I'll never not use stones. My grandpa taught me how to sharpen knives with stones. Now when ever I go on a hike I don't need to bring a sharpening system with me. I just use pebbles I find in rivers and streams. Then use my leather belt as a strop, and I can get my knives hair poppin sharp.
It is a dreary day in the Olean, NY area. The perfect kind of day to sharpen your knives. Let KA-BAR designer Jesse Jarosz show you how to put a shaving sharp edge on your knives.
Why would you support this video?, anyone that knows honing understands you cannot start with a 400 grit and directly go to a 6000 grit. It's the same as trying to sharpen a lawnmower blade with a super fine file...sure it will work but it will take days. As a 20 year veteran of using water stones a straight Razor shaver and a Combat Marine veteran I cannot support this video
Completely agree with your philosophy. My father taught me how to sharpen a knife, using only a flat stone. 60 years and many systems later, i still prefer using stones. Good video
Great Tutorial...- I knew some of the basics but some of the basic basic items I must have forgotten or just didn't know...great efficiency and my 30 Year old Kabar is still razor sharp
Say Heah Jarosz, I like a sharp knife and I found a way to do that easy and simple. I also like a convex edge because what I do with my knives in the bush a vex grind for me is not only stronger but a very versital edge. Thanx for sharing your method. I love doing it my way, I use a Ken Onion Work Sharp.
Jesse Thanks for a great how to video. I have an old Ka-Bar and want to restore the leather handle, there seems to be a whitish film or mold on it, any suggestions?
Newbie knife buff here, thanking you for such a great, instructional, video. I jumped in at the deep end with A bk22, Scottish logs turn to kindling just looking at it. You have a brilliant, presentational style. What is the compound you mentioned on the strop?
I just recently got into straight razors and have the Naniwa honing progression, I almost forgot I had a USMC KA-BAR. I also have a 400 grit / 1000 grit diamond plate The Naniwa SUPERSTONES are 1k 3K 8k and 12k Which one should I use? The 400/ 1000 diamond first , than the 1k-3K whetstones? Don’t need to go more than that right?
Have the same knife from my great uncle, they are really good German steel just use a medium grade or Diamond tapered rod to kinda field sharpen it, unless you just want it to have a perfect edge there’s no need
Hey Jesse, Would you say 100 would be the least amount on the 6000, 100 for the 10000? I seen some on Amazon for 20 or 30 bucks? What would be your "Absolute" no-less than price? Thanks for your time.
That 6k grit stone looks wicked built up, might wanna use a 1k grit to resurface your stone, it will help in producing a slurry without the aide of a Nagura stone
No, I'm sorry, this is all interesting and such but I have never needed an expensive system of stones to put an edge on a knife. Maybe if you are a Japanese chef or the like, this stuff is OK but for a KBAR or other large utility knife all you need is a 6" mill file to smooth out any small chips, then a 12 " Butcher's diamond hone and a 12' ceramic sharpening stick. 20-30 strokes on each and you have a very sharp knife. Provided you haven't totally trashed your blade to begin with. Then, it's just a few extra strokes with the file.
Wait 1, all the stuff you say one needs is basically the same amount of of stuff thats presented in this video. Just get a piece of brick or broken off concrete block and you'd be surprise what edge you'll end up on a 18" Tramontina machete, and kitchen knives, and the very poor folks in Haiti, and Jamaica use just that. It's all about technique using bare minimum.
Nice clear demonstration. Not sure about the advice for cost / grit. A coarse stone is very important for changing edge angles, evening up the initial bevels, and removing damage. If the stone doesn't work well then a lot of time can be wasted here.
Good input! I probably shouldn't have said anything will work, because there are certainly bad stones out there. I guess a better bit of advice might be, don't worry about buying the most expensive course grit stone available, just be sure that it works well.
