Anybody use a sharpening guide?

Daniel Koster

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
Messages
20,978
I have some benchstones and have been looking for a good sharpening guide.

I'm open to making my own, but feel it would be difficult to get an exact angle as well as keep it perfectly straight.

Ideas?
 
Several years ago I envisioned the same thing. Kind of like two pieces of metal, one end closed but pivoting, and the other ends pushed open and closed by a spring that could be adjusted. I didn't care if it was attached to the knife somewhere as long as the angle was perfect.

I bailed and bought an Edgepro.
 
This is what I had in mind.
Photo_02.JPG
 
That pic is a Razor's Edge guide. I have one of their kits. You can buy the guides and any stones you like, though theirs are OK, they are much more expensive than the guides.

This system has its ups and downs like any other... It does work. However there is only the ONE angle, and to re-acquire it is not trivial as the guides are not always easy to re-adjust to exactly the same position they were in before. Lastly, the guides themselves become worn (ground) by the same stone that is grinding your knife edge. This effect is most pronounced at the corners which you ride to do the belly curve and tip.
 
Matt,

Thanks for the great report. You are true to your sig. line.
 
Yep, Matt's post about covered it. Two things to add. First, the guides to wear, but it takes a while. In a few years, plan to buy a new one. Second, although there's not a huge angle adjustment, you can adjust the angle within a limited range according to where you place the guide on the hone.

Joe
 
Originally posted by Joe Talmadge
Second, although there's not a huge angle adjustment, you can adjust the angle within a limited range according to where you place the guide on the hone.
Click to expand...
Yup, according the Razor Edge video (and a bit of personal experience), the closer you put the guide to the edge, the steeper the angle will be. Moving the guide closer to the tip will also result in a steeper angle at the tip. So matching the previous angle may not be that accurate since you are pretty much eyeballing the placement of the guide, but wherever you put the guide, it stays. I prefer the Sharpmaker myself, but if you've already got the hones, then the Razor Edge is a rather minor investment...
 
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