Luckily I don't have any recurve. And considering the price, replacing them won't be a problem. Now, how would a Spyderco Sharpmaker compare to a DMT Fine and DMT Extra Fine (the DMT as a set, obviously). Would the Sharpmaker be able to get a similair edge?
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Good whetstones?
- Thread starter Brutus013
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2005
- Messages
- 2,402
In my experience the Sharpmaker would get a better edge, but the DMT's will cut much faster. I would personally recommend getting a DMT coarse and the Sharpmaker to start, as they will give you a good base to build on (I learned all of the basics of sharpening on the Sharpmaker), and both require minimal maintenance, which seems a plus to you. The coarse stone can rebevel your knives to under 15 per side (or 20 per side) to let the Sharpmaker do it's thing and sharpen a microbevel, which is where it excels. The Sharpmaker is also very versatile and can sharpen serrated edges as well as most any blade shape or tool you can think of. The Sharpmaker rebevels very slowly, DMT's excel at it. I actually own a Sharpmaker, DMT's in XX coarse (this one rebevels even the hardest steels quickly), X coarse, Coarse, Fine, and X fine, along with Spyderco benchstones in medium, fine, and ultrafine, and Shapton Glasstones in 1000/2000/8000 grit. At this point I use the DMT's for rebeveling or coarser finishes (the only ones I use anymore are XX coarse, Coarse, and Fine), then the Shapton Glasstones to refine the edge. The Glasstones are extremely hard man made waterstones that only require a splash of water, and they resist dishing and gouging extremely well. To flatten them I just use my DMT coarse stone and in a few seconds they are perfectly flat again. They cut very fast and clean, but they do cost some cash.
Mike
As a woodworker, I spend about half my life sharpening chisels, planes, etc. I use a Norton flatening stone made especially for flattening waterstones. hey're about $24. The other way to go is usae the extra coarse DMT to flatten.
I'm kind of new to knives and one question I have is how do the knife manufactures like Benchmade grind/sharpen the knives when they are new? THe sides seem to be somewhat rounded as they approach the sharp edge, and I can only do a flat edge on my stones.
I'm kind of new to knives and one question I have is how do the knife manufactures like Benchmade grind/sharpen the knives when they are new? THe sides seem to be somewhat rounded as they approach the sharp edge, and I can only do a flat edge on my stones.
What you're seeing is a "convex edge," which gives the best combination of durability and cutting ease. I'd guess that Benchmade uses a process that begins with multi-angle wet grinding and then blends the angles with slack-belt finish grinding. You can do the same thing on a belt sander. It just takes some time and care. On a flat stone, the closest equivalent would be a double or triple bevel. You'll never notice the difference when you actually use the knife.
Become a little sloppy holding your angle free hand with your stones, and you too will be rounding your bevels. It's my prefered method for convexing edges.
I've used Norton Indias. They don't gouge or dish out readily, they cut reasonably fast even on the hardest steels, and they produce an excellent edge. I gave up my 70's-era Arkansas stones when the newer steels got too hard. Also, the newer stones just didn't have the same quality.
I have a question about Spyderco's ceramic whetstones. I really like all of the Spyderco sharpening equipment I have. The only gripe I have concerning Spyderco's ceramic stones is that they don't seem to have a ceramic stone that removes stock aggressively enough.
For instance the other day it was time for me to re-sharpen my Calypso JR with ZDP-189 blade steel. I had really banged it up and it needed to be re-profiled and taken through the steps you use when doing it on the 204 Sharpmaker.
Spyderco's stuff does put a wicked edge on any blade but the abrading properties on their stones are slow to say the least. On reprofiling I usually have to use my coarse Norton Diamond stone even before I get out the Sharpmaker.
My question is this: ARe there any ceramic whetstones out there that abrade metal faster and more efficiently than Spyderco's? If so what is the trade off if any? Also are the Shapton stones really worth the price they get for them?
For instance the other day it was time for me to re-sharpen my Calypso JR with ZDP-189 blade steel. I had really banged it up and it needed to be re-profiled and taken through the steps you use when doing it on the 204 Sharpmaker.
Spyderco's stuff does put a wicked edge on any blade but the abrading properties on their stones are slow to say the least. On reprofiling I usually have to use my coarse Norton Diamond stone even before I get out the Sharpmaker.
My question is this: ARe there any ceramic whetstones out there that abrade metal faster and more efficiently than Spyderco's? If so what is the trade off if any? Also are the Shapton stones really worth the price they get for them?
I know a few woodworkers who use Shaptons. They're great but you can get atom spliting sharp tools using norton or king stones too and they're a lot less. I think Shaptons are worth it for woodworkers who prob have a set of 9 or so chisles, 6 or more planes, and various other tools that absolutely must be sharp all the time or they're essentially useless.
What did you have to spend for them?
Think the Bester 700 cost me $37 and the Shapton 2k and 5k ran about $55 and $60 something, but I got them a few years ago when the Shapton 15k was still only $98 (it is $129 now). The 12k can be had for what the 15k used to cost and is probably just as good as the 15k (still not entirely convinced that the Japanese and English labeled packages are all that different, but then I've never tried both in the same grit), and the new glass stones are cheaper... about what they used to sell the pro series for.