EdgePro, Lansky, Spyderco, Stones?

ziggy925

ziggy925

Joined
Oct 4, 2009
Messages
105
I'm pretty good at getting a decent edge on my knives using one of those three-sided stone things, but I can't get even close to the sharpness I've seen in these forums. I like the idea of being able to sharpen a knive to hair popping sharpness freehand, but is it worth the time and effort to get to that point? Closest I can get is slicing copy paper cleanly.

Should I go to one of the above mentioned sharpeners, or should I continue my journey with stones using the tips I've garnered here? Looks like I have to slow down a bit and take this sharpening thing in stages. I also need to work on keeping a steady angle.

Anyway, what say you?

TIA
 
ziggy, welcome.I encourage you work at it refining your technique armed w/ new knowledge.What stones do you have?DM
 
I have a set of Smiths stones (TriHone), size 6" x 1.5." They are Arkansas stones.

When I saw the video of the guy sharpening a knife using a cinderblock and a brick to razer sharpness, I figured it may not be the quality of the stones. :D
 
Ziggy, A blade guide helps. Those stones maybe alright.What knives are you sharpening?DM
 
I'm all for learning any and every possible method for sharpening, and I've still got a long way to go. I've recently been utilizing a Lansky system to get the edge bevel/profile that I want, and then most of the touch-ups get done with a strop and occasionally some very light passes on a ceramic pocket stone (followed by stropping).

The value for me in using the Lansky setup (or, I assume, an EdgePro or Gatco or other guided rod system) was that I was able to RAPIDLY get an edge on my knives that just blew me away. This, after many years of sort of stumbling through attempts at free-hand sharpening using stones, crock sticks, etc. The guided rod systems will show you firsthand just how sharp the edge can be, if the proper angle can be consistently maintained in the sharpening process. For me, it also helped in figuring out just how light a touch can be used in sharpening (I think I used to lean a bit too hard on it when trying to freehand it). Especially if you're using diamond hones, you can just let the stone do the work. And, one really nice thing about a guided system is that it's very easy to put a beautiful polished edge on your blade. I'd think that'd be difficult to pull off free-hand, unless you've been doing it for a very long time.

Now that I've seen what can be attained by maintaining the edge angle precisely, I've started to think back in the direction of refining my free-hand technique and methods. I also watched the video of the guy sharpening using a cinder block & brick, and so I am beginning to see the light, so to speak, in that there are MANY ways to get it done. Some ways will produce the pretty, polished edges and other ways will just get it very sharp, if that's what you're looking for.
 
There is nothing wrong with the Smith Tri Hone.I learned to sharpen on my set.You are gonna get all kinds of good info here.
I don't know what knives you are sharpening or what you do for a living and how you use your knife. If you are happy with slicing paper then let it go at that. If you have the time and patience then play around some more.
If you want to spend some money i would suggest some diamond stones.If you want a cheap alternative get a Norton combination India stone. I do alot of my sharpening on one and then finish or polish the edge on the white hard arkansas on you tri hone.
I personally recomend John Juranitch's Razors edge Sharpening System. The guides are pretty good, if you are having trouble keeping an angle and the stones work great.I use this to redefine an edge as a start and then just touch up the blade when needed until i need to start again.
Like i said you will get all kinds of info and you need to decide what works for you. I play around with different stones on different knives.
I have never stropped or convexed an edge, I personally don't see the need but that is just me and my personal opinion knowing how i use my knives. So good luck and have fun but don't let anybody tell you the Tri Hone is junk, although i think the stones on the older sets were better qaulity but the newer ones work just fine.
 
Thanks all. I'm currently sharpening a Gerber folder, and also use the stones for my kitchen knives -- a commercial high carbon Sysco, a Victorinox and a Solingen. I also have a Lansky, which helped me get a decent bevel on a cheap butterfly knife. I also sharpen a few other knives around the house -- Swiss Army, Buck, another Gerber. I have a SOG folder on the way. I do have a diamond steel, but I'm learning here to be very gentle with it.

I will admit, as the other poster said, the Lansky system will give you a good start on any really dull knife, but I'd kinda like to figure out how to do this freehand. The Lansky sytem bothers me as it only sharpens part of the blade at a time.

I will admit bigger stones would be nice. Have you seen the video of the guy who destroys a blade then brings it back? Really nice, big diamond stones.

I'm still mesmerized by the guy who sharpened the knife on the cinderblock and the brick.

My next adventure will be to sharpen my girlfriend's knives. Should be good practice, as I don't think any of them can even cut butter. I certainly can't make them worse. ;)
 
I like freehanded..love it actually! But you can get a lansky diamond system with ultrafine and sapphire hones seperately and get a STROP it really does put the final awesomeness on your blade. I can pop hair , confetti paper, etc with the Lansky...some love it some hate it! Works for me on thick n thin blades alike...give'r a try ! And for 60 bucks...why not? :D :D :D :D
 
ziggy925 said:
I'm pretty good at getting a decent edge on my knives using one of those three-sided stone things, but I can't get even close to the sharpness I've seen in these forums. I like the idea of being able to sharpen a knive to hair popping sharpness freehand, but is it worth the time and effort to get to that point? Closest I can get is slicing copy paper cleanly.

Should I go to one of the above mentioned sharpeners, or should I continue my journey with stones using the tips I've garnered here? Looks like I have to slow down a bit and take this sharpening thing in stages. I also need to work on keeping a steady angle.

Anyway, what say you?

TIA
Click to expand...

