I nearly ruined a good horse with a poorly sharpened knife last week

Back in the day, we learned to hone a blade by hand with a stone. Now, I see folks relying on electric sharpeners that chew up the steel. Last month, a hasty job turned into a nerve-wracking fix when my knife slipped. The old timers had it right with patience and skill. Let's not forget the basics before we lose them.

3 comments

3 Comments

evac401mo ago

Ever try learning to sew with one of those old needles? My aunt tried teaching me and I nearly stabbed my finger ten times just threading it.

coleman.felix1mo ago

Funny how that patience applies to so many old tools. I still have my first set of drafting leads and a hand sharpener, and getting that fine point just right feels the same. You learn to respect the process, not just the result.

baker.sarah1mo ago

My grandpa taught me to use a whetstone and a drop of oil when I was maybe twelve. I got lazy last year and tried one of those pull through gadgets, and it put my best skinning blade in bad shape. I went back to the stone, doing slow circles at the right angle, and honestly it was kinda peaceful. Took me about twenty minutes to get it truly sharp again, but now it slices paper clean. That focus you learn from doing it by hand makes you less likely to rush and mess up, lol. Seriously, going slow on the stone saves so much trouble later.