How have you modified your sharpener?

marthinus

marthinus

Joined
Dec 10, 2006
Messages
5,978
I have been doing some searching and found a few threads about people modifying their sharpeners to better suit their needs.

Edge Pro:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=382702&page=2

Lansky:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8460766

Got me thinking about a thread that shows how you have modified yours to better accommodate your needs and then we can discuss what you have done. Pictures are encouraged of course.

I have done a small modification to my lansky turn box kit where I use a rubber band to strap a diamond paddle to the 20* side to get the edge back quicker then the normal medium ceramics.

I do this to maintain my micro bevel of a 17* main bevel. The diamond is fine and I found it to be ideal to maintain and correct minor dings and nicks in the edge.

P7150009.jpg
 
IDK if it counts as a modification per se, but I built an adjustable block that I set my stones on. It holds them at whatever angle I like and I simply hold the knife flat and stroke the stone. Sort of like what your image shows except turned on its side and adjustable to many angles.

I made a video and posted here a while back...here is a link to the video if you like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXhrqfV5jvs

(sorry, I do not have any still photos of this thing)
 
unit

I remember that thread where you discussed what you made, just could not find it. IMO it is one of the best modifications I have seen. Good job!
 
Cool thread.

I measure and cut sand paper so that it's exactly long enough to wrap around the three sides of the stone. Then I leave just a little bit of over hang, so it can be tightly wrapped and folded around the sharpmaker stone's for heavy re-profiling.

Fold the sand paper nice and tight around the stone's, and hold the paper in place with either twist or zip ties.

sharpm2.jpg

sharpm1.jpg


I start with 150 grit and sometimes work my way up to 2,000 girt in the 30 degree slots. Then when the bevel is completely 30 degrees and has a decent enough polish to it, I move on to the 40 degree slots and micro bevel the very edge. I Always finishing everything off with the ultra fine rods, which produce hair whittling sharpness.
 
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Frontline, how many strokes on the sandpaper would you say? I am thinking of getting the Sharpmaker to keep my folders and sharp kitchen knives up to good sharp edges, and I may have 5 to 7 kitchen knives I would like to make sharp and this seems about the best and cheapest way until I get better.
 
LawyerSam said:
Frontline, how many strokes on the sandpaper would you say? I am thinking of getting the Sharpmaker to keep my folders and sharp kitchen knives up to good sharp edges, and I may have 5 to 7 kitchen knives I would like to make sharp and this seems about the best and cheapest way until I get better.
Click to expand...

It varies knife by knife. Like, how long the edge is, the steel used, how thick the original grind was. It really depends.
 
Thanks,
The material is SS and the green material is UHMW. (ultra high molecular weight) It has very high ware resistance. It was cut on my table saw with a carbide blade.
The piece holding the stone was made first just to hold the various size stones. Then I thought I should make it also vertical and go in a stand at different angles for sharpening. Made the base about three weeks later. The holes in the base are drilled (1/2"dia.) to accept the stainless rods. Each pair of holes are drilled at a different angle. Not to hard with a drill press. You can use it with downward strokes or take it out and lay it flat on the table to sharpen freehand.
The combo waterstone in the picture is 8" in length.
The 1st Lexan one in the other picture has been modified to make it easier to adjust. No screws. Just slide out the middle support and put it in another slot for a different angle. Lexan also cut on table saw.

P1010002-vi.jpg
 
I keep my finger nails trimmed, does that count :confused: ;)
 
marthinus said:
unit

I remember that thread where you discussed what you made, just could not find it. IMO it is one of the best modifications I have seen. Good job!
Click to expand...

Thanks, I am in the process of re-tooling it to go down to 5 degrees. I am growing quite fond of very small bevel angles!
 
I don't have pictures, but my uncle has Aluminum Oxide wheels, and he shapes the wheel for each serration using some harder abrasive. So for the big serrations, he'll give the wheel a wider roundness, and for the smaller ones, the wheel gets reshaped.

That's technically modifying a sharpener :D
 
I use sandpaper zip-tied around a Sharpmaker stone for the back bevel at 30. White flat at 40 for the edge. Finished by stropping on the pad of my hand with some stropping paste.



 
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