Sweeping strokes sharpening style

[Thuja Magus]

I started sharpening knives after seeing a video from Curtis Chung where he sharpens a Kikuichi Suji with chosera stones. He used very long and elegant sweeping strokes. After that I found some Bob Kramer videos where he used something similar.

After a while I read somewhere that sharpening sectionally like the Japanese was a better method and that the sweeping method could negatively affects the profile of a knife in the long run because the tip and heel don’t get sharpened as much. So I learned the sectional way too. These days I can do both methods with good results but I much prefer the sweeping strokes for sharpening the edge of the edge, it is easier on my repaired right shoulder when doing a lot of work and generally faster. I also find this style way easier/faster to deburr and don’t have to resort to all kind of stropping and lateral strokes, just switch side often with light pressure and it’s done. For the record, I use a sectional approach for thinning, switching hands ( I never zero to the edge).

I would like to know if some of you use the sweeping strokes and if you found it affects the profile of your knives or any other ill effects. I personally never seen it and I think a sectional approach can cause this problem just as much and the sweeping strokes if you’re not consistent with the grinding of each sections. I also feel the tip and heel get just as much grindind as the rest of the blade since they receive a bit more direct pressure from the hands. Note that I speak of pressure with in relative terms because I’m very light handed when sharpening.

[Kit Craft]

I use sectional scrubbing to raise a burr and then I use sweeps to even that burr out before flipping. Either method can screw up the profile if you don't do it correctly. Scrubbing can erase an up sweep like NOW.

[Peter Nowlan]

Hi. I’m visiting:)
Clearly there are several techniques and they all work. I adjusted my technique four times in 10 years to finally settle into one that suits me in terms of comfort, simplicity and effectiveness. Since I rely heavily in manipulating pressure while I sharpen, the sweeping motion does not work for me. My sharpening is taking please below my two fingers that dance along the perimeter of the edge as I push and pull the edge of the knife over the stone.
So I can make a knife as sharp as I possibly can using the process that I use.

Now if someone sharpened the same knife using a sweeping motion is that knife going to be as sharp as mine? Absolutely.

Find a technique that develops your confidence and enables your skills to grow and that will be the perfect technique. (Once I stopped searching and began perfecting a technique, my sharpening world changed.)

If your technique forms a burr and subsequently removes it, it’s a good technique.
Peter

[jmcnelly85]

+1 to any method can affect profile. I use both scrubs and sweeps as well, I haven’t noticed any major profile changes on my knives, aside from occasionally tweaking the profile to my liking before thinning. The majority of profile mutilations I’ve seen or fixed have been the result of pull through sharpeners or aggressively honing with diamond steels. Pay careful attention to what areas are and aren’t getting worked and your profile should be fine. If not, it’s not a hard fix.

Edit: it’s nice to see you drop by. Thanks for the visit.