New Manix sharpening

[mwayned]

I'm new to this forum, and just received my second knife in the mail today (my only other blade is a SOG Mini X-Ray Vision) -- the Spyderco Manix 80mm. This thing is a BEAST compared to my little SOG!

Anyhoo, I was wondering about the best way to go about keeping it sharp. I've read about the various sharpening systems out there, including Spyderco's own, but being a novice at this I would hate to improperly sharpen such a fine instrument.

Given that Spyderco offers sharpening for life (at $5 a pop), should I just send it in to them when it needs it, or should I just learn how to do it myself?

 

[StarStorm]

Buy a sharpmaker and learn to use it. I havent personally used one but I am pretty sure, especially here, that it is the BEST sharpening systme in the world. Unless you have been using benchstones for decades and are pro, other than that the sharpmaker is the way to go.

SS

 

[Padawan]

I was always a little hesitant about sharpening, since I had very little experience with it. However, I really wanted to learn how to maintain my knives, and all of my reading led me to the Spyderco Sharpmaker as the best option for my needs. My brother got me the Sharpmaker this week as a gift for my birthday, and it's terrific. It comes with a DVD and an instruction booklet that demonstrates proper usage, and after a little bit of practice I've been able to get all of my knives back to shaving sharp. I'd certainly recommend it, even if you're a little apprehensive about being able to do your own sharpening. The Sharpmaker really makes it a simple and enjoyable process.