Buck hone master?

kyhunt

kyhunt

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Joined
Mar 20, 2007
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Anyone ever use a Buck Hone Master?? Does it just keep you at the right angle? Seen one on Ebay and was considering bidding on it.
 
I think you would be better off with a Lansky or a Gatco sharpener. They both work a treat. Still, if you already have stones the Buck tool will keep the angle constant and that will give you a sharp knife.
 
I've used stones on all my knives since I was about 12. I love using stones, but sometimes I do get in a hurry and have re do the knife due to I didn't keep the angle.
 
I dug out my honemaster just to look at it, again. It is interesting to have as a collectable, but I haven't ever nor can see me ever trying to actually use it. Make sure the one in the auction has the rubber grip that goes over the blade before you put the clamp on. As well as the papers.

In its time, it was probably the best thing going as far as maintaining the same consistent edge, and in those times, before Lansky and the others, I would have used it.
 
The Model 136 Honemaster will definetely hold your knife at a constant angle but that angle will change from model to model due to the geometry of each blade. If you try to sharpen a wider blade, the angle will be less than a less wide blade. The triangle formed by the stone, blade and clamp changes as the blade width changes. Hard to describe without pictures.
If it is all you ever use, and you clamp it in the same spot each time, it should work fine. But the first time you use it will be a bit more work as you will be grinding the existing blade angle to match the one you get with the clamp.
I hope this helps.
 
Thanks Joe. Maybe I will stick just to eyeballing it. I'm not one that is much on change. Thanks for the imput.
 
kyhunt said:
Thanks Joe. Maybe I will stick just to eyeballing it. I'm not one that is much on change. Thanks for the imput.
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I thought I was the only one still using stones :) I'm still using my 2 stone Buck sharpening system I bought back in the 70's. You're right, you really need to take your time and eyeball it. I can get a very sharp edge in short order...

I've only got a couple of blades that are partial serrate -- I should probably pick up a diamond rod for those.
 
I use some newer stones I bought a few years ago due to when Ii went to college my sharpening stone where left at my grandparents and the walked off. To me the whole sharpening thing on a stone is kind of relaxing. If I rough week sometime I will get out the stones and start sharpening, If I don't have any of my knives that need sharpening I hit the wife's kitchen knives. I have thought about tryin to get some nicer stones. I have noticed it seems the quality on alot of stones is hit and miss. I guess the whole reason I was even considering the honemaster was because I know the day will come I will have to sharpen my stag AG 110 and wanted to not play with the blade too much. After looking at the hone master on ebay I do not think it is all there. So I geuss I'll just keep doing it the same way. Thanks for all the help guys.
 
I admire anyone that can get a good edge on a stone. I have to use some sort of clamp on system, such as the Lansky, because I just cant hold the angle. I consider those clamp on systems to be like training wheels on a bike! :rolleyes:
A wider stone sure would make the whole job easier, great idea!!
 
Joe -- It takes practice, and I screwed up a couple of old Kabars I had by using the wrong angle. They are still serviceable today, however the side of the blade got scratched up. I could see where having a clamp it and forget it would be useful... problem there that system doen't handle the old and new angles on the buck knives and some of the less conforming blade profiles.

ky -- A good stone makes ALL of the difference, if you search the _bay for 'BUCK KNIFE HONING KIT TWO STONES VINTAGE' you'll see the exact set I have. I usually only need the larger, washita (sp?) stone... the smaller white one allows an even finer edge. I can usually get my Buck knives scary sharp with these stones... :D
 
I have a soft and hard stone I usually use and then a translucent (etra, extra fine) I always get them razor sharp, not just shaving sharp. I mean they actually can cut you without you knowing it. My only concern was with the two s30v I have, havent had alot of experience sharpening them and they are too nice to not be sharpened properly. I will look on ebay the translucent stone is nice but the other two are just so-so. I have seen a couple places that specialize in wherstones but dont really know how good they are. It is good to hear of someone else that uses stones.
 
Mainewoodsman, thanks I just found a set on ebay. I placed a low bid and will see what happens.
 
kyhunt said:
Mainewoodsman, thanks I just found a set on ebay. I placed a low bid and will see what happens.
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Let me know if you have any questions on them after you pick them up?

