Sharpening Knives

This is an amazingly complex subject, with all manner of lore, not to mention gadgets you can buy. You can sharpen free hand, but most people are best served with some kind of jig to maintain a constant angle. There seem to be 3 levels of skill in knife sharpening:

• People who grind away with some stone and who don't really have a clue.
• People who use a guided system.
• Artists who sharpen freehand with a series of special stones.

I also now have a KME guided sharpener and am enjoying learning how to use it.

The above is an SEM image of a Spyderco factory edge on K390 steel taken by Todd Simpson from "Science of Sharp".

• Fundamental information
• Equipment for freehand sharpening
• Guided systems (KME, edge pro, etc.

• The KME sharpener (I bought one)

• Spyderco Sharpmaker
• Spyderco Goldenstone
• Spyderco Doublestuff

• Gritomatic - laser goniometer
• Oil and knife maintenance