one of the "system" sharpeners of freehand stones

C

CBennett

Joined
Oct 14, 2008
Messages
86
I was just about ready to get some stones for freehand sharpening which is pretty much all ive done all my life. Then saw a few posts about the Sharpmaker and lansky systems. Which is better for ME. Here is what I want and expect. I DO NOT normally use knives "hard". I almost never(id say ive had 2-3 knives in the last 20 years ive had to grind out dings and ships or reprofile) I almost never have to fully reprofile or do any "heavy" maintenance. For me its almost exclusively keeping them sharp or resharpening them after dulling them up opening boxes or cutting rope or what ever. so almost all my needs are just resharpening them and keeping them sharp. Most of my knives are carbon steel,440 steel, a few "tool steel" jack knives, the "hardest" knife I have is the Ritter Mini Grip SV30 steel...I dont plan on a lot of knives over the next few years as im not a collector and just come here to learn and for Info. I think I may add a Outdoor style/type fixed blade in the $50 range and a Ontario Knife RAT1..thats about it. Kicker is even though I can and always have sharpened by hand on a stone normally just a coarse/fine SC stone my problem is:

I have absolutley no idea what angle im putting on a knife freehand to be honest I just go by feel(and results) but dont know..I think maybe with what I am doing one of the "systems" that have "set" angles may help me go to that next level of sharpness. Ive never stropped a knife in my life but im gonna add that to a finishing process now days.(thanks BTW for that suggestion guys) so what do you think get a system type sharpener(id say I sharpen a knife once a month or less) or freehand stones?

Only reason I started leaning to a "system" type one was you can set the angles(or it has preset angles) so you know what your putting on a blade not just guessing like I do freehand..and of course I would still have my SC stone for anything else not like in tossing that or anything. well thanks guys probably my last sharpening question for a while. Just want to make sure im doing the right thing and not wasting my $$


Oh and all my knives are generally pocket folders or jack knives..only ones I have that are bigger are that Cattaraugus 225Q, and the outdoor knife I plan on picking up or even making as a kit knife(just seemed interesting to try). Now and then I will take all the non serrated kitchen knives and hit them with the stones and they come out good. Right now I dont have a good way/equipment to do serrated blades(like steak knives) well.
 
You can get the lansky 3 piece system on the internet for around 30 bucks. It comes with a coarse, medium, and fine stone. You can add other stones later if you want. I added a extra coarse diamond and a sapphire polishing stone (2000 grit). I then finish with a knivesplus.com strop block. I get good consistent results every single time.
 
I can spend around $50 and if its available at bass pro shops I have a $25 gift certificate that can stretch that a bit also.
 
Let me see if I understand this right...

You've been freehand sharpening "all your life,"--so I am assuming many years. You are now considernig switching to a Lansky or SharpMaker system because you don't know what angles you've been using all these years. You believe that if you only knew the precise angle measurements that a guided system can offer, you'd get to that "next level of sharpness?"

I can guarantee you that if you are not happy with your final edges after sharpening "all your life," it's got nothing to do with angles, bro. I'd bet a limb that there are serious gaps in your fundamentals and movements. And if you've been sharpening wrong "all your life," it's going to take a lot of hard work to correct those bad habits.
 
I think it's good idea to try the jigs.
I have not used one myself,
but I have buddies that had hard time free hand sharpening,
that could put very satisfactory edges using Wicked edge or edge pro.

You've said something about Lansky and bass pro shop,
and I've found Lansky Sharpening System - Deluxe Kit for the price you mentioned.
Seems like a good deal with your gift card.

Frankly, there's no way you'll know whether you'll like using assisted sharpening or not,
if you have never tried it yourself.
And at 25 dollars you really don't have much to lose.
Some people (including myself) have spent 30 times that amount on just one razor hone!

Take the plunge and let us know how it goes.
Since you have sharpened for some time,
you'll have a unique perspective on the matter regarding transition from freehand to using jigs,
and add to the pool of knowledge here at BF.

Thanks and good luck.
 
Magnaminous_G said:
Let me see if I understand this right...

You've been freehand sharpening "all your life,"--so I am assuming many years. You are now considernig switching to a Lansky or SharpMaker system because you don't know what angles you've been using all these years. You believe that if you only knew the precise angle measurements that a guided system can offer, you'd get to that "next level of sharpness?"

I can guarantee you that if you are not happy with your final edges after sharpening "all your life," it's got nothing to do with angles, bro. I'd bet a limb that there are serious gaps in your fundamentals and movements. And if you've been sharpening wrong "all your life," it's going to take a lot of hard work to correct those bad habits.
Click to expand...


then it seems a system is in order thanks! Its not that im really disappointed in my sharpening its just that I think there is more to be gained. And now and then I will sharpen 1 knife the same way I sharpened the one before it and one gets much sharper..dont know if its the blade and steel or my sharpening and maybe the angle being off or wrong.. no biggie a bit of research on the knife and using one of the systems should be good to go!
 
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xuz said:
I think it's good idea to try the jigs.
I have not used one myself,
but I have buddies that had hard time free hand sharpening,
that could put very satisfactory edges using Wicked edge or edge pro.

You've said something about Lansky and bass pro shop,
and I've found Lansky Sharpening System - Deluxe Kit for the price you mentioned.
Seems like a good deal with your gift card.

Frankly, there's no way you'll know whether you'll like using assisted sharpening or not,
if you have never tried it yourself.
And at 25 dollars you really don't have much to lose.
Some people (including myself) have spent 30 times that amount on just one razor hone!

Take the plunge and let us know how it goes.
Since you have sharpened for some time,
you'll have a unique perspective on the matter regarding transition from freehand to using jigs,
and add to the pool of knowledge here at BF.

Thanks and good luck.
Click to expand...

thanks I can normally get them sharp enough to shave hairs but many come that way or close to it in the first place(the Ritter mini grip,Gerber parabellum and Kershaw Leek all just about did...so all I was doing was keeping them just that sharp I guess but not much more) Ive had a knife and been sharpening my own since I was 12 or 13 im 44 now. I do "ok" I just want a decent edge I dont sharpen a ton..maybe once a month sometimes less if I dont use my knife a lot..and I seldom use them. I just know that there are different angles for different knives/blades and I know freehand im just not sure if im hitting them right or to full advantage...am I really that concerned..no, I just want them sharp I dont care if I can whittle hairs or any of the "tricks" ive seen heard about. Id been looking at the deluxe and the diamond Lansky sets..just wasnt sure which was better.

I checked out those higher end ones(edge pro/wicked edge) they are just something I dont need and just would not get the value out of them. Nice for a "knife guy" im sure..but for a guy thats really not that into knives(blasphemy :) ) except for just EDC and using them as a tool...just overkill.
 
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