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Nephrology
06-20-2016, 07:25 PM
So, after losing my mini griptilian last year and then my fullsize a few weeks ago, my quest to replace them has turned into a mini knife mania. Got a Spyderco Paramilitary 2 and 2 mini grips, all on ebay for about $30-40 less than retail. Quite satisfied with that.

However, I do need a way to keep them + my kitchen knives sharp (I will probably be in the market for much nicer kitchen knives in the next year or so as well). I've looked around a bit and the consensus seems to be either the Spyderco sharpmaker or the EdgePro (though I am not sure which model).

Is the spyderco good enough? The EdgePro seems great but also very spendy. While I went a little bananas with knives recently, this is not going to be an enduring passion quite like guns, so I am not sure if I want to drop that much coin on the EdgePro. If the Sharpmaker will work just fine, I can live with that - but if the EdgePro really is that much of a step up above the Spyderco, I would be willing to start saving up for it.

Thoughts?

JPedersen
06-20-2016, 07:30 PM
I am going to be watching this thread. I was thinking the same thing. Honestly - the KME and Edge Pro don't seem too bad when compared to the Wicked Edge system. I think that one of the draw backs of the Sharpmaker (Spyderco) is the limited number of edge angles it can work and the dependence of the person holding the knife to be steady / consistent when moving the blade along the stones. I know I probably am not going to nail that every time ... But that is just me.


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Clusterfrack
06-20-2016, 07:41 PM
The Sharpmaker works great for me.

Rich@CCC
06-20-2016, 07:49 PM
The Sharp Maker is fine for your average knife enthusiast. It's easy to use, safe and high quality. It will give you a great work edge on any knife with a minimum of practice.

If you want a mirror edge that is perfect under a microscope and can tree top a hair, look to the Wicked Edge.

If you want something in between, the Edge Pro is a great tool.

Quite a few really like the Work Sharp, Ken Onion version.

IMHO, Invest in some good Arkansas stones or Japanese Water stones and practice, practice, practice. Honing a hair popping edge by hand is skill that will never let you down.

nycnoob
06-20-2016, 08:17 PM
Rich,

Do you recommend using an edge guide with the water stones? I bought some a few years ago but never could decided which guide to get and got frustrated. What do you recommend?

theJanitor
06-20-2016, 08:40 PM
I have the KME, but the Wicked Edge is the best system out there

GNiner
06-20-2016, 09:42 PM
Went nuts into knife sharpening about 3 years ago (have a pretty good collection of knives). Ended up with a Sharpmaker, Edge Pro, another system I can't remember the name of, and extra diamond and ultra-fine stones. I ultimately found that the Sharpmaker was way more convenient and fast (just leave it setup). I figured out that I like knives, and enjoy a liiiittle sharpening, but don't enjoy spending hours and hours making them sharper and sharper. At a certain point, they will cut just about anything anyway. I did find that when the edge finally dulled up on some of the harder steels, I needed the sharpmaker diamond stones that were the next level of aggressive over the standard stones that come with the sharpmaker. A strop block also comes in handy putting the final polish on the edges. Sold all of my other sharpening systems.

JCS
06-20-2016, 09:47 PM
I have a sharpmaker and I would highly recommend it. Especially to someone just starting.

Sharpmaker is so easy a caveman can do it.


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Maple Syrup Actual
06-20-2016, 10:30 PM
Personally I have too many knives and assorted tools that need sharpening to mess around.

$75 1x36" belt sander, $30 on belts from 400x up to 0.5micron, every tool in the house to any level of sharpness I want in an hour.

When I hear from someone who wants to sharpen a knife that isn't seriously beat up, I just say "buy wet/dry sandpaper: 400, 800, 1500, 1 sheet each. Put them on a mouse pad. Match the factory angle. Five bucks, done."

Shotgun
06-20-2016, 10:57 PM
When I hear from someone who wants to sharpen a knife that isn't seriously beat up, I just say "buy wet/dry sandpaper: 400, 800, 1500, 1 sheet each. Put them on a mouse pad. Match the factory angle. Five bucks, done."

This. Lansky system worked for me but takes a long time. Never could get a good edge using wet stones. Mouse pad is quick and will put a convex edge on your knives. At least for me, mouse pad is easiest method for touching up pocket knives.

OnionsAndDragons
06-20-2016, 11:09 PM
For keeping sharp, the sharpmaker is excellent and all that's needed.

If you want to regrind or set specific bevels, you will want to spend a lot of time with stones or a lot of dough on a Wicked Edge.

That said, every knife enthusiast should probably have a sharpmaker.


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GJM
06-21-2016, 01:56 AM
If you really mean best value, then it is hard to beat the free sharpening by Spyderco for $5 return shipping that will cover up to four knives.

Nephrology
06-21-2016, 05:58 AM
If you really mean best value, then it is hard to beat the free sharpening by Spyderco for $5 return shipping that will cover up to four knives.

I don't think they'll do my kitchen knives, however...

Rich@CCC
06-21-2016, 06:39 AM
Rich,

Do you recommend using an edge guide with the water stones? I bought some a few years ago but never could decided which guide to get and got frustrated. What do you recommend?

I've never used an edge guide and I don't personally own any water stones. I have several Arkansas stones and diamond steels. I also have a Lansky system for re profiling an edge or cutting a new bevel, but it is too cumbersome in set up for daily maintenance , though it does a great job. The Sharp Maker is just the over all best value and convenience if you want a "Knife Sharpener" rather than a set of stones/steels.

Irelander
06-21-2016, 06:49 AM
+1 for the Spyderco Sharpmaker.

That Guy
06-21-2016, 08:06 AM
one of the draw backs of the Sharpmaker (Spyderco) is the limited number of edge angles it can work and the dependence of the person holding the knife to be steady / consistent when moving the blade along the stones.

You do have a point regarding the limited number of edge angles, unless you lay the stones flat on the base. (I do this when sharpening my straight razor - of course with that I just lay it flat on the stones, so there is no holding a certain angle involved. But you could use the stones in this way for traditional free hand sharpening, if you wanted to.) As for moving the blade along the stones steadily enough, well, I've never mastered the art of free hand sharpening. I just do not have it in me to keep the same edge consistently. But I have zero problems using the Sharpmaker. Something about holding the blade vertically just makes that stupid simple. Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can. :)

23JAZ
06-21-2016, 08:38 AM
If you are looking for a quick way to sharpen the existing edge on a blade the Work Sharp is damn good. I have one just so I can keep a good sharp edge on everything in the house from pocket knifes to kitchen knifes. But my knife sharpening needs are simple, I'm not changing geometry or anything like that.
https://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-WSKTS-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B003IT5F14/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466516031&sr=8-1&keywords=work+sharp

EM_
06-21-2016, 08:54 AM
I've got the Edge Pro and it works very well, but it's spendy, takes up more space, and is kind of a PITA to set up. I suppose if you had a dedicated area to keep it all the time it'd be great, but that's not my setup.

