Lots of gun threads, what about a knife thread?

Sharpening a knife is an art. With a little practice, a guy can "sharpen" a knife, but it won't be the razor edge it had when it was new or one that an experienced sharpener can give it. The guided systems nowadays are pretty good. I've used a KME and really like it. It's a bit pricey, but it takes almost all the guesswork out of getting that nice sharp edge. I have a buddy who has some nice knives, but he hardly ever uses them. I asked him about it and his response was a bit surprising. He said he's "afraid" to use them because he knows he doesn't have the skill to get that factory edge back. I recommended the KME; not sure if he ever got one. I also offered to sharpen them for him, but he's not taken me up on the offer as of yet.

Beeb knife guys, what's your go-to sharpening method/system?

 

Ive had this for years, works better than any sharpener than I have tried. As a matter of fact a better than a factory edge especially if you go dual angle. Sadly it does not look like they make them anymore.
https://sharpeningmadeeasy.com/skarb.htm

I keep seeing ads for the rolling sharpeners, and wonder how many have sliced themselves open so far.....

 

Pth, whittle hair.

And Japanese whetstones for the win.

Stropping is well worth it. Even a slightly abused knife that has a mediocre edge can get a lot of life back with a dozen or so strokes on a good strop.

https://scienceofsharp.com/

I have a Wicked Edge system but find myself on the stones more often than not.

 

What good is a factory edge that never cuts anything?

 

I have the Edgepro Apex with Naniwa Chosera stones. Once I have the edge I want from the Edgepro, just a few seconds on my Spyderco Sharpmaker fine and ultra-fine sticks touches it right back up from daily use. I have leather strops, but can only make edges duller with them. Operator error, clearly.

 

Light pressure on strops and a compound works well for me. I've been able to get knives that were shaving sharp, used for a few months and no longer that sharp, back to shaving sharp just on the strop. Now I hit all my kitchen knives on it about once a month.