Ray-Way Sharpening

Safety

Sharpening a knife, or handling a sharp knife is potentially dangerous and must be done with the utmost care - and without distractions.

I have coined the term "wicked sharp" and to my knowledge this is the first system that produces a wicked sharp blade. Wicked sharp is a major step beyond razor sharp.

With our Sharpening Kit and Video, you could make your Ray-Way Knife - not only razor sharp - something that you could use to shave with, but for the truly determined, you could make it beyond razor sharp - something that will not even slide across your skin. Beyond razor sharp won't slide; it digs. Suffice it to say that having something this sharp around the house could be dangerous - to those who might pick it up. The technique only works with the Ray-Way Knife, and if you choose to make it this sharp, you first must learn how to handle it. Most methods people use to test for sharpness will not work with such a knife, and can result in self inflicted injury.

For those who are not interest in wicked sharp, and want only a razor sharp knife, my techniques still apply in full, but you would not be so careful with the technique. I can think of many instances when a wicked sharp knife would be too dangerous. For example, I would not have a wicked sharp knife in our kitchen drawer. But a razor sharp knife is very handy in the kitchen for food preparation.

In the video I show you both razor sharp and wicked sharp, and leave the choice up to you. If you start with a new Ray-Way Knife and follow my instructions, you are very likely to produce a razor sharp or a wicked sharp blade.

We have put a lot of work into producing the Sharpening Video, and like all our products we are using the sales to fund our adventures. So please note that someone would be most unwise to pirate our work. For example, to show or loan this video to someone else. That would deprive us of a sale. If someone wants to see your copy, you might recommend they buy their own copy. That arrangement would keep us happy and enthusiastic about making more videos, books and kits :)

The new Ray-Way Knife Sharpening Kit, Stropping Kit, and Video are on our Order Form. Our introductory prices are: Sharpening Kit $8.95, Stropping Kit $12.95, Video $19.95

After our return from our NFT (Next Fun Trip) in early February 2008, the regular prices will take effect: Sharpening Kit: $14.95; Stropping Kit: $14.95; Video: $24.95.

The Sharpening Kit and Stropping Kit do not come with instructions. The instructions are in the video. Note: We are not selling the video without the Sharpening Kit.

The Sharpening Kit comes with all three grits of silicone carbide wet-&-dry, which you can easily change out, as needed. Personally, I recommend, and use, three Sharpening Kits - one loaded with each grit. I have found that having three is very convenient - because I don't have to change them out. And I might note that the Sharpening Kits are designed to sharpen Ray-Way knives, as well as non-Ray-Way knives, and scissors too (once I finish the second video).

So here is what we recommend for one person:

1, 2, or 3 Sharpening Kits, 1 Stropping Kit, and 1 Video.

The Sharpening Kits will never wear out - you simply change the wet-&-dry. I have been using my Sharpening Kits for about 5 years, and they are still going strong. The Stropping Kit will never wear out either.

Our Sharpening video covers only the sharpening of the Ray-Way Knife. I did not have room for the other subjects, including sharpening other types of knives and sharpening scissors. Later on I will plan a companion video to this one, showing sharpening non-Ray-Way knives, and scissors. You can use your Ray-Way Sharpening Kit to sharpen any of these items. In particular, with our kit, sharpening scissors is easy - once you know my technique. However, it is not possible, that I know of, to sharpen a non-Ray-Way knife or scissors to a wicked degree of sharpness. That can only be done with a Ray-Way knife, as shown in this video.

Our Sharpening Kit comes with three different grits of wet-&-dry, (course, medium, and fine) but in the video I used only the fine grit to sharpening a new ray-way knife to wicked sharpness. On a well-worn ray-way knife, I might have used the medium, or even the course, depending on how worn the cutting edge. But note that I always use my sharpening technique, so I don't change the angle or the precise flatness of the bevel. This insures that I can always use my sharpening technique on that knife.

Now, suppose I have a ray-way knife, or some other knife, that someone else has sharpened using some other method. I can't make that knife wicked sharp, not reliably anyway. But I can easily make it razor sharp. This is the subject of my companion video to be. In fact, I have already filmed the procedures. I have also filmed my special method of sharpening scissors. Both use my sharpening kit and stropping kit.

So if you have purchased the sharpening and stropping kits, you will be all set, when I make my second video. (Don't attempt to sharpen scissors until you have seen my companion video. They call for a different technique.)

I shot the video in real time, without repeating takes, so you could see the actual process of sharpening a Ray-Way Knife to wicked sharpness. To make it real, there was no re-shooting and filling in of gaps. And I was very careful to show the specific details so you can emulate my techniques.

I have coined the term “wicked sharp” and to my knowledge this is the first system that produces a wicked sharp blade. Wicked sharp is a major step beyond razor sharp. For those who are not interest in wicked sharp, and want only a razor sharp knife, my techniques still apply in full, but you would not be so careful with the technique. I can think of many instances when a wicked sharp knife would be too dangerous. For example, I would not have a wicked sharp knife in our kitchen drawer. But a razor sharp knife is very handy in the kitchen for food preparation. I show you both razor sharp and wicked sharp, and leave the choice up to you. If you start with a new Ray-Way Knife and follow my instructions, you are almost guaranteed to produce a razor sharp or a wicked sharp blade.

However, my technique involves a fair amount of flatwork practice - at least an hour - before you set out to sharpen the blade in earnest. In the video I describe what flatwork is, and show you exactly how to proceed.