I think the Spyderco is a better value for those of us whose skills are....limited....with the traditional stones. I think the Sharpmaker is that 80% answer for the normal dude.

I have no experience with the Work Sharp but a very good friend of mine in Eastern Montana makes butchering into sort of a hobby. He has a business selling raw meat for dog food and is constantly butchering something: sheep, deer, horse, etc. He is HARD on his knives and thinks the Work Sharp is the heat.

Oh and for you guys who are able to blade well without guides just using stones, well I wish there were a middle finger emoji to throw up here for you. :)

Malamute
06-21-2016, 10:20 AM
This works for me.

http://www.knifecenter.com/item/EZLM/EZE-LAP-3-14-inch-x-14-inch-Diamond-Round-Sharpener-in-Brass-Handle

When new they are slightly coarse, but fast. With a little use they smooth out a little and put a little finer edge on things. They need to be cleaned of the metal particles after using. I keep a new one near my Randall, used one in the kitchen drawer, and a couple others in my vehicle and day packs.

They eventually wear out, but mine have lasted several years of regular use. When working doing carpentry, Id touch up my 4-5 regular carry knives several times a week, keeping them about shaving sharp in just a couple minutes total.

RJ
06-21-2016, 10:51 AM
Good thread, following along.

What do you guys think of this gizmo? $9?

Lansky Blademedic:

"Diamon Tapered Rod-For Fast Reconditioning And Maintenance
Tungsten Carbide-Three Or Four Strokes Will Restore Your Blade
Ceramic Sharpening Rods-Polist To A Finished Edge In Three Or Four Strokes
Serrated Knife Sharpener-Designed To Get Inside Even The Smallest Serration"

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0085PPSIQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Lester Polfus
06-21-2016, 10:54 AM
Between day to day household use, hunting, and keeping up with work here on our property, I spend quite a bit of time keeping all manner of edged tools sharp. I use a Sharpmaker for everything from a 2" skinner to a Kukri. It's pretty easy to keep a working edge on stuff without spending a bunch of time doing it.

I think it would work fine for you unless you are terribly OCD. The bevel on my knives are probably off a couple of degrees. They work fine and are still very sharp and I cut things with them. For some folks that would mean the knife is "ruined" and needs to be discarded or at the very least re-ground. There are also folks who spend several hundred dollars on fancy stones to sharpen a $100 knife and sit there for hours muttering about "my precious" under their breath. The Sharpmaker isn't very good for them either.

okie john
06-21-2016, 11:34 AM
Oh and for you guys who are able to blade well without guides just using stones, well I wish there were a middle finger emoji to throw up here for you. :)

I can do that, and it only took me 30 years to perfect the technique.

A DMT two-sided folding steel (https://www.dmtonlinestore.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=29) works for 90% of what I do. I also have a couple of bench-sized coarse and extra-coarse steels from another maker. If a blade gets completely dull, then I use the coarse one to get it in shape, then finish it up with the folding steel. (I've never used the extra-coarse one, but it's so aggressive that I think I could actually make knives with it.) I keep thinking that one day I'll buy something like this (https://www.dmtonlinestore.com/10-DuoSharp-Bench-Stone-with-Base-P8C2.aspx), but it costs almost as much as a case of 9mm FMJ, so I haven't done it yet and probably won't for quite some time.

There are a couple of other things to bear in mind. First, if you touch up a blade before it gets truly dull, then you can resharpen it with just a few strokes on each side. If you let it go too long, then you pretty much have to rebuild the edge, which is a drag. Second, don't let people put your knives in drawers or into the dishwasher where they get banged up against silverware--that destroys an edge way faster than actual use. Wash them by hand immediately after you use them and put them into a knife rack where they won't get screwed up. Third, you may have to teach people how a sharp blade will cut far more efficiently with a light touch than a dull blade will with a gorilla grip and 90% of your upper body strength. I can't tell you how many times I've had to stop someone from mashing a razor-sharp kitchen knife into a ceramic plate while cutting meat or vegetables. It's just not necessary...


Okie John

LSP552
06-21-2016, 12:45 PM
Add me to the Spyderco Sharpmaker list. I've used a lot of others but always come back to this.

JCS
06-21-2016, 12:50 PM
Good thread, following along.

What do you guys think of this gizmo? $9?

Lansky Blademedic:

"Diamon Tapered Rod-For Fast Reconditioning And Maintenance
Tungsten Carbide-Three Or Four Strokes Will Restore Your Blade
Ceramic Sharpening Rods-Polist To A Finished Edge In Three Or Four Strokes
Serrated Knife Sharpener-Designed To Get Inside Even The Smallest Serration"

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0085PPSIQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Stay away from it. Far away. Those types of sharpeners shave metal off.


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SLG
06-21-2016, 12:53 PM
There is no super simple answer, because it depends what steel and angles your knives have. Harder steels will need more than a medium ceramic. Kitchen knives grind angles don't do well on the Sharpmaker, ime. I use an edgepro for most knives, a Sharpmaker for those that match up, and a hand stone for everything else, meaning mostly scandi and hatchets/axes.

Scandi ground knives rule though:-)

RJ
06-21-2016, 01:09 PM
Personally I have too many knives and assorted tools that need sharpening to mess around.

$75 1x36" belt sander, $30 on belts from 400x up to 0.5micron, every tool in the house to any level of sharpness I want in an hour.

When I hear from someone who wants to sharpen a knife that isn't seriously beat up, I just say "buy wet/dry sandpaper: 400, 800, 1500, 1 sheet each. Put them on a mouse pad. Match the factory angle. Five bucks, done."

I like this idea. ^^^


This. Lansky system worked for me but takes a long time. Never could get a good edge using wet stones. Mouse pad is quick and will put a convex edge on your knives. At least for me, mouse pad is easiest method for touching up pocket knives.

Knife noob question: is a convex edge a good thing? My point of reference is my mini Grip. After months of constant use, I'd like to get it back to razor sharp. I don't want to spend over $10, and whatever I buy has to fit inside a small space (we live in a very small travel trailer for months at a time).


Stay away from it. Far away. Those types of sharpeners shave metal off.


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Got it, thanks.

Maple Syrup Actual
06-21-2016, 01:15 PM
A lightly convexed edge is a nice tough edge in my experience.

On straight razors I like a flat grind but for pretty much anything else I have no problems with a slight convex curve.

