looking for a new sharpening system

J

jwblack911

Joined
Dec 15, 2011
Messages
710
I currently own a lanskey deluxe sharping system that goes 60 120 300 600 1000 i believe. I do not have diamond stones for this but i had some questions about some other options to help me sharpen recurves and s35v, high heat treated d2, n690 and a m390 blade i have.

now i can get 154 cm and carbon steel to a hair popped sharp in no time on the lanskey. The edge is not polished and perfect but it works great. I really need to step up my game to help maintain my neglected blades. I need a few opinions from people who have been in my position. I am looking for something with a small learning curve. something to simplify the sharpening process.

i know the basics of sharpening but i know nothing about convex edges, mirror polished edges, and micro bevels. im just looking to help get the better steels sharp while not having the edge look like i used a cinder block to sharpen the edge when im done

so do i buy the diamond stone set for my sharpening system i own now? i know the spyderco sharpmaker with diamond stones is supposed to be nice. or do i just go ahead and get a wicked edge ?
 
Never tried a W/E,but I have owned a sharpmaker and edge pro apex.Sold both got a DMT aligner and never looked back.
 
I know next to nothing about sharpening as well. I use the Sharpmaker, and after watching the included video, reading a little about it here and watching a few videos on Youtube, I'm able to get all of my knives pretty sharp. I also grabbed the diamond and ultra fine rods for it.
 
I own a few bench stones and sharpening systems, among them a WE. I've had it for over two years now, and it's my go-to for putting a precision edge on pretty much all my knives due to it's ease of use and consistent results. It's expensive, but it really works well and is can have a novice sharpening like a pro the first day.
 
Edge Pro Apex or Wicked Edge will produce good results without a steep learning curve. The nice part with the Edge Pro is the stones are pretty good and fairly cheap.

Good sharpening,
Dave
 
How much are you willing to invest? Are you only after results or something more? You already use the Lansky. No additional learning curves. Full set of Lansky diamonds~$100, maybe less. You can spend more, buy another system, be an energy source for a machine, get results. Or...you could buy a modest set of waterstones for all your steels, read what's available in print here and watch what's available on video (as much or as little as you choose) and enter the world of true craftsmanship in sharpening. I've been doing it since the early '70's and am amazed at and challenged by what there is yet to learn. Refinement of skills and attempted perfection of craft can keep a man entertained and satisfied for a lifetime. I've used mechanical systems and they left me feeling cold and easily replaceable. They have to make you easily replaceable or they can't sell very many of them; of commercial necessity, you are the only interchangeable part. I like me more than that. A block of stone is an invitation to achievement. I and my steel are the only limits to my adventure.
 
The Edge-Pro is hard to beat. I've been using mine for over ten years, and have no complaints at all..

My knives are mostly so-called "super steels" like K390, M390, S90V, CPM Rex121, Elmax, CPM M-4 etc. My edges are mirror polished and straight razor sharp. I generally do not use micro bevels, except on the lower end steels, but they are very easy to do and very precise with the EP.
 
im looking to spend around $200. i would be willing to go higher if the results were much better.

after reading some more about sharping i think its time for some water stones. i know very little about hand sharpening exotic steels and recurves.


i have been in a kitchen professionally for around 5 years and the past 3 i have been sharping out knives on stones i bought. results have been fantastic but i use all cheap knives in the kitchen with ghetto steels because they get destoryed. i have sharpened a few of my employees pocket knives with sucess but they have been chinese steels. i cants get an edge to take on the stones i have in the kitchen on a s30v military i tried.

im going to go research about benchstone/waterstones/japenese but if someone had a quick crash course on them and could point me in the right direction for a decent strop i would appreciate it :)
 
jwblack911 said:
im looking to spend around $200. i would be willing to go higher if the results were much better.

after reading some more about sharping i think its time for some water stones. i know very little about hand sharpening exotic steels and recurves.


i have been in a kitchen professionally for around 5 years and the past 3 i have been sharping out knives on stones i bought. results have been fantastic but i use all cheap knives in the kitchen with ghetto steels because they get destoryed. i have sharpened a few of my employees pocket knives with sucess but they have been chinese steels. i cants get an edge to take on the stones i have in the kitchen on a s30v military i tried.

im going to go research about benchstone/waterstones/japenese but if someone had a quick crash course on them and could point me in the right direction for a decent strop i would appreciate it :)
Click to expand...

Hi, I'm a newbie in sharpening - but I learn fast; I got the lansky delux, the spyderco system (with ultra fine stones) and a simple Dual grit combo stone. I sharpened my family knives, my knives, my girlfriend family knives - well you get the point ;).
The spyderco and the super simple 10$ stone gave me great results, - the spyderco is great system but i want something more challenging.

and to your question about stones and leather strop:
1. I bought (few days ago) on Ebay Japanese water-stones, 800, 3000, and 8000 grit (around 200$)- I think it will give me great results with the 10$ stone; sharpening and refinement.
2. Leather strop - you can make one - all you need is 6-3 mm hard leather (used for soles or saddles), green compound, strong glue, wood - youtube it - its easy.

Good luck - hope it helped.
 
i ordered a few japanese water stones. i got 1000 1500 and 6000 stones. I am going to research strops a little more before i buy one


i also found out the stones i was using on the knives in the kitchen are 60 120 and 230 grit. probably why i couldnt get results on fine grain structure steels

ill post pics of progress and results when the stones come in. i forget what brand i bought but they seemed to be quality stones and they had alot of positive reviews about coming in pretty flat :)
 
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