a knife edge with my phone camera...old Samsung with 8x maximum. Seemed like it's better than a plain magnifying glass but the camera had difficulty focusing.
 
I've used his methods for some time and it seems after cutting up a critter my knife is just as sharp as @ the start. I did get a Victorinox Boning blade and it stays scary sharp. I like a really small blade for in the field but that thin blade on the boning knife is like using a razor.
 

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You dont need a fancy scope to see a burr. A simple light is all you need to see the burr. You can just hold the edge under a light and rotate the edge, if theres a burr on the side of the edge your looking at, any chipping, it will show up under the light. Most times you can just feel that burr. A finger nail is all you need to feel the tiniest of burrs.

Slice testing will let you know how sharp the knife is, heres a great video on that....

Skip to the 2:30


When your knife tears the paper instead of cutting it, you have a burr.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
I think the more educated you are about something, the less of a rabbit hole it becomes. A little bit of knowledge is what gets me in trouble. It's just enough to have me confused and scattered on which direction to take. Then when something doesn't work as I hoped, I go off on bunny trails only to find out later that I was on the right track but I neglected a detail.
Seeing the high magnification of burrs/no burr, is confirming to me that I wasn't truly removing the burr and it's that remaining burr that rolls so easily which makes an edge less durable and dull so quickly.

One issue that I probably have is poor eyesight when I hone. My reading glasses are okay for reading but they just don't get it for seeing ultra fine detail like a micro burr. I wonder if one of those magnifiers that a jeweler uses would be helpful to scrutinize a burr?
Click to expand...
Time to buy a legit microscope!
 
SNIPERBBB said:
You dont need a fancy scope to see a burr. A simple light is all you need to see the burr. You can just hold the edge under a light and rotate the edge, if theres a burr on the side of the edge your looking at, any chipping, it will show up under the light. Most times you can just feel that burr. A finger nail is all you need to feel the tiniest of burrs.

Slice testing will let you know how sharp the knife is, heres a great video on that....

Skip to the 2:30


When your knife tears the paper instead of cutting it, you have a burr.
Click to expand...
I realize that. Adequate light is critical. I normally try to sharpen in direct sunlight. The old time farmer next door taught me a lot about how to "look" an an edge. But my eyes just aren't what they used to be. 30 years ago I could see the tiniest detail. but not anymore. I usually do the sharpie trick and sometimes I have trouble seeing if I'm matching to previous bevel.
I have other uses for a jewelers loupe. They cost about $10-$12.
 
Should still be able to feel the burr or test for it. I have some really hard knives that refuse to give up their burrs unless I take it to The Machine.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
One issue that I probably have is poor eyesight when I hone. My reading glasses are okay for reading but they just don't get it for seeing ultra fine detail like a micro burr. I wonder if one of those magnifiers that a jeweler uses would be helpful to scrutinize a burr?
Click to expand...

I added one to the order when I ordered a diamond sharpener he recommended. I'm getting 2 of the jeweler's magnifiers (30X, 60X, 90X on each) - they were only $10 (I think it was $8 for only 1, and it allows my kids to lose one and I still have one hidden) and I am curious to see the burr and scratches at certain points in the sharpening I plan on doing. I've spent $10 on stupider stuff :)
 
SNIPERBBB said:
Should still be able to feel the burr or test for it. I have some really hard knives that refuse to give up their burrs unless I take it to The Machine.
Click to expand...
In the stopping video, Alex addresses that at some point the burr might be hard to detect. But he shows it under high magnification and yes indeed there's still a micro burr.

I'll admit that for most of my knife applications, I really don't need to go to these levels. But then again, when I see Alex demonstrate the durability of the edge when the burr is truly removed, I can see the reasons for taking this to the next level.
I can put a pretty good edge (or what I THINK is good) on our kitchen knives but they just don't hold up well. I assumed it was from knife abuse that my wife tends to do. In hind sight, I now believe it's that I'm not completely removing the burr. A burr is weak, and it rolls quickly and the edge is gone.
If I'm going to take the time to sharpen knives, then I may as well make the most durable edge that I can.
And that mindset is obvious when we talk about broad heads. I insist on the sharpest, most durable edge possible.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
I realize that. Adequate light is critical. I normally try to sharpen in direct sunlight. The old time farmer next door taught me a lot about how to "look" an an edge. But my eyes just aren't what they used to be. 30 years ago I could see the tiniest detail. but not anymore. I usually do the sharpie trick and sometimes I have trouble seeing if I'm matching to previous bevel.
I have other uses for a jewelers loupe. They cost about $10-$12.
Click to expand...

I’d have to check when I get home but I think my hand lenses are 10 or 15x. I used them constantly for looking at insects (plant pests) and they worked great. May not need to go to a super high magnification but they aren’t expensive to get a couple different ones.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
In the stopping video, Alex addresses that at some point the burr might be hard to detect. But he shows it under high magnification and yes indeed there's still a micro burr.

I'll admit that for most of my knife applications, I really don't need to go to these levels. But then again, when I see Alex demonstrate the durability of the edge when the burr is truly removed, I can see the reasons for taking this to the next level.
I can put a pretty good edge (or what I THINK is good) on our kitchen knives but they just don't hold up well. I assumed it was from knife abuse that my wife tends to do. In hind sight, I now believe it's that I'm not completely removing the burr. A burr is weak, and it rolls quickly and the edge is gone.
If I'm going to take the time to sharpen knives, then I may as well make the most durable edge that I can.
And that mindset is obvious when we talk about broad heads. I insist on the sharpest, most durable edge possible.
Click to expand...

Yea this makes a lot of sense after watching the videos, blew my mind that hair popping sharp could just be the burr cutting and not the actual apex. Fits a lot of my experience honestly. Also his explanation of the gouge direction from pull through sharpeners using a sliced 2x4 blew my mind
 
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Why wait till summer. Lets get started
 
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