I can't get my Sharpmaker to work at all!!!!

I’m with you. The sharpmaker is too awkward for me to use. I found it to be harder than freehand. I gave up on using it and just use dmt diafolds now. I suggest selling it or using the rods freehand.
 
2 possibilities come to mind:
  • You somehow bought fake or bad stones/ sharpmaker
  • You don't actually understand how sharpening works as much as you think (or you have worse technique than you think). The sharpie trick could be a good way to test this possibility out
In my experience, user error is most often the real issue. But that also implies that on rarer occasions it's not user error.
 
Option a ) You gotta take your "30 degree knife " and actually reprofile it on a sharpmaker with your coarse rods. Use sharpie or burr method whatever. I would dull the edge so it reflects light and get it apexed to the point where it doesn't reflect light. This way you just know for sure you are either there or not. If you lighten pressure it will shave off the coarse rods, but you gotta know what your doing.
Progress through grits from there and test results at each stage.

Keep your sharpmaker level or keep setting it up in the same spot.
Option b)
You take your 30 degree knife and put a microbevel on it with 40 setting. You perfect the art of sharpness not sharpening and can go from there once ready.
 
I have one and it seems to be sharpening fine. I can't understand what you might be doing wrong. It's a pretty straight forward decvice. As stated, it does work better on some steels than others.
 
Most likely you are not sharpening and maintaining a consistent angle. SM is not as easy to use as many people said/thought for that particular reason. It requires you to hold the blade at a perfect 90 degree to the horizon ALL THE TIME. Say you can do it 95 out of 100 times with perfect 30 degrees between the blade and the rod, and 3 out of the other 5 times you did 33 degree, then you will have a dull edge.
 
I suspect part of the problem here is akin to climbing a mountain (or mastering a method of sharpening) it requires many steps to reach the peak.

When you get to the peak and see another mountain you can't just leap to the next peak; you have to climb down and begin a new ascent.

There are no shortcuts.
 
Stang Bladeworks said:
Have you tried the sharpie method to verify you are actually hitting the apex. My guess is you are not. I own a sharpmaker and I can verify it works great when you contact the apex. If you are ok with freehand sharpening you can place the stones in the triangle slots side by side and use it like a bench stone.
Click to expand...
^^^ THIS and relax. You are frustrated. Sharpie. Apex. good job
 
I don't care for being locked into somebody else's idea of the angles I need especially since the industry couldn't hit both sides with the same angle if they were getting paid to do it . . . oh wait . . . they are getting paid to do it.
. . . hangonIthinkI'mgoingto . . . sneeeeeeze . . .(Edge Pro)
anyway . . .
I do use the rods hand held, the Ultra Fine Ceramic ones anyway. Good stuff !
Cliff has some thoughts that might help :

 
I had a SM for a couple yrs and sold it. It did not seem to perform for me,
although most folks here seem to love it.
 
15dps or 30 inclusive on the Sharpmaker probably won't line up with whatever system your using. Especially once the human element is thrown in with whatever angle you naturally hold the knife. Your going to have to reprofile the knife to the Sharpmaker angles even if their both supposibly the same their probably not unless you want to use it for microbevel. This can be confirmed with a sharpie.

I highly recommend you test it out with a sharpie, I would bet money your not hitting the same angle as before.

I would have to reprofile to use the Sharpmaker even if I use my diamond benchstones and 15dps angle guides it won't perfectly match up when I'm done. There is still a little work I have to do to match it and vice versa.
 
Hi,
How did you measure 30 degrees on the blade?
Do you have a magic marker/sharpie?
How many passes using the ultra fine rods?
Have you tried 5 times 1 pass per side alternating using the 20 degree sharpmaker setting?
If that doesn't work, do 5 using medium sharpmaker rods, then test sharpness, then 5 on ultra fine
What happens if you use the ultra fine triangle stone freehand like you do your steel strop?

Its not about touching the knife lightly with your hand, its about touching the stones lightly with your knife -- a food scale can help you fine tune that




You can see actual sharpening here
Spyderco Sharpmaker Cubic Boron Nitride Rods : first look - YouTube

For more detailed/advanced sharpmaker debugging steps see Sharpening Curriculum / Trouble sharpening super blue - Spyderco Forums

Efficient grinding reprofiling with sharpmaker 1-3 minutes * 10 steps = 10-30 minutes total to drop angle from 20 degrees per side to 15 degrees in half degree steps , Reprofiling/Sharpening CPM 3V? - Page 2 - Spyderco Forums
 
Mr.Wizard said:
What is a steel strop?
Click to expand...
Kitchen steel. Like a ceramic, or metal rod with fine grooves. Can be called a steel or hone. The ones you would typically see a chef with touching up his/her edge.

They work quite well to correct the edge and make it bite again. I have a small ceramic hone that seems to be similar to spyderco sharpmaker fine/extra fine rods. 2-3 minutes before I put it back in the knife block if it was cutting less than acceptable.
 
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