Knife Sharpening : Knife Sharpening Angles

[AceMccoy24]

epic side burns dude!.....NICE VID ME OUT ALOT!

[xMrjamjam]

expert village knife sharpening videos suck they dont make the edge hold very long and yes i use high carbon steel

[kongso12]

You cant get precise angles on a stone, buy a lansky sharpener or similar...

[TzunSu]

@kongso12 Your joking right? Pretty much any experienced bladesmith or woodsman will be using benchstones, and they can get those far sharper then a Lansky. The Lansky has some fairly serious faults for when you want it shaving sharp, and the fixed angles are a problem.

Try sharpening a scandinavian ground blade sometime, it acts as its own angle guide.

[KeithWasHere1]

@TzunSu perhaps...but with bench-stones you loose your angle with every stroke so you dont get a uniform edge most of the time, i dont like them..yeah the angle slots on the lanksy has some room for slop,thats why i build my own angle brackets that hold the stone and guide alot more firmly and precisely,and if i want to get really ambitious i will clamp a blank in my friends bridge port and put a verified and dead on ball accurate 60 degree edge the entire length of the blade.

[KeithWasHere1]

ultimately i like what i got and so far have never had a chipped blade and rarely a dull one in the 15 years i have been whittling,and all my blades are shave ready at any time.quality steel and precise tools make all the difference.

[KeithWasHere1]

i have found 2000 grit sand paper makes a scary scary sharp edge..also you might not believe this but i have experiment with paper just plain paper and it produced a wonderfully and scary sharp edge.

[TzunSu]

@KeithWasHere1 2000 grit is still fairly rough, but it will take the hair off your arm. If you want it to cut falling hairs, u should go up to 6-8000.

[sniperpistol50]

if you scrape the metal your "scarring" the metal. thats causeing an ugly look and devalueing it extremly fast

[NYPDCadet]

I'm wondering if you can help me.. I have a SOG flash 1 folding knife for every day carry for cutting boxes, paper and thick strings.. I have a Smith pocket sharpener so I don't really have control over the angles when sharpening my blade.. do you have any suggestions to get my knife super sharp? I'm looking for a sharpness that can shave the hair off my arms. And is it also safe to spray my blade with WD-40 after use?

[usmcmajormichael]

15 degrees on all my knifes swords and axes. if it can't cut the haer off my arm it's

not sharp

[exhaustedSpark]

Thank you for the info. It was very helpfull. And as much as you would like to slap the troll he does get satisfied with your reaction so if i were you i would ignore him. Again thankyou for the vidio on angles.

[gudzeroni]

So to sum up, there are basically 3 categories of knife angles:

For vegetables

for utility

and for people,

amazing ;)

[mandowarrior123]

@gudzeroni im sure they have a sign or a label with much the same written on "this for veg, this for utility, this for flesh" xD

[innocent1252]

@Lonewolf, Thanx. Is that the source of the confusion, everyone? Or do you think he is still wrong?

[Cestdesconneries]

got that from the video :D

[luigi636]

"still razor sharp, but it's just really blunt and really strong" wut?

[Bjo15]

13-25 degrees is the best ... i use 18 degrees

[darknuke96]

20 degrees is the best choice.

[blaszilla]

Why does he call the angles blunt... that's not even close to correct. where are the experts? He doesn't even use honing oil for F&^$ sake!

[innocent1252]

@blaszilla It may not even be an oil stone.

[Spectre426]

expertvillage made a mistake, they let in an actual expert >:oO

[innocent1252]

Does he mean 60 degrees total? What is the relationship between the angle he holds it at and the the angle of the blade?

[TheLoneWolf1124]

@innocent1252 no when talking about knife angles and you say 30 degrees it means 15 degree angle per side to equal 30.

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

30 degrees... per side? Not going to get razor sharp, I can assure you of that.

