Question about "scraper" style knife sharpeners.

I was reading through some old posts about Mora knives (thinking about getting one) and noticed a point someone made about dragging a good knife through the scraper style sharpener. I was curious as to the pros and cons of these. I have a couple of these and usually like the result, but I know that stone sharpening, etc. would produce a different/better result. I'm not interested in shaving with my knives, but would like to always have a good edge on them. Any input would be much appreciated. Thanks.

The advantage of the scraper style sharpeners are the ease of use and the preset angle. They require little or no training and experience.
They can only sharpen relatively soft steel and tend to break small parts from the edge. This creates a rougher edge. They also shave off more material than a stone. Of course the angle of the edge cant be varied. Hence the angle of an edge can´t be maintained. They are totally useless for serrated edges.
With a stone any sharpening angle can be maintained and the result is much smoother than with a scraper. If you sharpen the knife before it is really blunt the work is done with a few strokes. With a proper stone even serrated edge can be sharpened. I prefer the diamond "stones" over real stone. They can be dropped without breaking and they are available in pocket size.

LumpyJaw

Equipped has a fairly good article on sharpeners.

http://www.equipped.org/devices13.htm

I have used the carbide type in a jam, but find that the crock type work just a fast but leave a better edge. Gatco and Gerber have a small pocket ones that can be carried in the same space as a pull thru, these aer cheap about $5 each. If you have a good edge to start with these will keep it that way in the field, but you wouldn't want to try with a really dull knife.

If you must get a pull thru, then the best is Meyerco:
http://www.amazon.com/Meyerco-Sharpen-It-with-Nylon-Sheath/dp/B0001WP41C/ref=pd_sim_dbs_sg_title_2
or
http://www.knifesite.com/Meyerco-Sharpeners-s/162.htm
I have one in my BOB along with a diamond set from DMT.

Also see :
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_store.html?ttl=Pull%20Sharpening%20Products&srch=eqWWWCAT_1datarq%3Dsharpen%26eqWWWCAT_2datarq%3Dpull

LumpyJaw,

I would advise against the scraper style sharpener with the Mora knives (general style reffered to as puukko knife). The scraper type sharpener will only sharpen the 1/8th inch or less closest to the cutting edge, while most Mora (maybe all, but I am not sure?) knives have a sharpening bevel that is between 1/2 to about 3/4 of the distance from the cutting edge to the spin/back of the blade. Off the top of my head there is another style of edge geometry that at a casual glance looks identical but has a American style edge that can be used with the scraper type sharpener. This second style is also from the Swedish/Norwegan (Please forgive my spelling) area.

The Mora knives have a very wide cutting edge bevel and can be laid on a flat pocket type stone (Spyderco doubble stuff, Lansky credid card sized dimond stone or the DMT folding pocket sharpener) with minimal skill being necessary to maintain the proper edge angle, while the second style requires more practice to master. Take a look at Cody Lundin's First book 98.6 degrees, if you have not already bought a copy, he has a bit of info on the Puukko type knives, or bette yet go to www.ragweedfordge.com as the is some great in fo on this style of knife and how to properly sharpen them.

Also, and I should have asked this first, of the 10 things I listed which one or one's most describe whear you are at, or how experienced are you at sharpening knives? The reaso I ask is it will better help all inthe forum to advise you on whear wht to look into.

1) No experience, never sharpend a single knife.
2) Minimal experience, use a sharpening steel before carving a turkey
3) Little experience, can use a chefs choice electric sharpenerand or scraper type sharpener
4) Use a lansky clamp with agle bevel guide
5) Some experience, use a Spyderco type Croch stick or simmilar device
6) Use bench stones for free hand sharpening of straight edges
7) Sharpen serations on most knives free hand possibly using a vice to hold the knife
8) Incorporate stroping the edge into your sharpening process
9) Do free hand sharpening on belt sanders/ electirc buffing wheels
10)You sharpen anything that can cut

Hope this helps. I need to get back to work so I may not be able to respond again today.

-Joe-

I've tested a couple carbide sharpeners like these and overall I was completely unimpressed. If I had nothing else, it would be better than nothing (like in a survival situation) but my knives won't go anywhere near one if I have the choice.

I walked into a knive shop in Skagway, AK, a couple of years ago, carrying a Mora that was pretty darned sharp. The shop owner talked me into letting him "sharpen" my blade. I am still trying to repair the damage his drag thru sharpener did (he pulled out the drag thru and did the deed before I could stop him)...

An idiot did the same thing to my Puukko with some gizmo. I watched in shock as he picked up my knife from a table AS I WAS PREPARING FOOD, slice his hand to the point it required stitches and continue to demonstrate his pocket duller. A general comment about sharpening in general: Once you have properly set up a blade a ceramic rod to hone the edge and perhaps a pass with a fine grit will usually keep better steels and edges in working order.People oversharpen knives.

Professional chefs will have their knives sharpened only once a year...typically by a professional. A steel or fine ceramic rod holds the edge for a really long time if the knife is taken care of.

D.H. Russel makes a 6" pocket steel that I've always considered trying out to see if steeling my pocket knives is worth it for me. I always run my knives across a steel on a regular basis to keep the edge nice and straight.

The only pull through sharpener I've seen I like is a homemade one made from two single edged razor blades. It doesn't remove any metal, just straightens the blade like a steel. I think I might make one for pocket use.

I have a bit of a different opinion regarding the scraper and Mora issue. Yep.. I wear a great custom fixed blade knife made by Jerry McDonald. Yep.. I steel it and sharpen it with loving care and either a sharpmaker or apex system. But.. (I'm embarassed to say) it just isn't the one I grab for in camp. I grab one of my Mora-style (Ragnar's cheapest!) of which we have 1/2 dozen lying around the old shack we call a cabin. I may slide it through my Sterling sharpener (OUCH, Chris.."Duller") once or twice.

In spite of the good advice in this thread about blade profiles, Scandi-style blades, etc. my approach is that this is a great inexpensive (damn cheap) blade, and if the scraper wears it down to a toothpick I just don't care. I get another one. I just use the heck out of these knives (actually, use them up!) and I don't care about the fine points of proper profile/sharpening with "good" sharpeners. I care only for convenience, not longevity of the knife.

Now, if well out in the field, I'll carry and use my custom fixed blade: It has field dressed and butchered up to 5 Whitetail deer without a whimper. I'd do a number on anyone who came near it with a carbide scraper/sharpener! But, if the guys drag their harvest into camp, and I have my "Bucket-o-knives" at hand, I'll go through the job with Mora after Mora scrape/sharpening as needed.

My crew this weekend (seven deer hunters) sported a selection of fine custom knives (Randall, Hibben, McDonald, etc.) They know good sharpening "hygiene." But I watched them: they inevitably reached into the pile to grab one of my "junky" (their words)Moras and the Sterling sharpener.

But, each to his own. Just my $0.02.

I think you get better results with the crock stick style scraper sharpener than the carbide ones. I have a few of the cheap lansky pull through sharpeners with the two white ceramic sticks which snap into the holder in an 'X' shape. The angle on these is 45 deg, which is useful for touching up the edge of the kitchen knives i have that are sharpened to 30deg. This touch-up puts a 45 deg microbevel on the edge and this works well for a while until the edge gets too thick. Then the the knife gets reset on stones to 30deg.

Thank you for all the great info. As always, I have been "enlightened" by the experience of the members of this forum. I'm still relatively new to the idea of preparedness, and this is the best site I've found for real-life experience information.
LumpyJaw