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redbone
06-21-2016, 02:33 PM
I've owned most of the main ones.

Edge Pro takes some time to set up and can still be tricky to dial as the different stones wear at different rates.

Sharpmaker is fine if the factory angle doesn't need to be reprofiled, but almost all will. Reprofiling takes forever.

1x30 Harbor Freight belt sander is quick, but their is some evidence that edges made on a belt sander don't last as long. (The heat generated can damage the heat treat at the very edge.)

I'm currently into Japanese waterstones (Cerax 1k and a Rika 5k are good stones to start with), but it's a zen thing for me. I finish with stropping on diamond pasted down to .1 micron (totally unnecessary except to have parlor-trick edges that will whittle hair but naturally don't last that long).

Finally, the most economical is a Norton India combination stone. It's really all you need, and there is evidence that the toothy edge it leaves is more practical than a highly refined edge from higher grit stones. (Edges coming of the fine side of the India Stone will cut denim better than highly polished edges from a higher grit stone.

Learning to free hand sharpen is not hard. I used to think it was, which is why I have all the "systems" mentioned above. If I had to do it over, I would have learned to freehand and not bothered with the other stuff.

LtDave
06-24-2016, 06:05 PM
I'm surprised no one has mentioned a strop yet. Inexpensive and will bring back an edge back to razor sharp with a few strokes.

RJ
06-24-2016, 07:22 PM
Learning to free hand sharpen is not hard. I used to think it was, which is why I have all the "systems" mentioned above. If I had to do it over, I would have learned to freehand and not bothered with the other stuff.

So, while there are probably dozens of knife-sharpening videos out there, it'd be useful for me to get a few pro tips.

Could you share a few pointers to start me off?

My last freehand sharpening attempt was in Boy Scouts, uh, a while ago.

Knife is a Benchmade minigrip with combo serrated / smooth blade. Is it more complicated than steady even pressure, at the angle of the current blade, as if I was trying to slice a sliver out of the stone? Does the blade move in angle? (I assume not.)

Thanks!

Rich@CCC
06-24-2016, 07:31 PM
Rich,
The trick is learning how to raise the handle to keep the curve flat on the stone and maintain the bevel angle at the same time. Buy a couple cheap POS blades and practice, practice practice. There are a ton of tutorials on youtube. Some of them are actually informative. Some of them will teach you what not to do!

I avoid combo blades and stick to full serrated or non serrated because I'm lazy when it comes to sharpening! With a combo blade treat it as two separate edges. Sharpen the non serrated portion then touch up the serrated part. Most times just hitting the flat side of the serrations is enough. If you need to truly sharpen the serrations, a slim steel or triangle stone(Sharp Maker) is necessary.

okie john
06-24-2016, 07:53 PM
Rich,
The trick is learning how to raise the handle to keep the curve flat on the stone and maintain the bevel angle at the same time. Buy a couple cheap POS blades and practice, practice practice. There are a ton of tutorials on youtube. Some of them are actually informative. Some of them will teach you what not to do!

I avoid combo blades and stick to full serrated or non serrated because I'm lazy when it comes to sharpening! With a combo blade treat it as two separate edges. Sharpen the non serrated portion then touch up the serrated part. Most times just hitting the flat side of the serrations is enough. If you need to truly sharpen the serrations, a slim steel or triangle stone(Sharp Maker) is necessary.

Good advice.

For me, the hardest part by far is keeping the angle consistent. I find that it helps to stand up, with the stone in the same place on the kitchen counter every time. It's like getting my natural point of aim. Then I lock my wrist and start trying to take thin little slices off the top of the stone.

I also find that it helps to alternate sides. For instance, when a blade just needs a touch-up, I'll start on the red side of the folding steel I mentioned before. I take 10 strokes with pretty firm pressure on one side of the blade, then 10 on the other. Then I repeat that cycle with 9 strokes, then 8 and so on until I'm down to one or two. If that doesn't do the trick but I do notice progress, I'll repeat the whole thing but with a little less pressure. After that, I'll move to the green side and repeat the cycle again. That will make nearly anything made of decent steel razor sharp.

If the blade is really dull, I'll start on the coarse stone, then move to the medium, then move to the fine. If you do it right, you can put a razor edge on a hoe.


Okie John

Malamute
06-24-2016, 09:59 PM
...If you do it right, you can put a razor edge on a hoe.


Okie John

I keep my drawknife shaving sharp with a two sided round ax stone. Using it with the bevel side down only makes a huge difference in how easy it is to sharpen also (as if people were wondering about how to use their drawknives....:D)

SLG
06-24-2016, 10:18 PM
I keep my drawknife shaving sharp with a two sided round ax stone. Using it with the bevel side down only makes a huge difference in how easy it is to sharpen also (as if people were wondering about how to use their drawknives....:D)

Actually, I need to sharpen my draw knives, so good info. I often use both sides, depending on how deep or how controlled I need to go.

Lester Polfus
06-24-2016, 10:35 PM
I'm actually shopping for a draw knife right now so that was timely. Thanks.

Maple Syrup Actual
06-24-2016, 11:06 PM
Not sure that this would interest anyone but something I find useful to consider when sharpening knives is simply that a sharp ANYTHING is just something with a very uniform, basically triangular cross-section.

Whether that's a tooth on a saw blade or an axe or a razor, as long as you can create two intersecting, uniform faces, that's all that matters.

Now if you want you can make the edge intentionally a bit jagged by finishing with a coarser grit; that will result in an edge that saws. Cutting steak, for example, I like an edge finished around 400 or 600 grit. But for that I'll give some direction to the finish strokes because I'd like the edge to remain fairly uniform.

This all came to me when I was tearing down an old TH350 transmission. One of the bolts inside the pan was stuck and I was careless breaking it free. I rapped my knuckles on a well-machined aluminum edge that was just part of a hydraulic channel in the transmission, but it was two smooth faces intersecting very smoothly at 90 degrees.

Cut my knuckles like crazy. Blood everywhere on an edge that, if it were on a knife, most would call "blunt". But it wasn't blunt, if was obtuse.

That's when I realized that "sharpness" is actually "smoothness of intersecting faces".

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Malamute
06-25-2016, 12:08 AM
Actually, I need to sharpen my draw knives, so good info. I often use both sides, depending on how deep or how controlled I need to go.