[SinOfYesterd]

@JesusFuckingChrist84 a 40 degree angle will be alot better for a edc knife, then a 30 degree because the 30 degree will go down, and wear out your knife alot faster then a 45 degree angle, because it has alot thinner steel, makes for very easy wear&tear. But using the 40 degree, you can keep the sharpness for longer because it can withstand the use.

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@SinOfYesterd

It is quite an arbitrary subject my friend.

I sharpen my E.D.C knife to about a total of 20-25, but I convexed the edge and it holds the edge better than it did when the total edge was 40 with a 'V' bevel (CS roach belly).

At the same time, though, it depends on what you want to use the knife for. I want my knife to be capable of doing lots of things, but whittling is important to me, so I typically convex and sharpen at a lower angle because I know it can hold it.

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@SinOfYesterd

However, a 40 degree angle will last long than a 30 degree angle most of the time.

But what isn't discussed is the total edge angle, 30 degrees per side is duller than an axe bevel. 30 total is more like a kitchen knife or thereabouts.

It really depends on what you want to use it for, what kinds of bevels are on the knife, what kind of secondary you want on your knife, etc etc.

(I love knives. ;-D)

[SinOfYesterd]

@JesusFuckingChrist84 My E.D.C (cant remember the name of it, i bought it a LLLLOOONNNGGG time ago, it was my very first knife. I have mine on a 35 angle, so it can be almost razor edge, but still hold it good.

(i also love knifes ;-D)

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@SinOfYesterd

35 total you mean? That is definitely reasonable, happy medium with regards to durability and functionality.

(I love purple heart, which is looking good on knives I am currently working on. Lololol)

[DaemonTFO]

@JesusFuckingChrist84 He's talking about piercing you dickshit. But yeah, sounding pretty stupid when he says sharp and blunt in the same sentence. Why did people thumb this up? Dumb Americans :C

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@DaemonTFO

Lol, gratuitous anger.

A couple of days ago, I sharpened a quarter inch thick tanto to about 10 degrees, and it pierced better than the factory 45 degree angle, so yeah dickshit, anecdotal evidence ftw.

BTW, hating an entire country is retarded, you've conveyed to me your countries' lack of intelligence and insight.

Have a nice day. ;-)

[DaemonTFO]

@JesusFuckingChrist84 ... Right, right. I'm pretty sure the statistics say that americans have low cerberal competence and avarage IQ.

My point was that the tip is stronger and more useful if it's thicker as it's a combat knife, not a cooking knife. Why would you want a razor sharp edge when you'll blunt it quickly in combat? You don't slice it around. You stab and thrust with it. A less thin edge will actually hold out for those tougher blows and be more effective in combat. You are an idiot.

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@DaemonTFO

Lol, it is not my concern if my fellow Americans do not want to educate themselves. Also sir, you are the idiot. I'm not the one who started the ad hominem attacks, so stop being a prick and engage in civil conversation for once in your life.

And, if you were to convex aforementioned edge, it'll be able to take more stress. That quarter inch tanto I was talking about, it is a thick convex due to grind, and sharpened to 10 degrees. More than capable of holding an edge. Douche. ;-)

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@DaemonTFO

Also, a knife is a backup to a backup.

Primary weapon, pistol than your knife.

Why would I sharpen a knife to 60 degrees, or even 50 degrees or lower and harm the versatility of the tool, a soldier uses a knife not as a weapon primarily, so why on earth would I give him a pointy piece of metal instead of something functional. Besides, a knife can be fixed, and will punch through armor if sharpened to a low angle, and quite nicely. Now if you'll excuse me. ;)

[DaemonTFO]

@JesusFuckingChrist84 e,e you type very slowly. No homo.

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@DaemonTFO

How do you expect me to respond? Logical statement is logical?

Ha.

[Werewolf211]

@DaemonTFO To be honest, for stabbing and thrusting, I'd recommend a dagger. Knives are for slicing. Also, even if you have a higher angle, I can assure you that your knife will become blunt after a few stabs through armor. Not that a dagger won't, but it's at least made for stabbing. Knives are not.

