What is the best technique for sharpening knives?

Question

Having a sharp knife at work makes my life easier. But company policy means no stanley blades only company issued penknifes, but they couldn't cut butter. Please advise me how to sharpen this.

Answer 1

You can buy really samll diamond coated sharpening blocks, wet them and rub them on the blade edge. they work lovely!

Answer 2

no point me answering, the above answers are perfect.

Answer 3

Go with Luna's answer, these little pocketable 'Diamond Dust' sharpeners are great for a razor edge.

Answer 4

Much would depend on what you are cutting, but if it's plastic, pallet strapping and such, you give the blade a raggy edge.

Company pen knife that blunts quickly is soft steel, so turn it into a saw, by cross cutting or knicking the blade

Answer 5

If there really blunt. first thing to do is get a sharpening stone that has a rough and smooth side.

start with the rough side wet the stone, you can use oil or water, and stroke the blade along it with a even pressure at a angle of 25 degrees. do this about 5-7 times then switch to the other side of the blade and do the same. keep going till you get a good sharpe blade.

then once you have that, switch over to the other side of the store and do the same. this will make it extremly sharp as it will remove any burr from the blade and keep it sharper for longer.

once it is good and sharpe, get a small sharpening steel to use every so often to keep the blade sharp.

Edit_

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