Need help picking up what the best sharpening system.

C

chipdouglas

Joined
Nov 26, 2009
Messages
415
Hi all,

actually this is my first post ever on these boards. I have a Spyderco Sharpmaker, and it does a fine job, but one one of my beater knife (cause I do not use expensive knife to cut into sheetrock), the tip of the blade is too dull for the Sharpmaker to take care of it. I'd need some large stone. I've looked at DMT's Magna guide system, plus I'd need some serrated sharpening file as well.

I was within an inch of hitting the order button 10 minutes ago, when it occurred to me it'd be best to run this query by you guys first.

Thanks a lot.
 
The DMT Aligner is a good system. It will give you an exact edge. I believe the Magna system is just the Aligner with diafold stones instead - I could be wrong.

Better yet, get some good flat stones and learn to do it yourself ;)
 
DMT is a good choice, If you don't mind doing the serrations freehand they make diafolds that work very well or you can get the serrated sharpener for the aligner. What Kit are you looking to get?
 
Let me complicate matters further for you. :) The Sharpmaker is great for sharpening serrated edges. You use the corners instead of the flats. About 5 strokes on the serrated side and then one on the other side. Repeat as necessary. Watch the DVD if you have it.

Also, you could just get the Sharpmaker diamond rods. They should make short work of reprofiling any cheap knife.

You could save even more money by just buying some sandpaper and wrapping it around the Sharpmaker rods you already have. Use rubber bands or twist ties to keep it place. I use 100 grit.

EDIT: Oh, Welcome to BF.
 
knifenut1013 said:
DMT is a good choice, If you don't mind doing the serrations freehand they make diafolds that work very well or you can get the serrated sharpener for the aligner. What Kit are you looking to get?
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Um, good question, since I'm here in order to find out which one would be best :D Having said that I do appreciate your help for sure.

Like I said, I currently own a sharpmaker--it does a god job of sharpening knives that aren'T dull. I have used my used my SOG flash II to cut into plasterboards, but I really don'T care about that knife at all, so I'm using is as a beater for dirty jobs, and I'm also using now as a practice knife. So my SOG flash II is pretty sharp overall except for about 1/4'' of the tip. The tip is dull from plasterboards cutting. I thought about ordering Spyderco's diamond rods for the sharpmaker, but I doubt this will do it, so I'm still sitting on the fence on this one. The thing is for me to get the tip sharp, I'd need more contact surface than what the sharpmaker rods allow.

I've looked at this : http://www.knifezone.ca/misc/dmtakfc.htm

I've also looked at this one : http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=32992&cat=1,43072,43079

I could also get a bench stone, well more than one I guess and start on practicing free hand sharpening, but I'd still need a reliable foolproof system for when I do not want to spend too much time honing a blade.

Then from DMT's website, I've looked at this one, which is pretty much alike that one above, but uses a magnet to hold onto the diamond stones tool :http://www.dmtsharp.com/general/new.htm#dmgef the kit in question is DMT's http://theconsumerlink.com/DiamondMachiningTechnology/detail/TCL+DMG-4/0

I really don't know which to get, though I think I'm tempted to get the Magna guide from DMT--it gets good reviews on here.

However I see a bit of a problem, well actually, I read that it's not really useful for longer knives like a large kitchen knife, because when you get to the tip the angle changes and you can damage the tip--is this correct ? I have a good many expensive Spyderco knives so I really want to take good care of them, and most of all I do not want to damage them. I'll also need serrate sharpeners as I own quite a few serrated blades.

Thanks again for helping me on this issue.
 
cgmblade said:
Let me complicate matters further for you. :) The Sharpmaker is great for sharpening serrated edges. You use the corners instead of the flats. About 5 strokes on the serrated side and then one on the other side. Repeat as necessary. Watch the DVD if you have it.

Also, you could just get the Sharpmaker diamond rods. They should make short work of reprofiling any cheap knife.

You could save even more money by just buying some sandpaper and wrapping it around the Sharpmaker rods you already have. Use rubber bands or twist ties to keep it place. I use 100 grit.

EDIT: Oh, Welcome to BF.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the kind welcoming words :) The more knife addicts the merrier I guess LOL. My wife is right beside me shaking her head in disbelief as I'm typing this out HAHA.

