See description for sharpening stuff I recommend, and what I use for the close up images. Thanks for watching!

@diji5071

6 ай бұрын

Thanks again

@Owieczkin

6 ай бұрын

Hate comment warning! Your black table is wobbly. Sharpening on it is maddening for sure

@lukearts2954

6 ай бұрын

That visualisation of the effect of scratches with the wood was genius! It really demonstrates the concept. (although I'm sure you'll find some commenters bring up the fibers of the wood or whatever, which is b.s. because on that small scale the metal does indeed behave exactly like you demonstrated with the wood) I think the scratch direction is a kill-all argument against pull-through sharpeners... (though the damage caused by the scraping along ridges, rips and cracks, and the bad shape of the burr, too thick and wide, leaves some doubts for the nitty gritty nerds like me... Still would like to see you test those other 2 types of pull-through sharpeners that don't use ridges. I want to see you destroy them, and I'm not being sarcastic here. I want to have solid arguments against them.)

@joshmajor8662

6 ай бұрын

Crappy??…… O you mean SHITTY!!! Lol gotcha 👍

@Antimatter.

6 ай бұрын

Awesome vid , I ruined a few knives back in the day with pull through sharpeners , Do you mind sharing the scope your using to get those edge pics please , the look very crisp , Thanks

I had no idea it would make so much difference, seeing it under the microscope and seeing the evidence makes so much sense. I've watched almost all of your sharpening vids over these last few years and I think this is the vid that elevates you into the elite level of knife sharpening authority. Cheers

@lemonsniffs

4 ай бұрын

Just if you were wondering, he has a camera lens for the close up :) It's really cool that you actually don't need a microscope for those kinds of closups, it would also be very unpractical (how do you make good pictures of that, how thick can a knife be, focal points, etc.). On the other hand some lenses are fairly expensive and you also need a camera body, so yeah. Check his description for the details, actually thinking about getting one of the lenses one day.

@BloodSprite-tan

4 ай бұрын

​@@lemonsniffs you can get similar results with a different setup that is much cheaper. I use a sony a6000 with a nikkor 50mm lens or a 28mm nikkor, and a reverse mount adapter. simply putting the lens on backwards, adding an extension tube and you're easily able to do macro photography, it doesn't have to be expensive, used camera used lens, cheap adapter and extension tubes. I chose a mirrorless camera for the digital view finder, which make manually focusing super easy since you just zoom in with the eye piece and then manually focus by moving forward or backwards. please don't be discouraged by price. feel free to google around and find something that suits your budget. if you wanted a different option louis rossman has a couple microscopes that are decently priced link on his electronic repair videos which are way cheaper if you simply want to look at knife edges.

@HamBone86

3 ай бұрын

Facts!

@HamBone86

3 ай бұрын

@@lemonsniffsI’m scared to even look at the price of that lense😅

@lemonsniffs

3 ай бұрын

@@HamBone86 I can actually get it for only 350$ which is kinda cheap for lens standards :) But it's also just for one purpose

This is a great illustration of what knife makers and metallurgists have been saying forever. When it comes to cutting performance, geometry is far more important than the steel itself. Even if it's cheapo mystery steel like this, a thin blade with a proper edge can cut like a champion. Likewise, high-performance super steels won't really shine if they're made with a mediocre grind.

@OUTDOORS55

6 ай бұрын

Geometry is king, steel, and heat treat are secondary.👍

@pal6636

6 ай бұрын

Also this makes total sense if you think about it logically . A knife cuts because the pressure on the object is so great it will separate it by breaking the bonds between the molecules. That pressure is just simple math ...its the weight/force over its surface area, which is PSI . The more you reduce the denominator, the bottom number which is the surface area of the knife , the more it goes up . Im guessing thats got a lot to do with sharpess . If you think about it even things like burrs increase surface area .

@rockets4kids

6 ай бұрын

And when you learn how to use a micro-bevel, you can take this to a whole new level, not to mention making sharpening a whole lot faster and easier.

@martyhog01

5 ай бұрын

I have heard this 100 times... geometry cuts.

