I believe Harbor Freight has still has the 1"x 30" belt sander for $32.00 with coupon .
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Best sharpening sysrem for rookie
- Thread starter Lpd226
- Start date
that one is a great deal! if you can get cheap shipping (by living in the lower 48's), its a really great deal.
- Joined
- May 31, 2011
- Messages
- 1,124
Pair that with $50 worth of belts from Econ, and you've got the most versatile under-hundred-bucks sharpening system in existence.
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2011
- Messages
- 129
Low cost? Sand paper with mousepad for convex edge or sand paper with a glass plate for all others. eally cheap system. But you have to practice freehanded sharpening and it may last for awhile till you get good results Sharpening with machines isn´t easy either. You can quickly wreck your knife. Take a look for the
Spyderco sharpmaker. With the shaprmaker you quick and good results.
Spyderco sharpmaker. With the shaprmaker you quick and good results.
Norton Coarse/Fine Bench stone 8" long model, and a 2x4. Prop one end of the stone on the 2x4, hold knife level and sharpen 10 to 20 strokes per side on the coarse. After getting a burr on each side, flip the stone to fine, slide a DVD case under the 2x4 and do LIGHT alternating strokes at the slightly larger angle. Hair shaving sharp in 2 steps.
I've used or tried most of what's out there. Here's what I would recommend and why......
The machines are a great way to get a fantastic edge. The problem is that you are admittedly a beginner, and you can do a lot of damage, really quick to your knives with one of these systems both screwing up the edge and generating heat and screwing up the temper in the blade.
Same with some of the clamp/guide type systems, but not quite as quickly. But it's pretty easy to start reprofiling an edge...badly...before you realize it.
I'd say for a beginner, go with a Sharpmaker. While you can reprofile an edge, it takes a fairly significant effort to do it. It's inexpensive, and even when you progress to the point of one of the better/more advanced systems, you won't feel bad about the money you spent on it and will probably end up keeping it for quick touch ups...I did. It will also give you a fairly safe, effective, but easy to use system to start to develop a "feel" for what's happening at the edge of the knife as you sharpen. I personally can get a better working edge with a Sharpmaker than some of the clamp/guide type systems. Keep the blade vertical, move it straight down. Two "secrets" to success with the Sharpmaker, IMHO, is watch the DVD that comes with it, and let the rods do the work. There is a natural tendency to try to push against the rods. Don't. Let them do the work, and use just enough pressure to keep the edge against the rod, and you'll end up with good results.
When you're ready...if you decide you need it...move up to one of the more advanced options of a machine, a Wicked Edge, or an Edge Pro. I use an Edge Pro and love it, but if I only had my Sharpmaker, I'd still have VERY sharp knives.
The machines are a great way to get a fantastic edge. The problem is that you are admittedly a beginner, and you can do a lot of damage, really quick to your knives with one of these systems both screwing up the edge and generating heat and screwing up the temper in the blade.
Same with some of the clamp/guide type systems, but not quite as quickly. But it's pretty easy to start reprofiling an edge...badly...before you realize it.
I'd say for a beginner, go with a Sharpmaker. While you can reprofile an edge, it takes a fairly significant effort to do it. It's inexpensive, and even when you progress to the point of one of the better/more advanced systems, you won't feel bad about the money you spent on it and will probably end up keeping it for quick touch ups...I did. It will also give you a fairly safe, effective, but easy to use system to start to develop a "feel" for what's happening at the edge of the knife as you sharpen. I personally can get a better working edge with a Sharpmaker than some of the clamp/guide type systems. Keep the blade vertical, move it straight down. Two "secrets" to success with the Sharpmaker, IMHO, is watch the DVD that comes with it, and let the rods do the work. There is a natural tendency to try to push against the rods. Don't. Let them do the work, and use just enough pressure to keep the edge against the rod, and you'll end up with good results.
When you're ready...if you decide you need it...move up to one of the more advanced options of a machine, a Wicked Edge, or an Edge Pro. I use an Edge Pro and love it, but if I only had my Sharpmaker, I'd still have VERY sharp knives.
i would say a small diamond hone rough grit to form your edge then
3M Abrasives to hone it, a lee valley honing guide...i collect sharpenig stuff like some people collect knives the number one thing is save yourself the time and hassle of trying to form your edge ...{hence the diamond stone } with anything else, light pressure dont hurry form a burr etc etc etc ,3M -Abrasives cheap and great,best of all cheap, even better,you will perfect your skills try many other things systems etc , but will always come back to this . .i digress...for a beginner this is the way to go,
you will spend about 25 to 30 bucks, diamond hones last a long time .3m stuff is very good put it on somthing sturdy and flat
it will never get concave like stones ,the lee valley guide its ok its not overly tech or sexy just plain functional,you probably wont need to form your edge ,just to touch it up , thats why i say a small diamond hone
once you master this, it wont take you long ...look into a leather stropping
3M Abrasives to hone it, a lee valley honing guide...i collect sharpenig stuff like some people collect knives the number one thing is save yourself the time and hassle of trying to form your edge ...{hence the diamond stone } with anything else, light pressure dont hurry form a burr etc etc etc ,3M -Abrasives cheap and great,best of all cheap, even better,you will perfect your skills try many other things systems etc , but will always come back to this . .i digress...for a beginner this is the way to go,
you will spend about 25 to 30 bucks, diamond hones last a long time .3m stuff is very good put it on somthing sturdy and flat
it will never get concave like stones ,the lee valley guide its ok its not overly tech or sexy just plain functional,you probably wont need to form your edge ,just to touch it up , thats why i say a small diamond hone
once you master this, it wont take you long ...look into a leather stropping
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