Lansky Spyder vs Multi

P

Papilio

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Sep 6, 2019
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I would like to add a triangular stone to my kit for more flexibility. I.e. to sharpen a multitool saw (still sharp but I like the idea that it would be possible as I don't like tool I can't sharpen myself) or small gouges vor V-chisel for whittling. I am not speaking about big woodworking tools carvers use.
It is possible to sharpen gouges and V-chisels on a flat stone. But I need sth. for deburring inside the V or the curved gouge.

So I stumbled across the Lansky Spyder and the Lansky Multi Sharpener.
The Multi Sharpener is a triangular rod like the famous Sharpmaker rods (with three sharp edges). Whereas the Spyder seems to have one sharp edge and two rounded edges (different sized).
I cannot find photos that show that clearly.

Both sharpeners were mentioned in this forum. But these threads could not answer all my questions.
What do you think which one would be better for my needs? The sharp edge seems to work good with V-shaped blades but I am not sure if a rounded sharpening surface won't be more suitable for gouges.

Lansky also sells triangular rod for their guided system. These are available in medium and fine grit what sounds good for deburring.

Thanks in advance.
 
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Can s.o. tell me if these will wear? Like the brown / gray Spyderco Medium stone or rod?
 
Hmmm, I've never used these exact Lansky rods, I only have experience with Spyderco's Sharpmaker. But since no one else has replied, I'll say that if they are of similar composition to the Sharpmaker rods, then they wear REALLY slow. I've had mine for over 10 years, and I don't use it a lot, but have definitely used it a decent amount, and I almost feel like they are hardly broken in yet. I'd like to maybe even use some SIC powder on a flat surface to kind of wear down the surface just a bit. But Lansky makes quality stuff so I'd imagine that these would wear very slowly too. I'd be very impressed if someone were to wear out a set of Sharpmaker rods, or these.
 
I decided to buy the Spyder Sharpener (hasn't been delivered yet) because Lansky has a good reputation. Why not to give it a try?
As I will not use it a lot (most likely) I think it should last long enough.
Thanks for your answer.
 
Nice man, yea the Sharpmaker is a good system. It surprised the hell out of me when I was able to touch up my Spyderco S110v Para 2 on the stock ceramic rods. I reprofile all my user knives to under 20 degrees so that I can use the 20 degree slots for keeping it sharp with a micro bevel. They even have the diamond and CBN rods too. I'd like to get a pair of diamond rods one of these days, but the stones are kind of expensive. Although I suppose that would be a one and done purchase, it should last pretty much a lifetime unless you sharpen like crazy all the time.
 
It is a little bit confusing. I did not mean the Spyderco Sharpmaker, but the Lanksy Spyder Sharpener (which is designed to work with Spyderco serrations). The name is quite similiar.
But the Sharpmaker is definitively on my list!
 
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Oh ok, yea I hear you. Yea man, that looks like a nice little rod sharpener. A super handy size too, you can take that anywhere and sharpen on the road once you get the hang of it. 👌
 
Yea serrations are something that I'm honestly still not comfortable sharpening. I have sharpened them with the sharpmaker, but not a whole lot, plus the serrations that I was sharpening were about as dull as it gets so it was tough to bring them back. Let us know what you think after you try it!
 
Might also look into 'slip stones'. Those are stones with radiused (rounded) edges specifically made for sharpening carving tools like gouges. I think Spyderco makes one or maybe a couple and Norton is a well-known maker of them as well, with slip stones in different grit ratings in both their aluminum oxide (India) or silicon carbide (Crystolon) abrasives. The Sharpening Supplies site carries the Norton stones, as well as a slip stone in a natural stone (Arkansas) form.

The triangular rods from Spyderco or Lansky should also work. And for touching-up purposes, they'll last essentially forever with very little or no visible wear.

Spyderco also has a ceramic file set with different profiles to be used for serrations (both 'V' and scalloped), and those should work with carving gouges as well.
 
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Hi David,
thank you for your suggestions. Both the Norton slip stones as well as the Arkansas stone are too big for my needs. They seem to be more suitable for carvers. I am not a carver but like to whittle occasionally. I use simple and small tools you can find in cheap beginner sets for whittlers.

The Spydero slip stone seems to be more suitable. You mean this one https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details/400F1SP/Ceramic-File-Slip-Stone/91?
The file set would be nice to have but is too expensive for my needs.

I know that Lansky makes a fine triangular stone or rod, too. I am talking about this one:
https://www.lansky.com/fine-serrated-hone.html
What I don't like about that stone is that it is triangular and has sharp edges on all three sides. The Lansky Spyder Sharpener (https://www.lansky.com/spyder-sharpener.html) just arrived today. I like it because it has two (different) radiused (rounded) edges and one pointed edge what makes this little hone very versatile. Too bad that Lansky does not offer this stone in fine grit, too.

