[AlArchie]

Bob, I think the question "What is your primary tool for sharpening?" would be a correct question. Something to indicate WHAT individual tool we use to sharpen.

But, sharpening is a process, or as you have asked method, which implies several steps, not just one.

Fer instance, here's my "sharpening method". First to adjust the bevel angle I go to a power grinding wheel, any of a number of machines, the particular one isn't important. Next back to the large bench diamond stone to true the edge up, then to a small diamond hone and maybe then even to a ceramic hone. Next back to power using a stepped selection of honing compounds, ending with a fine finish with jewelers rouge.

I'll skip the stropping step, because I consider that edge maintenance, not sharpening.

If I need to go back and "sharpen" my tools I head for either the bench type diamond stone or the small pocket diamond hone.

I also power strop gouges but that's going back to the stropping step.

So to answer the poll, I's say diamond stone, but that really doesn't come anywhere near to answering as to the favorite method.

Al

[Mark N. Akers]

Bob:
I use a few of the current power sharpeners.

[gene messer]

Thanks for the great poll Bob .. I use now all the time .. the ultimate sharpener from chipping away ..
Love it ..

Gene

[Lightningbolt]

My primary method of sharpening vote went to oil stones. Although I use a combination of a lot of the choices offered my Arkansas stone collection is what I've become most comfortable in using over the years and I would consider them my primary foundation in sharpening. I do however, use mineral oil on the stones since it's non-toxic.

To me, sharpening my knives and looking for ways to manipulate that steel into the perfect cutting edge is as much the joy that I also receive when using them to create the projects that I carve.

[cats pa]

BobD, not even you are persuasive enough to make me confine my sharpening method to one tool. However, if you're going to banish me to a desert island (can LOML come too?), please be kind enough to supply a full set of oversized diamond stones. I think that given enough time they are sufficiently versatile to fashion scraps of airplane wreckage into all kinds of tools and weapons, need no electrons to operate, and can be used dry if needed. When do I leave?

Parker

[Thomp]

Bob D,

OTHER:
its just too hard to pigeon hole this answer to one single response,
i can't come to conclusions of the most used, of the methods you have listed. As i go through the same series of steps, of about all you have listed,

There are 3 reasons you might ever want to take the knife back to a stone, that i can think of,

1. you dropped it or its got a nick from improper storage.
2. normal wear and tear that honing rounded over the sharp edge 6 months of use and honing.
3. or if you just don't like the performance.

when making a knife:
i rough grind to shape, only close to thinness with belt grinder.
then wet grind to define thinness and finish design.
then to diamond stone if needed to get the blade flat, then on through scary sharp to remove grinder marks and still flatten the blade through grits to 2000, then power hone.

regular maintenance:
over time any knife will round over the edge, just honing will do this, the duration depends on the steel quality,
since my knives are re-ground straight razors there hard steel and flat ground with no bevel i take them to diamond stone, to flatten them, then back through the scary sharp method and on to the hone,

because i don't have a secondary bevel on my blades, maybe im a special case, because when sharpening my knives im really wearing out the side of my blades, not just scratching on the very edge.

maybe, and only if i was on a desert island and had enough water and different grits of wet dry paper i could live with that method, but wouldn't get much carving done because of the time involved going through the grits of different sandpaper.

[btree50]

I use the scary sharp method. It works well for me. I also use a cardboard wheel on my grinder for some honing.

[Robert Cahill]

I use oil stones but have been leaning towards the scary sharp system. Not comfortable using power,

[Don by the lake]

Bob,
I use the Burke sharpening system. It works well for me. I substituted one of the emory wheels for a paper wheel for doing flat knives. For a compound I use diamond paste used for polishing steel. When I am carving, if my tools get just a little dull, I walk over to the Burke setup and within a few seconds, a little time on the strop wheel with a little buffing after that, and I am ready to go again.

[dmatias]

I also primarily use the Ultimate Sharpener from Chippingaway as well. Or I use my trusty strop with green compound. If it is an edge I have to fix I use a ceramic stone I got in Portugal.