I want to use my knife but it has to be sharp

and the last time I was any good at it was in the 60-70's. Do I just get the edgepro and go from there? I have searched a little, but would like a compromise between hand and stone and hand with power tool. Seems like it's an angle thing..I hope you know what I mean, and I hope i'm not a freshman in a nine year course lol. Thanks. For those following, I chose my Buxton fighter to be my meat cuttin, knife fondling, throwing companion. It needs to be sharp!

Hi,
What kind of sharp? Razor sharp? Good sharp? All knives do not need the same edge.
I mean, a model 23 is razor sharp as soon as u get it but u don't need such an edge on a 18.
Is it stainless or O1?
About "throwing" a Buxton fighter, I will think twice (to be honest I will always think twice about throwing any randall, model 9 exepted).
A good edge that last long is better than a razor sharp that will u loos quick. On stainless, I prefer diamond sharpeners.
Have u thought about ending the sharping with a leather belt? Personnaly, I will say that the most difficult to do is to keep the same angle on all the edge and on both sides.
What kind of stone/sharpener do u use?

For my O1 Model 5, I use a Spyderco Sharpmaker which keeps the edge at the correct angle on both sides. It will take the edge from sharp to razor sharp depending on your preference.

I second not throwing your Buxton.

I can sharpen a knife no probs. With that being said it is like a punishment to do perfectly so I use a strop block with white and green compound to get it razor sharp and then strop it regularly to avoid sharpening stones.

I agree with Kirko bought a Stropman a few years ago and hardly ever use a stone anymore!

Tom Flynn

I have used the Ken Onion work sharp for years. Angle adjust from 0 to 30 degrees. I use the 6000 grit on 22 1/2 degree for the Randall.

I was crap at sharpening to start with, I could get a knife sharp but it was ugly and as uneven as all hell, went to a lansky and it got better but still a tad wobbly then the spyderco sharpmaker, works ok but still easy to make mistakes, and that one mistake leaves a big ugly scratch in your blade, then tried Japanese water stones, found these are good for a scandi edge (and chisels) but not for a hollow ground blade, tried a scary sharp and this works well but it’s a tad toothy, which some people like.
Finally I bought a wicked edge, I go from 200 grit diamond to 60000 grit diamond, slowly working through the different grits. When I finish I have a mirror edge, that literally splits hairs.
Once there I try to maintain it by stropping.
I find the guided system best for me, I wobble too much without it, I know some guys claim they can do it freehand, but I can’t.
Since getting this system I now charge to sharpen knives.
All depends on what you want and how much effort you want to put into it.

Thanks Shelley. I know I'm a noob but to answer Lytridis's questions I'd have to dig deep. I was thinking all knives needed to be hair splitting sharp! For the price of a couple of knives I might just go with the edge pro (their video was pretty good) and sharpen every piece of steel I can. Honestly, it's either learn that or learn doing something with an old Toyota sewing machine as I head towards the sixties..! Thanks all for your input.

No, not all knives have to be "hair splitting sharp" (love the image ) It depend of what u are going to do with. And razor sharp will not stay long! To be honest, even when I was using a straight razor for shaving it wasn't rare that I have to re-sharp it in the middle of the work. I will say it depend of the precision needed. If the blade is to be used to prepare meat, game, skinning, Ok. If the blade is to be used for hard task like a machete or a hatchet: NO. It can even be very dangerous. To give u an idea, I have a billhook that I have never sharpen and that I use a lot in the garden or with the wood. It works perfectly. The best test for a correct edge is (for me) the paper page cutting test. If The blade cut 2 or 3 pages without problem, it's excellent. To reach such an edge, I look at the steel. If it is stainless, I use a diamond sharpener ( DMT ). If it is O1 or high carbon, I like the white arkansas water stone. In the field, I use a small xtra fine diamond sharpener. The secret is: Always the same angle and slowly done. The capt is using a pencil sharpener on the stanaback special, I have never used but if the capt is using it, I'm sure it is an excellent way.
Regards

Jed, I have had both and Edge Pro and a Wicked Edge system. Like Shelly, I sucked at sharpening knives......

The Wicked Edge is a much better system. Bullet and fool proof. Google it.

Mitchell,
Went to both sites....very nice!!!
I don't sharpen my Randalls....as said " A man needs to know his limitations"
I'm with you....the Wicked Edge does appear to be easier...looks like I'll be having to save up for one of those....some of the models can get pricy!!!
:-)Rocky

It is expensive Rocky, but for me, worth it. I use it on my EDC folders and my Japanese kitchen knives. They require very fine angles some below 15 degrees which makes the precision control even more important.

I know there are guys that can free hand it, but I'm not one of them.

