Teaching my nephews how to sharpen a knife

[Spats McGee]

I have two nephews, fraternal twins, who are 16, and they're coming to visit for a few hours today. I've offered to teach them to how to sharpen a knife. They're into all things fiction-fantasy (Hobbitses, D&D, etc.), so they're excited about this. I'll show them the Gatco and Hapstone stuff, but I expect the focus to be on freehand sharpening. I'm not great at it, but I'm decent. Good enough to get them started, anyway.

Arkansas stones: free
Three paring knives: $3.81
Time with my nephews: priceless.

 

[ericuda]

Good times. I think I learned on a little 3" Arkansas stone in a little leather pouch I still have. Been 40+ years ago. I seemed to learn to sharpen using a circular motion due to such small stone.

 

[Bazoo]

I learned from the instructions that came with a smiths sharpening kit, coupled with many happy hours practicing.

 

[JohnKSa]

Maybe too late--but be sure to spend some time showing them how to hold the stone safely if they're going to be holding the stone and not using it while it is set on a bench.

 

[horsemen61]

Awesome job!

 

[gwpercle]

Teaching them Free Hand ... Lost Art ... get them started and they will do the rest .
The way to learn to sharpen free hand is to sharpen free hand ...Just Do It !
Teach them well Uncle Spats !

Gary

 

[dredd]

Yes! Awesome Job!

My grandfather taught me how to free hand sharpen.
That was the only method known at the time to country folks.

I have tinkered with many types or "stones" gadgets, rigs etc. since then.

I have pretty much abandoned all of that stuff and free hand everything.

Note: I am NOT a master of free hand sharpening, but I can keep a working edge on a knife.
I gave up on shaving sharp. I usually take two steps back for every step forward.
I would seem to over work or over think the process.

I am happy with making blades cut what they need to cut.
I gave up on trying to slice paper.

I hope y'all have a great time together and can build a life time of memories.

 

[Spats McGee]

I think it went well. I let them try a coarse diamond plate, my water stone, and my Arkansas stones. Interestingly, they showed no interest in my Hapstone. So I didn't set it up. I knocked the edges off of the paring knives before we started, and we had a few fumbles, sharpening and accidentally re-dulling a couple of times, but I expected that. Both were able to put decent edges on them by the time we were done. Each will also be getting his own sharpening stones in the mail soon, courtesy of Uncle Spats.

 

[Boattale]

At that age, the basics of instruction, a couple of stones (or even one soft Arkasas) and something to sharpen will let them learn what they need to know. I mean somewhere, a long, long time ago, somebody figured out on his own how to sharpen a steel edge with a stone, right? Bet you money they can do it too. NICE JOB!

 

[JFrame]

Sounds like a couple of teenagers have a wonderful uncle!

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Each will also be getting his own sharpening stones in the mail soon, courtesy of Uncle Spats.

I'll admit I'm jelous of you, and of your nephews.

My nephew and I share almost no interests. I try to get him interested in the outdoors and he'd rather be on his tablet killing zombies. I use a pocket knife or mention the word gun in front of him and his mother and father look at me like I'm a mass murderer.

If I'd had someone who pushed (or guided rather) me to learn some of these basic skills as a kid I'd probably be a somewhat more well rounded person, and my knives would undoubtedly have been better cared for.

I'm curious if you think this will turn into a real hoby and interest for them or if you think it's a skill they want and nothing more? I was going to give my nephew a pocket knife, but asked his dad if he wanted first knife honors, and if he and his wife were ok with it. I'm talking a small little folder for daily use, nothing more. I was told "a few more years". He's 14.....................

Sorry, I know I've lamented the nature of my nephew and his upbringing before, but it just bumms me out. I show interest in his hobbies and recreation, but am not allowed to share my nature with him. It makes a strong bond hard to form, and something like this, teaching them to sharpen a knife, is a really good way to spend quality time together.

 

[Spats McGee]

....I'm curious if you think this will turn into a real hoby and interest for them or if you think it's a skill they want and nothing more? I was going to give my nephew a pocket knife, but asked his dad if he wanted first knife honors, and if he and his wife were ok with it. I'm talking a small little folder for daily use, nothing more. I was told "a few more years". He's 14.....................

A real hobby? I don't know. I think this was all new and exciting for them, but on the "bookworm-vs.-outdoorsy" scale, both lean towards bookworm. Still, their mom did complain about how all the knives in their kitchen are dull, so if they're interested, they'll have stuff to practice on. They're 16, so just about anything could catch their interest and pull them away at any moment, cars, girls . . . .

14 and needs a "few more years?" That's, . . . well, a little sad, actually.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

and needs a "few more years?" That's, . . . well, a little sad, actually.

They don't even know I own guns. Their parents shelter them that much.

Ok anyway, I'm off topic.

Glad they enjoyed the experience and glad you all got some quality time together. Do you want to be my adopted uncle? I'm only 41, it's not too late.

 

[DMW1116]

That’s what uncles are for, breaking through those shelters. Nothing uglier than a grown infant.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Maybe too late--but be sure to spend some time showing them how to hold the stone safely if they're going to be holding the stone and not using it while it is set on a bench.

Any chance you know what method BikerDoc (RIP) used? His old knives are SHARP!

 

[JohnKSa]

I don't. The best source would probably be old posts he made here if you could find some of them.

 

[Spats McGee]

Maybe too late--but be sure to spend some time showing them how to hold the stone safely if they're going to be holding the stone and not using it while it is set on a bench.

Any chance you know what method BikerDoc (RIP) used? His old knives are SHARP!

I don't. The best source would probably be old posts he made here if you could find some of them.

I ran a search for bikerdoc's old posts in this forum. There are 132 pages of them, so I didn't (and likely won't) have time to go through all of them. That said, he makes mention of using his Lansky system to set the initial bevel, and then moves to stones, emory paper and mag polish. From the looks of his posts, he had a bench to work on, but I didn't see any reference to holding stones in his hand. Doesn't mean he didn't do it, just that I didn't see it.

On another note, the nephews have received their Tri-Hones, with my cautionary note that "dull knives will cut you three ways: roughly, painfully, and frequently." They seem very excited to have them. (The stones, not necessarily my note.) Anyway, it's enough to get them started.

 

[Spats McGee]

So I checked in with my nephews to see how they like the Tri-Hones. They say they love them. They've got manners enough to say that, even if they don't, but . . . . They also sent a movie of one of them carving up some cardboard with a pretty darn sharp paring knife. I can almost guarantee that the knife is sharper in the video than it was when he left here, so at least one of them has been practicing.