A quick knife sharpening how-to for those wanting to understand the fundamentals of sharpening a knife. You really can’t skip understanding the burr of a blade. If you do, you will always struggle with knife sharpening.
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45 Comments
This video recently popped in popularity so I wanted to pin a note for some clarity. Guys, it’s hard to show any technique within the 1min structure of these shorts. So, a couple things:
1. A file is not the best tool for sharpening knives… far from it. Watch my long-form sharpening video for some in-depth technique with whetstones. However, I DO find that a file is helpful to work through the process of building a burr. You can feel the metal move/catch/etc… so a beginner can immediately feel when and when they aren’t removing metal along a sharpening stroke. Most people who struggle with sharpening vary their angles/pressure along the blade… the use of a file can get you out of that quickly.
But, yes, if the point is to get a razor sharp knife… use tools beyond a file.
2. The Mora does have a scandi grind as some have pointed out. Again, the choice of knife here wasn’t about the knife… the intention was not a guide to sharpening Moras… the point is that the knife to practice on needs to be soft metal and near disposal… hence a low stress way to practice creating a burr… any cheap knife will do. A butter knife will work… but there’s pretty much no grind, so lots of work before you start feeling that Burr.
Hope that clarifies some things. If you struggle sharpening knives without a “guide”, ie some tool that holds your angle, then try this file technique. I’m guessing it will bump you way up the sharpening learning curve.
Thanks folks -Cliff
I still don't know what a burr is.
No lol….you can make a burr without holding a consistent angle ..keeping a consistent angle is more important then removing metal
As someone who started sharpening knives when I was a toddler, your correct about the burr, but please don't teach people to use files on knives, because we both know a file is one of the worse things to use to get a rough edge, because it with mess up the profile super quick. Start with a dang 3 Arkansas stone like everyone I know of that learned from anyone who is serious about knife sharpening…
I mean, it might work but that is how you sharpen machete or axe.. not a damn knife! Your are removing a TON of material and killing the life of your knife. Not to mention its a mora, you literally lay it on a stone and push, easiest knife in the world to sharpen and you just overcomplicated it and gave incomplete advice.
The file is a flat file… A bastard file is a file that has a flat face on one side and has a raised curved face on the other side. At least that's what we were taught.
Until u want to change the angle of the blade then it’s going to take some heavy lifting… this method is just to sharpen an already established edge.
Sorry man. That word now has a different meaning after this video.
https://youtube.com/shorts/h_rupz1UHas?feature=share
The most ridiculous knife sharpening video I have ever seen dumb as hell
Thank you for this information.I,ve been really putting alot of energy into sharpening and no real results.
Better off with either a kitchen knife (actually soft steel), or a Wal-Mart cheap pocket knife, which uses harder steel than a kitchen knife, but it's still not very hard.
Mora knives are scandi grind. Not good for learning, great for actually using, though.
The title should be “ How to Spend $20 on a MoraKnife & Ba5tard File “
You are a M.o.r.o.n. Whatever you do, don't follow this dude's example. Only an i.d.i.o.t. would sharpen a knife with a file, especially a Mora. And it's called the heel, not the butt. It's not a gun.
use a wet stone bro that's some cavemen shit right there you might as well use a rock files are not to sharpen knives
That's how I learned as a kid. We used machetes instead of a knife, though. That was our lawnmower 😅.
So simple and to the point for someone like me that’s just getting into blade sharpening
thank you! i was missing this part
Thank you brother that's a big help just realize what I was doing wrong
I have my grandfathers ‘old timer 160ot’ hunting knife (it’s the older version with the stone) he used to use for hunting when he was alive, im trying to find the best way to sharpen it , but i try many different techniques but it doesn’t sharpen. Can you do an upload plz?
This makes a lot of sense, you'll get good feedback through a file and be able to hear the strokes too. I've used files on axes and gardening tools but never thought to try on knives as a starting point to get a feel for it, subbed 🙂
Cliff! You just made my insides cry a little lol. Cheap or not, that poor knife.
But excellent way to show an exaggerated view to the point. It is 💯 spot on
Another good tip is to get a carbon steel knife, like an Opinel. I found that they are softer and much easier to form a burr on (and I had an easier time feeling the burr. Plus it’s simple to get them shaving sharp imo. They do tarnish easily, but they’re cheap enough to practice on and make mistakes. Also, sometimes it can be hard to feel the burr with the pad of your thumb, so I default to feeling the burr out with the other four finger tips since they tend to be a little more sensitive.
Maybe bro might need glasses so he can stay outta the up close focus
I use Mora knives for wood carving and I live them. You are spot on with the sharpening. Also I really like your meat handling videos.
That mora definitely isn’t a scandi grind anymore.
That is right. Takes time about 2 hours . But when you finish that knife is shap as surgeon scalper. And stay sharp for long time and re sharp next time very fast and sharp
That's…very coarse. And extremely serious.
grandpa taught me this when i was young god bless we need to teach everyone at age 8 a knife is not a toy and how to use them
Now look at that knife of yours under a microscope. Your edge now looks like a saw. You don't have to buy a thing to learn that kind of sharpening.
Just buy a cheap stone and a Dollar Tree knife. It'll cost you about 8 bucks. I bet that bastard file alone costs 8 bucks.
No file out there is going to put anything close to a nice edge on a knife. Not even electric knife sharpeners that have sandpaper on them. I’ve taken professional training in college to become a butcher decades ago. A multi oilstone is the only tool that will actually give you a true edge. You start from course to medium and then down to fine. If your knife already has an edge then you only need to go over it with fine and sometimes starting with the medium. After you make your first bevel, you have to clean off the burrs by making your second bevel.
To prove my point here, run your knife across a fine steel. And I am talking about the steel that butchers use to touch up their knives. When your knife is sharp to perfection on a multi oilstone, you’ll hear no grinding on your steel. You use junk like a file or sandpaper style knife, sharpeners your knife will sell them extreme course. Another way to tell is by running the knife across your thumbnail or your fingernail and you will feel the nicks that will grab your nail. That means your knife is dull. You sure it will cut, but it is still dull.
Thanks Skids😜👍🏽
What's a burr? Can we start there?
If I ever teach someone how to sharpen a knife I am going to have them do this. 100% legit.
I could do that all day with my brand new file, and just doing like he does, nothing will happen.. I try to grind hard back and forth and still nothing happen.
dope
What is a burr?
Least BS video for beginners! Concise and to the point. Like it!
Different way of going about it.. I like it I've tried and tried and tried and I've worked with metal alot so I'd think I wouldn't need a fixed angle knife sharpener but I just either my stones weren't good enough or I moved my wrist to much or I wasn't patient enough
Great
Excellent advice. 👌🏻
buck knives say you should always have the knife "cutting into" the sharpening tool/file but your demo was opposite
JSYK
He took me forwver to realize the cheap metal that can create a burr with a few passed and that's when I finally learned
Everyone saying you made it so simple but idk what a burr is so I'm still confused as hell lol oh well
Walter white find a new hobby in the dessert?😂