How to Sharpen Knife Edge Angles

A sharp knife is an essential tool for any hunter or outdoor adventurer. If your trusty hunting knife has dulled due to wear and tear, you can easily restore it to like-new condition by sharpening the knife edge angles. This can be done with the use of a sharpening steel or commercial knife sharpener. However, in the great outdoors, a flat sharpening stone (called a whetstone) is the most common tool.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Whetstone Cutting oil Cloth rag

1. Invest in a quality whetstone that has both a coarse and smooth side.

2. Decide on the angle you wish to sharpen the edge of the knife. Most people simply follow the angle that is beveled into the knife. However, you can customize the angle if you desire. Common blade angles typically range between 10 and 30 degrees. Sharper angles are better for precision cutting. Duller angles offer more durability.

3. Apply cutting oil to the coarse side of the stone. Drag the knife edge across the stone at the desired angle. Repeat the process on the other side of the knife. This roughs up the edge and will make fine sharpening easier. Remove enough metal material so that burring (the formation of tiny bumps) occurs. Burrs may seem invisible, but they are noticeable by touch.

4. Apply cutting oil to the fine side of the whetstone. Again, drag the knife along both sides of the blade edge at the desired angle. Continue doing so until the burrs have been removed.

5. Polish the knife with a cloth to remove metal shavings and improve sharpness.

Tips & Warnings

• Using an angle guide will make sharpening at the desired angle an easier task. To determine a good sharpening angle, pretend you are cutting a slice off of the whetstone. The natural way you position your knife should provide a solid angle for sharpening.
• Sharpening a knife while holding the whetstone can result in serious injury. Instead, place the whetstone on a solid, flat surface.

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