How to sharpen a fancy knife with everyday stuff?

[unclebilly]

So I bought a Benchmade knife with the CPM20CV blade. I’ve been using it for cutting string on bales, etc.

How do I sharpen it using normal stuff? Can I use a steel that I use on our kitchen knives? I have a diamond stone (actually a few of various grits).

What’s the best way without screwing it up?

[Bill Douglas]

I use a steel for all knives. I don't know what the fuss is about, and they are always crazy sharp.

[sc_rufctr]

A diamond stone would work but you need some way of setting the angle.

What does Benchmade recommend?

[Tishabet]

Vash is the person I would ask about this...

[LWJ]

Diamond is great. I agree about setting the angle. Critical.

I often use the “scary sharp” method. It is stepped grits of fine, metal rated abrasive glued to a flat surface.

And, I’m waiting to hear what Vash has to say...

[ramonesfreak]

The best way without screwing it up? Practice….on whatever system you are using

My preference is the KME sharpener but if you don’t want to invest in that

I would recommend a spyderco sharp maker with the extra diamond stones and the extra fine rods

Or a worksharp guided field sharpener - cheap and good

Watch a ton of videos

[Geronimo '74]

Take your time, CPM20CV is not easy to sharpen by hand. and requires a steady consistent free hand technique to get an evenly sharp edge.
If you are not used to free hand sharpening, you might want to get it done or use an electric sharpener like the Worksharp Ken Onion. Always use caution, while your blade may be hard to sharpen by hand, electric sharpening can go very fast!

here is some more info on the steel.
https://www.bladehq.com/cat--Best-Knife-Steel-Guide--3368#cpm20cv
https://knifeup.com/how-good-is-cpm-20cv-knife-steel/

[sc_rufctr]

Just for info: Benchmade will sharpen your knife for free. (Plus Shipping each way)

[VINMAN]

I use a Lanksy diamond sharpener on mine. Clean it up with a steel now and then. Super sharp.

.

[ramonesfreak]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Just for info: Benchmade will sharpen your knife for free. (Plus Shipping each way)

Was gonna suggest this but, teach a man to fish…….

And really, if you use a knife often, it goes dull often and you’ll be sending it back often

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

Was gonna suggest this but, teach a man to fish…….

And really, if you use a knife often, it goes dull often and you’ll be sending it back often

So buy another one as backup. To me knives are the ultimate gadget. I have a small collection (non of them are made in China)

[masraum]

If you've got diamond plates, then that would be the thing to use.

Originally Posted by VINMAN

I use a Lanksy diamond sharpener on mine. Clean it up with a steel now and then. Super sharp.

I've been using a lansky for years on my benchmades. They work really well.

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

Was gonna suggest this but, teach a man to fish…….

And really, if you use a knife often, it goes dull often and you’ll be sending it back often

I can't imagine sending my knife back to be sharpened.

[ramonesfreak]

understood. i have maybe 40 knives and have backups...no idea about OP

I have a benchmade 940. knives go dull so fast no matter how good the steel that i would be sending the knife back every week and that is annoying

you tube is a GREAT resource for learning how to sharpen...perhaps i would suggest the OP get a a crappy knife to practice on first if he is concerned about messing it up because it is very easy to mess an edge up.....though it is just as easy to correct it if you know how

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

So buy another one as backup. To me knives are the ultimate gadget. I have a small collection (non of them are made in China)

[masraum]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

understood. i have maybe 40 knives and have backups...no idea about OP

I have a benchmade 940. knives go dull so fast no matter how good the steel that i would be sending the knife back every week and that is annoying

you tube is a GREAT resource for learning how to sharpen...perhaps i would suggest the OP get a a crappy knife to practice on first if he is concerned about messing it up because it is very easy to mess an edge up.....thought it is just as easy to correct it if you know how

Buying 2 of every knife can get old when knives cost $200, $300 or more.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Just for info: Benchmade will sharpen your knife for free. (Plus Shipping each way)

This is what I was going to say also.

Get an "Outdoor Edge" knife with a removable blade for the straw bales. If you cut a lot of string, get a boxcutter like the Lennox with auto feeding function with a hook boxcutter blade.

You'll thank me if you do.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by rusnak

This is what I was going to say also.

Get an "Outdoor Edge" knife with a removable blade for the straw bales. If you cut a lot of string, get a boxcutter like the Lennox with auto feeding function with a hook boxcutter blade.

You'll thank me if you do.

The hook blades are awesome!



And in some situations, I love the "safety" knives where the blade is automatically retracted if you aren't using it. But sometimes that's a pain.

[flipper35]

I use a Lansky on all of our non serrated blades. It has a serrated blade stone, but I hate serrated blades for most things. I use the stones, then strop them when fixing an edge.

The Lansky will get them sharp enough to shave 1/32" along the edge of paper (and your beard) and all I do to keep the edge is use the steel or strop them a bit. Sometimes use the ultra fine stone, but I use the steel often. Kitchen knifes get the steel every time they are used. My EDC and utility knives get it when they feel like they have lost an edge. I also have a folding knife with replaceable blades for things like unpacking the new garden shed and such so I don''t worry about the cardboard, dirt, bands etc.

We used those hook blades for installing vinyl flooring. Awesome sharp.

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

The best way without screwing it up? Practice….on whatever system you are using

My FIL used to 'sharpen' his kitchen knives with a sharpening steel. Honestly, I believe he thought it looked cool because every time he was about to cook or cut he took that thing out and went to town.

He was so aggressive with the motion that he had rounded the edges of his knives over to a point where they no longer had an edge and were incapable of cutting. You could actually feel it with your finger.

He finally stopped it.

[masraum]

steels aren't actually a "knife sharpener"

As I've heard it described, when you sharpen a knife, you create a point. As you use a knife, the point gets bent/curled over. A steel or strop is to take that edge and straighten it back out. I believe it also makes it rough, so it then becomes somewhat serrated (which helps when cutting with a duller blade).

Once the blade is dull so that the edge is just completely worn down, the steeling probably isn't going to do much for the effectiveness of the blade other than maybe increasing the serrations which may help some (turned the blade from a knife into a saw).



If any of you want to geek out a bit including photos of edges using a microscope in various states and after various treatments...
https://scienceofsharp.com/home/

[rusnak]

I think the strop more or less takes away the "wire" from sharpening. The steel aligns the blade edge, which can get curved to one side or the other.

IMO, if you aren't using a utility boxcutter or some sort of EDC removable blade, then you're just not getting the best cutting performance for the grunt type of jobs that knives sometimes are the best tool for.

The fancy-pants knives are really great for opening letters or just taking out and admiring. But to use them on cardboard, twine, or in the dirt is not what I would do, especially since I have a lot of knives and will sooner use the El Cheapo box cutter than the Benchmade for that stuff.