Blade Sharpening Fundamentals

For years, Murray Carter forged a new path in the world of instructional videos, educating on knife sharpening and maintenance with the goal of inspiring an international audience to relearn the lost art of hand sharpening blades on stones. The core of these videos was Blade Sharpening Fundamentals, which boasted nearly three hours of step by step instruction. We’ve heard from thousands of you who have found this video immensely helpful, and are proud to say we’ve made knife sharpening possible for those who felt it was a big mystery!

As we enter the new decade, Murray has decided that education--and sharing it-- is the most important part of Carter Cutlery. To that effect, he has made the decision to stop selling his entire video library and instead, make it available, for free, to anyone who wants to learn how to sharpen and maintain their knives. By removing all obstacles, we hope to encourage and inspire everyone into learning more about their blades!

We want to thank each and every person who has purchased our DVDs and digital downloads over the years, as well as all of you who have supported Carter Cutlery! We love hearing what you’ve learned from us, and how we can continue to serve your cutlery needs.

Stay Sharp!
Carter Cutlery

[iainmccallum]

As an enthusiastc beginner to the art of knife sharpening, this was the most satisfying and rewarding 2 hours and 45 minutes of teaching. Education like this, free of charge, is a rare gem to find on the net. Thanks for this.

[ronaldseto]

I have been "sharpening" blades for many years, but never got my blades to a razor sharpness no matter how much I tried. I started to watch your video, but your video is almost 3 hours long and I was tempted to push the stop or fast forward button, but as I got into it, I found there was a lot of information I didn't know, so I kept watching to the end. Your video has opened my eyes to what I have been doing wrong all my years. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. BTW, I am 86 and worked as a tool sharpener, using machines to sharpen non-cutlery tools. I just bought some Japanese water stones and will start sharpening all my knives the right way.

[Buntaqwerty]

0:00:00 Clip of him sharpening
0:05:10 Intro
0:08:43 List of Steps
0:09:34 3 finger test of edge sharpness
0:12:43 Step 1 Cleaning
0:14:03 Step 2 Straightness
0:15:05 Step 3 Assessment
0:16:40 Step 4 Secondary Edge
0:21:06 Step 5 Primary Edge
0:26:23 Step 6 Hone
0:28:06 Step 7 Polish

[frigarodesign]

This video has been a Game (Life) Changer for me. I have spent on average 30 to 60 minutes a day for the past 17 months learning the craft as taught by Murray. Usually as a meditation before going to bed with my favorite playlist going and nightcap cocktail. From a lifetime of frustration at living with dull blades, I now live in a world of infinite possibilities and techniques most yielding SPECTACULAR RESULTS. Thank you Murray. You have been and continue to be an inspiration.

[WayneTheSeine]

Thank you Murray for being so kind as to share this in depth knowledge free of charge to the public. This is what YouTube was meant to be. God bless.

At 53 I am new to knife sharpening and have watched quite a few videos online in order to learn and improve. I have to say that you really stand out in terms of work, presentation and ethic. You are a testament to the fruit of good, hard work, discipline, perseverance, patience and humility. Thank you for sharing your mastery with us. God bless you, Murray Carter!

[mingulay]

A thing of beauty to watch a master craftsman perform his art. Other videos get you to black belt and I especially like the Canadian Peter Nowlan as a teacher. But Murray brings us to Zen and the splash of water and the sound of steel on stone with no words necessary. Thank you, sir.

[cmanycrows]

I’m thrilled to see this for free on YouTube having purchased your sharpening fundamentals DVD and king stones many years ago. We all get smarter and more competent as a society the more we share with each other. Thanks!
PS look at that baby face! Lol

[idnarg]

i've watched countless sharpening tutorials, but none have given me the insight that this video has. murray exudes passion for what he does, this is probably why he is such a great teacher! sincere thanks murray!

