>>1210759(
>>1211087 count)
>ElectircPull through sharpeners are almost always a BIG NO. With a few exceptions. The Work Sharp is not that bad for larger knives, if you are very careful not to take off too much material or round off the tip, or overheat. The Worksharp is also good for swords, if you don't care about the value.
Water cooled electric sharpeners, like the Tormek T8 are fine, but very expensive.
Mostly I sharpen my larger blades like Machetes, axes, and yes swords, on a cheap 1x30 belt grinder, but managing temperature is extremely important. What kind of abrasive belts you use are also important.
>RecommendationsI mostly suggest you practice free hand. Get some cheap oil stones, Norton offers many. Look for like a 220-400 and like a 600-1000, or just in general have 4ish steps from 200-300ish to 1000-1200ish.
Consider a hybrid free hand/set angle set up. For the longest time I did most my work free hand, and then put the finish edge on with a Spyderco Sharpmaker. I can highly recommend the Sharpmaker, I got my first hair splitting edges with it, and I still use it for serrations, but it is not good for removing a lot of material.
The most important of all, is just to practice. Sharpening is a skill that takes time to learn, and a lot longer to get good at. I've been sharpening since my grandfather taught me when I was 8. And I've managed to make it into a small side job that pays for my equipment and blade collection. But I'm far from being a "master" of it.