A word of caution: Without quality time spent on practicing the techniques, our sharpening kit might be a waste of money. So those who do not have time or patience, you should not expect quick results while you are in the learning phase. And as I have noted many times, sharpening a knife, or handling a sharp knife is potentially dangerous and must be done with the utmost care - and without distractions.

But for those who can tear themselves away from the internet or the tv, this project is a great way to develop the skill of sharpening knives, scissors, and other cutting tools around the home and shop. This should be a skill that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

With your new Ray-Way Knife, the Sharpening Kit, and the video instruction, sharpening the knife is a great way to spend a quiet evening or weekend, learning to work with your hands and produce something not just extremely functional but truly spectacular.

Note: If you have already made a Ray-Way Knife but have sharpened it with some other method, you should be advised that our system will produce a razor-sharp knife, but certainly not a wicked sharp one.

A few thoughts about the wicked edge: I sharpen my Ray-Way knives to the wicked degree of sharpness, then forget about the wicked bit and get to work carving, for example making fireboards and spindles for starting primitive fires. I don't shave, but if I did, I would use a safety razor, not a knife. You can strop a straight razor with our kit, but please don't try to shave with a knife. It might be safe in the hands of a professional barber, but otherwise, forget it :)

As with all our kits, these projects are very gratifying, but they are not instant gratification. For something to be gratifying, you have to put in your time. And the good news is, this is quality time - like sewing a quilt, or making a knife and sheath.

Using our kit, you will learn to sharpen the Ray-Way knife, as well as any other smooth-edge knife (non serrated). You can even sharpen scissors, chisels, etc.

* * *

I started writing the Sharpening Kits instructions, but eventually realized that the subject matter cannot be comprehended very easily in written form, even with lots of diagrams. So I made a how-to video.

The Knife itself will do a LOT of cutting before it needs sharpening. It started out very sharp, and the steel is uncommonly high quality. In fact, some of our customer's Ray-Way Knives will probably never need sharpening, if well cared for. At the same time, with our sharpening kit and video, you will learn my method of sharpening the Ray-Way Knife, which calls for a novel technique. For those who use their Ray-Way Knives often, you will learn to keep them sharp, and in fact, sharper than factory.

While I am writing this, I might also mention that with our Sharpening Kit and Video, you could make your Ray-Way Knife - not only razor sharp - something that you could use to shave with, but for the truly determined, you could make it beyond razor sharp - something that will not even slide across your skin. Beyond razor sharp won't slide; it digs. Suffice it to say that having something this sharp around the house could be dangerous - to those who might pick it up. The technique only works with the Ray-Way Knife, and if you choose to make it this sharp, you first must learn how to handle it. Most methods people use to test for sharpness will not work with such a knife, and can result in self inflicted injury.

Also, I might mention with some apologies, that the Beyond Razor Sharp technique works only with Ray-Way Knives that have not been sharpened before, at least outside of my sharpening technique. That is because the method other people use changes the angle and flatness of the bevel. And once rounded, the flatness of the bevel is very difficult to get back. Not impossible, mind you, but a new and different knife would be much easer to start with.

While thinking out loud, our erstwhile book Beyond Backpacking is out of print, as many visitors to our website won't let us forget! It seems that someone reminds us of this just about every day. Rather than re-print it, we are considering writing a brand new edition under a new title. We think we have figured out how to make the material much more relevant in terms of the ideas we have tried to convey.

We think our new Cliff-Rose handle is our most distinctive handle. The price for this wood is a little higher because it is so rare. In fact, we may have to stop offering it in the near future.

Our Cliff-Rose wood is not actually from the shrub Cliff-Rose. That is just the name we have given it. We collect it from the vicinity of our Connection Camp, dead branches only. For the beginner, it easier to rasp, grind, and sand. It is durable and lightweight, and while in the working stage, highly aromatic.

Our other knife-handle wood we have named “Apache-Plume." It is golden yellow, and a little more durable. And like Cliff-Rose, it is very aromatic while in the working stage.

Regardless which type of wood you choose for your handle, we hope you will enjoy making your knife!

Note: The knife on the far right is Apache-Plume with a big knot in the handle. We don't sell them this way, this was just an experiment.

What is the advantage of our Ray-Way Knives when you can buy a nice looking factory-made knife for about the same price? With our Knife, you get world-class steel for not much money. This steel will last a lifetime, and will walk circles around any cheap knife.

Another advantage to our knife kit: it is considerably lighter in weight than almost all expensive knives with good quality steel in them. This means you can take your r-w knife hiking, backpacking, or whatever, with minimal extra weight.

Please make note of this however that the Ray-Way Knife is sharp, and dangerous to carry on a belt, in a pocket, or on a lanyard around the neck. It must be carried in the backpack, in a location furthest from your body.

Also with this batch of knives, I re-wrote all the instructions. We think the Knife-Kit instructions are much improved, and the Sheath-Kit instructions are brand new, as I figured how to make the sheath much easer for the amateur and nicer looking. The new sheath must be constructed expressly for our new Knife Kit; it would not fit our old, original Knife Kits.

See a sample illustration from our new Sheath-Kit instructions, below.

If you enjoy working with wood and creating a beautiful and functional tool, try our Knife Kit. Once you make one for yourself, you might think of other friends or family who would also enjoy making their own knife. These kits make wonderful gifts.

Ray-Way Knife Kit

Ray-Way Sheath Kit