A cheap, hard stone can create micro nicks and chips when going backwards. You probably won't be able to see these with your naked eyes, but they make the sharpening process take a lot longer when you switch stones, an you lose more metal than you have to lose. A really hard, cheap course stone can take out huge chips on the backstroke. Even with a 400, I recommend quality. Maybe not the highest quality, but better to pay too much for a good stone than to pay too little and get a stone that harms your knife. You go from 400 to 6000? 20 degrees is fairly obtuse, and if you're paying attention and actually staying at twenty degrees, or even within two or three degrees of 20, only the edge will ever touch the stone. Scratches on the edge are best removed with a middle stone, no higher than 1000 grit. Otherwise, you're making everything take longer when it simply isn't necessary. You'll have an easier, faster time getting everything done properly by going through the progression in order. 400 should be followed by 800, or 1000 at most, then by 2000 or 3000, depending on the condition of the edge, and only then by 6000. This is triply true for those just learning, but I don't know a single professional knife sharpener who jumps from 400 to 6000 to remove scratches. Doing so simply doesn't help. You shouldn't, of course, use a 400 at all unless your knife is REALLY dull. And there is no circumstance where you should allow it to get dull enough to need a 400 stone. A 400 stone is for chips and nick only, and they should be big enough that a 600, or an 800 won't remove. If you really use a knife much, and if you then use that 400 stone on it very often, you'll shorten the lifespan of that knife rapidly. And because a Ka-Bar isn't a full flat grind, you'll also change the angle of the bevel rapidly. And why don't you tell people how to find that 20 degree angle? It isn't difficult. Just tilt the knife up and down on the stone until there is no shadow under the edge. This gives you the perfect angle for any knife, other than a convex. You can also come very close, dead on with practice, by holding the knife straight up and down on the stone. This is 90 degrees. Tilt it halfway down and you have 45 degrees. Go halfway down again, and you have 22.5 degrees. Tilt it just a couple of human hairs more, and you have 20 degrees. Or tilt it halfway again and you get the true hair-popping edge many want, though on a Ka-Bar you often can't pop hairs because of the thickness of the metal right behind the edge. But it will still be exceedingly sharp. Too, I switched from Japanese water stones to high quality Arkansas Oilstones because I am not going to take anything like water stones into the field, and because I've seen laboratory measurements that show you don't get a better edge, or a sharper edge, or a shinier edge with water stones, regardless of the very high grits, than you get with quality Arkansas oilstones going up to black, and a conventional strop, which I can carry and use in the field much easier. Lastly, the kind of flat grind on a Ka-Bar makes it very, very easy to put a very good, true Scandi on the knife, if that's what you want. There's also enough metal to put a very good convex on it, if that's what you want. I own the regular Ka-Bar, and the Big Brother, both of which I keep at the same bevel angle Ka-Bar put on them. I also own the small Ka-Bar, wh9ich many are now calling the Little Brother, and I modified it a good bit. I removed the coating from the flat grind portion of the blade, and put a true Scandi on it. I also filed off the top portion of the hand guard, and fattened the handle a bit to make it fit my hand. It's now my favorite bushcraft knife. Ka-Bar 1095 Cro-Van is remarkably good steel, better as BLADE steel that O1 or O2. It's also better than the high carbon steel Esee and Ontario use, and ten times as good as what Schrade uses. It's also so much better than Mora steel that it's difficult to describe the difference. I've been using Ka-Bar knives since I was eighteen, back in 1971, and they've never let me down. I may gripe about the way you sharpen a Ka-Bar, but I'll never gripe about the unbelievably high quality of the knife itself.
I honestly feel so bad have a super high quality knife did this method and grinded off alot of the black and it doesnt look as good as it used to. Kinda pissed
Hey man, Greeting from Thailand. I never sharp my own before, But once i do it I'm worry about the leather grip. How about the leather grip after drench in water?
FROSTM0URNE These things are made for combat. Trust me, a little water won’t bother the grip. If they start to discolour or dry out a little dubbin will restore it. Just don’t use any waxy polish!
@@ryan6600 KA-BAR used to be exclusively a Marine thing. A few years ago the KA-BAR started making them for other services. A Marine told me it had something to do with a contract the marines had with KA-BAR.
That was amazing. But it ended abruptly. I would have loved to see how that historical Kabar held up in the field with such a wicked sharp edge. I imagine most marines would have had semi blunt or at best field sharpened knives. And it probably saved them from cutting themselves. Many times. Just because the edge was dull, didn't stop you sticking the business end where it belonged. ....sometimes a blunt blade is a good blade. They Wouldn't have been cutting paper....or anything near as pansy or easy or refined as that shieet
love your technique, love your tips. I only see one problem that I think will effect the result. Approximately 400 grit to 6000?? I think you should go 400, 1000, 3000, 6000, 8000 (or 10,000) other than that, you made one nice edge. :)
Everything seems like common sense when you understand it. I was just wondering why is it important to sharpen both sides evenly? I know some blades like razor blades for shaving only sharpen one side because of the purpose but it would certainly break easier if used in the wrong ways so is sharpening both sides purely for edge retention or is there more to it?
