Best cheap sharpening stone?

[JJEkland]

Hi everyone,

I've just bought a Becker BK2 and am in need of a decent sharpening stone (and some advice on how to sharpen it, as I have no idea what I'm doing) I had a small stone I was using for a mora, but it's far too small for the Becker. Any suggestions? Or is there an easier tool to sharpen without a stone as I'm clueless and leave the country to live in the Swedish woods in 3 weeks haha!

 

[JJEkland]

Also, there is a shop just outside Bristol (where I am) that sharpens Flat grind knives, but it says something about they create a second bevel? Is this a decent option to initially get it hair-shaving sharp?

 

[Samon]

Cheap diamond stones will do fine mate. They may not last quite as long as the DMT brand diamonds but they cost about 4 times less! (I've got 4 year old cheap ones still being used now and then which cost 4 quid for 3)

With a chunky knife like the BK2 you can still use a msall stone, you'll just need to go at a safer pace so you don't lose your finger tips. And regarding sharpening advice, it's all in the angle in which the cutting edge contacts the stone. No mystery about it, but hard to explain so try a few close up videos on youtube for a better understanding.


And what's the shop called? I'm in the Bristol area and can sharpen that knife for you, infact any knife, not just flat grind like those noobs. lol

 

[XRV John]

I bought a 400/1000 grit wet stone from ebay for £18. First attempt to sharpen a new knife from Amazon was not too sharp. Went to the Stead Hall Wood meet at the end of May and watched bigbear show Ferg's daughter how to sharpen. Came home and tried again with my original knife and two more bought from 9InchNinja and after a few hours all three are now very sharp and I'm happy.

What I learned was draw the knife with the bevel as a trailing edge and not to push it as the leading edge and to concentrate on the bevel angle and not push it hard into the stone. Lots of light strokes not heavy pushing ones.

My 2p worth

John

 

[JJEkland]

Cheap diamond stones will do fine mate. They may not last quite as long as the DMT brand diamonds but they cost about 4 times less! (I've got 4 year old cheap ones still being used now and then which cost 4 quid for 3)

With a chunky knife like the BK2 you can still use a msall stone, you'll just need to go at a safer pace so you don't lose your finger tips. And regarding sharpening advice, it's all in the angle in which the cutting edge contacts the stone. No mystery about it, but hard to explain so try a few close up videos on youtube for a better understanding.


And what's the shop called? I'm in the Bristol area and can sharpen that knife for you, infact any knife, not just flat grind like those noobs. lol

By small I mean literally like 2inx1in it's tiny haha! A bigger diamond one may be a good option then, I just need to get the technique down I guess!

The shop's literally called like knife-sharpening Bristol, or something along those lines lol

 

[Samon]

By small I mean literally like 2inx1in it's tiny haha! A bigger diamond one may be a good option then, I just need to get the technique down I guess!

The shop's literally called like knife-sharpening Bristol, or something along those lines lol

I can sharpen them for you if need a good starting edge. I would invite you over and show you how to do it in person but I'm bogged down atm and can't spare my time between family and work.

No idea about that shop, but if they say they can only do one sort of edge sharpening then they sound useless. Maybe go in and have a chat though?

 

[JJEkland]

I can sharpen them for you if need a good starting edge. I would invite you over and show you how to do it in person but I'm bogged down atm and can't spare my time between family and work.

No idea about that shop, but if they say they can only do one sort of edge sharpening then they sound useless. Maybe go in and have a chat though?

Haha no worries buddy, I'm incredibly busy with work at the moment too!

I think I'll pick up a bigger stone and try to get it done, I need to learn at some point I guess! It's not exactly blunt, just not razor sharp! I did manage to get my mora from practically unusable to a pretty decent edge though so I think I'm getting better!

 

[Robson Valley]

If you will have a flat smooth surface on anything in your kit, all you need are 600, 800 and 1500 grit grades of wet&dry automotive finishing sandpaper.
Fold and tear the sheets into 1/2 sized long strips. Two full sheets of each might set you back 5GBP.

Next, you need to nominate some total included bevel angle for the edge. For BC service, I'll suggest something near 25 degrees.
A carpenter's Stanley plane should be 30, Pfeil wood carving gouges are 20, my kitchen bone cleaver is 40.

I use total included bevel angles for my wood carving tools from 12 to 30 degrees. The correct thinking is to
have enough steel behind the edge to support it in service. Which explains in part why razor blades are useless for splitting firewood.

 

[tallywhacker]

I have been using the dc4 recently. I think it is very good for a portable stone, although it won't replace a bench stone for home.

What kind of grind is on that knife?

If a convex bevel i would sharpen it as i would an axe (small circles. See this (13 minutes onwards) for a great example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP-8g_QLBjU

You can also do flat bevels in the same way and get a shaving sharp edge. Or, for flat bevels:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm53mCOQTR8

However with a small stone like the dc4 i find it works better to keep the knife stationary and draw the stone over it in the same manner. I usually use the first method while away from home.

EDIT: the dc4/dc3 might seem pricey, but they are good value and if you compare them to quality bench waterstones they are cheap.

 

[British Red]

I think I'll pick up a bigger stone and try to get it done, I need to learn at some point I guess! It's not exactly blunt, just not razor sharp! I did manage to get my mora from practically unusable to a pretty decent edge though so I think I'm getting better!

Consistency of angle is key to sharpness.

The best cheaper one is a four sided jobsoldfor £9 by B&Q, Also etc. It's about 6" by 3". Add a leather strop and some pink or green buffing compound and you can get a hair popping edge IF you can keep an angle.

If you don't care for all the faff, buy a Lansky sharpening set. A blind idiot can sharpen anything to razor sharp with the cheapest kit. I can freehand sharpen if I need to but a Lansky is quick and easy on my knives.

 

[demographic]

Consistency of angle is key to sharpness.

The best cheaper one is a four sided jobsoldfor £9 by B&Q, Also etc. It's about 6" by 3". Add a leather strop and some pink or green buffing compound and you can get a hair popping edge IF you can keep an angle.

If you don't care for all the faff, buy a Lansky sharpening set. A blind idiot can sharpen anything to razor sharp with the cheapest kit. I can freehand sharpen if I need to but a Lansky is quick and easy on my knives.

£9 from the B&Q gardening department, I have an old one and a new one.
The old one is finer for the last bit of sharpening and the new one better on the low grits.

I have a DMT stone that cost about forty quid and its only got one grit (600) and its not a patch on the four sided thing from B&Q.

Lubricate with water (usually hot water from my flask if I'm at work) and rinse after use then dry it before storage.
DON'T use spit, its mingin and if I ever catch anyone I've lent them to spitting on my sharpening stones they get shouted at and nowt from me again.