I used to use the flat side down, and was having a lot of trouble getting a decent edge on them. a neighbor stopped by once to see what I was up to as I was building a cabin, he mentioned that hed built 60-some cabins. I asked how he got a good edge on his drawknives, he said "show me how you use it". I did, and he immediately said, "use the bevel side down", then it will be easier to keep it sharp. After adopting that, and fighting through the worn flat side to get a good sharp edge on the tool, I discovered that with only short minor touch ups, I could easily keep my knife shaving sharp, which made log peeling much easier. If I loaned a knife out, I could instantly tell by looking at it if they used it with the flat side down, even though I emphatically told them not to. I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me to correct the wear. I sometimes use the flat down to get in close to knots and grooves I'm not going to work out, but all the main work is bevel side down now, and no complaints. I keep the flat side perfectly flat when sharpening them, no extra bevel, the bevel side is the only other angle to form the cutting edge, just like a chisel. Keeping those bevels keeps it working well and I think is less work overall in sharpening it.

Ive owned and used several newer draw knives, but find I like the old ones a LOT more. They have thinner blades with much finer bevels and are much easier to get really sharp. I also heat the handles up and bend them out a bit so I can work larger logs without skinning my knuckles, and can use a slightly sideways stroke. In peeling dead standing dry lodgepole pine and other local mountain species, I get peelings about 2-3 feet long much of the time.

One of my older knives had folding handles. I had them welded in place and spread out about the same angle as the fixed one. The older ones seem to cost less than new ones when I was buying them.

I have more drawknife nerdism if anyones interested. I don't know everything about them, but have learned some after building several cabins.

Old knives below, newer ones above.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/Malamute/Reference%20material/IMG_6199_zps6b4745b3.jpg

pvc guard

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/Malamute/Reference%20material/IMG_6203_zps32ae9326.jpg

redbone
06-25-2016, 12:11 AM
So, while there are probably dozens of knife-sharpening videos out there, it'd be useful for me to get a few pro tips.

Could you share a few pointers to start me off?

My last freehand sharpening attempt was in Boy Scouts, uh, a while ago.

Knife is a Benchmade minigrip with combo serrated / smooth blade. Is it more complicated than steady even pressure, at the angle of the current blade, as if I was trying to slice a sliver out of the stone? Does the blade move in angle? (I assume not.)

Thanks!

Chefknivestogo.com has a series of tutorials that is pretty good. It's geared toward kitchen knives and waterstones, but the principles are the same even if you are using a oilstone and a EDC blade. http://www.chefknivestogo.com/knife-sharpening-tutorials.html (Though this might be your first look at section sharpening, rather than using full strokes.) The technique shown is based on what Murray Carter teaches. Murray is a famous knifemaker

Some tips:

*Use a sharpie. Otherwise its hard to know if you are removing metal from the apex. If you aren't, you aren't making anything sharper.

*Develop a burr. Don't move to the other side until you have a burr on the full length of the blade. Don't move to a higher grit stone until you have developed a burr at the current stone (doesn't necessarily apply when you get to really, really fine stones in, say, the 5K grit range). I suspect this is the biggest mistake people make - jumping to the next stone after some arbitrary number of passes rather than moving up when the edge tells you to.

*Holding the blade on the stone at a consistent angle is key. There will be some wobble (so any knife sharpened freehand is naturally a convexed edge, and that's ok or even desirable.) A lot of people hold the knife at a 45 degree angle to the direction of travel on the stone, rather than perpendicular. When I started doing that, it became easier to hold a consistent angle. (SOmewhat in the same way that rotating your weakhand on the pistol downward seems to lock the wrist - if that helps.) Chefknivestogo doesn't use that technique, but Jon at Japaneseknifeimports explains it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECfHNBSNOWo&index=8&list=PLEBF55079F53216AB

Malamute
06-25-2016, 12:25 AM
*Use a sharpie. Otherwise its hard to know if you are removing metal from the apex. If you aren't, you aren't making anything sharper.

*Holding the blade on the stone at a consistent angle is key.

To beat the drawknife topic to death, in sharpening, I use spit on the stone, and work the stone on the blade. The black muck that forms shows exactly where you are working the stone on the blade and keeps you on track (stone totally flat on the flat side and flat on the full width of the bevel when working that side). I use circular motions. I don't when sharpening knives, but on drawknives, it seems to work well, and gives a true shaving edge in 5 minutes on average I believe. Using the flat side of the blade down takes about 45 minutes or more of tedious work to achieve the same degree of edge.

JCS
06-25-2016, 08:03 AM
Sharpened an Cold Steel American Lawman in cts-xhp last night with the sharpmaker. It took me less than 9 minutes. When I began I couldn't cut through printer paper cleanly. Now it shaves hair off my arm and slices through phone book paper with ease.


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OnionsAndDragons
07-01-2016, 11:26 AM
Carter Cutlery used to have some good YouTube vids in stone sharpening. Something like that is a good place to get some first principles. Then I would honestly watch a bunch of Japanese guys maintaining their kitchen knives.

I used to have a couple vids of an American guy that spent ten years at school in Japan, who loved knives. Spent a bunch of time learning water stone work from sushi chefs and some bladesmiths. I can't find them now, but I will see if I saved them to my drive when I can.

Get the basic use and principles from a reputable source like a Knifemaker or one of the good cutlery vendors mentioned above. Then watch the movements of people that do this as part of their profession, like master butchers or sushi chefs, to get a better idea on refining technique.

I use a block designed to hold different sand papers specifically for knife sharpening. Mostly I use it as a variable grit stropping instrument. If you strop your steel every few days or every week, you rarely need to sharpen unless something bad happens. You could easily build a DIY leather strop out of some scrap leather, tacked to a wood block, that you apply some polishing compound to. Green rouge is a good general purpose for most steels. You can get a bit at any hardware store where the buffers or grinders are.

nycnoob
07-01-2016, 03:04 PM
So, while there are probably dozens of knife-sharpening videos out there, it'd be useful for me to get a few pro tips.

Could you share a few pointers to start me off?

My last freehand sharpening attempt was in Boy Scouts, uh, a while ago.

Knife is a Benchmade minigrip with combo serrated / smooth blade.


For best results
use this tool -> Benchmade: warranty-service (https://www.benchmade.com/warranty-service)



There's never a dull moment with a Benchmade... That's right! We will gladly re-sharpen your Benchmade knife to a factory razor sharp edge (service does not apply to any serrated portion of the blade). If you prefer us to sharpen your blade, or if you may have neglected to maintain your edge for a while, simply ship your knife to us. We'll not only sharpen it, but we will also inspect the knife for any warranted repairs and "tune" the knife for optimum performance.

newyork
07-01-2016, 05:53 PM
Wicked Edge. Done.

redbone
07-01-2016, 07:02 PM
Wicked Edge. Done.

Except for the "value" part.