If you have to use 400 grit that means your knife was pretty much as dull as a can be, so after 400 I'd go to something like 2000 and then 6000, if I had that many stones. It's better to go too big than too small though, because if you use an extra-fine grit on a dull knife, you'll still get a good edge, it'll just take a while, but if you use a coarse grit on a semi-sharpened knife, you'll just ruin it.
+Military Needs *Thanks, makes sense. Do you have any advice for sharpening a K-Bar Tanto* *false edge and how to do it right because of the black powder coat??*
I let my grandpa sharpen my kabar and he took off all the black paint from the blade, he said the blade is supposed to be shiney. He's a Vietnam vet and I believe he knows what he's doing, is my knife ruined now?
Your knife is not ruined by any means, but you will have to stay on top of maintenance. The coating is a protective barrier. Just be sure to keep your blade cleaned and oiled after each use and you should be fine for many years to come.
I can't hear the blade on the stone when you are talking, so your examples for poor angle on the 6000 grit stone was useless. When you say listen, quit talking. You did the same thing on the burr check.
This is by KA BAR? I thought this was just some millennial in his apartment.... Anyway KA BAR why did my $100 knife come with such a crappy edge? I've got grooves on my blade like the grand canyon. For $100 come on.
I'll never not use stones. My grandpa taught me how to sharpen knives with stones. Now when ever I go on a hike I don't need to bring a sharpening system with me. I just use pebbles I find in rivers and streams. Then use my leather belt as a strop, and I can get my knives hair poppin sharp.
Mr. Quiltworth that’s so badass. Post a video on how! I want to learn, I go on hikes all the time
ADEBISI ADEBISI sounds like someone spent 100+ on a sharpening system lmao
@@davidliftsheavycircles I second that. I'd love to see a demo
@@kenneth31251 4 years later and my ass is still waiting 😂
@@davidliftsheavycircles lmaoo watch him come clutch and post it styll
Those were extremely consistent passes. You are a good sharpener.
It is a dreary day in the Olean, NY area. The perfect kind of day to sharpen your knives. Let KA-BAR designer Jesse Jarosz show you how to put a shaving sharp edge on your knives.
Thank you KA-BAR for posting this video. I've never seen a formal discussion on the topic before.
Good to know. Thanks!
Hey I have one of those handheld sharpening tools. Smith's brand. Will that work just as well?
Why would you support this video?, anyone that knows honing understands you cannot start with a 400 grit and directly go to a 6000 grit. It's the same as trying to sharpen a lawnmower blade with a super fine file...sure it will work but it will take days. As a 20 year veteran of using water stones a straight Razor shaver and a Combat Marine veteran I cannot support this video
Completely agree with your philosophy. My father taught me how to sharpen a knife, using only a flat stone. 60 years and many systems later, i still prefer using stones. Good video
I'm glad someone is showing how to sharpen a knife because I've seen to many really good blades ruined by people who didn't.
Great Tutorial...- I knew some of the basics but some of the basic basic items I must have forgotten or just didn't know...great efficiency and my 30 Year old Kabar is still razor sharp
1:48 make sure you soak your pencil
Thank you, Clint.
Good stuff, Jesse! Thanks for posting this, Ka-Bar!
KA-BAR designer Jesse Jarosz demonstrates how to sharpen a knife
Just tried his technique on my Leatherman Rebar. It really helps with keeping a consistent angle
This video was very helpful, thank you for putting together!
Say Heah Jarosz, I like a sharp knife and I found a way to do that easy and simple. I also like a convex edge because what I do with my knives in the bush a vex grind for me is not only stronger but a very versital edge. Thanx for sharing your method. I love doing it my way, I use a Ken Onion Work Sharp.
Awesome video! Thanks!
Beautiful result, I didnt think you could get that razorblade sharp result from stones. Thanks
Great Video. Thanx.
Thank you 🙏🏻
so advanced, stone for the stone and all. I only have one 2 sided stone rough on one side smooth on other.