@greekveteran2715

4 ай бұрын

Bevel Geometries, Heat treatment, handle, even sheath, are all far more important factors, than steel itself. Steel is the last. What marketing and all the brainwashing people get, everyday from KZread,internet etc, have made people believe, that steel is the most important thing and even worse, they don't care about geometries either, they go the thicker the better, which is also 100% wrong. Collectors but mostly KZreadrs, have done a lot of damage, on the most important tool, of our every day need for survival... the knife. PS I sharpen knives for living, since the 90s when I also got my degree in Chemistry/Metallurgy.

I've had a few pull-through sharpeners over the years. I was never happy with the edge I got. Now I know shy. Thank you, sir.

@zemad2

6 ай бұрын

Don't be shy ! ;)

@alexna6129

6 ай бұрын

Ye, listen ppl. Do not be shy.

@summerforever6736

6 ай бұрын

Dont be shy!!

@MrMnmn911

6 ай бұрын

I know shy too. 😂

@HitlerlandBoi

4 ай бұрын

Jack Nicholson - the Shyning

Usually my favorite part of all your videos is the microscopic shots but I really like the wood scratch pattern prop in this one. Really brought the concept home.

This is the best commercial for a $1 knife I've ever seen. I want one!

that montage at the end sharpening the knife and testing it was *chef's kiss*

This is what we need. "Screw you" to the comments, followed by a demonstration, AND the REASON behind why it is so. Subbed.

I love the demonstration, with the wood block, of how the angle of the scratch pattern affects the strength of the apex. Excellent video.

It's time for a collab with Project Farm, where you sharpen blades and Todd builds a contraption to life-test them.

I was over a friends the other day and he had one of the pull throughs screwed to his garage bench . Later that week I gave him my old fixed angle and a few diamond stones since a better one is coming . It was worth it to watch the guys sharpen their knives with a little coaching . They have been converted 👍

@Greg_Chock

6 ай бұрын

Preach!

Sir, this has to be one of my favorite knife related video I've seen in a very long time. You're actually demonstrating what knife nerds such as myself have been saying for decades. Stop using the pull through sharpeners! If I had to choose between a cheap knife+proper sharpening system or expensive knife+pull through system, I'm choosing the former every time. I tend to think that people used to value hand sharpening. Whether tools or knives, they had to be sharpened by a skilled hand. Today, we don't have the patience for learning such tedious skills, and no one knows where to go to find such a person. Anyway...thank you for this clear demonstration of something we all should have already known. Now, if we could get people to stop using stupid cutting boards which dull the knife much more quickly(glass, hard composite, bamboo, plastic...)...

@cass2771

5 ай бұрын

Can I ask your recommendation for cutting boards? I’m imagining ‘stick with wood’?

@Dave.O

4 ай бұрын

Is bamboo a harder surface than wood? If also enjoy a proper explanation of the pros and cons of different cutting board materials.

@paulyoshida1747

4 ай бұрын

@@Dave.O From what little I've read, bamboo is a very hard material containing silica, which is, I believe, quartz. I can tell you from experience, it dulls knives more quickly than say, teak, and if you're using a Japanese style knife with a thin edge and high hardness(say vg-10, for example), it will develop micro chips more quickly. Of course, it all depends on your type of knife, steel, heat treatment, edge geometry, and use. If you have been using a bamboo cutting board, and it doesn't bother you, then I would say, don't worry about it. However, I was not happy with how fast my knives were getting dull, and the micro chipping. So, I did a little research, and what I found out backed up what I was experiencing.

@The-Mr-Sz

4 ай бұрын

Hard wood (oak, hornbeam) "end grain" board is the best option. Can be flat grain, it will scratch easier. Eventually rubber board like Hasegawa. Don't use bamboo, it dulls knives.

Great video Alex. While I was already expecting a huge difference I had no idea a 51 HRC knife could last for so long cutting wood. I always say a bad knife well sharpened cuts better than a good knife poorly conditioned. Many people are willing to spend hundreds on good knives and don't bother to learn how to sharpen. That makes no sense.

All that efort! BUT you have shown me the right way to sharpen a knife. Thank you so much. This video literally changed my beliefs, and you proved it. Thank you so much.

