Best sharpening system?

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rc3mil

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I almost had my mind set on the Spyderco Sharpmaker but then i read about the Edge Pro. This looks like you can choose an angle and reprofile the edge if needed, then sharpen it up real nice. What are you thoughts on this system? Is it a good system for a newb@sharpening like me? How easy is it to use?
 
Lansky for me.. for touch-ups.

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Honestly I think you are doomed to spend a bunch of money on several systems. All of which will be great, but only after trying several will you discover what you like best and what works best for you.

In the end you may even opt for freehand...but then you will have to use several different types of stones, strops, mousepads, and papers before you settle on your favorite.

That is a half-joke.

Seriously now.

You will find many systems/methods of sharpening on this forum, and probably every one of them is great. But ultimately most people settle on one setup that works really well for them. You may get a single system and think it is the best, but really until you try everything you will never know what is truly the "best".

The Sharpmaker is a great system I think you will find very few people that say it is less than adequate for getting most knives hair-popaliscious. I love mine, but I like freehand even better.

Enjoy the ride!
 
The best sharpening system is the one that works best for you.

Having said that, the Apex Edgepro is certainly one of the better systems out there. Easy to learn, easy to reprofile and easy to get shaving sharp edges on just about any knife.
 
I use the Edge Pro Apex and it is the best I have ever used hands down. :D
 
Can you do convex and scandinavian grind edges on the edge pro or lansky? Or like the Spyderco Sharpmaker do those systems force a specific angle?
 
belt sander and buffer, but for $120 you can get the budget version in norton's water stone starter kit
 
I received an EdgePro and a Sharpmaker for Christmas. Both have their strong points but the EdgePro is unbelievable. I have sharpened knives on the EdgePro I have been afraid to touch for fear of ruining them. They are now literally razor sharp. I just handed my dad my Native 4 and he laughed and said I didn't think it was possible to get a knife that sharp. I said I didn't think it was possible for ME to get a knife that sharp. I now know the meaning of scary sharp.

Oh I should also mention that I had a number of questions with the EdgePro and Ben personally answered everyone of my Emails very quickly. Unbelievable customer service.

Good luck.

Bill
 
I'm pretty new at sharpening and have been messing around with different systems as well. I started out with a Smith's system which was okay, but I never was able to get my knives back to manufacturer sharpness. I then got the Lansky Deluxe Diamond system which is much better, but I found it difficult to sharpen some of my re-curve blades. I just got the Spyderco Sharpmaker and was actually able to get my blades back to hair-popping sharpness. I’ll probably end up using a combination of the Lansky and the Sharpmaker. The Sharpmaker is able to sharpen re-curve blades and serrated blades, so that was a bonus in my book. So far I’m really impressed with it. Eventually I’ll learn free hand…
 
I received my Edge Pro Apex a couple days ago and have done every knife in the house over the last two days. I won't say it's the best as I haven't tried them all, but I've only gone up to the 1000 grit stone, and my William Henry Lancet is sharper than the day I got it. It's comparable to the new Sebenza I just picked up. Every pocket knife is hair popping sharp, and all the kitchen knves as pretty close. The main advantage over the sharpmaker for me is removing nicks in the blade. With the sharpmaker there was always a small spot that needed more attention. Most of the kitchen knives I stopped at the 320 grit, took the chefs knife thru the 600. I started with the knives I cared about the least to get the coordination down, and it took maybe two to get really confortable for me. I was going to order the polishing tapes, but I'm not really sure I need them now. I like it much better than the lansky. With the Lansky, you are basically reprofiling to get the edge to match one the predefined angles. Not with the edgepro. I have bench stones, a Lansky, a Sharpmaker, and wonder why I just didn't get the Edge Pro earlier. I'm still going to add the ultra fine sharpmaker for quick resharpening, but I'm really sold on the Edge Pro.

It won't to convex or scandinavian grinds. It cuts flat. Unless there's a technique I'm not privy to.
 
Paper wheels work great for me...
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There is no 'one best system.' There is only 'best for different situations.'