Awesome video sir thank you for sharing
I use the Spyderco Sharpmaker System. Saving up for the Wicked Edge Pro.
i re sharpen my ka bar the same want. always had trouble with the tip though. got scratch marks on it and even scraped some of the black stuff off too
Am I the only one who thought it was hilarious that he just put the pencil in the water at 1:19?
Well done.
Hi Jarosh, very good video. Thanks! You are talking about the burr. Why does it appear only on one side of the blade? I don't understand that part.
What stones would you recommend when you say pay more for fine grit stones? and what kind of strop do you use?
Jesse Thanks for a great how to video. I have an old Ka-Bar and want to restore the leather handle, there seems to be a whitish film or mold on it, any suggestions?
Newbie knife buff here, thanking you for such a great, instructional, video. I jumped in at the deep end with A bk22, Scottish logs turn to kindling just looking at it. You have a brilliant, presentational style. What is the compound you mentioned on the strop?
not telling
What stones do u recommend? Which brand are u using in the video?
Can someone recommend a good stone knife sharpening kit or where to get the stones In the video.
Any chance you could show us which stones specifically like which products or links to buy them?
Thank
I just recently got into straight razors and have the Naniwa honing progression, I almost forgot I had a USMC KA-BAR. I also have a 400 grit / 1000 grit diamond plate
The Naniwa SUPERSTONES are 1k 3K 8k and 12k
Which one should I use?
The 400/ 1000 diamond first , than the 1k-3K whetstones? Don’t need to go more than that right?
i have found that the uneven grind on my ka-bar makes it difficult to sharpen.
What oil should I use it have this knife to and I don't know what to use ??
Where did you get all your sharpening tools?? I'm a beginner and want to learn this method of sharpening.
Excellent. Where did you get your large stones?
What grit nagura stone should be used with the 10000 grit stone?
can you tell me what brand stones they are???
Does anyone know the name of the sharpening stone with the diagonal pattern on it? I want to buy one.
nice
what type of stones you use? im having a hard time understand the stone names you say.
I think , most important is to keep proper angle.
Any tips for an old ww2 RH-36, was my great grandfathers, then I got it from my late grandfather
Have the same knife from my great uncle, they are really good German steel just use a medium grade or Diamond tapered rod to kinda field sharpen it, unless you just want it to have a perfect edge there’s no need
@KA-BAR Knives Where can i get those stones from ?
Any link for the stones?
Link for the leather stone?
Can you tell me all of the stones your using
Hey Jesse,
Would you say 100 would be the least amount on the 6000, 100 for the 10000?
I seen some on Amazon for 20 or 30 bucks? What would be your "Absolute" no-less than price? Thanks for your time.
I wish I could own a ka bar 1211
Links for the stones?
Does KA-BAR sell that stone clamp device your using?
How many times did you hear "NOT ON THE TABLE !" ?
My course stones always gets out of flat.
That 6k grit stone looks wicked built up, might wanna use a 1k grit to resurface your stone, it will help in producing a slurry without the aide of a Nagura stone
bradhorn14 the slurry of a nagura is so soft and thin, it won't polish your edge at all.
No, I'm sorry, this is all interesting and such but I have never needed an expensive system of stones to put an edge on a knife. Maybe if you are a Japanese chef or the like, this stuff is OK but for a KBAR or other large utility knife all you need is a 6" mill file to smooth out any small chips, then a 12 " Butcher's diamond hone and a 12' ceramic sharpening stick. 20-30 strokes on each and you have a very sharp knife. Provided you haven't totally trashed your blade to begin with. Then, it's just a few extra strokes with the file.
Wait 1, all the stuff you say one needs is basically the same amount of of stuff thats presented in this video. Just get a piece of brick or broken off concrete block and you'd be surprise what edge you'll end up on a 18" Tramontina machete, and kitchen knives, and the very poor folks in Haiti, and Jamaica use just that. It's all about technique using bare minimum.
Well in my views the content is 💥💥
But after watching this video I've learned that best place to keep pencil is "washing sink" instead of holder...😁
Any recommendations on where to buy good sharpening stones?
A store that sells knives
Nice clear demonstration.
Not sure about the advice for cost / grit. A coarse stone is very important for changing edge angles, evening up the initial bevels, and removing damage. If the stone doesn't work well then a lot of time can be wasted here.
