moving from lansky to sharpmaker. . . any advice?

R

robo19x

Joined
Aug 5, 2004
Messages
69
hey there, folks!

i had a couple questions that i thought you guys could kick around for me.

i've stepped up my knife obsession here recently (after having my lil temperance trailing point for awhile -- after i lost my leaf blade version), i've recently acquired a centofante 4 with a poliwog on the way (and a spin in the works). anyway. . . i figured since (for the moment) i've been working solely on my spydercos. . . i should get a sharpmaker.

now. . . i've got the sharpmaker.

i figured that i would use the sharpmaker for all the spydercos since i know that should work well on their own blades, but i've sharpened the lil temperance quite often by clamping it in the lansky -- it was used heavily for some chores and i'd taken some large nicks out of the blade. . . it's been through the ringer but i've finally got it down to a shaving edge solely through using the lanksy (using the 20 degree guide).

since the sharpmaker is set to 40 degrees overall. . . would i have any trouble moving the spyderco over to that system? i know. . . i know. . . it's sort of a silly question (since i could just get the edge worked over on the sharpmaker, but i didn't want to have to go through a lot of heavy work reprofiling the blade when the lansky is fine for getting it to a good edge and i'm going to use this knife solely for self defense/delicate work from here on out -- not sure if "reprofiling" is the best term to use).

as a side note: i'm not very good with freehand sharpening, but i think the way the sharpmaker is set up (running the blade down vertically) will be a nice way to ease into it.

IN A NUTSHELL -- hehe. . . would there be a radical difference in the 20 degree per side edge from the lansky and the overall 40 degrees of the sharpmaker?

thanks for your time!
 
maybe, it depends on how the clamp was tightened, how straight the rods are, how wide the blade is, etc. Just to say that your 20 degree setting might not have given you a 20 degree edge. OTOH, depending on how the base was molded, how well the ceramics rods fit & were fired, and how you hold the base and blade in relation to each other, the 20 degrees on the SM might not be 20 degrees either.

The difference shouldn't be radical, but it could be enough that the relatively fine SM rods will make cutting a new edge bevel a time consuming task. I'd say go over your knives with the 17 degree of the Lansky with coarse stones to help things out.
 
They are the same 20 degrees+20 degrees equals 40 degrees
the lansky sharpens 20 degrees per side (and there's 2 sides on the blade) while the spyderco is set for 40 degrees overall equals 20 degrees per side

hope this helps, and good luck!:thumbup:
 
Paint the bevel with a sharpie, and make a few passes on the Sharpmaker. Then look at the bevel with a hand lense to see where the stone is making contact.
 
hardheart said:
maybe, it depends on how the clamp was tightened, how straight the rods are, how wide the blade is, etc. Just to say that your 20 degree setting might not have given you a 20 degree edge. OTOH, depending on how the base was molded, how well the ceramics rods fit & were fired, and how you hold the base and blade in relation to each other, the 20 degrees on the SM might not be 20 degrees either.

The difference shouldn't be radical, but it could be enough that the relatively fine SM rods will make cutting a new edge bevel a time consuming task. I'd say go over your knives with the 17 degree of the Lansky with coarse stones to help things out.
Click to expand...

that's some good insight into the problem (sort of the stuff i was thinking too -- mostly with relation to the position of the blade in the clamp). i think i'll maybe do the sharpie test and try that in conjunction with the 17 degree route (it actually was sharpened to 17 degrees earlier, but i took it back to 20 -- the edge was really fragile and couldn't seem to get as sharp as i'd like).

i have tried to always clamp it in about the same place, though. . . so at least i have that, haha.

Tomkin said:
They are the same 20 degrees+20 degrees equals 40 degrees
the lansky sharpens 20 degrees per side (and there's 2 sides on the blade) while the spyderco is set for 40 degrees overall equals 20 degrees per side

hope this helps, and good luck!:thumbup:
Click to expand...

i was thinking this as well. . . . honestly, i am probably overthinking it, but hardheart had a pretty good handle on peering into my bizarre thought process (haha -- must be pretty savvy with working with guys with OCD, right?).

matt321 said:
Paint the bevel with a sharpie, and make a few passes on the Sharpmaker. Then look at the bevel with a hand lense to see where the stone is making contact.
Click to expand...

that's a good idea, matt. i'm ashamed i didn't think of it myself!

thanks for all the great help, though, guys. much appreciated!
 
robo19x said:
i was thinking this as well. . . . honestly, i am probably overthinking it, but hardheart had a pretty good handle on peering into my bizarre thought process (haha -- must be pretty savvy with working with guys with OCD, right?).
Click to expand...

I used a Lansky for a few years, and was fixated on setting up the clamp the same every time, as well as screwing the guide rod to the stones exactly the same :)
 
hardheart said:
I used a Lansky for a few years, and was fixated on setting up the clamp the same every time, as well as screwing the guide rod to the stones exactly the same :)
Click to expand...

yeah. . . hahahaha. . . i was getting set up to be in the same spot. i'm thinking i'll still use the lansky on some of my beater blades. . .but i'll get more results that i can reproduce with the sharpmaker.
 
Make sure the spyderco is level, if not you might have 19/21 18/22. And I always have the habit to do it on the same place.

Every 10 stroke or so, I wipe the sharpening side of the rod with a wet rag, and rotate the rod, after all three side or corner, I pull the rod out and turn it upside down and repeat the process, that way the rod can cut better and wear more even.
 
808jimmy said:
Make sure the spyderco is level, if not you might have 19/21 18/22. And I always have the habit to do it on the same place.

Every 10 stroke or so, I wipe the sharpening side of the rod with a wet rag, and rotate the rod, after all three side or corner, I pull the rod out and turn it upside down and repeat the process, that way the rod can cut better and wear more even.
Click to expand...

cool. . . . that thing with the stone rotation as well. i'll check and make sure that everything's copacetic with the angle when i get started so that i can keep the most appropriate angle.

thanks for the advice, man. i figure with the dvd that comes with it. . . and the practical advice i've been given. . . well, i'll find out that it's not the rocket science/voodoo that i think it should be (but, man. . . you can never be TOO careful -- which is why i'll also rub down the stones with my lucky rabbit's foot, haha).

thanks again for all the advice, guys. i've lurked around here for a long time and only really posted on a few different things. despite some little differences in opinion and in-thread skirmishes. . . it's nice to see a group of folks that're into something and willing to share some thoughts.

:)
 
As above but place the rods you are not using close to the sharpmaker then when you change rods you needn'y use your feet or change your upper body position so the angle of cutting will be exactly the same for each rod and each rod position......

I don't think it's neccessary to use the flat sides .. things work just as well with the corners, when using the corners use 3 forces - normal, soft and very soft, 20 of each, also buy the extra fine sticks, finish off with a leather honing just 3x each side any more can be counterproductive
 
More info


To: techsupport@spyderco.com
Subject: Tri-Angle Sharp maker


I just purchase the sharp maker 204, which comes with the fine(white) and
medium(gray) stone, what is the equivalent in sandpaper grit, also the ultra
fine and the diamond stone, thanks.
Click to expand...

Sorry about the delay in response. We do not consider "grit" but the
equivalent to as there is no actual grit on the stone. To answer your
question, Medium = to 600 fine =to 1800 and ultra fine = to 2000.

Have a great week,

Charlynn
Customer Service
Click to expand...

Also if I put a rod right in the middle of the plastic base, it will add ~7 degree, if the rod it by the pointer on either side, it add ~5 degree, good for sharpening chisel grind blade.
 
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