If you had $100...

zatch

zatch

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Sep 6, 2008
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I am kind of stuck on what to do next in terms of sharpening. I currently have no way of maintaining any of the edges on my knives and I don't like that feeling. I am looking for opinions on what I should look into...

I started off using a smiths clamp system with 2 different angles. That worked fine until I started reading about more advanced sharpening systems (and better edges). So I looked into the edgepro and eventually bought one. For a while, I loved it. I started running into problems with smaller knives, specifically smaller recurves (Kershaw Chive) and was having problems holding the knife still on the table (I tried clamps and putty, without success). Ended up selling that too. :(

I have read about the DMT clamp system. Maybe that will work out? I talked to Richard a little bit about the paper wheels...seems like a cool option, except I live in an apartment; don't think the neighbors would like that (or land lord). Maybe I should just stop being a wuss and go back to the edgepro? Or trying to learn freehand? Sandpaper and mousepad? There are so many choices (and hopefully more than those)...

I have a budget of $100. If anyone has some pointers/tips/etc. I would love to hear 'em! Thanks for your time :thumbup:
 
Do yourself a favor and learn to freehand so you'll never be dependant on a "system" for good edges.

For 100$ you can get an xx course dmt bench stone to reprofile, and a sharpmaker to maintain the edge.

With the sharpmaker you can lay the stones flat on the base and use them freehand like a bench stone.

There are tons of benh stones that can be had for cheaper if you look around. Only reason I'm suggesting the sharpmaker is because I use it and can vouch for it's value. You could spend less than 10$ and have a stone you can use to learn the fundamentals of sharpening with and get shaving sharp edges.
 
I'm with Vivi on this one. However, I think the absolute cheapest way is to use sandpaper; but, if you really wanna cheap it out you can always use the rough part of a car glass window, a cinder block, newspaper, your leather belt etc. Anything that has a flat abrasive surface will sharpen or hone your knives. Freehand is the way to go. Learn it. Good luck!
 
Vivi has it nailed! Sharpmaker will allow you to sharpen virtually anyting including serrations and the DMT XXC add on will aid in reprofiling or in general to speed up the process. You could replace the DMT XXC with the Spyderco Diamond rods, but they are a finer grit and will take more time to do the same thing.
 
I haven't put much time into freehand. If I go the DMT benchstone + sharpmaker, how exact will I need to be during the re-profiling process? Say if I am reprofiling a knife down a couple of degrees, but I am not quite exact on each side of the blade - will this make it hard to finish the sharpening on the sharpmaker?

Maybe I should just go for a full set of benchstones?
 
Freehand is always best IMHO.

I bought an 8" DMT bench stone with a plastic holder base. It came with fine and extra fine sides. It only cost me $63 shipped to my door. It is my "go to" sharpener. You can buy different grits for it as well. I also have a DMT diafold -very great sharpener. And a credit card sharpener that I keep in my wallet.

For recurve blades buy the DMT diafold with an oval shape. They make it just for that purpose. It will work on your recurves. A flat stone is not gong to do recurves. You need something curved to sharpen a recurve properly.

After using the DMT stuff -I dont have a desire to find anything else.
 
Vivi has a great idea there. Unfortunately we are all different and everyone has their favorite methods. The only way to find your favorite usually involves buying something that is not your favorite.

The sharpmaker set is not my favorite (I prefer large DMT stones free hand) but I will probably always keep it around because while not my favorite it seems to be the best for some jobs (serrations, recurves, very small curved blades).

On a budget, the sharpmaker provides a great bang for your bucks.
 
tenordrumr said:
I haven't put much time into freehand. If I go the DMT benchstone + sharpmaker, how exact will I need to be during the re-profiling process? Say if I am reprofiling a knife down a couple of degrees, but I am not quite exact on each side of the blade - will this make it hard to finish the sharpening on the sharpmaker?

Maybe I should just go for a full set of benchstones?
Click to expand...

What I do is aim for 10-12 degrees per side when I reprofile, then use the 15 degree slots on the sharpmaker to refine the edge using a microbevel. This way I can be a little uneven in my bevel, but the edge will still be even and sharp. You could also try to get 15 degrees per side then use the 20 degree slots etc. Trying to reprofile at exactly 15 degrees per side, then sharpen the whole bevel instead of just a microbevel using the sharpmaker would be difficult, but possible. It would require greater precision than using the method I use.
 
Vivi said:
What I do is aim for 10-12 degrees per side when I reprofile, then use the 15 degree slots on the sharpmaker to refine the edge using a microbevel. This way I can be a little uneven in my bevel, but the edge will still be even and sharp. You could also try to get 15 degrees per side then use the 20 degree slots etc. Trying to reprofile at exactly 15 degrees per side, then sharpen the whole bevel instead of just a microbevel using the sharpmaker would be difficult, but possible. It would require greater precision than using the method I use.
Click to expand...

I like the idea of re-profiling on a DMT and finishing on the sharpmaker. I have noticed that, in the very small experience I have had with free-handing, I couldn't keep the same angle when switching stones. Even though i was coating the edge in marker each time, It seemed that from stone to stone, the level of sharpness would go down.

For instance, when starting with the course and then medium stones, I would have a pretty usable edge. As I went through the fine + higher stones the edge wouldn't be quite as sharp and was quite inconsistent along the edge. I also noticed the same thing happening when I would use sandpaper - I always ended up with thick and inconsistent angles by the time I was finished.

I'm really thinking about the sharpmaker DMT combo. I have seen some edges off a belt sander and paper wheels though - a little tempting, to say the least.
 
I hate ro recommend anything that I have not used for quite a while to make sure of it, BUT I recently picked up pretty much the whole set of DMT DiaFolds. Extra coarse through ex/ex Fine. They just work like a dream. I then bought the Aligner guide for when I work on a kitchen knife where a couple degrees can be 20 percent of the bevel. If you are off 2 degrees on a knife with 11 degree per per side, that is quite a bit. I love the Aligner although I use the stones free hand 90 percent of the time. It does help me see how I have been doing free hand when I can stick the aligner on it to check it out.

Looking ahead, the weak spot in the aligner may be the synthetic screw which tightens the clamp, I have had no trouble with it yet though.

Along with the DMT, I use the Sharpmaker for touch ups and I love the extra fine Spyderco rods that I bought with it. I usually lay them in the base and use them free hand BUT the sharpMaker will do a great job on almost all knives and I would not want to be without it.

You can find the whole aligner system with the extra stones for around a 100.00

I am about to inherit a edge pro as my son is buying the edge Pro- Pro model, I know it is a great sharpener although well over 100.00

One last thing, I got a couple knives from vivi some time back and he does a hell of a sharp knife.:thumbup:
 
How about one of the KnivesShipFree-Bark River leather strop kits combined with the sharpmaker? Does anyone have experience with this strop/compound(or the JRE strop bat) combination for convex? It's just about the $100 mark.
 
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The strop can't hurt anything but if you get the Ultra fine rods along with the Sharpmaker, you really won't need a strop.

I just use felt or thin crafts foam under sandpaper for convex edges. I start with about 400 grit and work up through 5000 grit or so. A good strop will maintain it for a long time.
 
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