Recently watched a couple of videos on how to use this system and thought this might be a decent system for someone new to sharpening. But what caught my attention was one person was using it a sweeping heel to toe movement. The other was using it in a up and down movement. So how does this system compare to a person that freehands? It looks like to me metal is being removed from the blade edge the wrong way . Thanks for info.
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Lansky guided sharpening system
- Thread starter veltic2
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I've never used a Lansky - I use a Wicked Edge 130. But I think I know what you're talking about. I use up/down strokes when I'm reprofiling a blade to the angles that I want until I get a burr on each side. Then I use heel to tip edge-following strokes to get a good scratch pattern on the edges. I do the same thing with the next stones until I remove the previous scratch patterns to the new stones scratch patterns, then so on.
With the heel to tip strokes, I always use edge-following strokes, not edge-leading strokes.
I used to use edge-leading strokes at the end before I switched to the next stones to remove the burr, but I found that occasionally it would mess up my edges. So now I never use edge-leading strokes. I just sharpen until I'm done and remove any burrs left with strops.
With the heel to tip strokes, I always use edge-following strokes, not edge-leading strokes.
I used to use edge-leading strokes at the end before I switched to the next stones to remove the burr, but I found that occasionally it would mess up my edges. So now I never use edge-leading strokes. I just sharpen until I'm done and remove any burrs left with strops.
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Either way can work.
The heel-to-tip sweeping passes more closely replicate the motion most will use, if freehanding on stones. This is likely what most will do in fairly light touchup sharpening of any kind. And it's also what will leave the overall appearance of the edge bevels more uniform & clean-looking.
The back & forth motion, perpendicular to the knife edge, will also work. But one has to be careful not to linger too long in one portion of the edge, doing it this way. It can overgrind one portion, leaving a recurve in a section, or worse, leaving deep grooves & gouges in parts of the edge, created by the edges of the stones. If using this method, keep an eye open for these things and keep your touch light. If a lot of grinding needs to be done to set new geometry, this method might be used to focus on portions of the edge needing the most attention. But for finishing up & refining, I'd still recommend the smooth & light heel-to-tip passes, to clean up and blend the scratch patterns along the full length of the bevels.
IF YOU WANT TO, the perpendicular method can be used in refinement, to leave a scratch pattern that's oriented more perpendicular to the edge. For aggressive slicing cuts at a relatively toothy finish, this can work well. There are subtle differences in how such grind orientations cut and you can fine-tune your edges to suit your preferences in this manner. But that's something that's probably better done after you've gained some sharpening experience and better understand the pros & cons of different grind orientations along the edge.
I learned the fundamentals using a Lansky kit of this kind. So the above points are what I consider important as the takeaway, in using it.
The heel-to-tip sweeping passes more closely replicate the motion most will use, if freehanding on stones. This is likely what most will do in fairly light touchup sharpening of any kind. And it's also what will leave the overall appearance of the edge bevels more uniform & clean-looking.
The back & forth motion, perpendicular to the knife edge, will also work. But one has to be careful not to linger too long in one portion of the edge, doing it this way. It can overgrind one portion, leaving a recurve in a section, or worse, leaving deep grooves & gouges in parts of the edge, created by the edges of the stones. If using this method, keep an eye open for these things and keep your touch light. If a lot of grinding needs to be done to set new geometry, this method might be used to focus on portions of the edge needing the most attention. But for finishing up & refining, I'd still recommend the smooth & light heel-to-tip passes, to clean up and blend the scratch patterns along the full length of the bevels.
IF YOU WANT TO, the perpendicular method can be used in refinement, to leave a scratch pattern that's oriented more perpendicular to the edge. For aggressive slicing cuts at a relatively toothy finish, this can work well. There are subtle differences in how such grind orientations cut and you can fine-tune your edges to suit your preferences in this manner. But that's something that's probably better done after you've gained some sharpening experience and better understand the pros & cons of different grind orientations along the edge.
I learned the fundamentals using a Lansky kit of this kind. So the above points are what I consider important as the takeaway, in using it.
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Worksharp Precision adjust is certainly worth spending 10 minutes looking at for your son. Cost is comparable as inexpensive but useful tools. Is your son running a household yet? In which case pay attention to how both kits handle kitchen knives. Both Lansky and Worksharp offer upgrade kits: Lansky's adds diamonds, Both Worksharp's kits already have diamonds and the "Elite" kit upgrade is on sale at stupid low prices... Definitely take a look!
There are 2 Worksharp upgrade paths, 1 if you already own the basic kit that adds stones rods and strop with compound, and a 2nd which includes everything from basic and upgrade kit. Lansky offers lots of add-ons as well.
There are 2 Worksharp upgrade paths, 1 if you already own the basic kit that adds stones rods and strop with compound, and a 2nd which includes everything from basic and upgrade kit. Lansky offers lots of add-ons as well.
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I used the Lansky before I upgraded to the Hapstone. Personally, I wouldn’t want to use the Lansky for larger kitchen knives, pocket folders it’s ok. Now that the WorkSharp is out I’d most like go with it if I were to do it over again. Both are entry level sharpeners but the rod pivot on the WorkSharp is much more precise. Frankly, neither would be my first choice for larger knives. If you can stretch your budget I’d take a hard look at the Hapstone M3, it’s a magnet assisted table system (like the EdgePro) but being Hapstone it’s modular, so you can add clamps and rotation down the road. They start at about $150, but it’s a system that you will grow in to, not out of.