How is a Sharpmaker actually used?

BenchmadeBoy

BenchmadeBoy

Joined
Sep 4, 2005
Messages
1,982
Hello. After reading many positive comments about Spyderco's Sharpmaker, I would like to get one. However, I am curious HOW you use it. I see the upright stones, does one draw the blade down and across similar to using a diamond rod or steel? I understand as well that there is a video and book included. I simply would like a general idea before I send away for one. Is this similar to the honing system produced by Smith's (which is what I have access to in Winnipeg, here at the local sporting goods store).

thanks in advance
 
You can download the manual from SpyderCo's site to give you a better idea as to how it works.
 
They must have pulled it off their site. I looked and couldn't find it either. It used to be there because I downloaded it at one time. Sorry.
 
Send them an email, they'll probably send you the manual and video for free. They're good peeps.
 
I set mine up on my workbench. It is about waist level. You select the sharpening angle you want, 30 degree or 40 degrees total. You insert the course ceramic rods which are grey in color and the brass protective rods. There is a sequence you use to sharpen the knife using various rods and locations on the rod.

http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=77

Once everything is setup (can be done in two minutes easily) I hold the blade in a vertical position and pull it down and across the ceramic rod until I get a BURR on the edge of the blade. There is not a magic number of strokes and sometimes it seems like a lot of work. Then I switch to the other edge until I get a BURR. Then I lightly alternate strokes a couple of times to remove the BURR. Then I go to the next step and repeat the process. The first time you do this it might take 20-30 minutes total time but you end up with a very nicely sharpened blade.

Last thing I do is strop/hone the blade on a piece of leather. This polishes the edge and removes any remaining BURR.

http://www.drsharpening.com/leatherhone.html

Here is some very good info from Joe Talmadge about knives and sharpening that may be of interest.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=368828
 
When do you use the flat side of the stone as opposed to the corner side?
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The corners exert more force per area (it's a physics thing) than the flats, so you intially use the corners to get the bevel set. THEN, you use the flats because they cover more surface area and don't exert the extra pressure which would cause the edge to roll over. The corners "should" remove more metal than the flats. THEREFORE, once you have the bevel set, you don't want excessive steel removed. Instead, you want minor removal and more polishing (which is what the flats give you).
 
Update:

I shot Spyderco an email and they are sending copies right to my house!!

Can't do better than that!! :thumbup:
 
I just recently got my Sharpmaker. I have not used it yet but I'm chomping at the bit to try my hand at sharpening my knives.

I HAVE watched the instructional video, and I think it's VERY clear and easy to understand.

Once you watch it a couple of times, you should have no trouble using the Sharpmaker.

Tim
 
I bought a Sharpmaker last week, and it arrived on Friday. After watching the video I was able to get the blades on my SAK and my Leatherman Wave sharp enough to shave hair off my arm. Now I look like I have mange! The Wave had its factory edge minus some wear, and the SAK was not sharp enough to cut paper when I started.

Very pleased with it, but I'd want something more aggressive if I needed to reprofile, for example one of my friends has an extremely blunt tanto he asked me to sharpen, and I'd be at it til the cows come home.

Chris
 
chris100575 said:
Very pleased with it, but I'd want something more aggressive if I needed to reprofile, for example one of my friends has an extremely blunt tanto he asked me to sharpen, and I'd be at it til the cows come home.

Chris
Click to expand...

I lay DMT diamond stones on top of my SHarpmaker rods for reprofiling. Works fairly good but watch your fingers.:eek:

oil
 
That sounds like a good idea, think I'll look out for some. None of my own knives are blunt enough to need that much metal removed, but they'd come in handy next time I asked to sharpen a spanner! Is DMT a trademark, or just what I need to look for at the hardware shop?

I also like that the Sharpmaker can do serrated blades. One of the things that's always put me off serrated edges in the past was that I thought they'd be impossible to sharpen. Had a go at that one on my Wave too!

Chris
 
chris100575 said:
Is DMT a trademark, or just what I need to look for at the hardware shop?

Chris
Click to expand...

DMT is the brand name, I would imagine any diamond blocks would work though as long as you can comfortably rest them on your Sharpmaker flats.

oil
 
OilMan said:
DMT is the brand name, I would imagine any diamond blocks would work though as long as you can comfortably rest them on your Sharpmaker flats.

oil
Click to expand...


Some diamond whetstones are better and last longer than others because of the type of diamonds they use in their manufacturing process. DMT is famous for having about the best whetstones. Here's a link to DMT's website that has some interesting info about their stuff.

http://www.dmtsharp.com/general/basicsharp.htm

I use their x-course for reprofiling. This is done very rarely with knives made of good tough steel. They don't wear or grind down like the cheaper made knives do so reprofiling isn't necessary.

I lay my whetstone flat on the bench and tape the blade. Then I attach one of those small alligator clips (the kind that hold papers together) to the spine of the blade. The clip gives me about a 12-15 degree angle to the whetstone. This works well even though it is sort of redneck engineering.
 
I've just had a quick look, and can get a DMT x-coarse 4" pocket whetstone for around £20. That looks as though it'd sit on the Sharpmaker rods happily enough as it's quite thin. I think I might prefer a longer one than 4", but the next size up appears to be a full size bench stone and that might be too big. I do have a coarse whetstone that I tried propping up on the Sharpmaker rods, but it's quite heavy and I was worried about breaking the ceramic as I think it's quite brittle.

Chris
 
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