The EdgePro will sharpen any blade regardless of size, to any angle desired, to any degree of grit preferred. ANY, ANY, ANY. But...
You have to set it up to use it. You have to remember the angle you used the last time your sharpened a particular blade or else you wind up setting a new angle. It's a bit messy (although just water mess and easy to clean up.) Unless you have a place to leave it set up, it's a bit of a bother, but just a bit. It does give the ultimate edge. This is THE choice for the PERFECT EDGE, but not necessarily for convenience. I regularly use mine 2-3 times a year to redo all my 'user' knives. It does give "The Perfect Edge."

Sharpmaker is quick and easy to set up, takes up little room on the table and can sharpen blades of all different sizes and lengths... but only at two fixed angles. Easy to use, but unless you take care to keep your blade vertical throughout the entire process, just as easy to mess up your angles from stroke to stroke. Usually great results, and best for convenience of use. I leave mine set up in the kitchen at all times, and give my kitchen user knives 5-10 (only) strokes as touch-ups once a week.

Clamp systems such as Lansky, GATCO, RazorEdge, DMT, etc., all product very nice results, take up no space, and are easy to use. With most you also get a choice of 4-6 different angle settings. But.... none are easy to use with blades larger than 6-7 inches. It is difficult to get exact angles when you have to move the clamp every few inches. If 'exact' isn't a need for you, these are a great choice for very good edges on smaller blades. I like the fact that the DMT Aligner is so light weight and can be used at different angles with sandpaper when I don't want to be carrying stones (as when camping.)

Paper wheels on buffing machines and belt grinders... No question about it, these are the absolute best for convex edges. Fast and easy with excellent results. But you have to have a place to leave them set up. Storing them in the closet and hooking them up each time you want to touch up an edge will probably see them spending more time in the closet and less use. With either some sort of guide or rest, (or a lot of skill) one can also get very good fixed beveled edges with them quickly.

Sets of sharpening stones of different types... Freehand sharpening is a wonderful skill, and with good stones it's a delight to do. They take up little room, if used with water aren't messy to use, and if your skill is there, they can produce a really nice edge. It's a good skill to master so you can understand the sharpening process. But... if you haven't mastered it, you WILL screw up your edge. It doesn't take long to master it. It's not rocket science. But like any skill, it requires time and practice. And while the results can be very good, they will rarely be as good as those produce by some sort of sharpening system. The blades will still come out sharp, but not as precisely sharp as with something that removes the chance for human error.

Sandpaper on a mouse pad... Perfect for a convex edge. No need for precise angles; just about is good enough as long as the final edge is straight. Easy and clean to use, takes up no room at all, portable, and leaving a very sharp edge. If all you want to sharpen are convex edges, this is the cheapest, most convenient way to do it. The better your skill at freehand sharpening, the better your results will be using a mouse pad and sandpaper.

And then comes stropping....

That covers most of the more well known sharpening methods. Which do I use? Why, all of them, of course! Which do I use most? Well, I use my kitchen knives quite a bit every day, and my EDC and leather working tools almost every day, and my woods-walking fixed blade perhaps once a month for three or four cuts...
All my user knives are sharpened 1-3 times a year on the EdgePro. Then...
The kitchen knives get touched up with the Sharpmaker fine stone weekly, and touched up before use with some sort of smooth steel or borocillicate glass rod.
My EDC gets stropped at least 2-3 times a week, first with either CrO2 or .5mic diamond, followed by a bare strop depending upon how much use its seen.
The woods knife usually gets just a touch up with the steel. If I've done some heavy cutting while camping, I might use the DMT to bring it back into shape.
My leather knives only get stropped daily. Several times during a day's use.

So... which ONE do you want to use? :p

Sharpening is fun. Collecting sharpening systems can be as much fun as sharpening itself. Or collecting knives. Steve B made this into a great business, learned a hell of a lot of interesting information, and is a great resource to know. Probably more up-to-date and down-to-earth than most experts. Just as easy to talk with a Ben Dale.

So save your pennies. Collect bottles and cans and return them for deposits, and start your collection today!
Or be like most of us and start your collectionS today!

Stitchawl
 
stitchawl said:
There is no 'one best system.' There is only 'best for different situations.'