Good input! I probably shouldn't have said anything will work, because there are certainly bad stones out there. I guess a better bit of advice might be, don't worry about buying the most expensive course grit stone available, just be sure that it works well.
JaroszKnives you can probably get away with 20$ on a course stone, vs 100$ + on the finer stones.
A cheap, hard stone can create micro nicks and chips when going backwards. You probably won't be able to see these with your naked eyes, but they make the sharpening process take a lot longer when you switch stones, an you lose more metal than you have to lose. A really hard, cheap course stone can take out huge chips on the backstroke.
Even with a 400, I recommend quality. Maybe not the highest quality, but better to pay too much for a good stone than to pay too little and get a stone that harms your knife.
You go from 400 to 6000? 20 degrees is fairly obtuse, and if you're paying attention and actually staying at twenty degrees, or even within two or three degrees of 20, only the edge will ever touch the stone. Scratches on the edge are best removed with a middle stone, no higher than 1000 grit. Otherwise, you're making everything take longer when it simply isn't necessary.
You'll have an easier, faster time getting everything done properly by going through the progression in order. 400 should be followed by 800, or 1000 at most, then by 2000 or 3000, depending on the condition of the edge, and only then by 6000. This is triply true for those just learning, but I don't know a single professional knife sharpener who jumps from 400 to 6000 to remove scratches. Doing so simply doesn't help.
You shouldn't, of course, use a 400 at all unless your knife is REALLY dull. And there is no circumstance where you should allow it to get dull enough to need a 400 stone. A 400 stone is for chips and nick only, and they should be big enough that a 600, or an 800 won't remove. If you really use a knife much, and if you then use that 400 stone on it very often, you'll shorten the lifespan of that knife rapidly. And because a Ka-Bar isn't a full flat grind, you'll also change the angle of the bevel rapidly.
And why don't you tell people how to find that 20 degree angle? It isn't difficult. Just tilt the knife up and down on the stone until there is no shadow under the edge. This gives you the perfect angle for any knife, other than a convex.
You can also come very close, dead on with practice, by holding the knife straight up and down on the stone. This is 90 degrees. Tilt it halfway down and you have 45 degrees. Go halfway down again, and you have 22.5 degrees. Tilt it just a couple of human hairs more, and you have 20 degrees. Or tilt it halfway again and you get the true hair-popping edge many want, though on a Ka-Bar you often can't pop hairs because of the thickness of the metal right behind the edge. But it will still be exceedingly sharp.
Too, I switched from Japanese water stones to high quality Arkansas Oilstones because I am not going to take anything like water stones into the field, and because I've seen laboratory measurements that show you don't get a better edge, or a sharper edge, or a shinier edge with water stones, regardless of the very high grits, than you get with quality Arkansas oilstones going up to black, and a conventional strop, which I can carry and use in the field much easier.
Lastly, the kind of flat grind on a Ka-Bar makes it very, very easy to put a very good, true Scandi on the knife, if that's what you want. There's also enough metal to put a very good convex on it, if that's what you want.
I own the regular Ka-Bar, and the Big Brother, both of which I keep at the same bevel angle Ka-Bar put on them.
I also own the small Ka-Bar, wh9ich many are now calling the Little Brother, and I modified it a good bit. I removed the coating from the flat grind portion of the blade, and put a true Scandi on it. I also filed off the top portion of the hand guard, and fattened the handle a bit to make it fit my hand. It's now my favorite bushcraft knife.
Ka-Bar 1095 Cro-Van is remarkably good steel, better as BLADE steel that O1 or O2. It's also better than the high carbon steel Esee and Ontario use, and ten times as good as what Schrade uses. It's also so much better than Mora steel that it's difficult to describe the difference.
I've been using Ka-Bar knives since I was eighteen, back in 1971, and they've never let me down. I may gripe about the way you sharpen a Ka-Bar, but I'll never gripe about the unbelievably high quality of the knife itself.
James Ritchie I bought a Norton natural Arkansas set years back. Im not sure they offer natural stones anymore but the black one puts on a fine edge!
I honestly feel so bad have a super high quality knife did this method and grinded off alot of the black and it doesnt look as good as it used to. Kinda pissed
My ka-bar has a serrated edge on it. Would that stone and that same technique sharpen my knife the same way?
