“MY WAY”
To help you keep your knife sharp and ready to serve you, I'm going to show you some of the Emerson quick and dirty methods using a couple of different procedures to sharpen your knife. We can't show all of the fixtures, devices or methods as there are ton of them. Most of them will work and if you use your sharpening method in the manner shown below, and can improvise a little; I know you can sharpen your knife.
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Book: How to sharpen your knife
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Knife Sharpener
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Sharpening Your Knife
For straight edges, the process is straightforward. “A sharpening a ceramic rod” is the best tool to keep your blade razor-sharp. Here’s how you can do it:
Sharpening Tools: Use a sharpening ceramic rod. These provide the control you need to maintain Emerson’s factory edge. (Available above)
Angle: Angle: Since all Emerson knives are sharpened by hand without a fixture, although close, the edge angle may vary from knife to knife. We recommend taking a black magic marker and “blacking” the edge, then adjusting your grip, or your sharpening fixture until it just removes the marker from the edge of the blade. That is the correct edge angle for you to sharpen your knife.
Strokes: With even pressure, make controlled passes along the rod. “It’s a simple process, but attention to detail is important.”
Using the Commander knife, this sequence shows the initial sharpening of the edge using a diamond stick sharpening rod. Push the stick away from you, along the edge.
When you feel a burr with the back of your fingernail by running your fingernail off the edge in the direction of the arrow, you have sharpened the front edge enough.
Turning the knife over, you lightly stroke or kiss the backside just to break the burr free. This only takes a couple of light passes. Incline the sharpener slightly so you don't scratch the surface of the blade and are only touching the very edge.
Stroping the edge of the knife–front and back.
Next you take the cardboard backside of a yellow legal pad and strop the knife back and forth on the cardboard. You have to use some pressure, so be sure that your fingers are clear of the blade if it were to accidentally close. Do this repeatedly maybe, 10 – 20 strokes on each side.
The end result after stroping on the cardboard. Total time about 4 minutes.
Sharpening The Tanto Blade
These photos illustrate the same procedures as used on the Commander but show that you must treat the two cutting edges on the Tanto style blades as separate sharpening operations. Consequently when you strop the knife, you will need to strop the main edge, change your position and strop the front edge.
Changing position, sharpen the front edge.
Same procedure for the back side—main edge deburring. Changing position, front edge deburring.
This photo shows using a Gatco Triceps to sharpen the serrations on a CQC-7.
Serrated blades, designed for cutting through tougher materials, require individual care. Serrations don’t need sharpening as often as straight edges, but when the time comes, Emerson recommends focusing on each tooth individually.
Sharpening Tool: A tapered rod or round sharpener is key here. The small size lets you hone in on each serration.
Method: Place the rod into each serration and follow the original bevel. To preserve the blade's cutting power, you need to “maintain the factory angle” for each tooth. This process takes time, but keeping the blade functioning at its best is worth it.
Consistency: Consistency is critical, just like with straight edges. Apply the same number of strokes and pressure to each serration, ensuring the blade stays even and balanced.
If you would like to send your knife in for sharpening please download form below.
**Please print and fill out the Emerson Knives Service Form and send it along with your knife* *WE DO NOT DO SERVICE, WARRANTY WORK OR SHARPEN ANY KNIVES THAT HAVE BEEN CUSTOMIZED OR ALTERED OUTSIDE OF OUR FACTORY AND OR WERE NOT MANUFACTURED BY EMERSON KNIVES, INC.
Service Form For Sharpening Click Here
Great blog! I love how even included pictures. Those images made it much easier to understand. Any thoughts on using an electric knife sharpener for this?
This is a year plus late but dont use any electrical sharpener unless you are a master grinder. It will eat your knife. 🙂
Very informative. I absolutely loved that you included some pictures for us to understand it better. Do you have some tips on how to know if the knives need sharpening?
This works really well. The only thing I would add is taking a Sharpie and marking the edge. You can at least check the consistency of your passes and make sure you are removing metal in the right spot. If you are used to guided systems, it takes a second to trust yourself enough to make that first pass. Don’t pass on the strop at the end either. I was amazed at the difference that made. I’ve used this on my A100, CQC-7 and Horseman and it works like a charm.
Hey guys I painted my handle. Does that count as customized? I just want to get it sharpened professionally. It’s a Mini Com purchased from a TennTac in Cookeville TN.
Thanks for your question. As long as only the handles are painted we can sharpen the blade for you. Make sure to fill out the service form http://ek-prod.emersonknivesinc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/SERVICE-FORM-Production2.pdf and send it in a long with your knife.
I e-mailed you about my knife. I purchased it from Midway. My soon to be ex son inlaw tried to sharpen it. He failed horribly. Please let me know how to ship it to you for a resharpening. Thanks, Randy
Randy,
Good Morning! Please download the form http://ek-prod.emersonknivesinc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/SERVICE-FORM.pdf. This form includes instructions on how to send your knife in for Service.
Have a great day!
It’s seriously amazing how easy it is to sharpen using this method. I used a ceramic rod instead of a diamond rod, and it shaved the hairs clean off of my forearm. 154cm is a tough steel to sharpen, but this method makes it seem like childsplay. Thanks for the tip! Now, my CQC7 is ready for anything.
Hey, thanks for walking me through this. I’d tried sharpening my CQC-7 a couple of times on my own and your method produces a better edge a whole lot quicker.