Is the coarse sharpmaker stone really necessary?

I

Infinity_max

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Dec 27, 2011
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I'm planning on buying a sharpmaker system and I'm wondering if the coarse stone set is necessary. I have seen some people say that the medium rod doesn't remove enough, making sharpening tedious ESPECIALLY if the blade wasn't sharpened at the correct angle beforehand. Is this true, or is the coarse just for major restructuring?
 
When you say "coarse stone set" you're talking about the diamond stones? I recently acquired a sharpmaker and though i'm extremely impressed with the edge it puts on some of my knives, i have yet to put even a working edge on a knife with a greater than 20 degree edge angle or any knives that have been really beat up. I'm considering the diamond rods but i'm worried they won't actually be aggressive enough and i'll still want another system for re-beveling my knives. I'm not sure i really agree that the sharpmaker is a sharpener. it's great for honing an edge or putting a micro bevel on a blade but it doesn't sharpen knives very well at least by my definition of sharpening. I've spent significantly more than an hour trying to get an edge on a knife to apex with the sharpmaker with zero luck.

Quick answer: if you only need to sharpen spydercos or other brands that put 20 degrees or less on the blades (most of my kershaws are between 15-20 degrees) than the sharpmaker will serve you just fine. if you want to sharpen other knives (including all the benchmades i have owned and most of my kitchen knives) than at the very least you need the diamond stones and quite possibly something more aggressive.
 
Go to the hardware store and get a coarse sharpening stone. I use this in conjunction with my Sharpmaker. True you will have to freehand the relief angle but your knife will be thinned sufficiently for your final edging on the Sharpmaker.
 
There is a store that sells stones that fits the Sharpmaker. They are called Ruby stones and they work fantastically. They are like 16 dollars shipped for two. They range from 80 grit to 320. I totally reprofiled my Kershaw small junkyard dog, from the factory edge, to a 30* inclusive edge in about 15 minutes. Then I finished it out on the normal stones. I have the 320 grit and they cut through any steel I have used them on with ease. I can PM you the store. Funny I just did a video on these stones for my youtube channel last night.
 
Steel130 said:
There is a store that sells stones that fits the Sharpmaker. They are called Ruby stones and they work fantastically. They are like 16 dollars shipped for two. They range from 80 grit to 320. I totally reprofiled my Kershaw small junkyard dog, from the factory edge, to a 30* inclusive edge in about 15 minutes. Then I finished it out on the normal stones. I have the 320 grit and they cut through any steel I have used them on with ease. I can PM you the store. Funny I just did a video on these stones for my youtube channel last night.
Click to expand...

Those ruby stones sound intriguing. could you send me a message with the store info? thanks Steel130
 
So i found the information in another thread and ordered a few different grits, i'll report back after i receive them and tell you all how they do.

This is a thread with advice on the ruby stones and also a bunch of other ideas for sharpmaker add ons: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...aper-Alternatives-for-Sharpmaker-Diamond-Rods

I found the site selling ruby stones linked in quite a few other threads so i have to assume it's kosher . . . unless the mods were asleep all of 2011 or something :)
http://www.congresstools.com/congresstools/catalog?action=getcat&parent=24

Mods: if they do not in fact advertise with bladeforums please forgive me and remove my link.
 
IMO for general use the Sharpmaker needs more aggressive stones. When you need to reprofile an edge, or sharpen something that is really dull, you need more aggressive stones. I have posted before where I use a DMT coarse or extra coarse stone for this.

Actually I think the use of more aggressive stones works best if you could change the angle slightly. I use my old Sharpmaker at 20 degrees per side but when reprofiling with the DMT stones I have a separate stand that holds the stone at 18 degrees. Once I have an edge with the DMT then the Sharpmaker is working on more of a microbevel and this goes faster.
 
Yup those are it. I will upload a video tonight on them with the tips I have to greatly help.
 
bdmicarta said:
IMO for general use the Sharpmaker needs more aggressive stones. When you need to reprofile an edge, or sharpen something that is really dull, you need more aggressive stones. I have posted before where I use a DMT coarse or extra coarse stone for this.

Actually I think the use of more aggressive stones works best if you could change the angle slightly. I use my old Sharpmaker at 20 degrees per side but when reprofiling with the DMT stones I have a separate stand that holds the stone at 18 degrees. Once I have an edge with the DMT then the Sharpmaker is working on more of a microbevel and this goes faster.
Click to expand...

Holy crap. Someone who does it just like me. I have a 17 and a 12 degree block for a coarse/medium stone that I use with the 20 and 15 degree sharpmaker settings. I have the 204. It sounds like you have the older Sharpmaker model.
 
I will generally sharpen on my DMT coarse diamond stone free hand.
And then either use my hard Arkansas stone and then a strop,
or
Use the med, fine and x-fine stones on my sharp maker.



It has been said before, the sharp maker is great for keeping a knife sharp, but for sharpening a very dull knife, it's no good.
 
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me2 said:
Holy crap. Someone who does it just like me. I have a 17 and a 12 degree block for a coarse/medium stone that I use with the 20 and 15 degree sharpmaker settings. I have the 204. It sounds like you have the older Sharpmaker model.
Click to expand...

I do have the old Sharpmaker, 20 degrees only.

I've posted this photo before of my stand that holds my DMT stone at something like 18 degrees:

DSC_6640b.jpg


DSC_6642b.jpg
 
I like the idea of those Ruby Stones. Do the triangular ones fit in an old style Sharpmaker? I have the original Sharpmaker and I have purchased the extra fine stones. Which grit would you suggest for re profiling or working on a really dull knife? It seems Im always sharpening someones knife that hasnt been sharpened in years and is really dull. Usually my son, he is hard on a knife. People dont realize how much easier it is to keep a knife from ever getting really dull as opposed to letting it get so bad it takes hours of work to bring it back
 
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