lansky sharpeners

D

Dewberry

Joined
Feb 13, 2009
Messages
252
does anybody use them anymore
if so is there a limit to how sharp they will make your knife of does it just depend on how fine of a stone you buy?


http://www.lanskysharpeners.com/parts_accessories.php
what is the grit for the ultra fine hone and the Super Sapphire Polishing Hone
and if i go from the coarse hone to the sapphire hone will my blade be shaving sharp?

what is a strope and do you need to use them with the lansky system???
 
I own both a Lansky set, including the sapphire stone, and I own a Sharpmaker. Unless you're doing some serious re-profiling of the edge, get the Sharpmaker.
 
I use the Lansky Diamond kit exclusively. I like them because I do not free-hand sharpen as good as I can with a angle set system. Also, I have sent the stones back because they tend to stop cutting and they sent me brand new stones. I called and the lady said no matter how many times you send them in, you get new stones.
 
I really don't like them. They are a PITA to use and I find they don't work well with a lot of knives. The knife tends to slip in the vise, you are limted to 35 degrees inclusive, and the stones wear fast.

I found it was worth the time to learn how to freehand. You may not have the prettiest edges but they will be sharp and only have to be maintained with a hone or ceramic rod.
 
i already have the basic kit
including the coarse, medium, and fine stones
i have spent a couple hours reprofileing an edge at 17 degrees and finished all the way through the fine stone and it still isnt "shave sharp"

i was thinking the extra stones would help
 
blade_collector said:
I use the Lansky Diamond kit exclusively. I like them because I do not free-hand sharpen as good as I can with a angle set system. Also, I have sent the stones back because they tend to stop cutting and they sent me brand new stones. I called and the lady said no matter how many times you send them in, you get new stones.
Click to expand...

how sharp can you get a blade with your kit?

do you use a strop or anything else after the kit?
 
Dewberry said:
how sharp can you get a blade with your kit?

do you use a strop or anything else after the kit?
Click to expand...

I've used their kit for the last 15 years. As some have said, it doesn't work for all knives, but I've had great success with all my folders. I can get an edge sharp enough to shave hair effortlessly. And that's as sharp as I need. I also strop my blades often between sharpenings.
 
I have several, I much prefer the Diamond set, they work great for me and it will get a knife about as sharp as any system that I have used. Damn sharp.:D
 
udtjim said:
I have several, I much prefer the Diamond set, they work great for me and it will get a knife about as sharp as any system that I have used. Damn sharp.:D
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I haven't even moved to the diamond set. I am still happily using their cermics and ALOX stones with great success. With proper lubrication, these stones last forever. And replacing them can be a $7 expenditure at the local sporting good store.

I have used them for about 20 years now with great success. It isn't a great system for big blades, but for blades less than 4" or so like my folders it shines. I can get shaving sharp with the the set I have.

As far as the new stones, I believe "Ultra fine" Yellow stone is 1000 grit and the "Sapphire" 2000 grit.

Robert
 
midnight flyer said:
I haven't even moved to the diamond set. I am still happily using their cermics and ALOX stones with great success. With proper lubrication, these stones last forever. And replacing them can be a $7 expenditure at the local sporting good store.

I have used them for about 20 years now with great success. It isn't a great system for big blades, but for blades less than 4" or so like my folders it shines. I can get shaving sharp with the the set I have.

As far as the new stones, I believe "Ultra fine" Yellow stone is 1000 grit and the "Sapphire" 2000 grit.

Robert
Click to expand...

how high of a stone do you use?
 
M. McCord said:
I've used their kit for the last 15 years. As some have said, it doesn't work for all knives, but I've had great success with all my folders. I can get an edge sharp enough to shave hair effortlessly. And that's as sharp as I need. I also strop my blades often between sharpenings.
Click to expand...

how high of a grit stone do you use?
 
Dewberry,
One reason you may have not seen any replies is that the Lansky topic has been discussed often in many posts. You can look to the older pages and get alot of Lansky info there as well. I use a Lansky, and I have learned alot by using it, however, I get shaving sharp by stropping more so than the yellow Lansky stone. There is one thing that I have found useful is to finish with a micro bevel of a higher degree than your main bevel. You are profiling your knife blade like a razor blade. When done properly you will pop hairs clean off your hands. I also dislike the vise not working on all knife blades. I scratched up a nice Bulldog etch on a Wharncliffe because the knife fell out during a stroke and the face of the blade was scratched by the stone, it made me a little mad at the time.
 
Dewberry,

I have used Lansky kits before and I owned a similar system by Gatco at one point. These kits can do an excellent job on sharpening knives. I found them better at smaller knives with less-generous curves at the belly.

One tip I would like o echo would be to do your reprofiling with something else. Thinning out an edge should be done quickly on the roughest, largest thing you have. You don't even have to be that careful. I have a DMT coarse diamond stone for reprofiling by hand (I prefer to use my belt sander) but I have also used my giand 200 grit waterstone from Lee Valley Tools and cheap one dollar stones from dollar stores. Hold a roughly 17 degree angle (don't be too picky) and then scrub away, switching sides here and there. You the switch to the Lansky to set your edge bevels and this should only take a little bit of time, having removed most of the excess steel on your rough stone. I bet if you thin out the edge first and then use your Lansky to put on an edge bevel, it will be a matter of minutes with the Lansky to do so. It should only take a few dozen strokes with each stone on each section/side at that point.

Best of luck.
 
Make sure you are working up a burr on the opposite side. It is hard to see if you are taking off metal at the edge which means it is not reprofiled yet prior to moving to the next stone. I spend most of the time with the coarsest stone on a knife for the first time, the rest of them go much faster. I use the sharpie method with a magnifying glass to verify where I am removing metal.
 
Dewberry said:
how high of a grit stone do you use?
Click to expand...

I use the sapphire stone, now. But similiar results were achieved in the past using only the yellow (1000 grit) stone. Before that, from my first kit 15 years ago, I got a damn sharp blade with just the regular blue "fine" stone.
 
Dewberry said:
i already have the basic kit
including the coarse, medium, and fine stones
i have spent a couple hours reprofileing an edge at 17 degrees and finished all the way through the fine stone and it still isnt "shave sharp"

i was thinking the extra stones would help
Click to expand...

if youre all the way to the fine and it isnt shave sharp you probably going too fast. work it more with the coarse or medium, I believe I got mine quite sharp with the medium, then ran the find a few times and the ultra a few times, I was shaving no problem.
 
I have the PRO kit and use up to the fine and it gets darn sharp after some honing on a leather belt to finish it off...They are great systems and defiantly under appreciated!
 
nate1714 said:
I have the PRO kit and use up to the fine and it gets darn sharp after some honing on a leather belt to finish it off...They are great systems and defiantly under appreciated!
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more. For certain sizes and shapes of blades (less than about 5", not full flat grind, I don't think any system does it better. Like anything it takes a bit of practice to master, but once you get your technique down this is a great system.

Robert
 
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