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Sharpening a knife:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a quick and easy way to put an edge on your favorite knife.

1) Select a good Stone

Invest in a good bench stone. You have the natural ones like the arkansas stones and the man-made ones such as the Norton India stone. There are also the diamond-bonded stones that many companies produce.

2) Color the Edge on both sides of the blade

With a black ink permanent marker, color the entire cutting edge or primary bevel on both sides of the blade. The objective is to hone off the black ink. After you remove the ink from both sides of the blade, it should be sharp.

3) Adjust your stokes accordingly

Take a few strokes on the stone and then examine the edge bevel. If you see ink toward the top of the bevel, decrease the angle of the blade to the stone. Conversely, if you see ink toward the bottom of the bevel, increase the angle to capture that part. As you continue to stroke the stone, you'll be able to see where your hitting and where your missing. Adjust your strokes accordingly. 

4) Remove the Ink from the edge

After you hone the ink from the cutting edge, you will have to remove any stray marker ink. A liquid-based adhesive and paint remover is ideal for the job. Place a few drops on a paper towel and very carefully wipe the cutting edge. You can also use this method to put an edge on your axes, machetes or any thing else that has a cutting edge on it.

To keep this edge on your knife, you don't have to do this procedure each time, just touch it up with some ceramic sticks as needed. When your finished, you should be able to shave with it.

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