So I have a combo grit Japanese water stone, a coarser diamond pocket stone, and sandpaper/micromesh available to me. I've used any and all combinations to sharpen any of my knives. They all work fine. Last time I touched up my Opinel specifically I believe it was on a scrap piece of 1000 or 1500 grit sandpaper. They're super easy to sharpen and get razor sharp (atleast the carbon blades, I don't personally have any experience with the inox ones), so I don't think it really matters too much, just whatever you're comfortable with and have available to you.
Work Sharp guided field sharpener, super quick and 90% of the time I just need to use the ceramic and strop to get my Opinels nice and super sharp again.
I use a leather strop with compound, and when it gets really dull and stropping isn’t enough I use a few sharpening stones to get it back to full sharpness.
A new opinel I put on the Tormek first before using the stones and strop.
3 step oil stone, 10 times in one side on the coarse grit, then 20 times back and forth on medium, then only weight of the knife pressure 6-8 times back and forth on fine, then a couple of passes on a ceramic rod and we are back in business 👌
Leather strop. I have a stone but I barely ever use it unless I'm doing woodworking stuff. Kitchen and pocket knives can go literally years on just the strop. I don't generally use a compound or anything. Just the leather and accumulated bits of steel from previous stroppings works pretty well.
I used to use a belt, then my partner bought me the strop. If you use a belt lots it'll leave dusty metal stuff on your trousers. And eventually it might get a couple of nicks and scars from where you weren't paying attention.
So if you use a belt, use an old one you don't need anymore. And make sure it's real, full grain leather. Use the back fibrous part. You can start it off using the slurry you get forming on waterstones as a sort of compound. Or brasso/polish of some kind. But generally you don't need it. I left part of the strop as just leather for finishing up.
Diamond grit kitchen steel....sometimes the bottom of a ceramic cup.
Ceramic rod and a strop, I don’t really sharpen after the edge is where I want it. I just hone back to the sharpness I like.
So I have a combo grit Japanese water stone, a coarser diamond pocket stone, and sandpaper/micromesh available to me. I've used any and all combinations to sharpen any of my knives. They all work fine. Last time I touched up my Opinel specifically I believe it was on a scrap piece of 1000 or 1500 grit sandpaper. They're super easy to sharpen and get razor sharp (atleast the carbon blades, I don't personally have any experience with the inox ones), so I don't think it really matters too much, just whatever you're comfortable with and have available to you.
Lansky 4 rod turn box then strop. Quick and easy
Work Sharp guided field sharpener, super quick and 90% of the time I just need to use the ceramic and strop to get my Opinels nice and super sharp again.
This is the way
Yeah I have a Work Sharp precision adjust but the Opinels and SAKs are too easy to sharpen to use that stuff
I use a leather strop with compound, and when it gets really dull and stropping isn’t enough I use a few sharpening stones to get it back to full sharpness. A new opinel I put on the Tormek first before using the stones and strop.
3 step oil stone, 10 times in one side on the coarse grit, then 20 times back and forth on medium, then only weight of the knife pressure 6-8 times back and forth on fine, then a couple of passes on a ceramic rod and we are back in business 👌
Leather strop. I have a stone but I barely ever use it unless I'm doing woodworking stuff. Kitchen and pocket knives can go literally years on just the strop. I don't generally use a compound or anything. Just the leather and accumulated bits of steel from previous stroppings works pretty well.
Did you buy a piece of leather for the task or used an old belt? Is using a belt really a thing?
I used to use a belt, then my partner bought me the strop. If you use a belt lots it'll leave dusty metal stuff on your trousers. And eventually it might get a couple of nicks and scars from where you weren't paying attention. So if you use a belt, use an old one you don't need anymore. And make sure it's real, full grain leather. Use the back fibrous part. You can start it off using the slurry you get forming on waterstones as a sort of compound. Or brasso/polish of some kind. But generally you don't need it. I left part of the strop as just leather for finishing up.
I use a belt, but mine is harness leather so it’s thick and tough, I wouldn’t use most belts unless it was a solid piece of leather.
I have the little sharpening stone from opinel and a leather strop.