lansky sharpening system with set edges. does it work? is it good?

sogflash

sogflash

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Aug 28, 2011
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I'm trying to decide which sharpener I'm going to get, and I'm trying to figure out if any of the lansky kits are good. I'm not sure if I should spend a lot of money on the diamond kit, or just buy one of the simpler kits.

does it work well? do the set angles work well on all sized blades?
 
I have the Arkansas kit and have purchased a medium and fine diamond hones and an ultra-fine hone separately.
I like the Lansky system...it is not too expensive and does a good job on all the knives I own from my Victorinox Tinker, to a couple of 4" blade fixed blade knives, etc.
I've found you have to take care to make sure you are using the correct bevel when sharpening a knife for the first time to make sure you are using the correct one. The Sharpie method works great.
What kit you get depends on the knife steel you have or plan to get. I'd suggest the diamond kit as it is the most practical for all steel types and you can always get an ultra-fine hone if you are into polishing your blades. I also use 1500 and 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper to polish an edge...I cut it to fit the Lansky hone and simply tape it on using Scotch tape...the narrow type I "find" at work hehehe.

I'm a big fan of the Lansky system for its' price. I can sharpen my knives to hair popping edge but like anything else it takes time and practice.

Good luck and tell us what you buy and how you like it.
 
I have used a Lansky for about 4 years and I really like it. Just know that you will need to buy or make a strop for the final step.
 
I just bought a Lansky Diamond kit myself as I destroyed my course conventional hone re profiling a large fixed blade. I should have bought one years ago as it finished the job I started with my other kit in a few minutes. For you experts though, is there an extra fine hone made for the lansky? I couldn't find one by google. Or should I just do as the post above says and get some sand paper? After that a strop?
 
JWRobinson said:
I just bought a Lansky Diamond kit myself as I destroyed my course conventional hone re profiling a large fixed blade. I should have bought one years ago as it finished the job I started with my other kit in a few minutes. For you experts though, is there an extra fine hone made for the lansky? I couldn't find one by google. Or should I just do as the post above says and get some sand paper? After that a strop?
Click to expand...

Yes. Beyond the diamond kit's finest hone, there are still the Fine and UF ceramics (LSS-600 and LSS-1000, respectively), and the 'Super Sapphire' hone beyond those two. The 600 should begin to form a hazy mirror, the 1000 should remove most/all of the 'haze' from that mirrror. I don't have the Super Sapphire, but it's supposed to take the finish even further.

http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/LSS0600/Lansky-Fine-Sharpening-Hone-Blue-Holder
http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/LSS1000/Lansky-Ultra-Fine-Sharpening-Hone-Yellow-Holder
http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/LS...lishing-Sharpening-Stone-Metallic-Blue-Holder
 
Thanks! I guess I couldn't find them because I was looking for diamond rather than ceramic. I'm gonna have to get all three:D
 
A strop is a leather hone that is used loaded with fine compound or used plain to refine the edge beyond what a stone or hone can do.

I prefer the GATCO which is similar to the Lansky.

I prefer the natural stones over the diamond.

There are finer finishing hones that will refine your edges beyond the hones that come with the kits.

I have the GATCO Professional kit. I have added the extra fine and the ultimate finishing hones. After the hones I move to unmounted leather strops the first of which is loaded with red polishing compound and the second is loaded with white.

With regular maintenance you will seldom need to go back through the full spectrum of hones or stones. I often just need a few passes with the finer grits and then the strops to maintain my blades.

Good Luck
 
I have the Lansky system with regular stones. Most of the steels I use are regular carbon steel, or the standard stainless steels that Buck, Case, and U.S. Schrade have used and are using now. I'm pretty good at free-hand sharpening, but the Lansky is a nice system to have when I need to really re-work the edge on something new. If you're using the newer "super steels", I'd get the diamond stones. Otherwise the regular stones work just fine. I didn't buy the Lansky table base clamp. I clamp mine in a bench vise and use it that way.

And I'll reiterate what the others said earlier: get yourself (and learn to use) a strop. The difference in edge finish is amazing.

~Chris
 
can I use any long piece of leather as a strop? like a fairly intact piece of a belt?
 
I don't know if a belt would work, due to the finish on it.

Maybe someone else more knowledgeable will chime in on that.

~Chris
 
sogflash said:
can I use any long piece of leather as a strop? like a fairly intact piece of a belt?
Click to expand...

Yes, a simple leather belt actually works quite well. Ideally, it should be veg-tanned or bark-tanned leather, and not have any coatings on it (some belts are coated in some sort of waxy/plastic material).

I've been using my belt quite a bit lately, and even loaded a portion of it with some green compound, on the inside face of the leather.
 
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I'm using a belt as a strop and it works fine in my opinion. I cut it into 2 8" strips and glued them to a piece of 1x pine. I used the finished side of the belt on one side and the back side of the belt on the other. Once the glue dried I sanded both sides smooth using some 150 grit sandpaper...it's what I had handy that wasn't too fine or coarse. Once I felt I sanded them enough I used green compound on one side and Neets foot oil on the other. It seems to work great.
I watched a few videos on youtube to see how people used their strops. I went to youtube and just typed "strop a knife", etc and picked through the many videos available.
 
My strops are scrap leather purchased from Tandy and cut to shape. I do not have them mounted on anything. I simply crayon on the compound and lay the strop on the work bench.
 
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