The EdgePro will sharpen any blade regardless of size, to any angle desired, to any degree of grit preferred. ANY, ANY, ANY. But...
You have to set it up to use it. You have to remember the angle you used the last time your sharpened a particular blade or else you wind up setting a new angle. It's a bit messy (although just water mess and easy to clean up.) Unless you have a place to leave it set up, it's a bit of a bother, but just a bit. It does give the ultimate edge. This is THE choice for the PERFECT EDGE, but not necessarily for convenience. I regularly use mine 2-3 times a year to redo all my 'user' knives. It does give "The Perfect Edge."

Sharpmaker is quick and easy to set up, takes up little room on the table and can sharpen blades of all different sizes and lengths... but only at two fixed angles. Easy to use, but unless you take care to keep your blade vertical throughout the entire process, just as easy to mess up your angles from stroke to stroke. Usually great results, and best for convenience of use. I leave mine set up in the kitchen at all times, and give my kitchen user knives 5-10 (only) strokes as touch-ups once a week.

Clamp systems such as Lansky, GATCO, RazorEdge, DMT, etc., all product very nice results, take up no space, and are easy to use. With most you also get a choice of 4-6 different angle settings. But.... none are easy to use with blades larger than 6-7 inches. It is difficult to get exact angles when you have to move the clamp every few inches. If 'exact' isn't a need for you, these are a great choice for very good edges on smaller blades. I like the fact that the DMT Aligner is so light weight and can be used at different angles with sandpaper when I don't want to be carrying stones (as when camping.)

Paper wheels on buffing machines and belt grinders... No question about it, these are the absolute best for convex edges. Fast and easy with excellent results. But you have to have a place to leave them set up. Storing them in the closet and hooking them up each time you want to touch up an edge will probably see them spending more time in the closet and less use. With either some sort of guide or rest, (or a lot of skill) one can also get very good fixed beveled edges with them quickly.

Sets of sharpening stones of different types... Freehand sharpening is a wonderful skill, and with good stones it's a delight to do. They take up little room, if used with water aren't messy to use, and if your skill is there, they can produce a really nice edge. It's a good skill to master so you can understand the sharpening process. But... if you haven't mastered it, you WILL screw up your edge. It doesn't take long to master it. It's not rocket science. But like any skill, it requires time and practice. And while the results can be very good, they will rarely be as good as those produce by some sort of sharpening system. The blades will still come out sharp, but not as precisely sharp as with something that removes the chance for human error.

Sandpaper on a mouse pad... Perfect for a convex edge. No need for precise angles; just about is good enough as long as the final edge is straight. Easy and clean to use, takes up no room at all, portable, and leaving a very sharp edge. If all you want to sharpen are convex edges, this is the cheapest, most convenient way to do it. The better your skill at freehand sharpening, the better your results will be using a mouse pad and sandpaper.

And then comes stropping....

That covers most of the more well known sharpening methods. Which do I use? Why, all of them, of course! Which do I use most? Well, I use my kitchen knives quite a bit every day, and my EDC and leather working tools almost every day, and my woods-walking fixed blade perhaps once a month for three or four cuts...
All my user knives are sharpened 1-3 times a year on the EdgePro. Then...
The kitchen knives get touched up with the Sharpmaker fine stone weekly, and touched up before use with some sort of smooth steel or borocillicate glass rod.
My EDC gets stropped at least 2-3 times a week, first with either CrO2 or .5mic diamond, followed by a bare strop depending upon how much use its seen.
The woods knife usually gets just a touch up with the steel. If I've done some heavy cutting while camping, I might use the DMT to bring it back into shape.
My leather knives only get stropped daily. Several times during a day's use.

So... which ONE do you want to use? :p

Sharpening is fun. Collecting sharpening systems can be as much fun as sharpening itself. Or collecting knives. Steve B made this into a great business, learned a hell of a lot of interesting information, and is a great resource to know. Probably more up-to-date and down-to-earth than most experts. Just as easy to talk with a Ben Dale.

So save your pennies. Collect bottles and cans and return them for deposits, and start your collection today!
Or be like most of us and start your collectionS today!

Stitchawl
Click to expand...

Thanks for the detailed response. Clarified my mind a little and narrowed down a choice or 2
 
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