Kershaw/ZT CS Appreciation!

Ares1307

Ares1307

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Jun 14, 2012
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I recently sent off a ZT 350SW and a Kershaw Speed Bump to Kershaw/ZTs Warranty Dept. for a much needed sharpening. Now, I do sharpen my own knives, but when I am still kind of new to sharpening and kind of new to recurves. With that said, I had just bought a Lansky Diamond Deluxe system with a couple of extra stones (1000 and 2000 grit ceramics) and all I had been using before this was a Spyderco Sharpmaker, so I wanted to clean up the edges on my knives. I had been doing good on my practice knives and moved up to my good knives, but I didnt have a recurve to practice on, so I messed up both knives. I didnt ruin them, but I couldnt keep the curves of the edges as smooth as they had been from the factory. They didnt look too bad, unless you knew what they looked like before, and Im really OCD about my knives so it really bothered me.

So I sent them off to the warranty dept. about two weeks ago with a note telling them why I sent them sharp knives to resharpen. It took 12 days, I think, for my knives to come home, which was a lot faster than I expected. Well when I opened them up and looked I was, and still am, very shocked at the quality of their sharpening service. The knives look brand new! I couldnt be happier with the results. Thank you very much Kershaw/ZT!!!

BTW: I bought a cheap practice knife that I actually learned to sharpen on the Lansky, but Im still unsure if I will be using the Lansky on these two knives unless I need to provide more than the usual touch up. I sharpened my ZT 303 with the Lansky about a week ago because it NEEDED a reprofiling, but I took it nice and slow and it went very smooth.

Well I just thought I would post about how happy I am with my services from Kershaw/ZT. If you have any stories/experiences with Kershaw/ZTs Warranty Dept. I would love to hear/read them!
 
They have always taken care of me. I love their CS.

Which set up do you like more, Spyderco or Lansky?
 
Awesome customer service all the way. I sent in a 0350 with a bad center a while back, they sent it back dead nuts centered and it looks as if hattori hanzo sharpened it himself. I mean this thing is like a lazer. better than it was brand new. :thumbup:
 
Personally, I like the Spyderco over the Lansky. The Lansky is good, but I prefer the Sharpmaker.
 
BobSig: I like them both a lot, but for different things. When I have minor touch ups, which I do after tuesdays (truck day at work so I go through a LOT of boxes), I prefer the Spyderco. The Spyderco is much faster and doesnt take off as much steel so I really love it for maintenance. But when I need to reprofile, repair, or put an edge on a dull knife then I LOVE the Lansky. I take my time with the Lansky so for me it takes a while, but I start at 70 grit Diamonds all the way down to 1000 and 2000 grit Ceramics on the Lansky, but I usually switch to the Spyderco Ultra Fine to completely deburr the blades. But I dont have the Diamond rods for the Sharpmaker, so I have no input on those rods.

IF I had to choose between the two, if I could only have one or the other, I would choose the Lansky Diamond Deluxe with the few extras I have (metal stand, 1000 and 2000 grit ceramics). But that is just because it can do more than the Sharpmaker, for me anyways. But Im still getting used to both systems, and to sharpening in general. After the holidays Im going to save up for a Wicked Edge. I dont not like either system I have, I just want a higher level of sharpness for my knives, and a more consistent looking edge. The Lansky does put on a nice edge though, just by itself it gets a nice reflective edge, but not a mirror polish. Feel free to ask me any other questions about the systems, I dont mind sharing info, but I am not an expert at all.
 
I had a chance to use the Lansky on my 0301, and I think with a few more tries id be able to get it down. I need to sharpen my speedbump, and was trying to think of a system that would work on that. The knives Ill be using it most on are speedbump and 0301. So your experience will help me a lot. Ive used stones, paper wheel and the lansky. I am good at none of them.
 
Two words.

Cheryl ROCKS!!

best

mqqn
 
I sharpened my Speed Bump and my 303 on both systems. The Sharpmaker is really nice for recurves, but its limited. The Lansky isnt perfect, but it works, it just takes getting used to. I messed up a couple of blades before I got it right (350 and speed bump). But that was only because I didnt have a recurve knife to practice on, and I thought I could just jump in. My main problem was hitting the flipper and going beyond the edge at the heel of the blade. But now my technique is much better and I can sharpen all my recurves with no problems. I still dont love the system though, especially flipping the blade, when the tip is pointing towards me it makes it uncomfortable because I only sharpen with my right hand. Which is why Im going to buy a Wicked Edge. BUT for the Lanskys price, its an amazing product. I would definitely recommend it. When I was looking for a good system for recurved blades people basically told me that the Sharpmaker was the only system that would work, but after having it and seeing its limitations I needed the Lansky, and it works! The trick is the technique. With recurves I 'scrub' the stone up and down (from the spine to the cutting edge of the blade) and side to side (in a short sweeping motion, from heel to tip with every stroke, only about an inch (more or less) at a time) I hope that makes sence. Most videos I saw on the Lansky the user would grind up and down only, but on recurves this can cut the curve of the edge so there would be a bump (which is what happened on my 350). So when using up and down strokes I also use a slight sweeping motion to evenly distribute the grinding.

Im not saying this is the ONLY way to sharpen a recurve, or even that its a good way, but its what works for me. I just thought I would share since the knives you asked about are two knives I had issues with in the past. To be honest though, the 30X is the easiest recuve Ive sharpened on the Lansky, but Ive only sharpened it, I havent reprofiled or repaired it.

Good luck with your blades!
 
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