All around sharpener?

R

riverpilot

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Jun 14, 2014
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Did a search and couldn't really find what I'm looking for...my collection is growing and I'm looking for a really good sharpener/system that would kinda be an all arounder...zt's, spyderco, lionsteel, emerson, knives of Alaska, Becker, etc. what can you guys recommend? Thanks in advance..
 
All around?

I use a few benchstones and have no problems.
 
If you can spare the cash, I would strongly recommend a Kalamazoo belt grinder, and a selection of good-quality belts. Works very quickly and well on knives, plus you can use it to sharpen pretty much anything else too with just a ten-second belt change. Since I got mine, it's been used for probably 95% of my sharpening. Like anything, it takes practice! Don't start out on your good knives, get some crap Chinese ones from a second-hand store to play with first. It sharpens fast, so if you do screw up, that ALSO happens very fast!
 
@jason b...I should have clarified...I want something faster and that can put a better edge on and reshape as well. I too have stones, lots of em but I'm not that good and hey are time consuming...cheers
 
The KO version of the WorkSharp is really quite good! I'm biased toward belts, of course, but I've been impressed with it so far. I don't own one myself, never seen the point since I have the Kally, but my buddy Will has one, and I've put a few knives through it. You have to be a bit more careful than the Kally about keeping your motion steady and smooth, and you *really* have to watch the tips since there's no real supported belt area (keep that tip less than half way across!) but it does put a great edge on, and fast!

If you need to have a portable system, the WorkSharp is a great choice. If you're primarily sharpening on your bench at home, I'd give more serious thought to the Kally. If nothing else, belts for it are available in an infinitely greater variety, and for a ton less money per knife sharpened. Plus, it gives you the option of going down to really coarse belts (~32-40 grit) for sharpening shovels, hoes, etc. Makes a hella good general shop grinder, too. I've used my Kally for all kinds of non-sharpening stuff. :)
 
If you are fairly new to powered sharpening, just remember that heat build up on an edge is quick and easy to do, ruining a temper. Pluses and minuses in sharpening, just like steel selection.
 
I have the Kalamazoo SM1, the 1x42 un-enclosed version. It works tremendously well, and is a slower RPM on the motor than the more common wood belt sanders, so it doesn't heat nearly as badly as, say, a 1x30 that you'd get at the local hardware store. :)
 
Sounds like that Kalamazoo sm1 would work well for me...any place you recommend ordering from if that's allowed here, I'm pretty new to this forum. Thanks for the replies guys...
 
If you decide on a belt machine it should be a variable speed. When you work an edge with a 600 grit belt, it has to be moving very slowly. A machine with a 2 inch wide belt is preferable. Having a large work rest is a real plus; there must be a place for your hands to rest against if your desire is a professional looking edge. I do all my re-profiling work on 2 x 72 belt machines. The difference between one of these machines and sharpening on a diamond plate can't be overstated. Re-profiling and sharpening an edge takes a matter of minutes. This is why you need a good work rest, the process happens quickly.
Look around for a used machine in the 2 x 72 size, if you have access to a VS motor you have the problem half completed.
Having a machine like this opens up many options including sharpening for profit.
This is my mobile machine, which consist of a variable speed 2 x 72 and a 9 inch variable speed disc. I'm not recommending you go for something this elaborate, its posted just to give you ideas of the possibilities. I have around 1800.00 dollars in this system.

Regards, Fred
DSC00956.JPG

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I picked up my Kally from Enco (www.use-enco.com). Don't buy at regular price, keep an eye open for one of their sales. They very regularly have 10-15% off, and often free shipping. I got my Kalamazoo for under $200, including shipping. :)
 
I grew up using a pair of coarse and fine whetstones, and they worked just fine for camping, fishing, and all around utility cutting. As an adult I use a coarse and fine diamond hone for sharpening, and an extra-coarse diamond hone for regrinding edges. I've been using my knives for work for the past 29 years and never lacked for a sharp edge using such hones.

One of the things I like about hand-held hones is that I can take them with me wherever. Another thing I like is- I've never burnt a blade or taken off too much metal using a hone.

I could understand investing in a power sharpener if you are going into the sharpening business, or if you are a knife maker, but I don't really see the point if all you need is to sharpen the occasional knife. Once a quality knife is properly sharpened, it can stay sharp for awhile. And it will stay sharp forever if it doesn't get used.

I strongly disagree with the idea that a power sharpener is "better" than hones. A tool (sharpener) is only as good as the person using it. If a person has difficulty getting a good edge with a hone, I hate to think of what they might do with a power tool. Power tools do not increase ones skill, but they can certainly increase the size of ones mistakes.

And in my opinion, one should never be in a hurry to sharpen a knife. Being in a hurry is a great way to cause damage, or get hurt, especially with a power tool. Power tools may be "faster", but they are also a fast way to cause damage, or ruin a knife, if you make a mistake or are in a hurry.

Whether you use a hone or a power tool to sharpen a knife, it's going to take practice to get it right. Don't assume that sharpening will be easier, or that you will get a better result, just because you can plug the sharpener into an electrical socket.

But of course it's your money, and your choice. To each their own.
 
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Ever had a chance to use a belt for sharpening? You should try it some time, it's awesomely easy to do. And this is coming from the guy who does bench stones too, along with the EP, and the WEPS I used to have.

