Best Sharpening for Benchmade 940

N

Neverlost

Joined
Jul 28, 2011
Messages
3
Hi,

I just bought a benchmade 940 for my new EDC. After doing my research, I was able to live with the fact that despite spending $170, I would potentially be getting a knife that was "dull" out of the box. Well, although I wouldn't say the blade was "dull", it wasn't as sharp as I would like it to be for what I paid. I was wondering which sharpeners / sharpening systems work best for the S30V steel featured by this blade. Which sharpeners do you guys recommend? THANKS!!!!!:D

-NVL-
 
If you are good with bench stones get a 600/1200 grit diamond from DMT. If not get a SharpMaker from Spyderco. The trick with S30V is sharpen often so you never get it really dull.
 
I have a Sharpmaker and it's a good system for knives that need a touch up, or you could check out the Wicked Edge systems, they look easy to use and from what iv'e been reading, people who have them love them.
 
The sharpmaker is almost idiot proof if you follow the directions.
I have heard of a few who are unable to use it, and resort to power tools.
I don't let my s30v get too dull so I don't have to do a major sharpening often.
I lay a diamond stone against the rods to get it profiled to the correct angle if I need to reprofile. Then after the angle is about right I just go from the brown rods through UF.
 
You have to be careful no matter what sharpener you use. I started out with the Sharpmaker, and while it took forever to reprofile knives like the 943, it got the job done. You can also get diamond rods for them to make it go faster, as I eventually did (spending a whole day to reprofile with the medium rods was not worth it). Now I use the Edgepro, which works considerably better, but also costs many times more. Either sharpener will work for you, but you'll probably move on to the Edgepro eventually either way. When I started in this hobby, I thought it was ridiculous that people were saying "eventually you'll spend hundreds of dollars on sharpening," but it really turns out to be true.

If you buy another 940, though, look around a little. I think you overpayed $30.
 
I started off with a Sharpmaker, but it's real hard to take of serious metal with one of those, plus it doesn't get fine enough for my taste even with the ultrafine rods. I think a great easy to use system is the DMT Diafold Magnaguide, I would recommend the Course/Fine and the Extra Fine/Extra Extra fine. You can do anserious reprofile of most any modern steel with relative ease and put on a great mirror edge.
 
Any system you learn to use will work, which means anything from cement blocks and cardboard (free) to whatever.

S30v is a pretty good steel and I think BM leaves it on the softer side, like 57-58 I really prefer my edge pro, though I haven't tried any other system, I like repeatable results and the EP does that for me.
 
I like the Sharpmaker, although I also use that Double Stuff along with a DMT coarse/fine sharpener. Unfortunately, a flat stone like these is harder to learn than the Sharpmaker. Eventually you can transition to a variety of sharpeners, depending on your needs, but the Sharpmaker is a good beginning.
 
i sharpen a lot of knives including benchmades and i use paper wheels. you can get set up with the wheels for around $100. or less and have an easy to use system that will sharpen any knife you have easily in minutes. check out this post by stevenkelby in my paper wheel thread. i sharpened his xm 18 blade and he was really impressed enough to buy a set for himself. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9207988&postcount=710
 
i used to have a guided system a long time ago and it did ok. i never really liked it since some knives were hard to sharpen again on it. if a knife had no flat area to clamp on the angle could change easily from one sharpening to the other. i recently seen a picture of a knife that was sharpened on a guided system and the edge was so steep it ruined the blade. i would say to stay away from a guided system.
 
well i think you gotta ask what kinda edge geometry do you want and what angle do you want. also, how much money are you willing to spend on this system?
 
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Get the Edge Pro and practice! Once you get the hang of it your knives will be VERY SHARP!!! Kevin :thumbup::D
 
Neverlost said:
http://www.rei.com/product/748315/smiths-diamond-3-stone-sharpening-kit Does anyone know if this is a good sharpener? I saw it at REI yesterday.
Click to expand...

I'd say its meh. may not give you the angle you want. It also wont give you a mirror polished edge and may take you a while to get the sharpest edge it can offer you which wouldn't be up to snuff for me (espeically on a 170 dollar knife...). the thing is that with those types of guided systems, there is too much play in the holes where the rods go which makes it harder then one might thing to get a consistant angle.
 
Neverlost said:
http://www.rei.com/product/748315/smiths-diamond-3-stone-sharpening-kit Does anyone know if this is a good sharpener? I saw it at REI yesterday.
Click to expand...

I actually have that sharpener with the course and fine diamond stones and an ultra fine stone. I believe the grits are 450ish, 750 and 1000. I have gotten many knives to be hair shaving sharp with this and its kinda dummy proof. The holes in the guide DO have a decent amount of play though to it does help to hold the rod in the same spot. Its definitely not the best system but it will sharpen knives well and re-profile them effectively for a good value compared to a wicked edge system or edge pro for close to $300.

OH and I do have a 940, this system worked great on it.

eccvets said:
Id say its meh. may not give you the angle you want. It also wont give you a mirror polished edge and may take you a while to get the sharpest edge it can offer you which wouldnt be up to snuff for me (espeically on a 170 dollar knife...).
Click to expand...

True it is tough to get an exact angle you desire if its not the pre set angles but I tell you what it can put nice hair shaving, slicing edges on some expensive knives and high end steels. With the ultra fine stone (Arkansas stone I believe) I have gotten polished edges. They may not be as good or as perfect as an edge pro or WEPS but you can read the paper off the reflection. I think its a good system for someone starting out.
 
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