[schmoborama]

Damn I just wanted to help out my wife in the kitchen, make sure she didn't have to deal with dull knives - now it looks like I might have a new hobby :D So cool, thanks Murray

[heathwadsworth]

I'm just starting my knife sharpening journey at 52. I watched my old man sharpen woodworking chisels as a kid and your great video makes so much sense to me. Thanks so much for this great training.

[alexyounger]

I have never learned so much about anything in 3 hours as I did here. Thanks Murray, you're a great teacher.

[Robpearceknives]

I’ve watched this a few times and something you said really stood out to me tonight. I was sharpening a new knife before it goes to the owner tomorrow and noticing imperfections I hadn’t noticed prior and feeling discouraged. You talked both about the knife not being perfect and not being completed until the owner adds their use to it. I needed to hear that tonight. I pushed through and am satisfied. I am excited to deliver this knife tomorrow. Thank you Murray.

[Mike-krys]

Thank you for that amazing gift. What a video! It was inspiring. I have been one to avoid the use of stones - using some of the other methods you mentioned - ceramic sticks and the intricate gizmos that clamp the knife and you rub various grit stones across the blade. I always thought that the use of stones required some magic that I did not possess. Your explanation of the 7 step process makes me think that I may actually be able to make it work. After viewing your video, I realize there is no excuse for not using stones now. I just have to put the time & practice in, plus maybe watching your video a couple more times! No way did I ever think I could watch a 3 hour video on sharpening knives. The time flew by so quickly it was no burden at all. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us. That was truly a glorious gift.

[kokopelau]

I am so glad I found this video. I am 76, and this is the way I was taught by a Master Carpenter who was born in 1885 and his son, my father. I was out of knives and hunting, and when I started getting back into it, everybody told me I was wrong, so I learned a different way, which never felt as good. Maybe muscle memory? Your video covers it exactly the methods I was taught. Now I can do it more than one method.THANKS.🎉

[Cypeq]

I watched this 2-3 days ago, and done few knives since then, this video is priceless, I never got my knives shaving sharp before, and now I did.
Nobody else showed importance of control and assessment, and willingness to take a step back.
3 finger technique is indeed amazing at assessing progress and finding those spots you need to work on, and unlike cutting paper tomatoes etc, it's literally always there 'on hand'.
I was honestly a little afraid to touch blade like that, but it is perfectly safe if done gently.

Than you Murray, you are a true master, because you know how to share your knowledge.

[anthonypaul]

Had my stones for a year but I still didn't know what I was doing but today I spent about 5hours sharpening my 2 wusthof blades after watching your vid and finally I know what I'm doing haha

[morokeiboethia]

My father was in the lumber industry his entire life. He said that when you take a band saw blade (the large band saws for cutting logs into boards) in for sharpening, the sharpening service will hold on to the band saw blade for 48 hrs after they finish sharpening the band blade. The reason being the (I guess tensils) go through a settling process after sharpening/tensioning and it takes them 48 hrs to settle. If you use the band saw blade before 48 hrs, the steel teeth will dull very quickly. Another crazy thing is he said that if you take two large band saw blades (for log cutting) that are exactly alike, and you put each of them on a band saw machine and on one of them you cut 1000 boards and on the other blade you simply put it on the machine, set your tension to correct tension level, and then cut the machine on and but do not cut any logs/boards with that blade. He said as long as both machines/band blades were cut on and off at the same time, the two band blades will have dulled exactly the same. I said how is that possible? It seems like the one cutting wood would be much more dull. He said the wood does not dull those kinds of blades - the extremelly high centrifugal force of going around on those pulleys combined with the high tension that the pulleys have to be set to so the band blade stays firm is what dulls those kinds of steel/blades. The steel is under a different kind of strain/force that a round disc blade or a flat blade is not subjected to and the steel is affected much differently. I just always thought that was bizarre.

[sharpen-up]

You have educated me much good sir. I run a mobile sharpening business in Canada, and learned invaluable information from you over the years. A true gem and sensei in the sharpening arts. I salute you

[FH]

This video is an absolute gem of knowledge. So grateful that this is on youtube!