I've always had great success using cheap knives on expensive sharpeners. Thanks for spending the time to validate that for me

You and I have come a long way in our free handed sharpening skills. Since I've been sharpening two knives every working day, I've learned that it's not the price. It's the experience. As with many of these free handed skills ( flintnapping, tattooing, fletching, pioneering, and many others) It is practice and experience about all else.

The quality of this video is outstanding. You always have very informative vids. Thanks for another one.

@OUTDOORS55

6 ай бұрын

Thank you I appreciate the kind words 🙏👍👊

This video saved me 200 bucks cos I was considering getting a nice kitchen knife 😂

Quite possibly your best video to date. Informative and inspiring.

@OUTDOORS55

6 ай бұрын

Thanks! And thank you for watching I really appreciate it🙏👊

That was a great way to prove your point beyond any doubt! I've been saying for years that the sharpener matters more than the knife and this really drives the point home. I had not expected the $1 knife to perform *that* well and now I have even more respect for proper sharpening. It also shows how good all modern steels are. Even the cheap stuff is really really good compared to anything from 100 years ago. It would be interesting to see how low quality the steel can get before material defects actually start to make a difference.

@th3b0yg

5 ай бұрын

"..drives the point home." I see what you did there.

@jiahaotan696

28 күн бұрын

I had not expected the $1 knife to perform that well too. The only thing that remains is - how much longer can a $100 knife last before it gets dull?

Great video. I think the only point missing is the close up picture of the apex after it has been through 35 minutes of wood cutting. It would be really cool to see that as well.

Love the comments from all the experts on the previous video.

Another well done, LOGICAL explanation / demonstration!

This makes so much sense. Also genuinely laughed when you started litteraly striking the wood then still splitting that paper effortless. Beautiful demonstration.

Thank you for the gem regarding the direction of scratch pattern and edge retention. Your demonstration breaking the bits of wood off the simulated edge really drove that point home.

Your visual in the wood of how the scratch pattern matters so much was extremely helpful!

I usually dont say much on your vids but this is about the best on sharpening ive ever seen on youtube I been a follower of yours sense you had just a can full of oil for heat treat and a little oven for tempering damn nice vid

@OUTDOORS55

6 ай бұрын

I still have both! Thanks for the support, I really do appreciate it 🙏

This is pretty amazing and it reinforces the fact that geometry is crucial when it comes to knives (any cutting tool, really). Those comments you showcased are legitimately baffling.. Some people 🤦‍♂️

Some folks don’t like their beliefs to be challenged or even disproven 🤷🏼‍♂️ In my opinion if you become closed minded to new things, you’re shutting down living. Keep up the great videos sir 👍🏻

@briandetrick2688

6 ай бұрын

liberials lol

Holy cow thank you for answering the question early in the video. I still watched and enjoyed the whole thing. For some reason I always have anxiety waiting for headline questions to be answered.

I've been saying this about pull through sharpeners for years, thanks for the video demonstration proving me right.

He’s a man of sheer will and dedication! You really put yourself and that knife through its paces! Awesome job!

The best sharpening video I've seen. A true testimony to knowing your craft. And very entertaining to boot!

You had me convinced with your first video and I’ve thrown out my cheap pull through sharpeners, but I appreciate the more in depth follow up investigation. Thank you!

I'm blown away by the incredibly valuable information you are presenting. And the slo mo ending! WOW!!!!!!!! Subscribed!

Beautiful. Great close-ups and thorough explanation. Concise and sweet. And somewhat gentle to the critics.

Always happy to see new videos coming. And man, those macro shots are insane

@OUTDOORS55

6 ай бұрын

Thanks I appreciated it! They could be better but for comparison purposes and time I can't spend all day taking hundreds of photos and stacking them for one photo that takes all day😂 I appreciate it though! Thanks 🙏

by far the best channel about sharpening knives.

