Knife Sharpening Kits

[Confederate]

Many discussions here on knife sharpening. I have a number of knife sharpening kits including the popular CRKT Slide Sharp and the SpyderCo. The Lansky kit also is popular -- but, and here's the question -- which is the best?

The CRKT is convenient, but often leaves unsightly scratches on the edges. The Lansky seems to have a better idea where, I think, you fully secure the knife and the angle is tightly controlled.

Many people who have used knives forever don't really understand how difficult it is for someone who is just starting out. And all I thought was that the blade had to be sharp! Even guides for beginners tend to be almost wholly inadequate. --Confed

 

[SilverFoxKnows]

is pretty easy to use. For major reprofiling I'd probably get the diamond rods but for maitaining the edge it's a great set up as is. And I'm a long way from being a sharpening pro.

Frank

 

[Spydiefan04]

Sharpmaker is probably the best (unless you count the Edgepro, but I don't have one of those so I can't comment) but the Sharpmaker is the best all around I 've ever used, doesn't scratch the blade up, doesn't make a mess or need much set up, and works better on serrated blades than anything. Only weakness is that it only provides 2 angles for knife sharpening, although they are probably the 2 most common angles. Still some people would prefer more angles on a sharpener.

 

[Confederate]

Is it a good idea to use oil when using the Sharpmaker?

 

[jerrinfla]

Is it a good idea to use oil when using the Sharpmaker?

No oil on the sharpmaker.
Clean the stones after 30 or 40 strokes, use brillo or an abrasive pad with comet or something. It's easy to see when the white rods are loaded up with metal particles, but not so easy to see when the gray rods are. (I wish the coarse rods were light red or something instead of gray. Once they are loaded up with metal particles you can stroke against them till you die of old age without getting anywhere!)
It'll take hundreds of strokes if you have to reprofile a blade, but onoly the first time.
If the bevel is a close match it won't take nearly as long, and resharpening should be a breeze.
I doubt if the diamond rods are worth getting - I did a case SS blade with the diamond rods first and an s&m ss the gray rods first (skipping the diamond rods) and it took about the same amount of strokes either way to get a burr.
None of the other systems are any where's near as easy to set up and use as the sharpmaker ..... no fuss, no muss, no clamps.
Just take care you don't drag the tip of the blade off the rods, you can make a really blunt tip real quick if you aren't careful with that.

 

[pablo486]

Hi guys, I'm new here. I'm just getting in to sharpening, but I have the Gatco kit that's verysimilar to the Lansky. The one issue I have is that with large knives, or knoves with a lot of recurve, I have to reclamp every couple of inches, so it doesn't really save me much time. Here's my question though: My kit came with a pedistal like the one pictured above. If I unscrew the top half of the clamp, can't I use it just like an edgepro?