Brass rods on 204?

Steve-O

Steve-O

Joined
Jun 13, 2000
Messages
736

After reading the thread on carelessness with knives and the consequences, it reminded me of a thought I had recently while sharpening...

Does anyone use those brass rods? I don't.

I've never cut myself using the 204, but I have come close. You'ld think that having half of my thumb removed while using a file to sharpen a machete in a bench vise would have taught me a lesson...
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Anyone been cut? Have a story? The 204 seems fairly safe even without the rods, is it just a 'cover your butt' type of thing?

Steve-O
 
Yikes...SteveO

Why would you want to flirt with danger...those brass rods just make good sense to me...wouldn't consider using the 203/204 without them. There are too many ways to get hurt bad as we go thru life even by being careful about such things...why invite trouble. Like they say most gun accidents happen with 'empty' guns....most accidents don't just 'happen'...someone made a mistake.

stay safe

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Only perfect practice makes perfect
 
I thought they were a bit silly myself, and were only for amateurs. But I figured I might as well "play along" and use them myself.
I've never slipped yet, so I haven't needed the rods, but what the heck, accidents do happen, and I manage to cut myself enough as it is.

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mikemck@austin.rr.com
 
I knicked myself recently sharpening La Griffe, and I was using the brass rods. I can't imagine working without them. One moment's inattention or distraction and ... slash!
 
Great, now I'm caught again. I don't always use the brass rods, but do keep my left hand pretty far back out of the way-regardless of whether using them or not. Haven't been cut using the Sharpmaker, so far. Of course I never got cut slicing a piece of paper in half until recently, either.
 
Yes, and I don't play with poisonous snakes either.

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It's not the pace of life that concerns me, It's the sudden stop at the end.
 
Yes, and I don't play with poisonous snakes either.

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It's not the pace of life that concerns me, It's the sudden stop at the end.
 
I say use them...it only takes a few seconds to install them... I just recently used a set of torches and of course it was only a small job why wear my welding gloves? ... I mean I am not gonna pick anything up.... well I now have a quarter sized scare on the back of my hand to prove just how smart it was to cut out a safety... I actually was heating a snowplow frame to bend it out and did not hurt myself untill I changed the tip from heating to cutting and leaned against the hot steel trying to cut a bolt off of a different piece.... Doh! Why do they let me play with sharp and hot things?
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God Bless-paul
 
As a long time police firearms instructor, I have found out that almost anything WILL happen, given enough repetitions and enough time. I have seen seasoned officers shoot themselves or the ground or the refrigerator, when it was impossible. Taking all the precautions is really worth it, and only takes a few extra seconds after it becomes second nature.Do I occasionally take shortcuts while sharpening? Yep! Got the scars to prove it!

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AKTI Member #A000934
"Always just one knife short of perfection!"
 
hey Steve. It is rarely the amateur that gets cut not using the rods. It is usually the experienced user.

Please use the rods. I ALWAYS do.

sal
 
I also ALWAYS use the brass safety rods with my Sharpmakers. I paid for 'em, so why NOT use 'em? Besides, at MY age, cuts don't heal quite as quickly as they used to.
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.

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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663
 
Of course I use them!!! A little fatigue, a little perspiration.....

[This message has been edited by wa (edited 02-05-2001).]
 
The only time I don't use the brass rods is when the base is screwed down to my bench and I hold the knife in both hands. Holding with both hands is a lot more steady for me and gives me a more consistant slice down the stones.
NOWthe problem that I DO have is with the tip of the knife hitting the flat sides of the stone when using the the edges of the stones.
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Ron,
Bremerton, Washington
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Oh yes I use the rods and I USE them frequently. I sharpen between 15-30 knives a week (no I don't charge but I should) and you can tell from the looks of my rods. There aren't to many nicks in them but there are enough to know that had I not been using them then I would probably be missing a finger or two. The only time I've used it without the rods (I was doing a real quick demonstration on how to sharpen serrations with it+areally sharp knife) I cut one of my fingers open on the very first swipe. So yes I use the rods and why not they're there.

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Mykl
Don't think you are...know you are.
 
the Sharpmaker 204 is a very well thought out piece of equipment. I can honestly say it's never even OCCURRED to me not to use the protective rods. And I find the voices of AlaChoctaw and Sal Glesser awfully compelling on the topic of safety.
 
Ok..ok, I'll start using the rods. Thanks Sal and everyone.
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(I may have to use the V grooves to sharpen the ends to a needle point...just to keep things interesting.
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)

Steve-O
 
Ron,

And I thought I was the only one to blunt all of their knives that way!
It's nice to know that I'm not the only one walking around with tips of knives that look like screwdrivers.
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Jim McCullough

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Next time you feel your life is sooo tough, read this- Some American Heroes
 
Hmmm... I always thought the brass rods were included to allow you to test the edge you were building with the Sharpmaker
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Red


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"Praise not the day until evening has come;a sword until it is tried; ice until it has been crossed; beer until it has been drunk" - Viking proverb
 
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