Need Advice on Supplement to my Sharpmaker

[charge]

Hello,

I have been using the Sharpmaker for a few years with good results. I do some sharpening for family and friends. I have found that I need to back bevel these knives a good bit to match the Sharpmakers angles. I have heard mixed reviews about the Diamond Rods for the Sharpmaker. I am sure they are good, but rather than spend the money for those, I could put the money toward stones that will work with freehand sharpening.

I am looking for suggestions on freehand stones. I dont really know where to start. I want to eventually learn freehand sharpening so I thought getting a stone for reprofiling could help lead me in that direction.

I am also a woodworker so building a jig to hold the stone at a set angle for reprofiling is an option. I am looking for advice on brands, grits, etc mostly for reprofiling now, but that i can use to go from dull to super sharp when I learn to freehand.

Thanks for the help

charge

 

[ChapmanPreferred]

Once I see suggested often is the DMT Extra Extra Coarse bench stone, but I do not own that particular model. I do have a cheapy 4 sided diamond block from Grizzly.com that handles my rough Mora Scandi ground blades, my Charlie Ridge Scandi, and my Koster Scandi kit knives. Then I move onto the Spyderco stones for the edge refinement.

Personally, I would just get the Spyderco Diamond Rods, but I am less interested in freehand sharpening.