Another Sharpening Question

[Chambers]

Sorry, I know there are loads of threads about sharpening and I have read alot both here and over at BB and have also watched alot of videos but still am unsure. I have a stone like this (stone only not the kit)

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.j...refview=search&ts=1264973726215&isSearch=true

and also small diamond sharpeners (2 grades med and fine) I am just wondering how to sharpen my knives effectivly. Do I need to lube the stone at all, should I draw the knife towards me or away, is it better to work in full length strokes or little circles (like scouts taught me)

Any help would be great

 

[Shewie]

The stone in the link is an oil stone so definitely needs lubricating. The oil stones I've got though are too coarse for knife work, mine are really ancient though and get used for chisels etc. I would think you'd be better off with waterstones.
Do you know what the grit rating is on your stone ?

You need to push the blade away from you, good vid here .....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We1-CDNaSFs

 

[Chambers]

No idea of the grit of it, I will splash out on some water stones, is probably why I am not getting decent results

 

[John Fenna]

My prefered kit is an Aldi 4 sided diamond block (£5?) for getting big dings out and serious "this knife wont cut butter" sharpening and some Pound Shop "Wet and Dry" paper, stuck onto off cuts of old foam camping mats for "agressive" stropping followed by "off cut of leather stuck onto off-cut of plank" with jewelers Rouge (part of a £1 shop Dremel clone accessory pack) on one side.
I use the diamonds dry, and clean them with a pencil eraser, with a push stroke (keeping to the original grind angle) but the wet and dry lubed with water and with a pull stroke, again keeping to the original grind...the "give" of the mat gives a bit of a convex to the edge for strength. The leather stropping, first with the rouged side then with plain leather, just fine polishes the very edge.
In the field I now use a cunning little tool from Scandinavia which combines a smoothe "steel" with course and fine diamond hones....but I have rarely found real need to use it as the edge I get from my home kit will stay sharp for about a week of hard use (combined with a little stropping on my belt now and then).
My diamond block rarely sees much use as the Wet and Dry usually does all that is needed even after a weeks worth of knife usage....
If you do more sharpening with "agressive" stones than is realy needed to dress a blade, all you are doing is shortening the knifes useful life!
Don't get me started on carbide "drag thru" sharpeners.....

 

[Wallenstein]

My prefered kit is an Aldi 4 sided diamond block (£5?) .

These are on special at the moment - £7.99 according to their website.

 

[Melonfish]

i was about to say, saw those aldi sharpening blocks in yesterday, well worth the money gonna pop back and get me one!

 

[demographic]

These are on special at the moment - £7.99 according to their website.

B&Q sell them in the garden department also, I use one for sharpening my plane irons and chisels.
Worth every penny I spent on it and IIRC it was just shy of eight quid when I got mine.

 

[John Fenna]

I have had mine quite a long time...must get another...

 

[ickyan]

some Pound Shop "Wet and Dry" paper with jewelers Rouge (part of a £1 shop Dremel clone accessory pack)

What!

which pound shops this?

I have been looking for cheat silicon carbide paper, on axminster its about 10 quid delivery and in B&Q it cost about 10 quit for three sheets or really coarse stuff.

I am also looking for a polishing compound which doesn't stink of solvents.

They sell oil stones, messtins, enamel bowls and mugs in Poundland though. (last time i checked)