[DaemonTFO]

@Werewolf211 Troll?

[Werewolf211]

@DaemonTFO Not more than you. I don't really see why you would think I'm a troll because of that. Daggers are more suited for stabbing while knives are more suited for slicing. I don't know why you would deny that to be honest.

[DaemonTFO]

@Werewolf211 I like to stab with knives :O

[Werewolf211]

@DaemonTFO It's not what you like to do with them that matters. It's what they are suited for. What they are made for. Scimitars aren't made for stabbing. They are meant for slashing. Knives can do both, but does one better than the other. A dagger can do both as well, and pierces better, and is equal when it comes to slashing, however, the knife has one advantage. It doesn't have double edges.

[DaemonTFO]

@Werewolf211 xD You guys still don't get what I'm on about are you? God, you're taking this way too seriously o.e I'm not responding to any more messages... You clearly have... Lets call them unique traits... That make you not get it o.o...

[Werewolf211]

@DaemonTFO No, I really don't get it, and it's not my fault. If someone doesn't understand you, it's you who have the problem. You're like a bad teacher. A bad teacher can only teach the ones who think like them. Let's just say... we don't.

[blowupuate13]

@JesusFuckingChrist84 you dont need a razor sharp knife! you can still shave with 30! i put all of my utility knives at 30 and they are really sharp

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@blowupuate13

Your point? I know that a TOTAL of 30 degrees is absolutely fine and will produce a great edge, 30 PER SIDE will result in a 60 degree edge. For most utility knives in my opinion, too dull. I use my knives for everything, so a sharper knife is better for me. My swiss army knife is at 40 and I cut myself open real good with that yesterday and didn't feel it, still shaves hair, but 60 total is too abrupt, IMO.

For MY usage, sharper is better. ^_^

[blowupuate13]

@JesusFuckingChrist84 yeah but 30 will hold the edge better! that is why i use... and lol a pocket knife at 40!?!? you must never have to sharpen that pocket knife... i think that victorinox is a little dumb for putting 15 degree blade on their knives... i want my pocket knives to be durable but sharp so i use 30 on mine. 15 is way to sharp for a pocket knife but you can always take off the factory edge! in the end it is up to the knife's owner and his preference!

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@blowupuate13

I am now deeply confused as to what you are saying.

I have a 40 degree edge *Total* on my Victorinox, 20 each side. now 30 per side equaling 60 would be awful for my ideal knife, even combat knives aren't sharpened to that low of an angle generally, because they won't be as versatile.

Also, victorinox putting 15 degree edges on their knives, total or per side? I assume you mean per side, which would equal 30, which is more than reasonable.

[blowupuate13]

@JesusFuckingChrist84 i am saying per side and you are saying total... i have a 60 degree TOTAL (30 degree per side) on my pocket knife

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@blowupuate13

I know someone that shaves with a straight razor at 60 degrees. So it isn't hard to believe that you'd get a shaving edge, not razor sharp on a knife necessarily, but still.

If the knife is sharpened at 30 per side, the lowest it can bite into a material you are cutting is 30 degrees. I sharpen lower for versatility (Like whittling tasks and alike).

[JSSV]

@JesusFuckingChrist84 You think so? I work in precision engineering and I can shave hairs off my arms with a piece of steel I've machined myself with a 90 degree edge... Honestly

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@JSSV

Hair shaving and razor sharp are two very different things. Please don't convey yourself as a rude douchebag. :P

Also that really says nothing, you don't bother mentioning the grind. I can shave hair off my arms with knives I've taken a file to, doesn't really mean much to me. Anecdotal evidence has told me as much, want to argue or provide proof be my guest, just for the love of god be civil, I'm sick of dealing with all these knife nazis.

:D

[JSSV]

@JesusFuckingChrist84 What? lol I wasn't being rude... ffs.

what exactly does razor sharp mean to you then?

When I said I can machine something at 90degrees & shave hair, I'm not talking about taking an angle grinder to some mild steel & it takes hair off...

