Sharpening of carving knives

Both children and adults should use a sharp carving knife / scout knife etc.

A dull carving knife is far more dangerous than a sharp carving knife when carving. This rule applies to both children and adults who carve with a carving knife or scout knife, for example. Therefore, it is important to keep your carving knives sharp, whether you have carving as your own hobby or are a teacher in Green Woodworking. Or maybe you are a parent to a scout who has just earned their knife certificate and is therefore allowed to carry a carving knife or dagger to the meetings. This often means that both the scout and its parents need to learn how to sharpen a carving knife or dagger so that it is sharp for the next scout meeting or scout camp.

In the 3 videos below, knife builder Keld Lisby explains how you can sharpen utility knives such as carving knives, scout knives, and other outdoor knives. There is not just one way to sharpen your knife, as there are a variety of tools available at different price ranges. It may be good to consider how many times or how often you expect to sharpen a knife, as there are manual and electronic sharpening tools available. If you have many knives to sharpen at once, such as a woodworking teacher or scout leader, it may be time-saving to invest in an electronic variant, as shown in the last video.

Remember that the sharpening angle for:
Carving knives, daggers, and other utility knives are usually sharpened at a 25-degree angle.

1. Precision Knife Sharpener from Work Sharp

Here you get a knife sharpener that does not use electricity but that you can easily sharpen your utility knives such as carving knives, scout knives, etc. Watch the video to see how knife builder Keld Lisby sharpens his utility knife with a Work Sharp Precision Knife Sharpener.

For this model, you should use the diamond grinding stone grain 320 and 600. And a ceramic stone equivalent to grain 2000 for the final polishing of the edge. These stones are included when you purchase the Precision Knife Sharpener from WorkSharp.

2. Sharpening System from Lansky

Like the previous knife sharpener that Keld Lisby shows for sharpening utility knives, you also do not need electricity for this sharpening system from Lansky. It is also super easy to bring this system out into nature because the sharpening system is stored in a smart storage box with everything included. In case you need to sharpen the knives completely sharp along the way. For example, during a longer teaching program at a camp or if you are going on an outdoor vacation for a longer period of time.

In the video below, Keld Lisby demonstrates how to sharpen utility knives using the Lansky Deluxe set. Here, you can use the black natural sharpening stone for any damaged edges. This natural stone is equivalent to a grain 70. In addition, a red one is included for maintaining the edge after using the black natural stone.

You can use the green grinding stone with grain 280 from the start of your sharpening if you do not have a damaged edge but simply want to make a carving knife sharper. With the blue natural stone with grain 600, you make the edge even sharper after sharpening with the green stone. The yellow ceramic stone makes your utility knife razor sharp.

Remember that every time you use a stone from Lansky, you need to apply a drop of oil on the stone before sharpening, as you are sharpening with natural stones.

If you are tired of holding the holder from Lansky in your hand, you can also purchase a tabletop model holder from Lansky.

3. Electronic Knife Sharpener MK2 from WorkSharp

If you need to sharpen many carving knives, daggers, etc., then you must not miss out on the electronic knife sharpener MK2 from WorkSharp. You can quickly sharpen carving knives and the only downside is that you have to have the sharpener connected to electricity before you can start sharpening. Just like the previous two videos, knife builder Keld Lisby will show you how to easily sharpen your carving knives so that your carving becomes a breeze. Remember that it is usually only the dull knives that you cut yourself on, as you use more force with a dull knife than with a sharp knife. As a result, the knife can slip from your hand more easily.

The Mk2 sharpener from Worksharp runs on sharpening belts, which consist of three variants of coarseness. You should start with a grain 80 if your knives have nicks in the edge. If your carving knives have no damage but are simply dull, you can start with the sharpening belt with grain 220 and move on to grain 6000 for polishing to make the edge razor sharp.

Sharp carving knives provide the best result and experience

No matter which knife sharpener you choose, it is possible to get a razor-sharp knife for your purpose. Whether it is a carving knife for carving in fresh or dry wood, or a dagger and other outdoor knives for different tasks. It is important to have a sharp knife.

In addition to the three sharpening systems that Keld Lisby has covered, there are also many other good models to choose from for sharpening utility knives. And otherwise, just remember to use a leather strop after each use of the knife. That way, you will keep your knife sharper for a longer period of time.