As someone who only recently found your channel, I want to say thank you. I've been watching knife sharpening videos on and off for years, I have some nice knives, and some decent stones (no strop yet, but that will change thanks to you). I have never seen this explained topic explained remotely as well as you do. Thanks again

Most effective, instructive knife video I've ever seen.

the amount of things i've learnt watching this channel is seriously amazing. thanks for the videos! i'll get a proper sharpening stone and attempt to achieve razor sharp

thanks for providing so much robust information in an entertaining manner!

Thank you for putting the extra effort in areas other will not. I appreciate the REAL explanations to internet "theories" with testing opposed to another opinion.

Everything you have shown in this video I have to explain to my customers 😊 you have saved me so much time!! Thanks Alex you are a legend 💪👍

Man, I really love you. Finally someone explained it properly!

I liked the scratch-pattern vs. edge durability demo on that 2x4 - very illustrative.

as a "knife guy" i always like to preach that its not the quality of the steel that makes a difference of how well your knife willl glide thru material. not at all. that only determines things like edge retention, corrosion resistance, ease of sharpening ect.. doesnt matter if its magnacut, M390, or 440c. theres only 3 factors at play when it comes to how well your knife will cut thru things. Blade geometry. The angle of your bevel. And just like you proved in this video, how much care and attention you put into sharpening. Thats it lol. Whoever said its a bad idea to use a cheap knife on expensive stones has no idea what the fuck theyre talking about lmao. Great video. youre doin the lords work.

You're making brilliant, educational, useful and highly entertaining videos, mate. Great work!

thank u for clearing this trade off myth that a lot of people have (cheap knife= junk) i am hearing this so often

Great video! I never knew knife sharpening footage could look so good.

This is probably my favorite one of your videos. I would have never guessed cheap steel would last that long!

😲 I'm so glad you demonstrated why the angle of the scratch pattern matters -- seems so obvious now! Great video, as always! 😀

I watched a KZread by you about 3 or more years ago that made me buy a Sharpal diamond stone. I got the bug for edges. I've since spent thousands on sharpening gear, but I've made thousands from said gear. But I love doing it and it's cathartic. Thank you from Australia.

I wouldn't have believed it 8f I didn't see it. Great video. Thanks mate, I'll be sharing this 👍

Thank you! Awesome demo with real evidence. 👍🏻

This is an amazing video. Very clearly and convincingly explains the theory, practice, and proof of correct sharpening. Well done!

Great episode for forearm conditioning!!! LOL... Good job. I learned a lot!!

Man, what a workout and demonstration, I'm a believer.

Very good explanation. not everyone explains knife sharpening like you thanks

I was lucky early on and bought a crkt pocket knife from a mall when I was 18 and the salesman was thoughtful enough to educate me very briefly about sharpening basics. At least enough to know what not to use. The rest i learned here and other KZread channels 👍🏻

I love your videos, they helped me and every time you post I am happy

This is just about the most remarkable and well done project I’ve seen without having it come out of some big media production outfit. Bravo bravo!! Beautifully executed

Great, simply phenomenal content. I would consider this the comprehensive video on the superiority of stone sharpening. Really enjoyed watching this and learning!

You are awesome. Thank you for your dedication. I bought the DMT Dia-Sharp stones about 2 years ago now after your video at the time, loved that it was an easy set of stones to work with and doesn't need to be wet. Still using that same set, couldn't be happier. I am sure my technique isn't as refined, but it does what it needs to do. Thank you for debunking these crappy pull through sharpeners, once again.

It's nice to have something proven in front of one's face. I like that. I'd like to have people like you everywhere so that perhaps more drivers would know how to drive, more bankers would know more about banking; lawyers, judges, district attorneys would know more about the law,etc.

Really enjoyed this - your videos just get better over the years - thank you!

Love the editing! Maximum effort!

I bought one of these pull through ones as I figured fit the cheap knives it's OK but I'm constantly amazed how quickly the knife dulls. This video is my sign to invest in better sharpening first. Nice. Thank you

At 9:08 I love the quick dagger thrown out "The difference between sharpening on a pull through sharpener versus sharpening properly..." . This is pure gold.

Outstanding! Very well presentation and explaining. Thank you.

Your dedication to the explanation is incredible! Also the visual at 5:43 and 9:30 makes it so easy to understand!

