How to Hone a Knife

by Pat Sowers

41K97140

Intro: How to Hone a Knife

In this instructable you will learn how to hone a knife so it has a razor sharp edge. Warning when using a knife this sharp be extra careful because you could lose a finger or cut yourself so bad that you bleed to death!

STEP 1: Use Rough Fileing or a Whetstone

In this step you are going to bring the angle of the cutting edge to about 10 degrees because the angle of a factory sharpened blade is crap. The new angle should be about 1/4 or more inches long. A whetstone does a nicer job but i used a file when i did this.(See picture.)

STEP 2: Rough Sanding and Fine Sanding (For People Who Used a File)

Find a block of wood and rap the sandpaper around it to give it a flat surface and sand in the direction of the grain of the steel. (Go in one direction not back and forth.) When you start use medium grade sandpaper and then work your way to super fine. Use this info at the bottom to help with the grit you will need. (Bad pic I will get a new one soon.)


600 grit to start.
Then slowly work your way down till you get to 1500 grit.

STEP 3: Finishing It Off

Find a strip of leather like shoe leather and put some sharpening oil on it and rub the blade on it going in one direction (same as sandpaper) the leather should be on a flat surface. Hold the blade at the same angle that you filed the edge and do this for as long as you have Patience . (if there are burrs on the edge than you did it to much)

STEP 4: Cutting Vids

Some fun I had. Click on the links to watch (Each bundle is 1/2 inch thick)

Cut 1

Cut 2

144 Comments

Bright Shadow 16 years ago

that looks like a homemade knife... (other than the "saw" part of it) is it?

Aburame Shino 16 years ago

The "saw" part is called a serrated edge. I believe it is used to cause more damage in the stab.

Pat Sowers 16 years ago

i made the serrated edge useing diferent sized metal files.

masterochicken 16 years ago

That is some good craftsmanship. It looks professional.

curious youth 12 years ago

i know these comments are extremely old. but could you post an instructable on how you made the serrated edge ? i would love to see that done.

Aburame Shino 16 years ago

I couldn't care less what you were asking. I was telling you the name of the serrated edge.

Bright Shadow 16 years ago

okay......... btw.. are you some sort of fighting/blade expert?

Aburame Shino 16 years ago

Not really fighting. I do study blades and the like sometimes. Sorry for the rude comment. I was ticked at somebody at the time.

Nick Larson 16 years ago

dude the serrated edge is to help cut stuf not to cause more damage in the stab

Pat Sowers 16 years ago

but it does do more damage in a stab if you stab someone.

Nick Larson 16 years ago

ya but y would you stab any one in the first place i mean even for protecton u woulden't want to urt the person to badle just enough so they can't harm u

Aburame Shino 16 years ago

If you are going to tell me wrong, please have the balls to explain. If it is not for that, explain what it IS for, instead of saying, "You are wrong," and leaving it at that.

masterochicken 16 years ago

Knives today are not made with killing in mind. The serations are a utility meant to help in cutting twine or other tough packaging that can't just be sliced. This is not the middle ages. Killing is not a large market.

Aburame Shino 16 years ago

Thank you, sir. And I have an authentic Marine Combat knife with a serrated part. I believe COMBAT knives were made for COMBAT and killing in mind. This is where I got the idea.

masterochicken 16 years ago

Well now that I know where you got such an idea I can say for sure now. A marines knife is made for more than just killing. A soldier needs to survive in adverse conditions. Let's say he/she gets lost in the woods and night is coming quickly. The soldier needs to build a shelter. A serrated knife is a very good tool for this. The marines have the greatest firearms training anyone could have. The rifle will always be their main weapon. Knife training however is minimal at best. One last thing. I highly doubt your knife is an "authentic marine combat knife" as you say. If this point was stressed when you bought it then it is most likely fake.

Aburame Shino 16 years ago

I see. I see. I'm only 13, so I have no clue about the world outside of Kentucky/Ohio/Indiana. Actually, this knife was given to me by my Uncle Bob (seriously, Uncle Bob) who was in the Marines for a time. He never explained anything, but meh.
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