Yes, but only for the non-serrated portion. I use a Spyderco Sharpmaker for sharpening serrated edges.
Jesse, where can I get this entire setup?
I'm wondering the same! I'm a newbie knife owner and would like to properly care for them.
I just use the Ka bar sharpener
Hey man, Greeting from Thailand.
I never sharp my own before, But once i do it I'm worry about the leather grip.
How about the leather grip after drench in water?
FROSTM0URNE These things are made for combat. Trust me, a little water won’t bother the grip.
If they start to discolour or dry out a little dubbin will restore it. Just don’t use any waxy polish!
Going forward just use plastic wrap on the handle.
once showed up on a marine base with an Army KA-BAR... pissed off a lot of people.
Why they got pissed?
@@ryan6600 KA-BAR used to be exclusively a Marine thing. A few years ago the KA-BAR started making them for other services. A Marine told me it had something to do with a contract the marines had with KA-BAR.
purelitenite I don’t see why that would piss them off lol
Ryan Raza because they feel like they lost something
purelitenite okay lol
That was amazing. But it ended abruptly. I would have loved to see how that historical Kabar held up in the field with such a wicked sharp edge. I imagine most marines would have had semi blunt or at best field sharpened knives. And it probably saved them from cutting themselves. Many times. Just because the edge was dull, didn't stop you sticking the business end where it belonged. ....sometimes a blunt blade is a good blade. They Wouldn't have been cutting paper....or anything near as pansy or easy or refined as that shieet
what type of stones are you using?
+Alexander Curiel
I bought them quite a while ago but I think they are King
@@JaroszKnives what grit nagara stone is best for the 10000 grit stone?
love your technique, love your tips. I only see one problem that I think will effect the result. Approximately 400 grit to 6000?? I think you should go 400, 1000, 3000, 6000, 8000 (or 10,000) other than that, you made one nice edge. :)
Everything seems like common sense when you understand it. I was just wondering why is it important to sharpen both sides evenly? I know some blades like razor blades for shaving only sharpen one side because of the purpose but it would certainly break easier if used in the wrong ways so is sharpening both sides purely for edge retention or is there more to it?
Isn't 400 grit to 6000 a big jump?
James W. yes just go to 400 or 500 grit
Did you watch the video? I was asking him him why he jumped that far...... and why would I go from 400 grit to 400 grit ? Its the same roughness
If you have to use 400 grit that means your knife was pretty much as dull as a can be, so after 400 I'd go to something like 2000 and then 6000, if I had that many stones. It's better to go too big than too small though, because if you use an extra-fine grit on a dull knife, you'll still get a good edge, it'll just take a while, but if you use a coarse grit on a semi-sharpened knife, you'll just ruin it.
+Military Needs
*Thanks, makes sense. Do you have any advice for sharpening a K-Bar Tanto* *false edge and how to do it right because of the black powder coat??*
hurry, your wife, or mom, will be home soon. my coffee table is all messed up again.
Sbagliato il modo di affilare..il filo va al contrario...cambia.mestiere
How many steps before you getting to 1000 strokes ahhh?????
*puts pencil in water* 😂
I let my grandpa sharpen my kabar and he took off all the black paint from the blade, he said the blade is supposed to be shiney. He's a Vietnam vet and I believe he knows what he's doing, is my knife ruined now?
Your knife is not ruined by any means, but you will have to stay on top of maintenance. The coating is a protective barrier. Just be sure to keep your blade cleaned and oiled after each use and you should be fine for many years to come.
Thank you KA-BAR, I appreciate your help!!
@@nicolascruz7610 just put on a few coat of gun blue on it ...it'll be black again but without the painted look.
I can't hear the blade on the stone when you are talking, so your examples for poor angle on the 6000 grit stone was useless. When you say listen, quit talking. You did the same thing on the burr check.
そんな、研ぎではだめです。
10k grit ?
Trying to scam people while its worth it eh ?
Stones are good but that's not the right way to sharpen a knife. It might work but not the correct way to to grind.
This is by KA BAR? I thought this was just some millennial in his apartment....
Anyway KA BAR why did my $100 knife come with such a crappy edge? I've got grooves on my blade like the grand canyon. For $100 come on.
Mine too, I used my kabar to cut up a cardboard box and my knife immediately became dull and had some tiny dents in the knife edge