Glad you are back making videos! Please don't stop again, your information and knowledge is priceless and many of us enjoy your practical and hands on trials and learning. Gotta love those armchair commando's that know all just from their keyboard without picking up a knife and stone and actually trying it!!

@SkinnyVinnyLive

4 ай бұрын

Agreed

Bada$$ video. You’ve shown in a very detailed way how stone sharpening destroys pull through “sharpening”. I’ll never use a pull through again.

Proof, explanation, demonstration, and entertainment. What more could you ask for? Thanks,.dude.

I had never thought about it that way. I dont use pull-through sharpeners, but thats because i learned how to use the stones as a kid and never really found it much hassle.

Best video ever on pull through sharpening

Thanks for making this video. It taught me a few things and confirmed a few things.

Thanks for the great analogy of the scratch pattern with wood! Now I get it :)

Great expirement! Great demonstration and explanation!! Thanks!

Amazing tests, analysis, and explanation. I'm experienced with japanese whetstone sharpening for years but I thought there can be still interesting stuff for me, and yes your scratch pattern analysis and analogy on wood was awesome, as well as the whole retention tests. Keep up the great work. Oh forgot to mention, love the microscope shots as well! I also use it from time to time but I should use more

Excellent video. Great presentation of the challenge, the procedure, the Logic and the representation with the wood edge. Never considered how scratch pattern and burr would effect longevity. Excellent presentation

Wow! Thank you for the shapton rec. 5 minutes on that and the s90v I’ve been struggling with is razor sharp. Belts have their limits.

I won't be using a pull through sharpener any more. The pictures helped me understand. Thank you for the information. The hardness rating is helpful.

Your videos have come a long way. Thank you for the evidence based approach to your claims. Because of you I stopped relying on my kitchen knife rod and hand sharpen properly on a stone. Now my knives last way longer.

Thank you good Sir, I will never get tired of videos which question the legitimacy of those pull through sharpeners, it's always good to send those links to people who use those evil machines !

Thank you so much for this test !

You're really upping your game in respect of your cinematography. Some really nice sharpening shots in there.

Brilliant. That made my morning

My friend. Today I was cutting some older lemon from the fridge. Knife not sharp enough. Used my trusted honing steel, did not helped much. Then I sit behind PC to read some news etc and KZread showed me recommendation to your channel. Today is the first time I see your videos. Some hours later, I have just ordered Shapton Kuromaku 1000, leather strop and ceramic paste. I have enough of dull, not working knifes in my life. So I took your advices about what tools to use. Now just need to watch more to learn proper technique to sharpen the knifes. Thank you for info and for doing this!!! PS - I love the ending music in this video. Was used already by some totally different youtuber I follow, great pick :D

@arti6okk

4 ай бұрын

So how did it go? Any updates yet?

Thanks for the effort! Really informative.

Nice! I now understand better what we're trying to achieve when sharpening. And also had a few good laughter :) Thank you

The demonstration showing vertical versus horizontal scratch patterns on the piece of wood is the best way I have ever seen to describe why pull through sharpeners are so bad. Horizontal scratch patterns weaken the edge bevel tremendously. Great visual!!

That's incredible how much of a difference that was and lasted. I like seeing the close up views of the edge. Another cutting test is cutting thick grass rope. Some advantages is it's easier to focus the wear to one section of the blade. I don't know if it's easier on the wrist. It all looks like a recipe for carpel tunnel.

Wow...that was quite educational, actually...thank you!

Hi Alex! Filipe here, I'm from Brazil and I follow you since 2020 I think. Amazing content my friend and you are getting better each day. Congrats for the honesty and no BS videos not giving up humor, because nobody should take some stuff too seriously, just for the sake of being happy.... have a great weekend my friend.

That was impressive! You make a darn good edge.

I love the effort you put in your videos for us to learn from

Thx for the video. Not only is it entertaining as can be (what an ending, great choice of visuals!) but it drives home how important using stones are even on the crap kitchen knife I and everyone I know have. Thx, will be putting the kitchen knives to the stones soon 🥂

Very neat!! Thank you for producing this video for us to learn from!!

You gotta respect the dedication