There is definately an art to this that is hard to explain... after posting my earlier message, I resharpened the factory edge of a 112 -- it is very very sharp !
 
Maineswoodsman, Is there a way of telling if your getting a quality stone? I know some of the stones i looked at look kind of like there is marbling in it while others have speckling while even others are solid in color?
 
kyhunt said:
Maineswoodsman, Is there a way of telling if your getting a quality stone? I know some of the stones i looked at look kind of like there is marbling in it while others have speckling while even others are solid in color?
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I suspect that if you buy any of the Buck Washita stones you'll be OK. The one I have from that set I mentioned earlier has a redish hue with multiple specks of color from the stone. Much like a granite countertop.

I noticed that some newer Buck stones are almost blueish... the color should not matter.
 
Thanks. I apreciate it. The stone I'm currently using is redish with like a marbling in it. But I'm noticing what appears to be cracks starting in it.
 
I posted this on another thread on this site but after I saw Mr. Houser's thread I have to post it again. Mr Houser's remarks, while accurate, ignore one very important fact: the Honemaster will sharpen almost any knife to its sharpest. I have used the Honemaster for thirty-nine years with excellent results on wide, narrow and medium width blades by Buck, Benchmade, Cold Steel, Case, Bear, SOG, Boker, customs and others. And on 440 C stainless, AUS 8, 154CM, high carbon, D2 tool and laminated steels and some I can't recall. I don't pretend to be any kind of an expert except when it comes to using a Buck Honemaster. I wish Buck would manufacture this fine product again. I wouldn't trade my worn out Honemaster for the most expensive sytem by Lansky or Smith's Precisoin.

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Seems like a pretty old thread, but I'll reply in case anyone in the future asks about the Honemaster. I bought my first one in 1974 with the $5.00 my father gave me for my 16th birthday. Today I received my second that I won this week on ebay for $60 and was happy to pay it. I've just about worn out the first Honemaster; the parts of the clamp that contacts the hone has so much wear that it has been razor sharp for years. I've been sharpening knives since I was 11 y.o. and in that time I've not come upon a better sharpening aid. I've examined several over the years and do not care for systems such as the Lansky and Smith's Precision; I'm sure they are both very good systens, but not for me. You can't use the Lansky or Smith's with the 11.5x2.5 inch Smith's diamond hone I recently bought. In fact, I think both will only use their proprietary tiny hones. Besides, what a royal pain it appers to be to use the Lansky/Smith's systems. With the Honemaster you simply clamp it to the blade and sharpen as you would freehand. Also, there are rubber blade protectors lining the Honemaster so it won't mar the blades like the other systems. I have a dedicated bench grinder with a sharpening wheel, but only use that on my kitchen knives. I won't use it for sharpening any of my carry or hunting knives.
I have sharpened blades that were shorter than the Honemaster is long and those that were so long I had to take a second bite with the tool to get the whole blade sharpened. The advantage of the Honemaster over freehand is that every stroke you take on the stone is at exactly the same angle which not only speeds sharpening, but leaves a beautiful factory-appearing edge and the edge is on the same plane. Conversely, every stroke taken freehand will be on a slightly different angle and while I have no evidence to support it, I'll wager won't hold as good an edge as a blade sharpened with the Honemaster. Can someone sharpening a blade freehand get it as sharp as using a Honemaster? Maybe, but I'll never know because I use the Honemaster. I was willing to pay $75 for the Honemaster on ebay and while I'm glad I didn't have to I would not have been troubled by doing so. I would not take $150 for my new Honemaster and maybe not for my old one.
If I think of a downside to the Honemaster it would be that its use will cause premature hone wear simply because the Honemaster contacts the hone on every stroke. Logic dictates that the stones will wear out in half the time compared to hones used freehand. That said, I have three (course, medium, extra-fine) 2x6 inch diamond hones that I've used for more than 20 years and they are still going strong.
I would reccomend the Buck Honemaster to anyone who is serious about getting a knife to the absolute sharpest it can be.
 
270, I agree. I used it some and realized the truth of your statements. A guide takes your edge beyond the abilities of free hand sharpeners. DM
 
Maybe it's a optical illusion but I can get a good edge on the strait part of the blade but the curve on the tip it seems,,,wrong.No matter how I look it seems like a bad angle..and one that's not consistent.
 
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