I have used my "EZE-Lap" (Diamond) sharpener many times in the field. "In the field" is the key note! I am of firm belief that diamond steels & diamond stones, etc. seriously "shorten" a knife's lifespan!
Honing oil and large sharpening stones, in various textures (from more coarse to finer) is the best way to sharpen knives! I use a large Norton tri-honing system, the same as the Randall shop. I am good at it and wind up sharpening many club members knives at my hunting camp.
When I ran the boats, I sharpened all of our filet knives, while my mates did all the "blood work"! We used a lot of different types of knives for those tasks. Forschner "re-grinds", along with Dexter kitchen knives were the vast majority used when we had a lot of fish to clean.
The last paragraph was geared much more towards saltwater fish than freshwater. I skin freshwater panfish and bass, etc. with an electric knife. Afterwards I de-head and remove the ribs with a Randall Model #10-5".
If you are not proficient with sharpening stones, the very best I have found (for ease of use and less blade loss) is a "Spyderco" triangle sharpening system. Consisting of white and grey ceramic sticks, triangular-shaped, this system allows you to sharpen all types of knives, including serrated edges at a variety of angles with perfect results! A phenolic block serves as the base for inserting the sticks. It also works for laying one of the sticks, flat on it's base and sharpening in a more traditional manner.
The whole outfit is under a hundred bucks and travels well, being minimal at space-taking. I have toyed with the idea of carrying sharpening equipment to my trade shows for sale on my tables and may still..."BUT"...folks want me to teach them how to sharpen knives and, as several forum members here can attest,I just don't have the time!!
One more quick word about diamond sharpeners. They do a really quick job of sharpening. This is true..."BUT"...(Ok: That's enough "buts" for one post)...they really don't "sharpen" in the true sense of the word. They "remove blade steel"! I don't mean in a tiny, small fashion...I mean a lot of blade steel! This reduces your overall size of your blade. A sharpening "stone" sharpens your knife, more by "re-shaping" your edge, salvaging more of your blade.
Of course: This is just my opinion and observation but it comes from over 50 years of hunting and fishing experience...for what it's worth.
Stay sharp, Capt. Chris

definitely... absolutely.... does NOT have the time. Especially at shows!

I think it would be like teaching someone to dance...too many moves....grind angles...to darn too much of everything....my dad could sharpen, however it did not wear off on me!!
A couple of his I rescued from the Florida house after it was sold.
not Randall's....and don't necessarily belong here....
:-)Rocky

Amongst the re-grinds we used, Chicago Cutlery was in there! You should try the Spyderco system, Rocky! It works!
Best, Capt. Chris

Unfortunately Rocky, there doesn't seem to be any genetic direct connection, although the skill/gift will skip generations. Every one of my good male friend's wives bring their kitchen knives to me to sharpen, and I will every now and then have a gathering and announce knife sharpening allowed......keeps more top-shelf in my home than could ever be used.
Chicago Cutlery has been one of a few favorites going back 3 generations in my home.....both sides.

Capt...
This is crazy, but he had a Spyderco in his stuff, along with several others....I have it, but I'm not sure its complete...I'll have to dig through some stuff...
I will sharpen for liquor....not a bad idea!!

:-)

Rocky
Please sharpen first, liquor after the knives have put up. Safety first.

Dennis

Capt

I totally agree with you with the much steel removal with the diamond sharpeners. And also it can quick damage/scratch the blade. This is also the reason (when it is possible) I always buy O1, so I can use my Arkansas water stone. I too scared to damage my Randall. I have tried my stone on some steel as the 154CM or the ATS 34, and I must say it was very hard and long to achieve the edge I wanted. How does the large Norton tri-honing system work on the Randall stainless steel? Is it +/- easy? Is it better than when it is used with water ?

Honing oil works better then H2O most of the time. Stainless sharpens quite well on the big stones..."BUT"...(I feel better now)...any stainless blade (with Rockwell above 56-57+) sharpens easily..."IF"...you don't let it get dull!
I "touch" my blades up, "during" their use, allowing for a quick sharpening job. If you get a Rockwell-60 dull and rounded, you're in for some work, no doubt. That is "always" the case!
When I am cleaning, gutting, skinning (fill in the blacks) I touch my knives up several times during the process. A good rule I use is: Every time I have to wash the blade (& my hands, etc.) during the task...I hit the blade 3 or 4 times on The Spyderco!
Works for me...Hope this helps,
Capt. Chris

I've seen him do it this way and can attest to it being a "best" practice for sure. Just made the job a lot easier, start to finis.

Gotta' agree with you Cap, in many areas. A couple of drops of honing oil goes a long way when sharpening any blade whether in the kitchen or in the field. Taking the few seconds to "touch up" the blade makes the entire job go easier, quicker and safer because it's always sharp.....whether skinning 6 whitetails or washing the dinner party dishes. I may be a "tad obsessive" (no, NOT me!) but I will take the time to do a couple of quick hone hits on each blade, whether prep or steak, after a meal/dinner party as each knife will be sharp when picked up for the next use. In some cases obsessive and patient are the same, and it always a good characteristic of the guy who has to sharpen all your buddies wives knives.
I've sent home with many folks the pocket sharpener for 10+ years to always carry to the woods & then leave in the kitchen. The CASE Steele has gone with me to every camp.....forever. I'm sure there are many as good & better.
Good luck, and Patience Little Grasshopper.

Norton India combination stone and honing oil works for me. Take your time and watch what you are doing. All the other stuff is fine for a quick touch up. The big stones straighten out the mess you make with the touch ups. I use diamond hones on the Dexter stainless fillet knives because they get beat on and I usually don’t take a bench stone out on a small boat. I keep a small sharpening kit in my truck so I’m never without a bench stone.

Thanks for all these info.

Norton and Mineral Oil
Good for skin too
Sharpi