I currently have a very old Lanksy 3 stone system. It does alright on smaller thin blades but if you try to sharpen a thicker blade it rubs on the high part of the blade and does nothing. I have been looking around and believe I would like the Sharpmaker. I wanted to know, since I am new to knife's, if you have to be really skilled at sharpening a knife to use this Spyderco Sharpmaker?? Becuase with the Lanksy you just clip it in and it holds the angle for you. Or does anyone else know of a sharpener that will do a good job thats fairly easy to use. I have some knifes I could learn on also with the sharpmaker. The edgepro system looks easy to use also. Just wanting some opinions.
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New Sharpener??
- Thread starter TB383
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2005
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- 1,225
Everybody will yell Sharpmaker in about 10 minutes. I however suggest a good stone or some ol' crock sticks (similar to the sharpmaker but round rods). I also really like stropping on cardboard with some mothers mag and wheel polish, but don't listen to me, I'm insane. 
The sharpmaker doesn't require an incredible amount of skill to use. Just hold the knife straight and watch the video and you should be fine. As with anything you will get better at it with time. If you do get one, make sure you rub the brown sticks together for about 5 minutes, it improves their performance dramatically. You'll only have to do it once and from then on you just clean them with ajax when they visibly get filled with metal.
I bought my dad one and he watched the video. He refuses to do it the way the video shows. He does all sorts of weird things, like holds the knife at an angle, moves the knife up and down, instead of just down, turns the sharpmaker sideways instead of turning the stick, refuses to use the guards, keeps it on the kitchen counter above the hard tile floor etc... Avoid dropping them on a hard surface.
I bought my dad one and he watched the video. He refuses to do it the way the video shows. He does all sorts of weird things, like holds the knife at an angle, moves the knife up and down, instead of just down, turns the sharpmaker sideways instead of turning the stick, refuses to use the guards, keeps it on the kitchen counter above the hard tile floor etc... Avoid dropping them on a hard surface.
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2004
- Messages
- 878
If you are going to be serious about knives and very serious about keeping them razor sharp.....then save up a little more money and by the Edge Pro Apex.
www.bronksknifeworks.com has the Edge Pro in various combinations. The one for about $ 170 is the most versatile as well as comes with a nice carrying case. That way you can take it to some babe's house telling her you want to sharpen her knives. Every woman is looking for a man who can put the razor edge back on her kitchen knives.
Seriously, the Edge Pro, IMO, is the only way to go but the Sharpmaker does have a lot of fans here. I have one as well but I find the Edge Pro to be superior because it is so more versatile.
www.bronksknifeworks.com has the Edge Pro in various combinations. The one for about $ 170 is the most versatile as well as comes with a nice carrying case. That way you can take it to some babe's house telling her you want to sharpen her knives. Every woman is looking for a man who can put the razor edge back on her kitchen knives.
Seriously, the Edge Pro, IMO, is the only way to go but the Sharpmaker does have a lot of fans here. I have one as well but I find the Edge Pro to be superior because it is so more versatile.
I have to agree with Tim8557, if you can swing it, the Edgepro system is the way to go for the long haul. The Sharpmaker is a great tool but if you think you're going to really get into sharpening you'll end up wishing you'd spent the money on the Edgepro. Just my .02.
I was a skeptic at first. I had a Lansky and thought it did fine. I finally decided to give the Sharpmaker a try and I am very pleased with it. I cannot sharpen free hand at all and I thought it would be difficult to maintain a consistent angle on the Sharpmaker but it is pretty easy.
Does anyone know if you can buy the Sharpmaker case without stones? I'd like another case to store diamond and ultra-fine rods when I get around to buying them.
Does anyone know if you can buy the Sharpmaker case without stones? I'd like another case to store diamond and ultra-fine rods when I get around to buying them.
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2004
- Messages
- 878
TB383 said:
It takes longer to set up but once you get the hang of it, it is very simple to use. With the Sharpmaker you are limited to two angles; 30 degrees or 40 degrees. If your knife is not dull and happens to be sharpened to one of those angles, the sharpmaker will do fine.
But, if the knife is dull or needs to be reprofiled to add relief which adds to its cutting power, then the Edge Pro is much better. You'll become an old man trying to reprofile a hard steel with the Sharpmaker unless you invest another $ 60 for their diamond hones. At that price you are in Edge Pro territory which also allows you an almost infinite amount of angles.
Frankly, I purchased the Sharpmaker first because everyone sooooo raved about it in this forum. I was a bit underwhelmed to say the least. It now sits in a drawyer and I may use it for simple touch ups BUT only if the angle, is again, 30 degrees or 40 degrees.