Benchmade 806D2 AFCK & Spyderco Sharpmaker

H

Hath

Joined
Feb 15, 2003
Messages
22
Well, I'm brand new to knives, and after a few weeks of reading posts on here and looking around, I finally have decided that a Benchmade 806D2 and Spyderco Sharpmaker would be the best decision.

I went from trying to buy a $30 knife to this. Before I go ahead and purchase this, are there any other recommendations in this same price range? Is there anything wrong with this combo?

Thanks for all the advice I've already received from searching around on this board, you all know your knives very well :D
 
Looks like you've done your research. You're gonna need the Sharpmaker for sure. Have you ever seen a Benchmade factory edge?

Oops! Putting on my flameproof suit. :D
 
That combo should work very well.

I'm a recent BM fanatic (past 8-9 months) and all the knives I've gotten so far were very sharp right out of the box. Maybe some of thier older ones weren't, but thier new ones usually are. :)
 
Welcome aboard!:)

I think you'll find that as a great combination. The newer 806s are shipping with up/down, left/right clip placement and bronze bushings. You can't go wrong.

With the Sharpmaker, you can do touch-ups to your edge. Just don't let the edge go completely dull. Frequent, minor touch-ups will keep your edge razor sharp.

Good luck.:cool:
 
Originally posted by Harry Callahan
Have you ever seen a Benchmade factory edge?
Click to expand...

Obviously you haven't seen one recently either. Their QC is way above what it used to be. Every BM I recently bought was very sharp out of the box.

Mike
 
Actually, the 710HS I just purchased (then sold) was fairly new. So new, in fact, that it had the bronze washers. It had what can only be described as a dull factory edge. Unevenly ground to boot. And here I thought they had this "problem" solved. :)

EDITED TO ADD: I have no doubt you've seen better BM factory edges in recent times. I've read many reports of such. However my personal experience with recent BM blades is quite different. Benchmade makes quality products but I think they could put a much sharper factory edge on their knives if they're gonna ask over a hundred bucks a copy. That's just my opinion. I've heard things were improving in this area. May it be so.
 
Just as te instructions will state, the first time you use the SM w/ a knife it will take a while, after that it won't take so long.

And it will be sharp.
 
Welcome to forum, Hath!

If you stick to the 40 degree angle, you'll put a very sharp edge on your upcoming 806D2 edge in a short while. If you want a scarier 30 angled edge, I hope you have patience. D2 is a very tough steel, so it takes a while to grind away the steel with the Sharpmaker.

You may want to practice on your $30 knife a whole lot first.

Harry,

My 806D2 and 710HS were both exceptional out of the box. Both are the new versions with the phosphor-bronze washers and the 806D2 had the multi-carry. The only thing that I didn't like about the 710HS was that I received it after getting my hands on an S30V Native. Kind of spoiled the experience for me even though the 710HS pierces, slices, and holds an edge a teeny tiny bit better (but the Native looks and feels better and sharpens infinitely easier than M2).
 
How long will the blade stay sharp if I'm cutting cardboard or plastic containers? Would I be able to sharpen my Leatherman Micra knife with the Sharpmaker too? I think that's one of the things I may practice on, if not, I'll just go out and buy a junky knife.
 
Nothing wrong with the combo you have chosen, however don’t expect it will work in your place ;)
Attention, patience and desire to learn how it works are quite necessary to get maximum performance from your blade and enjoy the use of really sharp hi-end knife.
Please read carefully Sharpening FAQ here (f.a.q. button on the top of page) and think about additional diamond rods for your Sharpmaker – both one and another could save you a lot of time, effort and – probably – frustration.
 
Oh, I have the desire to learn how to make my knife super sharp. I do plan on getting another knife in the near future as well. I just wanted one of the best BM Axis first, then I'll find a Spyderco, possibly an Endura or a Renegade if I can find one.

Those diamond rods are as much as the entire Sharpmaker set too, they don't come cheap.
 
no they don't but I am willing to bet they are worth the money.

I would suggest getting the endura over the Renegade. The Renegade is a good knife and all, its the tip that has me a bit put off. It is extremley thin. Got to be careful with that one.
 
Hath,

If you get the diamond hones, please go light on them. They'll still take excess steel off of your blades if you go light, but they'll stay on the rods, too. Just trying to save you from a mistake I and a few others made.

For Spyderco knives, I heartily recommend the S30V Native Lightweight. It takes a wicked, wickedly sharp edge of sharpness, but you only need the medium and fine rods to do so. Plus, it's a great looking, great feeling, great cutting pocket knife. It's the newest version of the plastic handled Native, so you'll have to do some looking if you don't want to pay retail, but it's worth it.
 
Thom what you say here isn't entirely clear to me. You are saying that if you do not 'go light' with diamond hones, the coating on the rods comes off?

If so, how would you define, 'going light' then?
 
The diamond dust is held to the stone with an epoxy of some sort. If the user presses too hard while using the stones, the dust actually "wears" away. Light pressure will keep the diamond stones in good shape.
 
Switched,

It's also a bit relative. I used to take the phrase "press the blade into the sharpener as though you were cutting it" a bit too literally. With a plain-edged Cold Steel Voyager, that can be troubling, but not so damaging (I think, sharpened those before I got the diamond sleeves). With a Nimravus and a Nimravus Cub, it is folly to the defenseless diamond sleeves. Other people have shared my zeal (as the Sharpmaker appeals to those of us who are new to sharpening and gung-ho to obtain screaming sharp edges on all of our pocket knives, kitchen cutlerly, and every vegetable peeler and fish-hook within a 5-mile radius).
 
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