My Christmas present and what do I do now?

[Screwdriver]

I have used a Spyderco Sharpmaker for years, well my brother in law bought me a DMT DuoSharp Plus in Fine/Extra Fine. I would like to use it and wonder would it replace my Sharpmaker...I mean is it redundant, or a good addition to it?

 

[Screwdriver]

Nothing?

 

[bgentry]

I'd call it a good addition, though it wouldn't have been my exact choice. Since the DMTs are bench stones, you can choose any angle you like, including reprofiling blades that don't already have angles less than 40 deg inclusive. Those more obtuse blades wouldn't work in the sharpmaker, but after you change their angles they will!

The F and EF will grind quite a bit faster than the sharpmaker stones and will leave a rougher finish. My opinion is that the surface finish left by the EF is more coarse than the Spyderco medium... or at least very, very close. The Spyderco fine is *definitely* a finer finish than the DMT EF.

You could learn to freehand with the DMT plate and then do touchups or maintenance with the Sharpmaker. I don't use my Sharpmaker tons any more, but I still use it regularly. In fact I just did a serrated Cutco blade on it about 30 minutes ago.

Good luck.

Brian.