I would micro bevel with your Lansky, read the sticky above this forum. It will get you to the next level.
 
ziggy, Your Ark.stones should sharpen the knives you name just fine. Just keep working on a consistent angle and light touch. Have some patience and let us know how your progressing. Good luck.DM
 
cj65 said:
I would micro bevel with your Lansky, read the sticky above this forum. It will get you to the next level.
Click to expand...

I think the Lansky system automatically creates a microbevel, but I understand what you mean.
 
Sounds to me like you are doing a good job with your Tri-hone.

I think you might want to look into stropping. If you are push cutting paper you might just need to refine the edge a bit.

Stops can be simple or complex, cheap or spendy. The compound runs anywhere from metal polish and polishing compounds to specialized diamond powders and suspensions.

My strops run on the cheap and simple side. I use some scrap leather bought at Tandy with some red and white polishing compounds rubbed on. The compound I use I get at Sears. The leather cost me $2.00 and the two sticks of compound were under $5.00.

I have a similar tri-hone I use along with a GATCO. The GATCO is similar to the Lansky.

After either of those systems are used I can test and then go to the strop and test again. I see a lot of refinement in the edge from just a few strokes on the strop.

I usually use the strop with the white followed by the strop with the red.

Good Luck.
 
I just ordered a strop a minute ago. I was gonna make one out of an old belt but figured what the heck and bought one. Looking forward to seeing how that works.
 
ziggy925 said:
I think the Lansky system automatically creates a microbevel, but I understand what you mean.
Click to expand...

"Automatically"? Not as far as I know. A microbevel is a second bevel at a *steeper* angle than the original or back bevel. For example, original bevel at 15 degrees (per side) and microbevel at 20 degrees (per side).

You'd need to change the slot you were working in on the Lansky to apply a microbevel to an edge with that system.

Here's a huge vote in favor of the microbevel. After learning how to do this it's easier than ever to put a very sharp edge on most blades. I honestly think the microbevel is the best kept secret in the sharpening world. Not that it's any kind of real secret, but you get my meaning I hope.

It took several tries and quite a bit of frustration, but I finally got it. Chad Ward's guide on sharpening lays it out pretty well. Hell it taught me how! :)

http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?/topic/26036-knife-maintenance-and-sharpening/

Brian.
 
The advantages of the fixtures are two fold. Firstly they keep the bevel angle consistent throughout the process and that's important at the edge. Secondly, they allow you to work faster because you don't have to concentrate and be so careful as you do with bench stones. I think the Edgepro is the best fixture available - at least it is the best one I've ever used. Sharpeners like the Sharpmaker aren't really precision sharpeners. They are more like touch up tools. A sharpmaker would only reduce the sharpness of my knives. I own one but never use it. It might be handy to touch up a knife quickly but I wouldn't view it as being able to get a knife as sharp as it can be. Either the Edgepro or the Lansky will get a knife as sharp as it can be. The Edgepro is way faster and more versatile in terms of bevel angle.
 
I have a Lansky, so I understand what you are talking about. I would like to learn how to do this by hand. What I meant about the automatic bevel is that when I use my Lansky it appears that the finer stones line up at a different angle than the courser stones. Obviously, I can use any of the angle holes available.
 
Ziggy, your goal of being able to sharpen free hand is admirable. The old Samurai swordmakers didn't use a Lansky or even an EdgePro, and managed to get some pretty sharp edges.

True, the stones do make a difference. The better stone will give you a better edge, all other things being equal. So it pays to use good quality stones. But it's the technique that really makes a difference. You need to go very slowly and pay attention to each and every stroke on the stone. I've watched Japanese sharpeners who take DAYS to sharpen one blade. Not put on an original bevel... just sharpen! And this was for a kitchen knife! You need to go slowly if you are going to get perfect edges freehand. :thumbup:

If you prefer to get the perfect edge at the expense of using a sharpening system, the EdgePro will give you that edge in less than 20 minutes. It IS that good. I've gone through all of the various guided sharpeners, (which now sleep in the back of my closet never to be used again,) and only use the EdgePro for sharpening and the Sharpmaker for touch-ups. Fast and effective. (Sometimes I'll use the plastic DMT aligner and sandpaper when backpacking and want to have a good lightweight sharpening method. It's lighter than any stone.)

I wish I still had the drive, as you do, to sharpen freehand. I used to but sold out to speed and convenience. I could get a perfect edge with a Washita stone, Hard Arkansas-white, followed by a Hard Arkansas-black, then stropped on a bare leather strop, but it just took too damn long. I went over the the Dark Side! :eek:

Stitchawl
 
Ziggy, Its worth learning to sharpen by hand. I've tried the gadgets some work and some work better than others. Yes, you should start w/ a quality stone. From there learning the technique and pressure are the magic potion. Then a leather strop. A blade guide helps. Stay sharp.DM
 
Ben Dover said:
www.edgeproinc.com

The last sharpener you'll ever need! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

The EdgePro really is that good.
But... like any good tool, it might not be the only tool for the job. A grenade will certainly open most any door, but sometime all you need is a key. I wouldn't pull out my EdgePro to do weekly touch-ups. It's a bother setting it up.

I too think that EdgePro is the finest non-powered sharpening device on the market today, but I don't use it every time I want to work on an edge. In fact, I more frequently use a Sharpmaker as a touch-up tool in the kitchen. I use the EdgePro on my kitchen knives a couple of times a year, maybe 2-3 times. But I use the Sharpmaker at least once a week to give the edge 3-4 licks on each side. I use a steel (or borosilicate glass rod,) neither of which remove metal, several times during a cooking session if there is a lot of prep work to do.

My EdgePro takes the place of my old freehand sharpening. No question about that. But the Sharpmaker has a well-used place in my kitchen. :thumbup:

Stitchawl
 
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