BobLoblaw
07-02-2016, 01:05 AM
Spyderco makes a tri-angle sharpener that works for straight, serrated, and combo blades. Easy, quick, and cheap. No moving parts either.

Tuesday
07-03-2016, 08:22 AM
Lot of knives and tools? A belt sander that takes 1x30 or 1x42 belts and a sharpening fixture.

Few knives? Send them out to a reputable knife sharpener once or twice a year and steel them between sharpenings.

Malamute
07-03-2016, 10:44 AM
So, while there are probably dozens of knife-sharpening videos out there, it'd be useful for me to get a few pro tips.

Could you share a few pointers to start me off?

My last freehand sharpening attempt was in Boy Scouts, uh, a while ago.

Knife is a Benchmade minigrip with combo serrated / smooth blade. Is it more complicated than steady even pressure, at the angle of the current blade, as if I was trying to slice a sliver out of the stone? Does the blade move in angle? (I assume not.)

Thanks!

Rich, Id suggest starting with kitchen knives to start out and get the feel for it. If the edge is pretty bad, I sometimes use a stone rather than my diamond lap steel, and use a circular motion. Besides allowing you to get more time and pressure on the stone per stroke, it makes a different pattern on the edge. You want to make a few passes, then look at the actual cutting edge from the sides, the part that was on the stone. If you are trying to match the factory bevel, you can see by looking at the part that was stoned and if it matches, then you can adjust the angle as desired. You also want to look at the cutting edge straight on and see if its still blunt in some or all parts of it or is taking the blunted edge off.

You may need magnifier glasses depending on your vision. you have to be able to see something very small and fine to see how your angle is doing. Once you get the wear pattern even from side to side, and all the way from the cutting edge to as far back as your angle will be, then go to a couple strokes one direction instead of circular. Youll see the difference on the pattern on the edge right away. get that even on the stone and both sides matching, then as the edge comes along, one stroke per side, then lesser pressure. It sometimes takes several goes to get it figured out, but after a few different knives, youll start getting the feel for what your doing. Ive always liked being able to actually see the work progress as I described. If the knife wont take a really fine edge, you may want to change the bevel to a thinner cutting edge. I tend to like a fairly thin cutting edge.

In doing the initial circular motion, I work the blade up and down the stone tip to handle to tip and such to maximize time and get the feel for the bevel angle youre working on. Gettinga good edge freehand is a matter of being able to understand the angle and keep it consistant. a couple passes at the wrong angle makes more work to get the worked edge back to the right angle again. Its frustrating at times, but it takes time to get the feel for it.

The tip often requires what seems like a different angle to keep the bevel/cutting angle right. Time will help get the feel of it.

If others have more experience and different techniques I'm happy to learn. This is whats worked for me.

RJ
07-04-2016, 08:46 AM
For best results
use this tool -> Benchmade: warranty-service (https://www.benchmade.com/warranty-service)

Thanks Nyc; I printed out the forms and am going to send my mini-Grip in to Benchmade for the Lifesharp service and tune up.

Much appreciated!

newyork
07-04-2016, 06:16 PM
While this is a great example of customer service and the knives probably come back to you fast, sharp and clean, it's good to have sort of system to learn and sharpen on yourself with instant gratification.

You wouldn't have to ship out and wait a week. It also is satisfying to resharpen yourself.

If you have other knives from other makers, you'd have to get those sharpened eventually too. I'd spring for, and learn a sharpening system of some sort eventually.

My .02

JCS
07-05-2016, 10:32 AM
That is great customer service. Spyderco does the same.

My knife needs truly sharpened every few weeks. My main carry knife, pm2 with s30v gets daily use. Nothing crazy. I like to keep it razor sharp. That's another thing about having a sharpener, you get spoiled by a sharp knife. Once my knife can't cut paper smoothly it gets sharpened. It's still plenty sharp to do almost any task. But I like it being that next level of sharp.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

rob_s
07-05-2016, 07:34 PM
FWIW, I got one of those Ken Onion belt sharpeners last week and with a few passes through each grit had my Victoninox cheapo kitchen knives back up and running again.

RJ
07-05-2016, 09:06 PM
While this is a great example of customer service and the knives probably come back to you fast, sharp and clean, it's good to have sort of system to learn and sharpen on yourself with instant gratification.

You wouldn't have to ship out and wait a week. It also is satisfying to resharpen yourself.

If you have other knives from other makers, you'd have to get those sharpened eventually too. I'd spring for, and learn a sharpening system of some sort eventually.

My .02

Good points. I will.

As a side note, I acquired my mini Grip through a Karma (you might say it was the first Karma on p-F.com) through the kindness of LSP552.

Since part of the Lifesharp(tm) service offered by Benchmade is a knife 'tune up', I felt in this case it'd be worth it to send it to Oregon for a sharpening and a refresh / lube.

But yeah, I get what you are saying.

I did also recently purchase a set of three grit emery paper to try that technique out; this was mentioned a few posts earlier.

RJ
07-21-2016, 07:39 PM
Good points. I will.

As a side note, I acquired my mini Grip through a Karma (you might say it was the first Karma on p-F.com) through the kindness of LSP552.

Since part of the Lifesharp(tm) service offered by Benchmade is a knife 'tune up', I felt in this case it'd be worth it to send it to Oregon for a sharpening and a refresh / lube.

But yeah, I get what you are saying.

I did also recently purchase a set of three grit emery paper to try that technique out; this was mentioned a few posts earlier.

Got my mini-Grip back from Benchmade today.

Came in a nice box, well lubed and cleaned up. Blade is dad/gone sharp, that's for sure.

Took about 10 days from drop off here in Largo FL to Oregon and back to me.

Very good (free) service from Benchmade.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160722/abe05bd8af2d5b69f79294e134a542d5.jpg

RJ
06-23-2019, 06:03 PM
Hokay, back for some advice.

I got this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N4QMO7U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07214VMGB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And a Harbor Freight (I know, I know) sharpening stone:

https://www.harborfreight.com/combination-sharpening-stone-7345.html

Now, the first thing I am going to try to do is my ECD Spyderco Dragonfly 2.

What is a good angle to start with? Are all "daily use" knives pretty much the same angle? Or do Spyderco come pre-sharpened with a specific angle value?

TIA.

blues
06-23-2019, 06:07 PM
Most Spyderco knives are between 15 to 20 degrees per side (DPS) for an inclusive angle between 30 and 40.

Let me ask you a question. Is your knife dull? Does it need reprofiling or a touch up?

Will it slice telephone book paper or newspaper cleanly now before you start?

Does it grab or shave hair? Give an idea of the starting point.

blues
06-23-2019, 06:21 PM
Rich, I'm going to make a suggestion if I might, given the equipment you have at hand.