I'm talking about machining 2 sides of a piece of material with line spacing of less than .5 micron which leaves 2 perfectly mirror flat edges, when these edges meet at 90 degrees it leave an edge that shaves, beautifully

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@JSSV

I've personally never seen anything like that before, honestly. I've had blades where the edges met up to 45 degrees that didn't get that sharp, it must truly be precision grinding as you say for that to be the case. Razor sharp to me is the ability to lather up your face and literally shave with the blade, I have several that I've sharpened to the point where I can accomplish this, whereas some just shave hair from my arm.

I'm incredulous TBH, I'd like to see that out of curiosity..

[johnwoodz1220]

@JesusFuckingChrist84 No he means overall angles don't he? Like 15 per side=30 degree edge. I hope so lol

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@johnwoodz1220

Not so sure, britches be crazy. :P

[AnomalyTea]

30 degrees per side is plenty sharp, I can assure you of that. I can also assure you that you need to pick the right angle for the application. Don't even try sharpening an axe at 17.5 degrees... it'll lose that edge in a single swing.

Basically you can choose either to have a shaving-sharp knife, or a knife that lasts more than 3 cuts before getting dull, not both... unless you carry 2 knives. (extreme example, but you get my point)

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@AnomalyTea

Yes it is an extreme example, I also liked the part where it isn't true. :P

Not the 30 degrees per side bit, I will say you can get very low angled axes that will cut all day because of geometry, and I carry a spyderco persistence that currently has total of maybe a 9 or 10 degree convex bevel, it was too delicate and rolled ever so slightly, so I added a microbevel at a higher angle, the thing cuts all day and cuts because the geometry is good, far longer than before.

[AnomalyTea]

@JesusFuckingChrist84 Everything I said is 100% true. You certainly can get somewhat durable, low-angle, sharp knives. However, a higher angle will ALWAYS be more durable, and just as usable. In any situation, I would RELY on my 25 degree pocketknife over your knife in a heartbeat (RELIABILITY of a knife is significant, otherwise why carry one?). The difference in sharpness is negligible. The difference in durability is significant.

I would not RELY on an axe ground lower than 30 degrees.

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@AnomalyTea

My apologies if you've already received a response, youtubes new setup is quite wacky to say the least.

At any rate, I'd say you are being quite presumptuous. Without knowing grind, steel or heat treat, you cannot (Nor can I) that your knife is any better than mine at the angle at which yours is sharpened, and despite this, what works for me may not work for you, but do not be a rude prick and say "Oh mine is WAY better than yours." Especially when I RELY on them, lol

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

@AnomalyTea

At any rate, it is all a matter of opinion. I had an axe that was sharpened to 20 degrees that went through a freakin' brick with just a little roll. Whereas I've seen knives at 40 chip the hell out.

Geomtry and metal make a huge difference, and admittedly while my 10 degree knife has rolled before, I simply make the blended third bevel more abrupt. (FFG, then rounded shoulder, then bevel blended into that, 3 bevels essentially, still shaves)

Quite durable.

[moner02]

hi! how to sharpen a knife with toothsaw edge? it's bothering me..

[Bless1995]

@moner02 thats a serrated edge. Serrations take a long time to sharpen and require a crapload of precision take it to a pro

[bryan51672]

@moner02 Depends on the teeth. if it's a hunting knife, they sell a rounded diamond stone at walmart in the fishing supplies for serrated blades and hooks. If it's a kitchen knife with the fine, fine serrations, well it's crap and there cheap. Buy a new one.

[Drownedinblood]

Ok I've been sharpening at about roughly a 20 degree angle but I can't seem to get my knife nearly sharp enough to really be useful it "hiccups" and leaves bad cuts even in very soft material like paper.I've tried for hours on end and this is the best I can do so far I have no idea what I'm doing wrong or if it could be the stone I'm sharpening on itself.Can anyone help?