Yeah, I'm also looking at getting the diamond rods for the sharpmaker, and you're right about serration and the sharpmaker rods' corners. I do have the DVD--I've watched it quite a few times, but I'll watch it some more--it can't hurt.
 
The quad kit IMO would be the best buy, it will give you 3 tools for the price of 1. You can use the kit as a whole, the diafolds by them self freehand, and the aligner clamp alone with benchstones. Also think about getting the XXC stone it makes taking out damage much faster.

The aligner can easily handle blades up to 8in in length, the trick is to place the clamp in the middle of the blade. You can still get a bit of angle change in larger blades but its not enough to effect anything.
 
knifenut1013 said:
The quad kit IMO would be the best buy, it will give you 3 tools for the price of 1. You can use the kit as a whole, the diafolds by them self freehand, and the aligner clamp alone with benchstones. Also think about getting the XXC stone it makes taking out damage much faster.

The aligner can easily handle blades up to 8in in length, the trick is to place the clamp in the middle of the blade. You can still get a bit of angle change in larger blades but its not enough to effect anything.
Click to expand...
.

Thanks knifenut.
 
I returned the DMT because it had, IMO, too much play in the works. I have a Sharpmaker and feel it has its place, but I love my Edgepro. Best knife-related purchase I've made yet. Otherwise, the easiest, cheapest way to sharpen is going convex with waterproof sandpaper.
 
My experience with the DMT Aligner has not been good. I have the Aligner and the Magna Guide. The clamps on both failed. On the first one the brass bushing the screw goes into came out - it is not possible to tighten the clamp. On the second one the very small plastic protrusions that stop the guide rods from sliding broke off so they won't hold at their designated angles.

The stones themselves are very good - the clamps are very poor in my opinion.

I have never been able to get a response from DMT customer service apart from the robot emails that tell me someone will get back to me soon.

I use the DMT stones in an older Loray clamp and it works well. I also like the Sharpmaker diamond rods.
 
I do not have any experience with the DMT Aligner, but I can say that their standard stones work very well if you can freehand. I am no freehand expert by any means, but they have allowed me to keep my users sharp. I think my next purchase will be a strop.

I had a Lansky diamond system but just did not have any luck.

SB
 
Splat said:
I returned the DMT because it had, IMO, too much play in the works. I have a Sharpmaker and feel it has its place, but I love my Edgepro. Best knife-related purchase I've made yet. Otherwise, the easiest, cheapest way to sharpen is going convex with waterproof sandpaper.
Click to expand...

Edge-Pro is the best I've ever used.

www.edgeproinc.com
 
I've found an official reseller of Edge Pro Apex in Montreal--I'm looking at getting one of those puppy. Granted, it's not cheap, but it seems to be worthwhile.
 
Does diamond really trumps sapphire or ceramic stones, or is it only a matter of preference.

Having said that, I think diamond makes faster work of sharpening knives.
 
chipdouglas said:
Does diamond really trumps sapphire or ceramic stones, or is it only a matter of preference.

Having said that, I think diamond makes faster work of sharpening knives.
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I think diamond works faster and more evenly compared to ceramics. Diamonds simply tear through any metal.

Ceramic is going to give you a finer, shinier finish, though.

That said, diamonds are my favorite.
 
I had a lansky setup before I got an edge pro. The edge pro will be the last knife sharpener you will ever buy as long as you dont mind spending the money.
 
creolescorpion said:
I had a lansky setup before I got an edge pro. The edge pro will be the last knife sharpener you will ever buy as long as you dont mind spending the money.
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I have a good deal of expensive knives and the last thing I want is to spoild them through unskilled sharpening, so my reasoning is akin to yours. Why spend money on many money on various sharpening kits over time, only to find out I could've had the best ?

I'm going to get that Edge Pro Apex sharpening kit--it's foolproof and it's going to be the end of my brain racking so far as knives sharpening :cool:

I don't mind shelling out the dough when the product in question delivers, and I bet it's going to get less expensive for me to go straight away to the Edge Pro over the long run.
 
If you buy a edge pro then latter on buy a aligner you will kick yourself.
 
knifenut1013 said:
If you buy a edge pro then latter on buy a aligner you will kick yourself.
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If I buy an Edge Pro, I won't buy an aligner--however, maybe I misunderstood your comment. Let me know if you feel such is the case. I gave DMT's kit second thought because of the above comments.
 
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