Can anyone suggest a knife sharpening kit?

Since I don't do knife sharpening for other's knives, except ocassionally, I just can't justify the cost of an Edge Pro. What I use most of the time is the 204 Sharpmaker. For the money, it can't be beat! I also have a Razor Edge Systems Deluxe Kit. Like someone already said, the steel is great, as well as the stones. I use it when an edge needs serious re-profiling.

Regardless of what system you end up with, be sure to read the sharpening FAQ here at BladeForums and get a copy of "The Razor Edge Book of Sharpening". You can check www.razoredgesystems.com for more on Razor Edge's stuff.

Money wise, I'd buy the book and the 204. You'd be set for almost anything for under $70.
 
I like my Lansky system. Nothing sofisticated there. Also like my ole Arkansas stones. I get good results but I'm no pro.

Regards,

Sabo 29
 
I have the following sharpeners and this is what I think of them:

Spyder 204: sucks. Well, so as not get get a bomb in the mail from a BFer, it is ok, but limited to 2 angles and takes a long time to reprofile a blade and requires some skill to keep a consistent angle. Ok, for the money, its not bad.

Edg$Pro Prof$ssional: good for larger knives with a good flat Ok with smaller knives but you have to spend some time and be carefull to keep it on the flat. I wish EdgePro had a clamp, ala Lansky or Gatco style.

Gatco: ... haven't have time to use mine yet.

1"x21" belt sander with fine grit paper and an edge guide: really very good with the edge guide. Takes just a minute to reprofile a blade and the edge guide keeps a consistent angle. 2nd only to the EdgePro in getting a very constant angle mirror finish. I load the belt with jewler's rouge to get some polishing.

Bench Stones, any kind: hard to develop a good technique to make a consistent angle. I never could master it for knives or woodworking chisels and planes.

Razor Edge guides: Ok with smaller straight knives, but you have to keep track of where you are clamping if you want to do later touchups (or record the angle via trig. calculation). No good on curved knives without your modifying your technique. I get great results on my Kershaw MiniTask with a small clamp.

Horizontal motorized waterstone: sucks big time. Too much runout on mine. Ok for sharpening an ax or car axle.

ChefChoice kitchen sharpener: sucks for my nice knives. Angle is too steep.. Ok for kitchen knives. This is the manual one with diamond.

Myerco SharpenIT: sucks but I could get shaving sharp after a few hours on my Gerber EasyOut.

Various V-sticks: garbage

On my wish list is still:
1. Paper wheels for a slow speed grinder.
2. Torm$k Sup$rgrind
3. Designing a blade clamp for the EdgePro.
 
I find that inexpensive crock sticks work well for stuff like kitchen knives, not as well as my polished steel, and for my kid, his friends, and anyone else who doesn't know how to use or want to know how to use other sharpening tools. I can get small Lansky crock sticks with the plastic base for about $7 to $8, and with it people can get decent edges provided they don't start too dull. The Spyderco sticks are better as the kit has a medium stone, but it's still too slow for bigger jobs and is quite a bit more expensive.
 
gearfreak,

Please see my post here on 9-28-2000 at 11:34pm.
smile.gif
.

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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663
 
For really tough shrpening jobs, I prefer thr Lansky Diamond kit. For touch-up work, Spyderco Sharpmaker is 'bout the best I've found.FWIW

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Mark, Isiah 40:31 They that wait on the LORD shall mount up with wings as eagles...
 
sure are alot of sharpmaker lovers out there....personally i cannot stand the system, just does not do it for me. 1. it is not precise at all. 2. does not have a coarse rod. 3. the whole thing feels and looks cheap. 4. doesn't sharpen my knives. spend the extra money and get an edge pro.
 
I agree with Codeman almost up one side and down the other! I also have Razor Edge Systems' Deluxe Kit and a Sharpmaker 204. I use the Sharpmaker for touch-ups and for my Spyderco knives (they just seem to go together!), but I use the Deluxe Kit for reprofiling and 'heavier' work.