Any suggestions for a similiar rod in fine grit? Apart the Spyderco File Slip Stone (which seems to have only only radiused or rounded edge)?
 
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Papilio said:
Hi David,
thank you for your suggestions. Both the Norton slip stones as well as the Arkansas stone are too big for my needs. They seem to be more suitable for carvers. I am not a carver but like to whittle occasionally. I use simple and small tools you can find in cheap beginner sets for whittlers.

The Spydero slip stone seems to be more suitable. You mean this one https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details/400F1SP/Ceramic-File-Slip-Stone/91?
The file set would be nice to have but is too expensive for my needs.

I know that Lansky makes a fine triangular stone or rod, too. I am talking about this one:
https://www.lansky.com/fine-serrated-hone.html
What I don't like about that stone is that it is triangular and has sharp edges on all three sides. The Lansky Spyder Sharpener (https://www.lansky.com/spyder-sharpener.html) just arrived today. I like it because it has two (different) radiused (rounded) edges and one pointed edge what makes this little hone very versatile. Too bad that Lansky does not offer this stone in fine grit, too.

Any suggestions for a similiar rod in fine grit? Apart the Spyderco File Slip Stone (which seems to have only only radiused or rounded edge)?
Click to expand...
For a 'fine' grit version of the Spyder from Lansky, you could improvise something like a hard-backed strop by wrapping either high-grit sandpaper (1000+) around one edge of the medium-grit hone, or using stropping tapes with compound wrapped around one edge in the same way. BTW, adhesive mailing labels for envelopes work very conveniently as paper-tape strops, with compound applied.

I still think either of Spyderco's or Lansky's standard triangular hones could still work for the same serrations, etc. Both are shown in examples I have, below. I've liked a Fine-grit triangular hone from Lansky's guided sharpener kit for doing such work on serrations. I actually removed the hone from the guided holder for freehand use, since I'm not using guided setups anymore. A light touch and a sweeping stroke into and across the width of the troughs of the serrations works well, even if the edge of the hone is narrower than the width of the serrations' troughs. On both the Spyderco and Lansky hones, the edges are still radiused enough to distribute point-pressure and avoid much risk of gouging inside larger serrations, using a light & sweeping stroke. In the cross-section view in the 2nd pic, the Lansky is at left, and the Spyderco Fine at the right. You can see the radius in the edges pretty clearly there. In the first pic, the longer rod is the Spyderco (from my Sharpmaker kit) and the shorter is the Lansky.
o4SKX5y.jpg

e9qx0At.jpg
 
From the cross-section both look more or less identical. Maybe the Lansky's bottom side looks a little bit uneven. Is this from removing the hone from the holder? Was it hard to remove the hone from the guided holder?

How long is the Lansky hone? The Lansky Medium Spyder Sharpener is ~4'' (measured with both caps removed), a little bit longer than a DC4. It would be great if the Fine Lansky would be that size, too.
 
Papilio said:
From the cross-section both look more or less identical. Maybe the Lansky's bottom side looks a little bit uneven. Is this from removing the hone from the holder? Was it hard to remove the hone from the guided holder?

How long is the Lansky hone? The Lansky Medium Spyder Sharpener is ~4'' (measured with both caps removed), a little bit longer than a DC4. It would be great if the Fine Lansky would be that size, too.
Click to expand...
Yes, both nearly identical in form. I did notice the Lansky hone was just a hair narrower in cross-section as compared to the Spyderco rod (1/2" width across the flats). I noticed a little more wobble in the Lansky hone, when fitting it into the Sharpmaker's base. And the length is 4" (photo below). Some of the unevenness seen in the end-view is just at the end itself - maybe some light chipping from manufacture. But the working surfaces of the hone are very cleanly smooth and even - maybe even more so than the Spyderco rods, which I've sometimes noticed are a little bumpy/wavy along their edges.
1nm70JI.jpg


Removing the Lansky hone from the holder was easy. I'd previously had an issue with one of the other Lansky ceramic hones (flat 600 red/purple ceramic) in my guided kit, with the hone just basically falling out of the holder after I'd cleaned it (with Windex and/or water with dish soap). A very thin application of glue holding it in there, I found out. So, having seen that, I knew it should be simple to just pry the triangular hone from its holder by hand, and it was. I used a variety of things to clean up the glue residue on the hone. Some acetone helped, and I also lightly scrubbed it against an inexpensive diamond plate (Harbor Freight) to scrub more of it off. And with sharpening use, even the blade being sharpened will scrape some of it off and whatever residue is left becomes insignificant.
 
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Great info. Thank you very much for taking the time and answering all my questions patiently and elaborately.
I have to check the price first, but I think I will add the Fine Lansky to my kit than (Christmas is not too far away).

The medium grit rod already makes a great working edge. So I think I can't go wrong with the fine rod, too.
 
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