[n1ck3o7]

@Drownedinblood hey, one problem you may be having is the stone. you are most likely to have a heavy grit stone like the guy in the video. if it is relatively low grit (800 - 1200) then the edge profile can be fine but the edge will not be fine enough. if you don't have access to other stones, go to a hardware store and get some high quality sandpaper; look for the stuff that claims to be super high grit.

[Drownedinblood]

@n1ck3o7 Thanks for the advice I'll try it asap.If I still can't get it right I guess I'll go buy one of the hand-held preset sharpeners like smith's pp1.

[n1ck3o7]

@Drownedinblood (see previoius comment) try putting some of the paper on your sharpening stone and strop the the blade on it rather than slicing as slicing will cut up the paper. the edge of the blade should look smoother but probably not mirror finished as that requires specialist gear. but using sandpaper has worked for me up until now!

hope this all helps!

nick

[bryan51672]

@Drownedinblood if you use a fine stone and can't get it to shave hair either your pressing down to hard when you sharpen it or it's not a good blade. The cheaper knives use really bad blade metal. When your almost done sharpening you should not be putting pressure on the blade as you swipe the stone.

[laVenditore]

pls pm me i have an important question

thxx

[mauiboynokaoi]

@changoskillz 666 degrees of course.

[btekvtec]

awesome video, i have a bad habit im trying to break of scratching the sides of the blade. ive been using a sharpening rod and it has been working out well so far. i havent used any leather yet but i just learned a ton!

[wazrasta]

is there a video out there that shows you sharpening from start to finish? there seems to be a lot of tips and misconception video's but none that show you all the steps?

[hashsmoker123]

so,i recently bought a combat knife and i was trying to sharpen it to the point you could shave your face with it.

but i dont really understand how to sharpen it.i,ve herd of meny ways to sharpen a combat knife.

Front Back seems im just ruining a good  knife on one siedthe blade appers to be longer dose this mean you only sharpen one sied?

[barnabasdb]

You need to do both sides equally. To shave, use a knife that's already sharp or if dull, "set" the edge with a coarse stone 300mesh. You know it's right when you can feel a burr or when a super thin edge of material folds over the top. Then you hone it with medium 600mesh and fine 800+mesh until the burr goes away. Stropping or using leather like old school barbers gives you a final sharp and smoother finish so you don't nick yourself

[hashsmoker123]

well i dont have more then one stone and the stone you see in this video that stone looks 100 times bigger then mine,mine is about the size of my/your thumb.

it seems that sharpening it toward the blade is best but i didnt know how to do it when i started with it,no its kinda rounded still sharpe but i didnt do each side equally is it possible to fix if so please explain.

[wolpack1116]

Get a cheap coarse/fine combo benchstone. These stones are ~$5 and don't cut too fast, but they work. Raise one end of a 6" long stone 2" off the table, then hold your knife parallel to the table and make 20 passes on each side. Repeat 'til you feel a wire edge opposite the side you just sharpened, switch to the fine side, raise the angle a little, and alternate single strokes. This cuts off the wire edge and leaves a sharp edge. Feel for the wire by stropping on cloth and look for fuzz.

[iwillstealurpoop]

NOW THAT'S COOL

[CallMeAndyx3]

OHHH YOU PUSH FOWARD WHEN U SHARPEN AND PUSH THE SHARP END OF THE KNIFE FORWARD THOUGHT WE PUL IT BACKWARDS :P hehe :D ^ ^

[guilio14]

you know you job dont you and thanks for the post it has helped but wanted to ask you about knife sharpeners as in the ones with the 2 tungsten edges going out and the blade fitting between are them ones any good to bye.. you see them in the comercial world alot.

