anyone use these: slot gadgets...

M

mafeya

Joined
May 18, 2006
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Has anyone used these types of slot gadgets on their knives (spyderco/benchmade for example):

from: http://users.ameritech.net/knives/knives1b.htm
Photo_07.JPG


The Normark knife sharpener is an inexpensive slot gadget that can be found at a sporting goods store next to Normark's filet knives. It has two sets of ceramic rods set at 20 degrees. The medium gray rods sharpen and the fine white rods hone. I have used it to restore a slightly dull blade to shaving sharpness. It costs about $2, so it surely is the Best Buy. The Normark's 20 degrees is perfect for touching up a filet knife where the initial edge was 17 or 18 degrees.
Click to expand...

do they work?
 
Yes they work, but not very well. From my experience, they will not make your EDC knife shaving sharp (although I cannot speak for fillet knives). If you're lucky, they will make it sharp enough to slice paper, but not push cut it. There are some higher end versions of that tool that allow for adjustable angles, but they really arent worth it, IMO. I reccomend buying an arkansas stone, learning to use it on a couple of cheap knives and then sharpenning your higher end knives with it.
 
They are preset at a specific angle and the knife has to be significantly more acute at the edge and able to handle the high contact pressures. They work well on inexpensive knives with soft stainless steels. I recommend them frequently to people after I reprofile edges as they are very cheap, simple to use and fairly safe.

-Cliff
 
See post where some guy created knicks into his Sebenza..
The ceramic version works ok, until it loads up
 
GarageBoy said:
The ceramic version works ok, until it loads up
Click to expand...
Agreed, GB, that's a major drawback, IMO. People find their Sharpmakers loading up all the time, and that's using a good 5"-6" length of each rod. With a ceramic slot gadget like the one shown you're probably using 1/8" or less of rod on each side, which loads up fast.
 
Not that hard to clean with a toothbrush and some scouring powder. Not sure how putting it through the dishwasher or using some mild acid like you can with Sharpmaker rods would work, due to the plastic holder.

Still if you try to use especially the fine white ceramic for more than just minimal touch-up or restoring an edge, performance will degrade quickly. You probably will get a bit of a steeling effect even then however.

In the field I think a small pocket hone or a ceramic rod will be handier ..... a lot handier than carrying an extra toothbrush and a can of Comet, not to mention an electric dishwasher. ;)
 
Same as you clean any ceramic, use some cleaner/detergent. The only problem is getting something narrow enough to scrub inside the opening.

-Cliff
 
Before i got my sharpmaker i used something like that to sharpen my SAK, the gray rods are useless but the white ones do a pretty good job, only problem is that a small part of the blade gets left unsharpened because the blade can't go all the way through due to the handle hitting the sharpener
 
Steve Bottorff of "Sharpening Made Easy" recommends the "Sharpen-It" for that type of sharpener.

-Cliff
 
I have that Normark sharpener. It's not bad for touch ups but I wouldn't consider it as a a primary sharpener. I use a Sharpmaker at home and keep a Normark in my work tool bag. Works well on Swiss Army Knives. A good way to clean them is to "floss" them with some cord or shoelace with soap and water.

Heck, it's 2 bucks. If it doesn't sharpen your knives well you can use it as a door stop wedge.
 
I have one of those made by Smiths. The ceramic part is good when I'm in the kitchen. I'll just run the knife through that thing a couple of times and it does a good enough job for soft foods. Pretty good in the field for touchups and for fillet knives. Thats about it.

Those carbide pieces in those things scrape the steel right off your edge, and after youre done, you can see little metal slivers on your counter. I dont like that at all.:barf:
 
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