Master the Art of Knife Sharpening: Understanding the Burr Method with Cliff Gray

Smith's TRI-6 Arkansas TRI-Hone Sharpening Stones System

By: Cliff Gray

Cliff Gray from Flat Tops Wilderness Guides and True Hunts takes an approach unlike many other knife-sharpening guides in this comprehensive tutorial. Rather than simply instructing viewers to perform a certain number of strokes on each side of the blade, Gray focuses on educating us about the science and physics of sharpening a knife. Understanding how an edge is created and how to maintain it is a central part of his teaching. He explains the concept of building and reducing a burr on the edge to achieve the perfect sharpness, asserting that this new understanding will help individuals avoid common pitfalls and sharpen their knives more effectively.

Gray recommends beginning with a softer, lower-quality knife to better understand the sharpening process before moving onto higher-quality knives with harder steel. He also emphasizes the need for consistency when developing the burr, highlighting common mistakes individuals make when sharpening both sides of the blade unevenly. The same process applies regardless of the sharpening tool, be it a wet stone or any other sharpener. Gray then concludes with the delicate task of polishing the blade and smoothing out any remaining burr for that ultra-sharp finish.

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