[kgmachine]

hi mate i have the accusharp knife and tool sharpener think this may be the one ur thinking about ... worth the money if u cant be stuffed guessing angles

[blackman12379]

wat about rubbing the shoulder bak cause i have been in the meat industy 4 almost 20 yrs n u sharping meat knifes on a 25-30 degree angles

[SPARTAN1014299]

i dont speak english

estas afilando al reves asi en lugar de afilarlo

le estas quitando el filo

el filo es sienpre a favor y no en contra como

le estas haciendo

sorry carnal es la neta

[LGENER]

Great vid.  Easy to understand and to the point. 5 Stars. Thanks for posting

[TheSableSword]

where did you get that sharpening stone?

[PBfreak808]

hardware store

[blackquiver]

good to know

[Lillredneck]

Idiot

[nijpis666]

:o i love tht guys side burns

[888Jman888]

wow ur said niijp u must think ur pretty funny for making an off topic statement, just shows what a failure u are at life, stupid american

[nijpis666]

im english?

[squeakbrat]

What do you all think in regards to angles for garden tools (ie, pruners and grass clippers)....I'm guessing something not too blunt angled?

[23rakshasa23]

Most scissors/clippers/shears are chisel ground, meaning only one side of each blade is sharpened, and the other side left flat. My guess is the chisel grind is at about 30-40 degrees.

[boonie1994]

im confused. is the standard angle on most benchmades and spyderco knives 30 or 40 degree angles?

[drumz4lifekse]

im pretty sure thats its anywhere from 20-25. It all depends on the type of knife that you have.

[1013637]

they come from the factory at 30

[drumz4lifekse]

my benchmade has a 25 and my uncles spyderco has a 25 too.

these are hunting knives tho, i know that their tactical and survival knives have a 30.

[23rakshasa23]

benchmades are between 50-60 degree inclusive angles, meaning that each side is between 25-30. I don't own a spyderco so I can't talk to that much.

[consistentbass]

I loved the insight on the angles.

I just hadn't paid attention to it lately

I sharppen my combat knife to 20 degrees but then again I seldom use it.

The toughest cutting job I gave it was to open some tin cans during a camping trip. Aparently we all forgot a can opener but no way we leave the knives at home.

hehe

[wolpack1116]

Norton makes some of the best stones available for those who prefer stones to other methods. I've seen kitchen knives sharpened as low as 2-5 degrees per side, and I've sharpened some knives at 12 degrees per side. Good blade steels allow a thinner edge with no loss of strength. If you can find it, try some M2 High Speed Steel at about 15 degrees per side. Its as hard or harder than a file and mine survive a 6 ft drop tip first to concrete without breaking the tip. Great stuff for knives.

[RoC1909]

You are correct. I have heard that Norton stones are the best around! Too bad I absolutely suck at blade sharpening!

[wolpack1116]

Just email me if you have any questions or need some pointers. Heaven knows I was helped by plenty of people much better than me.

[RoC1909]

Thanks Wolpack. I appreciate the offer. I am going to head to Home Depot tomorrow and grab a stone and some oil and give it a try on one of my old knives. If I come across a "road block", i'll hit you up.

[20tom09gt]

wat angle would i sharpen my hunting knife and my bushcraft knife

[wolpack1116]

I'd have to know what you use them for in terms of specific tasks. Do you split/cut bones like the sternum with your hunting knife? Do you baton your bushcraft knife through tough cuts by hammering on the spine with a log or hammer or rock? Also, what kind of steel are the knives made from? Do you have any idea what hardness they are? Without this info, I'd say some where between 20 and 25 degrees per side, 40 to 50 degrees total.

[CantTakeMeHome]

i like about 23 to 25 degrees because I don'e ever baton a knife. ever.

[Cestdesconneries]

@20tom09gt  My guess would be somewhere between a 17 degree angle, and a 30 degree angle. More then Thirty and you're really not doing any good. :D

[1840218403]

@20tom09gt what i do is put the blade facing toward me then i tilt the blade untill i cant see under the edege then slide the blade torward me slowly.

[XxXAllhopeisgone]

@20tom09gt like a 25 degrees angle.

[youthecat]

@20tom09gt

You wouldn't. You'd eat vegetarian.

[megalizardfreak]

@20tom09gt i say a 25 or 30