Beginner looking for quality budget sharpening system

C

cards94

Joined
Jul 23, 2013
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I own 3 knives, none are serrated, and I've never sharpened a pocket knife. I'm looking for something not too expensive, and will get the job done. thanks.
 
Lansky 4 rod turnbox. It's simple and pretty easy to use. I picked mine up for like $15-$20 off amazon
 
Get a Spyderco Sharpmaker. Reasonably priced, solid, portable, doesn't require clamps which can scratch the blade, and sharpens everything easily. Watch the videos by the maker and Spyderco owner. Very informative if you really want to learn how to sharpen knives. I would suggest starting out on your kitchen knives. They take the most beating and the cook will appreciate your efforts and maybe bake a cake for you. No special skills are required and you will be successful from the beginning. Angles are all preset. And most of all it makes knife sharpening fun and easy to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB0r6GvESGg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP9Uc3ZM24Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAu1b9N4oC0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB1iw4iFUqA
 
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I second the Sharpmaker, its really easy to use and you have a variety of rods with different grit. Wha6t makes the Sharpmaker so easy to use is that all you do is hold your knife straight and drag it down the sharpening rods. The video shows it much better than I can explain it.
 
are both the lansky and spyderco both systems that i could learn off and maybe eventually try on a stone?
 
The Sharpmaker, and even better, Lansky Crock Sticks, are wonderful tools for touching up a sharp blade. I could never in good conscience recommend them for a beginner.

They are limited to 15 and 20 degree bevels, and most knives have different bevels.

You could get a two sided India Stone and try to learn free hand sharpening. But get a few cheap garage sale knives to learn on. Some folks take to free hand like a duck to water. Others try for a life time and are never able to learn it.

Or, if you're serious about sharpening, you could spend a few bucks and get an Edge Pro sharpening system, and you're set for life.

My big Spyderco Military folders (CPM M-4 and S90V blade steel) are sharpened on an EP, and I can shave with them.:thumbup::thumbup:
 
Basic Lansky.

The stones will handle most normal steels just fine. Takes a bit more work with 440C (lots of carbides) and I wouldn't attempt super steels with the basic stones. The diamond stones are a reasonable upgrade if you have super hard steels.

I found that the Lansky opened up sharpening to me. Once I got a feel for things, I could begin to go after freehanding better. But still, freehanding is a thing of practice and my time is super limited, so the Lansky remains for putting a good edge on when I need to.

Google "site:bladeforums.com edge pro lansky" and you can read all sorts of comments about comparing the 2 systems. I'm on a tight budget too and don't feel like I'm being held back in anyway with the Lansky. Fraction of the cost too.
 
A rock will work/

The questions to ask are;

How precise do I want my edge bevels?
How sharp do I want them?
How much time and effort am I willing to invest in learning?
How much time and effort do I want to expend after I've learned the system?
How much more am I willing to pay for a more advanced, easier to use system?

It's quite difficult to select the "right" system until you've answered those questions.
 
Read through the stickie at the top of this section titled "Paper wheels, when time......" For less than $100 you can have a system that will give you razor sharp edges in less than 10 minutes after you learn how to use them. The paper wheels can be bought for about $60 or less, and with a $39 6inch buffer from Harbour Freight, you are in business. Go to your local Goodwill store or thrift store and buy up 6 or 8 kitchen knives, usually for around $1 each to learn on and you are ready to go. There are lots of u-tube video's on line showing how to use them. You can sharpen anything from 1095 carbon steel to the latest super steels with the paper wheels. I have had mine for over a year, and if I had it to do over, and had lots of money, I would still get the paper wheels.

Blessings,

Omar
 
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$5-10 gift shop folder.
$20-40 stone 1000 grit.

practice til cheap knife is sharp, watch videos, when confident sharpen your nice knife.

I learned on a cheap $20 stone and have never needed a guided system which in my opinion too much stuff.

stone and water, simple.
 
cards94 said:
are both the lansky and spyderco both systems that i could learn off and maybe eventually try on a stone?
Click to expand...

With a Sharpmaker you will not need a stone. These comments are just my opinion based on using all kinds of sharpening systems but for a quick and accurate sharpening of a knife, going back to my Sharpmaker. I have DMT diamond stones, belt sander setups, etc. But I'm trying to think of what I wish someone had told me just starting out. It would have saved me a bunch of time and money.

The Sharpmaker is a very light and portable system that probably weighs less than many stone systems. You will sharpen a back bevel of 30 degrees total and a small primary bevel of 40 degrees. You will only have to sharpen the backbevel, the 30 degree angle, once in a blue moon. Most of the time you will just bring the working edge back with the 40 degree angle. I'm speaking here of the total blade angle of which each edge will be half. Watch the previous videos and work on kitchen knives.

In my opinion there is no need to duplicate the angle that the knife originally came with. Many are hollow ground on grinding wheels or belts so unless you have this machinery you can't duplicate the factory grind. This is okay. You will still get stuff very sharp enough for daily knife chores. Shaving hair is for razors. You can get a knife edge that will do it but why bother?

And if you have very good tough steel that can take a smaller total primary bevel angle, say 30 degrees instead of 40 degrees you can still do it on a Sharpmaker. Good steel takes longer to sharpen, but good steel requires far less sharpening. So while it will take you longer to sharpen, the total time spent sharpening will be less because you will do it less frequently.

