EdgePro, Lansky, Spyderco, Stones?

[ziggy925]

I just sharpened a really dull, cheap folder. Yes, I definitely need to slow down, but I agree if I go over to the dark side it will probably be with an EdgePro. BTW, do they really have cookies on the dark side.

 

[stitchawl]

I just sharpened a really dull, cheap folder. Yes, I definitely need to slow down, but I agree if I go over to the dark side it will probably be with an EdgePro.

Going too fast and using too much pressure are the two killers for good sharpening. Freehand sharpening takes time and patience but it's the best way to really understand what is going on between a blade and a stone.

BTW, do they really have cookies on the dark side.

Not only cookies, Ziggy. Coca cola comes trickling out of the rocks on the side of the road, and candy canes are free and grow on the trees! If you plant 'Cheerios' you can harvest donuts too! Best part is that women come an with instruction manual so you can understand them! (I heard that the 'new models' will come with programmable remotes... :thumbup: )


Stitchawl

 

[Ben Dover]

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.


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

I can't disagree with that. :thumbup: I use old Lansky "Crock Sticks" or strops for touch ups. The EP is for "true" sharpening of dull blades and especially re-profiling.

I find that good strops keep a razor sharp knife razor sharp for a long time.

 

[stitchawl]

I can't disagree with that. :thumbup: I use old Lansky "Crock Sticks" or strops for touch ups. The EP is for "true" sharpening of dull blades and especially re-profiling.

I find that good strops keep a razor sharp knife razor sharp for a long time.

Meat cutters have known for a long time that steeling (or stropping) is the key to maintaining an edge. A butcher will steel his knife between each customer's cutting, not just once or twice a day.

Quite some time ago I switched to a meat cutter's steel (smooth with no groves) and used that before preparing dinner. Then about 5 years ago I heard about using 'borosilicate glass' as a 'steel' and tried it. Works great! Borosilicate glass is commonly known as "Pyrex" so the odds are you have a meat loaf pan in your kitchen whose edge will work great as a steel!

I went to a local chemical supply shop and had them make me a Pyrex rod 1/2" thick and 12" long. Just cost a couple of dollars and this is what I use in my kitchen these days. I read somewhere that steeling between uses will increase the edge life some 800%. Personally, I think it's even longer. I only have to put my knives on the EdgePro 2-3 times a year at most, and I attribute that to the daily steeling or stropping.

Stitchawl

 

[Ben Dover]

I've been generally satisfied with my strops, but I think I'm going to have to try that borosilicate "glass steel."

No matter how much I like something, or how well it works I'm always looking for something better! :thumbup:

 

[David Martin]

Guys, John Juranitch, Joe Talmadge,Chad Ward, Cliff Stamp and many other authors write about steeling to greatly extend the use of a sharp edge and life of the knife.Sure card carrying meat cutters know this. Its nothing new to them or those in the employ of using a knife.It just new to some here. DM

 

[ziggy925]

I have a diamond "steel." I've been finishing my blades off using this steel very lightly. Is this a mistake? I do have a real steel, but never use it. I also have a strop on order. Maybe that's the best way to keep my knives sharp. Thoughts?

 

[ziggy925]

I sharpened some of my girlfriend's kitchen knives with my stones today. None of these knives were usable, nor are they expensive, so I figured this was a good way to get some practice. Not one of the knives passed the fingernail test before starting.

I worked slowly, but I could tell I was getting impatient and need to slow down more. I continuously checked the edge, and when I could "catch" the edge with my finger I started working the course stone more slowly and more lightly.

I then moved to the medium stone and worked the edge much more lightly, and finished with the fine stone, only taking a few swipes very lightly.

I can tell I need more practice, as I can see the edge is not polished uniformly across the entire blade, but the knives are much more usable now, certainly good enough for for kitchen use, and about as good as I used to get with the Lansky. All the knives will slice paper easily now, and pass the fingernail test.

I was never able to get "good enough" freehand before, so thanks all for the tips and advice. Any advice on taking this to the next level, like being able to shave with the blade? I'm thinking 1. Slow down. 2. Lighten up 3. Keep an even angle and let the stones do the work.

 

[stitchawl]

I wish I could remember what company it was that sent me a smooth steel rod along with my order for something. It's not even a regular 'steel,' it's just a smooth steel rod without a handle. I know it came from some sharpening company and I'm tempted to say that it was from the old HandAmerican when he was shipping his own products, I'm going to guess that I was using it back in the early 90's.

I'm pretty sure it was the HandAmerican web site that gave me the idea of using borosilicate glass. He was selling it for about $20 (now he has them at $65!) and I knew I could get it locally for just a few dollars. I paid less than $5 for mine custom made. It was 2004 when I had the chemical supply shop make it for me. As borosilicate glass is Pyrex, you can get a 10" loaf pan at the local hardware store for a couple of bucks and have two edges to use before you slice up your meat loaf!

The bottom line is that steeling and stropping work.

Stitchawl

 

[Splat]

My Mora and Victorinox Huntsman knives that I take with me backpacking I convex using waterproof sandpaper. I can easily touch up their edges in the field with a small piece of sandpaper. My other knives that I use around the home and at work all get Edgepro'ed. The Edgepro's got to be the best knife-related purchase I've made.

 

[rc3mil]

not only cookies, ziggy. Coca cola comes trickling out of the rocks on the side of the road, and candy canes are free and grow on the trees! If you plant 'cheerios' you can harvest donuts too! Best part is that women come an with instruction manual so you can understand them! (i heard that the 'new models' will come with programmable remotes... :thumbup: )


stitchawl

lmfao

 

[Infi-del]

DMT Makes some of the best diamond benchstones you're gonna find. For anything I have with a flat V-Grind that's what I use. And the Spyderco Rods are good as well. Especially the Pro-File set. I moved past the sharpmaker. But most of my knives now have a convexed edge so I just use 600 to 2500 grit sand paper and then finish on a strop loaded with .5 Micron Diamond Spray. Or my leather finishing belt loaded with the same.