The Role of the Sharpie in Sharpening

[HumbleHomeCook]

In another thread, several of us, including @ian and @Kawa were talking sharpening and the tried and true marker got brought up. Kawa had some interesting comments about the use of a Sharpie and I think a lot of people feel exactly the same way.

To paraphrase, his thought was that he struggled with using the Sharpie because he'd have to make a couple strokes then pick up the knife to inspect it and now, when putting it back down on the stone, there is the risk of no longer being at that same angle. So why bother?

Understand, I am 100% not being critical of Kawa. Like I said, I think lots of folks feel that way. Or think, okay I make a swipe and check. Make a another swipe and now I'm not sure which angle is the right one. That kind of thing.

So it got me thinking about the role of the Sharpie in my sharpening. Because yes, I often still do use one.

We all think of the Sharpie as showing what angle we're at and that's true. But, as said, it isn't a fixed jig. Our individual inputs are still a variable. The Sharpie is an informational and educational tool. That's its real role and ultimate benefit.

When you mark the bevel and set your knife down on the stone, you need to see how it is sitting. How does the angle look? The attitude of the knife on the stone if you will. As you drag the knife across the stone, how does it feel? As you move the knife across the stone, what does the edge look like against the stone (shadow, flush, etc.)? It isn't really about using the Sharpie to get sharp knives. It's about using the Sharpie as a learning tool to ween off of the Sharpie. You'll begin to be able to see and feel the angles. After a while you're marking the edge and on your first stroke seeing that you're getting most of it off. You'll be able to tell the higher angles of pocket knives from the lower angles of Japanese knives or what have you.

Use the marker to teach how to find those angles, not rely on it for the task.

The marker can also tell us a lot about the "factory" or current edge and our own technique. It can show unevenness in the edge (very common) so we can see places to focus on. This is how I still often use it. It can also show us if we're being inconsistent, not adjusting at the tip, etc. Again, it's an informational tool.

Even when I used a clamped system, I still used a Sharpie as the visual feedback is quite powerful.

 

[Kawa]

Although I was critical about using sharpie the way it is most commonly explained, I do think it has its role.

Especially when you start learning to follow the curve of the belly, it is very handy. My straw angle guide doesnt help me when I have to raise the knife for sharpening the curve. I dont think any angle guide will help you there; its only for the initial angle.
So when learning to sharpen the belly, sharpie doesnt help me finding the right 'raise', but it does confirm or deny that I hit the curvature of the belly the right way, which makes me able to adjust very fast.

It also helps me hitting that last few mm around the heel. Do I put enough pressure on the very last part of the knife or not? Sharpie tells me if I am or not.


I still use sharpie, especially when starting a knife or when changing to a next stone. Sometimes my 'feel' is off and sharpie gives me confirmation about how im doing.
Is it a guarantee that I hit the same angle again after checking? No absolutely not (thats my criticismn about it).
But it helps me on days or with knives that have a different feel. Sometimes my feel needs 'over adjustment' or 'under adjustment' from what I was thinking/feeling. Sharpie speaks up to me.

 

[Benuser]

I certainly use a sharpie with a loupe with an unknown knife. It has happened me to often I hadn't seen some microbevel or just an irregularity of the previous sharpening, especially OOTB.

 

[branwell]

I use a sharpie for writing on packages only

I still use sharpie, especially when starting a knife or when changing to a next stone. Sometimes my 'feel' is off and sharpie gives me confirmation about how im doing.

An alternative is to use your finger nails. For example.

I sharpen with my left hand holding the knife. When I'm sharpening the left side, my forefinger is on the spine. When sharpening the right side, my thumb is on the spine. Once I dial in an angle I like, I can rest my finger / thumb on the stone and notice where my nail lines up with the blades spine. I can then use this reference as a guide so I don't need to go to sharpies, or coins etc.

What about initial edges or factory edges?

The perfect edge is the steepest edge that doesn't take damage or wear prematurely. This is pretty much entirely determined by a combination of the user, the knife and the environment. Given the maker cant know in most cases the user, they can only guess at an ideal edge.

Best thing I think for the bulk of gyutos etc is to start at 12 degrees ish and use the knife. No damage? Reduce the angle. Damage, increase the angle and use your nails as reference to get back to that angle in the future.

 

[user 16756]

I only use sharpies for when Im nuking blade roads and even then it's not super duper necessary if you know what to look for on the scratch pattern and how the bevels reflect light. But it can be helpful near the end when you want to check how flat you are because you can go with super light pressure and REALLY get a sense for how even you are.

I appreciate that the sharpie method can be useful for edges for some folks but I dont personally find it very helpful. IMO it's better to learn to feel for the existing bevel if you are maintaining than to rely on the sharpie, that said if you want to use it as part of aiding you see how you are making progress that's totally valid.

in the end you need to learn how to look at your bevels and interpret what is happening and how your use of stones is impacting what you see. if a sharpie helps you out, by all means.

just because I personally find it doesnt help much doesnt mean others will feel the same way.

 

[Kawa]

Stupid name for a permanent marker anyway, sharpie.

lets just call them what they are: Edding stift !

 

[Mr.Wizard]

To paraphrase, his thought was that he struggled with using the Sharpie because he'd have to make a couple strokes then pick up the knife to inspect it and now, when putting it back down on the stone, there is the risk of no longer being at that same angle. So why bother?

Bringing the stone from above, as in Edge Pro style jigs or with a hand stone on an axe or machete, allows one to watch the marker come off with each stroke. With good light one can watch the scratch pattern from different angles of strokes to do the same thing.

 

[BoSharpens]

Bringing the stone from above, as in Edge Pro style jigs or with a hand stone on an axe or machete, allows one to watch the marker come off with each stroke. With good light one can watch the scratch pattern from different angles of strokes to do the same thing.

Yup, I've done honing of edges with a Sharpie that way for decades to get my fine edge back very quickly until I need to take the knife back to the shop for a serious resharpening.

I've taught a lot of my sharpening customers who are interested in touching up edges to do the same. It takes very little time and lets the user know exactly where his stone is touching the blade. More powerful reading glasses do help with that.