Looks like the HF hone is silicon carbide, so it will probably abrade pretty quickly. Lubricate it with either water or mineral oil. Everyone has their own preference. A light oil coat will help suspend swarf and keep the stone cutting longer. You can wipe it off periodically with a paper towel and reapply as needed.

Now, for the sake of learning, skip the angle guides at this moment. Try to set the stone at a height where you won't be towering over it but can get your eye down to the horizontal plane easily enough.

Now, set the knife on the fine side of the hone. You'll see that the edge is raised slightly off the stone. Now, raise the spine of the knife slowly and watch the "shadow' under the edge disappear and gently feel when the edge bevel is flat on the surface of the stone. That is the angle you are going to sharpen at.

Once you abrade the edge bevel on the stone sufficiently, it will thin out at the edge enough that it will turn upward and create a small burr. Your goal is to create a burr along the entire opposite side of the blade from the surface contacting the stone...and then turning it over and accomplishing the very same thing on the second side.

Once both sides have had a burr raised, you can do feather light strokes one on each side alternating until you don't feel a burr anymore. (Just kissing the stone.) Don't use much pressure on the burr raising portion either. Let the stone do most of the work.

At that point you should have a sharp knife without having had to reprofile the angle of the edge bevel.

This is one way of getting the job done and one of the simplest. Does it make sense to you?

We can talk about expanding your hones later...perhaps with a nice medium and fine ceramic but what you have should work.

Don't use the coarse side of the HF stone unless you really have a dull knife that needs a lot of metal removed to get to the edge.

jeep45238
06-23-2019, 08:16 PM
I have the Edge Pro and the Sharp Maker.

The edge pro is GREAT for heavy work. The Sharp Maker is GREAT for maintenance - they should have called it the Sharp Keeper.

blues
06-23-2019, 09:58 PM
I have the Edge Pro and the Sharp Maker.

The edge pro is GREAT for heavy work. The Sharp Maker is GREAT for maintenance - they should have called it the Sharp Keeper.


I have both also. I rarely break out the Edge Pro but the Sharp Maker gets a lot of touch up work when I don't feel like using bench stones.

RJ
06-24-2019, 07:19 PM
Thanks blues. I’ll have another go at it this weekend and report back. Appreciate the tips.

blues
06-24-2019, 08:29 PM
Thanks blues. I’ll have another go at it this weekend and report back. Appreciate the tips.

Happy to help. Keep us posted and we'll get 'er done.

RJ
07-26-2019, 03:15 PM
Thanks blues. I’ll have another go at it this weekend and report back. Appreciate the tips.

Ok I finally had a few minutes after work today. My Spydy was feeling a little dull.

I swapped to the 20° sharpening guide. Seems like looking at the knife, 20 is closer to how it came, new. It ended up fairly sharp (for me anyway). I used some free lubricant I had kicking around on the stone and sliced away on either side.

I also gave it 25 strokes a side on the green-compound rough side leather strop piece I bought.

I’m not going to shave with it yet, but it for sure is a serviceable edge for my He-Man needs (which, in truth, is mainly opening up Amazon boxes containing cables and adapters and other stuff I order at work lol). I do feel like eventually I might get the hang of this. Thanks blues.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190726/256395d120458ddb3d996239b8050f01.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

blues
07-26-2019, 03:20 PM
Happy to help, RJ. :cool:

UNK
10-24-2021, 07:25 PM
Im looking for a knife sharpener for an XMas present, Ive read through this thread and havent seen the work sharp system mentioned. Its got two diamond edges and one ceramic. Its adjustable for 5 angles and the price is right.

https://www.worksharptools.com/shop/sharpeners/manual/angle-set-knife-sharpener/

ETA Just saw this one on their website. Looks pretty capable. https://www.worksharptools.com/shop/sharpeners/manual/guided-sharpening-system/

Okie John I also saw this on their website I dont know if it would work as an alternate to the system you mentioned.

https://www.worksharptools.com/shop/sharpeners/manual/whetstone-knife-sharpener/





I can do that, and it only took me 30 years to perfect the technique.

A DMT two-sided folding steel (https://www.dmtonlinestore.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=29) works for 90% of what I do. I also have a couple of bench-sized coarse and extra-coarse steels from another maker. If a blade gets completely dull, then I use the coarse one to get it in shape, then finish it up with the folding steel. (I've never used the extra-coarse one, but it's so aggressive that I think I could actually make knives with it.) I keep thinking that one day I'll buy something like this (https://www.dmtonlinestore.com/10-DuoSharp-Bench-Stone-with-Base-P8C2.aspx), but it costs almost as much as a case of 9mm FMJ, so I haven't done it yet and probably won't for quite some time.

There are a couple of other things to bear in mind. First, if you touch up a blade before it gets truly dull, then you can resharpen it with just a few strokes on each side. If you let it go too long, then you pretty much have to rebuild the edge, which is a drag. Second, don't let people put your knives in drawers or into the dishwasher where they get banged up against silverware--that destroys an edge way faster than actual use. Wash them by hand immediately after you use them and put them into a knife rack where they won't get screwed up. Third, you may have to teach people how a sharp blade will cut far more efficiently with a light touch than a dull blade will with a gorilla grip and 90% of your upper body strength. I can't tell you how many times I've had to stop someone from mashing a razor-sharp kitchen knife into a ceramic plate while cutting meat or vegetables. It's just not necessary...


Okie John

eb07
10-24-2021, 07:58 PM
I use paperwheels. I can do all my kitchen knives in under 10 minutes. Razor sharp.

OlongJohnson
10-24-2021, 08:00 PM
A DMT two-sided folding steel (https://www.dmtonlinestore.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=29) works for 90% of what I do. I also have a couple of bench-sized coarse and extra-coarse steels from another maker. If a blade gets completely dull, then I use the coarse one to get it in shape, then finish it up with the folding steel. (I've never used the extra-coarse one, but it's so aggressive that I think I could actually make knives with it.) I keep thinking that one day I'll buy something like this (https://www.dmtonlinestore.com/10-DuoSharp-Bench-Stone-with-Base-P8C2.aspx), but it costs almost as much as a case of 9mm FMJ, so I haven't done it yet and probably won't for quite some time.

A bright side of the current situation is that this still costs far, far less than a case of 9mm. So you should totally go for it!

