Lansky Fine Diamond Hone

Joined
May 19, 2007
Messages
7
I'm new here and have gotten a lot of valuble info on knife steel and sharpening after a few hours reading the posts. I wanted some quality knives to take to South America with me for hunting and fishing. Settled on a couple of different S30V knives, right from the warehouse, one of them was not very sharp, so I proceeded to try out my new Lansky diamond hone system with moderate sucess. Then I learned on here about honing until you get a burr on on side. Viola, at least the dull knive will easily cut paper, still will not shave any hair off my arm like one of the new S30V Spyderco Natives.

I've ordered a Gatco Hone Guide, it will sharpen at 15 degrees per side, or less, and with an Ultimate Finishing Ceramic Hone hope to see if I can get my knives razor sharp. The idea was to save a little money over the Spyderco sharpmaker, hopefully not a mistake. I do have a couple of questions, even though my S30V knives that will slice paper,and should be plenty sharp enough skinning and cutting up small and large game animals. I can get a burr quite easily with my fine Lansky diamond hone, and when I go to the opposite side and lightly hone the burr off the knives are quite sharp and will slice a piece of printer paper. I am using a little pressure to get a burr, and then lightly take it off. I am using 20 degree angle guide on my Lansky guide. Will using very light pressure getting a burr off, get the razor edge or do I have to go to the fine ceramic hone, or thinner to the 15 degree setting on my Gatco and use both the fine diamond and finish with the ultra fine finishing ceramic hone. Also what is the proper technique with the finishing ceramic hone. I am hoping that with the right technique I can get that razor edge, without having to buy the Spyderco sharpener.

Last question, does a blade have to be strooped to get a razor edge?

I really appreciate all the valuble info I obtained just reading the posts, hopefully noone's upset if this has been covered before. I've read most of the shapening posts for the last month or so. Like I said before great forum.
 
I've reread the sharpening article and probably have gotten the answers to most of my own questions. One thing I missed was getting a burr on one side and then the other,or alternating sides until a burr starts and staying with that side to get a burr the full length of the blade. I was staying with just one side, instead of going to the other side and getting a burr from that side too. From the sharpening article, this is not good for a blade over time.

Once I get the fininishing ceramic hone, to use with the fine hone, and go to a 15 degree blade angle with S30V's I bet I will be able to shave some hairs. I am close to that now with the fine diamond hone used very lightly on one of my knives, that is already decently sharp, and a 20 degree angle. From what I've just reread the Spyderco sharpmaker really does the job, especially finishing the blade to hair popping sharpness, but I can get close with what I have for equipment, with a little more practice, I think. Not ready for strooping yet.

Hope I haven't cluttered up your forum to much.
 
One thing I missed was getting a burr on one side and then the other,or alternating sides until a burr starts and staying with that side to get a burr the full length of the blade. I was staying with just one side, instead of going to the other side and getting a burr from that side too. From the sharpening article, this is not good for a blade over time.
I count my strokes and try to keep the number the same on both sides. This should keep the blade "even".

From what I've just reread the Spyderco sharpmaker really does the job, especially finishing the blade to hair popping sharpness, but I can get close with what I have for equipment, with a little more practice, I think. Not ready for strooping yet.

You can get 'hair popping' sharp from a Lansky. I've done it many times. Just practice. Of course I've never sharpened S30V. But I'm sure it can be done.
 
I'm not sure that there is any sharpening advantage between the multi-stone systems other than convenience and personal preference based on subtle differences. I use the Sharpmaker, but I've always assumed that I would be able to get similar results with a Lansky.

The sharpening method that makes sense to me is to

a) Raise a burr from one side with a coarse stone; then repeat from the other side. Then remove the burr with light strokes on both sides.

b) Repeat this same process with finer grit stones.

c) Strop on a compound loaded surface for extreme fine-grit finish.

Many claim you should be able to get shaving sharp right-off-the-bat with the coarse stones. To do that you need to get a clean, burr-free edge. The progression to finer stones achieves a more polished edge that is better for push-cutting. The coarse edge is better for slice-cutting.
 
Thanks for the replys, being a newby at knife sharpening, even though I started deer hunting as a young boy, I never knew anything about quality of knive steel, or how to really sharpen a knife sharp until doing a lot reading on this forum. The reason I chose the Lansky diamond sharpening system was to keep the angle the same while sharpening on my hunting knives which have around 4" blades, plus I am no way ready to free hand sharpen anything yet. With a little more practice with my extra Gatco guide, and polishing, I think I will be able to get hair popping edges. I realize that hunting knives don't need to be that sharp, but I will feel like I have gotten to be a fair knife sharpener, if I can do that.
 
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