You can screw up faster, but you have less chances to do so. Instead of having to hold the angle for a couple dozen passes over the stone or plate, you have to hold it for maybe two passes across the belt. Yeah, you can make a real mess if you're not careful. But I can turn a dozen literal butter knives into razors on the Kally in the time it'd take me to do ONE on the stones. A lot of it is in what you want, I think, and that's why there's so darn many sharpening systems out there! It really comes down in the end to rubbing off metal with a rock, one way or another. :)
 
killgar said:
I grew up using a pair of coarse and fine whetstones, and they worked just fine for camping, fishing, and all around utility cutting. As an adult I use a coarse and fine diamond hone for sharpening, and an extra-coarse diamond hone for regrinding edges. I've been using my knives for work for the past 29 years and never lacked for a sharp edge using such hones.

One of the things I like about hand-held hones is that I can take them with me wherever. Another thing I like is- I've never burnt a blade or taken off too much metal using a hone.

I could understand investing in a power sharpener if you are going into the sharpening business, or if you are a knife maker, but I don't really see the point if all you need is to sharpen the occasional knife. Once a quality knife is properly sharpened, it can stay sharp for awhile. And it will stay sharp forever if it doesn't get used.

I strongly disagree with the idea that a power sharpener is "better" than hones. A tool (sharpener) is only as good as the person using it. If a person has difficulty getting a good edge with a hone, I hate to think of what they might do with a power tool. Power tools do not increase ones skill, but they can certainly increase the size of ones mistakes.

And in my opinion, one should never be in a hurry to sharpen a knife. Being in a hurry is a great way to cause damage, or get hurt, especially with a power tool. Power tools may be "faster", but they are also a fast way to cause damage, or ruin a knife, if you make a mistake or are in a hurry.

Whether you use a hone or a power tool to sharpen a knife, it's going to take practice to get it right. Don't assume that sharpening will be easier, or that you will get a better result, just because you can plug the sharpener into an electrical socket.

But of course it's your money, and your choice. To each their own.
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For personal use unless one has a disability, I'd have to agree. I have a smallish belt set-up, and the disk unit I demo'd recently. They work, and fast, but have a learning curve of their own. I have those specifically for doing rapid sharpening for a reasonable amount of $, and they are good to have around for that reason. They each have a learning curve that is specific and (with exception of the disk system) not applicable to freehand.

A good set of hones (Washboard included of course!) is all one needs to keep up on their personal use tools, even machetes etc. For me to spend a longer buck, I'd need some sort of ROI.

For myself if starting over and had a budget, I'd want a Kalamazoo belt system with a paper wheel for finishing.
 
Great insights and differences of opinion, thanks to all who have taken the time to respond.
As far as handheld stones are concerned, what are preferred or recommended? I currently have a few dmt diamond stones and can put a fairly decent "working edge" on most of my knives, are there better options out there?
 
riverpilot said:
Great insights and differences of opinion, thanks to all who have taken the time to respond.
As far as handheld stones are concerned, what are preferred or recommended? I currently have a few dmt diamond stones and can put a fairly decent "working edge" on most of my knives, are there better options out there?
Click to expand...

If you're on the path to developing a good touch with your diamond hones (which demand a light touch to give good results), you should do well with most anything else. Don't know if any one type of hone will necessarily be 'better' overall, but some stones can be situationally advantageous. Some steels respond beautifully to to specific stones or abrasive types; simple carbon steels & low-alloy stainless can really sing off an Arkansas stone or SiC & AlOx stones (of decent quality; the 'bad' ones can be horrendous though). Mid-to-high alloy stainless responds well to the man-made stones in SiC/AlOx; this will likely cover the widest range of common steels. High-vanadium steels like S30V are enjoyably easy on diamond hones, as is D2 with it's very large chromium carbides. Others will like certain types of waterstones for certain steels. But, the more I've learned, 99% of good results will come in developing the right & light 'touch' for sharpening in the first place; once that happens, a lot of 'marginal' stones/hones that never seemed very useful will begin to work much better (as if magically). :)

I'd think anybody would do well to assemble a 'starter kit' of at least one each of a diamond hone (coarse-to-fine range), a SiC (silicon carbide) stone and aluminum oxide stone (look for reputable brands), and perhaps a good Arkansas stone in a finishing grade (black hard or translucent hard), and go from there. An awful lot can be learned in trying each, and seeing how they handle various steels. I haven't tried waterstones yet, aside from a piece of natural red siltstone found on the ground, which I used as a waterstone. It worked well on simpler steels. As for true waterstones, I'm sure some good suggestions could be made for those as well.


David
 
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riverpilot said:
Great insights and differences of opinion, thanks to all who have taken the time to respond.
As far as handheld stones are concerned, what are preferred or recommended? I currently have a few dmt diamond stones and can put a fairly decent "working edge" on most of my knives, are there better options out there?
Click to expand...

I am mighty partial to the Washboard blocks I make and sell, more info through the link in my signature - they make for a very good kit and have helped a lot of folks learn/improve their freehand work. Even if you don't care to own one, the initial video has a lot of tips for improving freehand technique and general hand sharpening lore - well worth a watch.

DMTs are very good all around stones, a bit overkill on some steels, but nothing crazy. You might not need anything more than you already have, just need some deliberate practice with them to really improve your game.

Martin
 
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