And if you want an even finer edge you can just slide a wooden shim under the end of the Sharpmaker. This puts the ceramic rod closer to vertical, making the edge angle less. A bag of wooden shim can be obtained from any hardware store for a couple of bucks.

Here is an article written my favorite knife guru, Master Bladesmith Joe Talmadge. It may be of some interest for a beginner.

http://zknives.com/knives/articles/knifesteelfaq.shtml

I can sharpen on a sidewalk, which I do with my axes and hatchets. But for a knife I want to sharpen it precisely and as fast as possible. The Sharpmaker does this easily.

A final tip, put painter tape on your knife blade when you first start sharpening to prevent any accidental scratches.
 
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DMT Stones, Spyderco UF Stone and a strop. Check out Jdavis882 videos on youtube. He shows a few of his recommendations for starter kits.
 
minimalist said:
DMT Stones, Spyderco UF Stone and a strop. Check out Jdavis882 videos on youtube. He shows a few of his recommendations for starter kits.
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Good suggestion. As he says in the following video, when he started getting into serious sharpening he used the Sharpmaker most of the time. He also has a $180 Edge Pro sharpener which he used to set the original back bevel, then used the Sharpmaker to touch up the primary bevel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MHe_8wTHmg
 
Norton combination India stone. Cheap, effective, will last forever, and you will actually learn a skill that will pay dividends later and not have you looking to the next "system".
 
retzius said:
Norton combination India stone. Cheap, effective, will last forever, and you will actually learn a skill that will pay dividends later and not have you looking to the next "system".
Click to expand...

+1 on this. All we had growing up was a 2 sided round sharpening stone. Dad said that it was a lot more comfortable to slip into your pocket when you took it out to use in the field. Also, google oldjimbo . Leaning to sharpen freehand will pay dividends in the future.
 
retzius said:
Norton combination India stone. Cheap, effective, will last forever, and you will actually learn a skill that will pay dividends later and not have you looking to the next "system".
Click to expand...

Ditto. Great for plain edge blades. Doesn't work as far as I know on Spyderedges or other serrated edges which many knives have today.

 
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cards94 said:
I own 3 knives, none are serrated, and I've never sharpened a pocket knife. I'm looking for something not too expensive, and will get the job done. thanks.
Click to expand...

Hey cards, I like the sharpmaker a lot. It is a super quick and simple way to keep your edges razor sharp. Note the word "keep". If you have knives that are extremely dull or have too obtuse of an edge bevel on them, the sharpmaker is not the best tool to start with. I use a coarse diamond stone to set a basic edge and then finish with the sharpmaker. After that, it's all sharpmaker for quick touch ups. I get very sharp edges with very little time spent.

Also, read all the stickies in this forum and watch a few videos on youtube until you visualize exactly what you are trying to accomplish. I saw a thread recently that had a list of some great links for sharpening info and videos. I think it was originally started by magnanimous? Anyone?

p.s. I completely agree with all the advice to take the time to learn to freehand sharpen. Don't let it feel complicated. You are learning to rub a piece of metal on a piece of stone, not learning to play the piano. A bit of study and a few hours of practice is all it takes to achieve a very satisfying level of proficiency. Enjoy.
 
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retzius said:
Norton combination India stone. Cheap, effective, will last forever, and you will actually learn a skill that will pay dividends later and not have you looking to the next "system".
Click to expand...


:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Or, look in your kitchen cabinet and get a coffee mug with an unglazed ring on the bottom. That and the back of an oldleather belt will get you shaving sharp in no time with a little practice.

Or, a nice piece of brick and a little water.

And practice. You'll be able to sharpen anywhere, and any time. No gizmos needed.

Carl.
 
Surfingringo said:
Hey cards, I like the sharpmaker a lot. It is a super quick and simple way to keep your edges razor sharp. Note the word "keep". If you have knives that are extremely dull or have too obtuse of an edge bevel on them, the sharpmaker is not the best tool to start with. I use a coarse diamond stone to set a basic edge and then finish with the sharpmaker. After that, it's all sharpmaker for quick touch ups. I get very sharp edges with very little time spent.

Also, read all the stickies in this forum and watch a few videos on youtube until you visualize exactly what you are trying to accomplish. I saw a thread recently that had a list of some great links for sharpening info and videos. I think it was originally started by magnanimous? Anyone?

p.s. I completely agree with all the advice to take the time to learn to freehand sharpen. Don't let it feel complicated. You are learning to rub a piece of metal on a piece of stone, not learning to play the piano. A bit of study and a few hours of practice is all it takes to achieve a very satisfying level of proficiency. Enjoy.
Click to expand...

Good info for sure.

One of the things that many folks don't do with their sharpening tool, whether a Sharpmaker or a brick, is to rough or break-in the surface before sharpening. The tools come rather slick on the finish and a bit of rubbing the rods together, or a gentle scrub with a kitchen scrubby, or some polishing with a bit of fine steel wool will break the slickness of the stones finish and allow it to do their job better.

Gringo, that may be why you had trouble using the Sharpmaker of really dull knives. I had the same problem until I wore down the coating on the gray rods a bit, then I got a much better bite with the rod and things went more smoothly. Also some knives come with a recurved grind edge and it will take a bit of work to flatten
it out the first time you sharpen.
 
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