Spartan1980
10-26-2021, 12:31 AM
Im looking for a knife sharpener for an XMas present, Ive read through this thread and havent seen the work sharp system mentioned. Its got two diamond edges and one ceramic. Its adjustable for 5 angles and the price is right.

https://www.worksharptools.com/shop/sharpeners/manual/angle-set-knife-sharpener/

ETA Just saw this one on their website. Looks pretty capable. https://www.worksharptools.com/shop/sharpeners/manual/guided-sharpening-system/

Okie John I also saw this on their website I dont know if it would work as an alternate to the system you mentioned.

https://www.worksharptools.com/shop/sharpeners/manual/whetstone-knife-sharpener/

Thanks for this post. I was just about ready to pull the trigger on a Sharpmaker but decided to go with the Work Sharp since it's first two grits are diamond, it's adjustable for angle, and it's $25 less pricey to boot. I even added in one of the Pivot Pro models too for $7.95 because it looks handy to have in the bag when hunting, in the shop, etc. If it works out well they will make decent stocking stuffers.

UNK
10-26-2021, 08:57 AM
Thanks for this post. I was just about ready to pull the trigger on a Sharpmaker but decided to go with the Work Sharp since it's first two grits are diamond, it's adjustable for angle, and it's $25 less pricey to boot. I even added in one of the Pivot Pro models too for $7.95 because it looks handy to have in the bag when hunting, in the shop, etc. If it works out well they will make decent stocking stuffers.

I havent ordered anything yet so your review will be helpful.

corneileous
10-26-2021, 09:21 AM
Well, being that I don’t possess the honing skills my grandpa had when it came to making a knife sharp enough to split a frog hair four ways with just a plain wet stone, several years ago I coughed up the dough and bought one of those Work Sharp belt sharpeners and I love the piss out of it. I can get my knives sharp enough to where they just glide through a piece of printer paper which is plenty sharp for me. I just wish I could figure out the proper technique to where it’ll put an actual sharp point on the tip rather than kind of rounding it off in a way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

vcdgrips
10-26-2021, 09:42 AM
After a bit of a learning curve, I have been quite satisfied with the Sharpmaker. I concur that in its "stock" form it is more of a "sharpkeeper" as the brown medium ceramic rods are likely to be too slow for most using factory approved techniques work on a really dull blade.

With the factory brown medium and white fine, I can get my knives (think various Spyderecos of VG10, BD-1 and CPM S30V sharp enough to slice the corner off of copy paper 3x in rapid succession with a flick of the wrist. I broke down and bought the ultra fines (with red painted ends) and that takes an edge to forearm hair shaving sharp.

I fully acknowledge that the above referenced adjustable system is a more economical way to have a 3 "stone" set up using a similar technique.

I fully acknowledge that the Ken Onion motorized units can take a a butter knife to really sharp. I simply lack the confidence in using a powered tool to take off metal in this context.

eb07
10-26-2021, 09:42 AM
I use paperwheels. I can do all my kitchen knives in under 10 minutes. Razor sharp.

Forgot the photo and video

60 bucks for the 8" wheels, They are up to 90 now.... but welcome to inflation.

40 for the harbor freight grinder. Done.


https://i.postimg.cc/5yk7vBFm/sharpener-Medium.jpg


sorry about the fuzzy video, but you get the gist. I can do a knife in under two minutes to razor sharp.


https://youtu.be/9O1NETqb3FU

The thread that started it all for me: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/paper-sharpening-wheels-when-your-time-is-important-to-you.578787/

Paperwheel 101: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/paper-wheel-101-tips-for-beginners.608864/

Paperwheel tips: https://sites.google.com/site/richardjsknives/paper-wheel-usage-and-safety-tips

Got my feel and angles with a cheap china knife set then when I was comfortable I started doing my knives. Doing all ten kitchen knives at once takes ten minutes instead of an hour or more.

I will never go back to stones. I as all arkansas stones for decades, then japanese water stones, then sharpmaker, then I saw that paperwheel thread and my sharpening time was cut to a third. I use the sharpmaker to hone my carry knives after I put the razor sharp edge on. I also have arkansas stones for the field.

My time is important to me, so this is the best value for me.

Spartan1980
10-26-2021, 11:49 PM
Well, being that I don’t possess the honing skills my grandpa had when it came to making a knife sharp enough to split a frog hair four ways with just a plain wet stone, several years ago I coughed up the dough and bought one of those Work Sharp belt sharpeners and I love the piss out of it. I can get my knives sharp enough to where they just glide through a piece of printer paper which is plenty sharp for me. I just wish I could figure out the proper technique to where it’ll put an actual sharp point on the tip rather than kind of rounding it off in a way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I "inherited" one of the 1.0 gen models from my step father. He ruined every blade in the house with it. I was able to get most at least usable except for a couple of Victorinox kitchen knives which I just ordered replacements for after finding a place that sells them individually. I spent hours with the Lansky deluxe set getting them to cut more than butter and the points are just gone hence the replacements.

The trick seems to be letting off the switch at the point and not pulling the point through. It's easy to say and comprehend but I'm nowhere near astute enough with it to use it on my knives. It's killer on lawn mower blades and axe like things though!

Spartan1980
10-27-2021, 07:37 PM
OK I got these delivered today.

Work Sharp - WSBCHAGS Benchtop Angle Set Knife Sharpener - Ken Onion Edition (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XJRCZB9?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details)

and

Work Sharp EDC Pivot Plus Knife Sharpener (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TYG3RVW?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details)

Both are pretty stupid proof. Sharpened my Large CQC 4KXL Pocketknife from Kershaw-Emerson (6055) (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TAD2NYO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1), a 8" Victorinox Chef knife and a 5" Victorinox Mini Chef's knife with the Benchtop sharpener. It works as advertised. The first two grits being diamond are what saves the day. They cut well and fast. Just flipping around to the ceramic and gives a quite nice edge finishing up. These knives weren't in horrible shape but the course diamond moves the metal pretty good and it only takes a few strokes on each grit to get to shaving sharpness.

For the EDC Pivot audition I broke out a small and very abused Benchmade auto. I had previously spent over a couple of hours with the Lansky getting the edge mostly back to straight from being utterly mangled by my step father on the powered Worksharp belt sharpener. It looked like a drunk monkey had went to town on it. One would think that it would be immediately obvious that the blade was just too small and short to sharpen on that, but he had a new toy I guess. The Benchmade has a 154CM blade and the little EDC didn't even blink at that. The "pivot" function for the carbide is kinda neat. I thought it was going to be a gimmick but it actually seems to work. This little guy is uber handy for quick work on a tailgate, workbench in the barn, etc. For $7.95 you can't really go wrong. The Benchmade is still fugly and needs a trip back for restoration because the point is just gone and beyond repair, but the blade will still shave.

UNK
10-28-2021, 03:25 PM
One review I read the reviewer felt there was too big of a grit gap between the steel and the stone. It doesnt seem you have the same opinion?