The Razor Edge Systems kits help to train your hand and eye so that you can eventually sharpen with just the hones. It seems more 'natural', too, to move the knife down the hone than to clamp the knife in place and move the hone with a bunch of paraphernalia that just isn't really necessary.

No matter what you end up getting, Get The Book from John Juranich. It's clear and gives you a smidgen of confidence right from the start (something first-time sharpeners need!
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).

That said, I am looking for a 'commerial' sharpener for some knon-knife-knuts relatives who live too far away to bring their knives to me for sharpening (or don't care enough [for their knives] to do so anyway!).

There's a set of different colored handles with guides sharpeners from some company. You just pull the knife through the guide a few times. First the yellow one, then the orange one, then the blue one, then the red one, or something like that. Anyone happen to know what I'm talking about (obviously I have little idea!
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)? Please post if you do. Thanks!

But for us certified KnifeKnuts, I go with the first part of my post.

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Champions make improvements as fast as losers make excuses.
 
Champion,

It sounds like the system that you are thinking about is the Lansky Kit?

If so, see my post here on 9-28-2000, at 11:34pm.
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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663
 
johno,

I don't have much experience with crock sticks except for the Sharpmaker 204. When I said V sticks in my early post were garbage, what I really meant were the slot type devices, some of which have two sticks in a V configuration, other having two wheels.
Walt
 
Bono,
The EdgePro professional takes some coordination. To use it, you have to lay the knife steady on the table and use the other hand to move the stone back and forth. Then switch hands and hold the knife with the othe r hand. The trick is holding the knife stead y on one of its flat surfaces on the table. This is easy to to with a large kitchen knife with one large flat surface, but is very difficult for a folder with small flat surfaces. Particularly difficult is a small knife with a spearpoint tip. There are several bevels. I ended up using a clamp to sharpen my Benchmade with a spearpoint tip.

Actually, I used the scissor attachment that I bought with the EdgePro professional to act as a clamp with my Benchmade. It is a bit of a cluge this way, but it worked. I completely sharpened one side of the knife to 3000 grit, then unclamped and sharpened the other side.

..snip Im thinking of the edge pro professional. Is it easier to use then the spyderco?Is it "fool" proof?

Different skills are involved in mastering one versus the other. In the Spyderco, the skill is in keeping the knife vertical. In the EdgePro, the skill is in using two hands. I find it easier to cheat on the EdgePro and clamp the knife somehow.

Can't get a flat mirror finish on the Spyderco like you can on the EdgePro.

[This message has been edited by gearfreak (edited 09-30-2000).]
Click to expand...
 
When I initially set my bevels on a new or hard used knife, I use a set of diamond V rods. I then switch to the 204 to complete the "sharpening experience".

The rods I have are 7" long and beefy at about 5/16" dia.

Diamond rods and storage base info from:

Model DS-3500
Lohman Mfg. Co.
417-451-4438

Selwyn


 
When I set the bevels on new or hard used knives i use a set of diamond V rods, and finish up on a 204.

My diamond rods are 7" long, and a beefy 5/16" dia.

For info:

Model DS-3500
Lohman Mfg. Co.
417-451-4438

Selwyn
 
I recently purchased an EdgePro Professional. Having the best edge possible is important to me and I get a lot of satisfaction from being able to do it myself. Developing knowledge and proficiency with the EdgePro will result in edges equal to or superior to anything out there and that's the bottom line for me. Price is cheap for a once in a lifetime investment in such a nice unit.
 
Dann,

I thought of a reason to keep the 204 - the narrow profile
of the stones would be good for serrations. I've an idea to hot
glue the 204 sticks to an EdgePro blank and use that setup to
sharpen serrations. I was going to order a round stone, but the
triangular profile of the 204 stones would be good and stable.

Walt
 
Dann, the set of sharpeners I'm trying to remember are held in sort of pistol fashion. The guide is on the top of the handle, and you pull the knife through the guide a few times. It's mainly for knon-knife-knuts, but has been praised by some of the BF members.

It's not the Lanskey system. But nice try anyway.
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Champions make improvements as fast as losers make excuses.
 
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