Keeping it Simple

 Hi,

A while ago Paul from Paul’s Finest.com asked me to make a sharpening video for his YouTube channel. 

The purpose of the video is to demonstrate how simple we can make the process and how inexpensive it can be. We both noticed over the last couple of years how many folks who are interested in learning get caught up in certain aspects of the sharpening process unnecessarily.

I have received many emails asking about things that really don’t have to come into play until much later on the journey, if at all. Thinning, finishing stones, (which brand is best), edge leading or edge trailing, compounds for strops, what angle is best for certain foods. It’s a long list but the thing is, many of the people asking the questions have never even tried to actually sharpen a knife, some have never seen a whetstone. 

This is due to the overwhelming volume of material on social media combined with our primal urge to sharpen something.  So many males have shared their experiences with me, whether it was a one time event or a continued experience, we love to sharpen, it’s in our DNA. 

I feel that some folks watch a guy slicing a tomato without holding the tomato, or grape and they get fooled, they feel that this is a standard to be met, the benchmark. I see them as parlour tricks even though there was a time I felt the need to do the same thing. I’m no suggesting that these folks are not creating exceptional edges, it’s just not a goal to set when starting off  

This is why I don’t put stuff like that on my Instagram channel  as I do t think it is an accurate representation of what sharpening is about, it’s not the start of the journey it’s just a side road, optional to be explored way down the road  

Imagine the worlds finest sharpeners, can you see them slicing a tomato to prove to people that they possess skills ?

They became who they are because they focused on the fundamentals, they kept it simple. I remember seeing a friend of my fathers making a chisel exceptionally sharp on an old, unidentifiable oil stone, he was focused and skilled as a result of practice, covering the basics  

The purpose of this article is to comfort newcomers, don’t worry if the knife you’re working on isn’t popping arm hair, it’s not important.  It took me decades to get there. What’s important is that you try again, you focus on reaching the edge of the edge with every stroke, you slow down and forget about the miracles other people seem to be performing on Instagram. Start off on the right foot and you’ll be creating your own miracles. It’s a long journey filled with barriers to test your patience .

One last piece of advice:  Drop your ego, there is no room for it on this journey.

Peter

If you want to see the video just search for Paul’s Finest on YouTube.