OK I got these delivered today.

Work Sharp - WSBCHAGS Benchtop Angle Set Knife Sharpener - Ken Onion Edition (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XJRCZB9?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details)

and

Work Sharp EDC Pivot Plus Knife Sharpener (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TYG3RVW?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details)

Both are pretty stupid proof. Sharpened my Large CQC 4KXL Pocketknife from Kershaw-Emerson (6055) (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TAD2NYO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1), a 8" Victorinox Chef knife and a 5" Victorinox Mini Chef's knife with the Benchtop sharpener. It works as advertised. The first two grits being diamond are what saves the day. They cut well and fast. Just flipping around to the ceramic and gives a quite nice edge finishing up. These knives weren't in horrible shape but the course diamond moves the metal pretty good and it only takes a few strokes on each grit to get to shaving sharpness.

For the EDC Pivot audition I broke out a small and very abused Benchmade auto. I had previously spent over a couple of hours with the Lansky getting the edge mostly back to straight from being utterly mangled by my step father on the powered Worksharp belt sharpener. It looked like a drunk monkey had went to town on it. One would think that it would be immediately obvious that the blade was just too small and short to sharpen on that, but he had a new toy I guess. The Benchmade has a 154CM blade and the little EDC didn't even blink at that. The "pivot" function for the carbide is kinda neat. I thought it was going to be a gimmick but it actually seems to work. This little guy is uber handy for quick work on a tailgate, workbench in the barn, etc. For $7.95 you can't really go wrong. The Benchmade is still fugly and needs a trip back for restoration because the point is just gone and beyond repair, but the blade will still shave.

joshs
10-28-2021, 03:35 PM
I've been using the Work Sharp Precision Adjust sharpener for a few months. I just got a aftermarket attachment that lets it take any four inch sharpening stone, which is pretty nice. But, it is a great system even with just the basic setup. I've always hand sharpened, so I don't have experience with the other fixed angle systems, but this definitely makes sharpening knives that are thin behind the edge easier. Those are the only knives I'm never sure about when hand sharpening because the bevel is so small that it isn't easy to tell if I'm sharpening evenly.

Spartan1980
10-28-2021, 08:58 PM
One review I read the reviewer felt there was too big of a grit gap between the steel and the stone. It doesnt seem you have the same opinion?

On paper I would tend to agree. For those who like bench stones, water stones up to 6000 grit and who want that perfect mirror smooth ultra keen edge, this isn't going to work for that. I tried for years and could never get the results I wanted with bench stones no matter how good the stone was, type or grit. The problem is me just not being consistent enough.

This is for more utilitarian work. I was kind of surprised that the difference between the two diamond grits was as far apart as they are, but bear in mind that I don't have a lot of experience with diamond stones either. The manual cautions about going to the next finer step too soon and before you have a burr on the edge. I wasn't getting along very well on one knife starting on the fine diamond and resorted to starting afresh with the coarse and working all the way up. It worked as advertised when I did that. An edge that's just dull and but rolled excessively or chipped and such will probably be good with about 12 passes on each side on each grit. Soon I'm going to make myself a bench strop out of some leather I found rolled up in the shed. That should put a finer finish on it and I can use it on my planer blades too, but this sharpener works pretty dang well for general purpose type work and doesn't take hours.

UNK
10-28-2021, 09:05 PM
Thanks for taking the time to write that up. A G Russel has a pretty good tutorial on making your own finishing paddle.


https://agrussell.com/knifesharpening/how-to-make-a-finishing-paddle



On paper I would tend to agree. For those who like bench stones, water stones up to 6000 grit and who want that perfect mirror smooth ultra keen edge, this isn't going to work for that. I tried for years and could never get the results I wanted with bench stones no matter how good the stone was, type or grit. The problem is me just not being consistent enough.

This is for more utilitarian work. I was kind of surprised that the difference between the two diamond grits was as far apart as they are, but bear in mind that I don't have a lot of experience with diamond stones either. The manual cautions about going to the next finer step too soon and before you have a burr on the edge. I wasn't getting along very well on one knife starting on the fine diamond and resorted to starting afresh with the coarse and working all the way up. It worked as advertised when I did that. An edge that's just dull and but rolled excessively or chipped and such will probably be good with about 12 passes on each side on each grit. Soon I'm going to make myself a bench strop out of some leather I found rolled up in the shed. That should put a finer finish on it and I can use it on my planer blades too, but this sharpener works pretty dang well for general purpose type work and doesn't take hours.

UNK
10-28-2021, 09:10 PM
The angle adjustment system on that looks really useful. Can you post the link to the adapter?


I've been using the Work Sharp Precision Adjust sharpener for a few months. I just got a aftermarket attachment that lets it take any four inch sharpening stone, which is pretty nice. But, it is a great system even with just the basic setup. I've always hand sharpened, so I don't have experience with the other fixed angle systems, but this definitely makes sharpening knives that are thin behind the edge easier. Those are the only knives I'm never sure about when hand sharpening because the bevel is so small that it isn't easy to tell if I'm sharpening evenly.

joshs
10-28-2021, 09:16 PM
The angle adjustment system on that looks really useful. Can you post the link to the adapter?

This one: https://www.gritomatic.com/products/4-inch-stone-holder-for-work-sharp-precision-adjust?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt6f3isbu8wIV6AaICR31bwCrE AAYASAAEgLvhPD_BwE

There is a 3d printed one available on eBay too: https://www.ebay.com/itm/124908269539

UNK
10-28-2021, 09:49 PM
I just ordered one thanks!


On paper I would tend to agree. For those who like bench stones, water stones up to 6000 grit and who want that perfect mirror smooth ultra keen edge, this isn't going to work for that. I tried for years and could never get the results I wanted with bench stones no matter how good the stone was, type or grit. The problem is me just not being consistent enough.

This is for more utilitarian work. I was kind of surprised that the difference between the two diamond grits was as far apart as they are, but bear in mind that I don't have a lot of experience with diamond stones either. The manual cautions about going to the next finer step too soon and before you have a burr on the edge. I wasn't getting along very well on one knife starting on the fine diamond and resorted to starting afresh with the coarse and working all the way up. It worked as advertised when I did that. An edge that's just dull and but rolled excessively or chipped and such will probably be good with about 12 passes on each side on each grit. Soon I'm going to make myself a bench strop out of some leather I found rolled up in the shed. That should put a finer finish on it and I can use it on my planer blades too, but this sharpener works pretty dang well for general purpose type work and doesn't take hours.

Oldboy
11-27-2021, 09:55 PM
I’ve used the Spyderco Sharpmaker for years and it works great for touch-ups. Very simple to
use and portable as well.