knife sharpeners

R

richard thurman

Joined
Nov 9, 2005
Messages
2,714
I make these knife sharpeners and one of my friends said the sticks don’t need to be that long. The ceramic sticks are 3/8 X 8 1/2 long. Now how do you cut them down with out brView attachment 245159eaking them?? I want to cut the sticks in half. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to do this??
 
DON'T cut them. That extra length is just what you'll need for longer blades. It's infinitely better to have that length and not always need it, than to not have it and wish you did. I think most people would actually pay a little extra, just to make the rods a bit longer on other ceramic sharpeners (Sharpmaker ;)). I have one set with rods about the same size (3/8" x 9"), and that's about perfect, so far as I'm concerned.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
DON'T cut them. That extra length is just what you'll need for longer blades. It's infinitely better to have that length and not always need it, than to not have it and wish you did. I think most people would actually pay a little extra, just to make the rods a bit longer on other ceramic sharpeners (Sharpmaker ;)). I have one set with rods about the same size (3/8" x 9"), and that's about perfect, so far as I'm concerned.
Click to expand...
another dealer wanted to be cheap about it and make them smaller because the sticks have doubled in price. I told him just to rase the price by $1.00. he wanted me to check on cutting them out.
 
richard thurman said:
another dealer wanted to be cheap about it and make them smaller because the sticks have doubled in price. I told him just to rase the price by $1.00. he wanted me to check on cutting them out.
Click to expand...

Doing it less expensively is the ONLY justification I could see (and a poor one, at that), for deliberately going shorter, unless the goal was to make a pocket/portable sharpener. I have a couple of those sets too, but I don't generally use them. ;)

Otherwise, as with bench hones, the more length one has to work with, the better. :)
 
Last edited:
DMT makes a V-sharpener with very small diamond rods (4 inches.) Too short for kitchen tools but OK for pocket knives.

If you want to cut your ceramic rods, take them to a lapidary shop (found in the Yellow Pages.) They can cut them for you on their large diamond wheels. It would be very difficult to cut them (without wasting dozens and dozens of cut-off wheels) any other way.


Stitchawl
 
I agree, don't cut them. The extra length will make it easier on longer blades. I believe the original Crock Sticks were even longer.
 
Take them to a rock shop and have them cut with a diamond saw. I actually like bigger (longer) sharpeners.
 
I don't know if it will cleave on a plane orthogonal to the rod, but if you can afford to sacrifice one rod you may see if they can be broken over a hard edge very cleanly. I've seen some rods that are clean looking on one end and have a look similar to sheared steel on the other. I agree the most professional looking would be to have it cut. On the cheap a diamond wheeled HF tile saw might get you by.
 
I talked it over with him and we agreed just to up the price by $1.00. I have been making them like this for so long and I too like the long sticks.I want to thank you for all of your help in this matter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top