Lansky - Variable Angle?

[rugerno1b]

I've been reading threads on sharpening. I have a lansky, and have used it with decent results for a few years, although, I wouldn't consider my knives "scary sharp". Anyway, a few questions, first of which should be pretty simple. When using the Lansky, do you "push" the stones into the edge or "pull" them away? Second, it seems to me that with the Lansky, or any rodded system, that the angle of the stone will be true only while the rod is in a straight line with the fixture, but as the stone gets farther away from the fixture, to the left or right, the angle will be slightly lower. Long bladed knives would be substantially lower.

As I was getting ready to carve my Xmas meats, I found most of my kitchen knives in horrible need of sharpening. My method was as follows, with decent results. Since they all needed reprofiled, I had a Buck carbide "sharpener" that you drag down the blade. After a few strokes the knives were reprofiled. I then went to work with the Lansky - Med then Fine. I want to get the extra fine stone, and then strop or polish on a buffer. Any comments on this method?

 

[thombrogan]

Second, it seems to me that with the Lansky, or any rodded system, that the angle of the stone will be true only while the rod is in a straight line with the fixture, but as the stone gets farther away from the fixture, to the left or right, the angle will be slightly lower. Long bladed knives would be substantially lower.

Absolutely true! You can to move the clamp along the blade's spine as you sharpen.

Any comments on this method?

Did it get your cutting done without adding too much muscle power? If so, it worked. My only suggestion would be to strop with paper over a flat, hard surface (plexiglass or glass for instance). The paper will need some kind of compound or be a fine grit sandpaper. Hand American sells some great high grit sandpapers (4,000-60,000 grit) which would work perfect for such purposes.