Question about the sharpmaker 204

CYA · May 29, 2001

How do you set the angle or is it all done by hand? Meaning there is no real guide to keep the angle? I'm not very good at using bench stones so if I don't have some kind of guide I usually can't sharpen with it.

The General · May 29, 2001

Simple, you put the sticks in the base, and keep the knife 'up' and 'down' to sharpen. The knife is in the vertical at all times and the angle is set by the stones in the base.

If you can move your hand up and down in a straight line, you can use this system. Bast on the market for the money IMHO!

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Wayne.
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!

CYA · May 29, 2001

That's what I thought. It probably won't work for me. I need some thing fool-proof like a gatco or lansky. Although, they never seem to make a uniform edge anyway.

Mundele · May 29, 2001

I've tried to use a lansky and I never was pleased. I couldn't put an edge on anything no matter what I tried. I finally got hte sharpmaker and I can finally sharpen knives. Give the Sharpmaker a try. The video that comes with it helps a lot, and so does the info found here on bladeforums...

--Matt

CYA · May 30, 2001

Originally posted by Mundele:
I've tried to use a lansky and I never was pleased. I couldn't put an edge on anything no matter what I tried. I finally got hte sharpmaker and I can finally sharpen knives. Give the Sharpmaker a try. The video that comes with it helps a lot, and so does the info found here on bladeforums...

--Matt

Hey Matt,

My Gatco works decently, but I would never use it on a knife worth more than $50. Maybe I'll give it a try since it's fairly cheap. Any money back guaranty, Sal? Hehe, just kidding.

Sergiusz Mitin · May 30, 2001

SYA,

It probably won't work for me

It works for everyone who has normal human's manual dexterity

Did you receive printed guide with your Sharpmaker? Sure, video is cool but the printed guide could serve you better when sharpening (just my opinion). Follow the guide step-by-step and I would be greatly surprised if you will not get your knife perfectly sharp.
If not - please ask particular questions and explain what you have got wrong, let's try to fix it together.

And a bit more trust for yourself!

CYA · May 30, 2001

Originally posted by Sergiusz Mitin:
It works for everyone who has normal human's manual dexterity

Did you receive printed guide with your Sharpmaker? Sure, video is cool but the printed guide could serve you better when sharpening (just my opinion). Follow the guide step-by-step and I would be greatly surprised if you will not get your knife perfectly sharp.
If not - please ask particular questions and explain what you have got wrong, let's try to fix it together.

And a bit more trust for yourself!

Actually Sergiusz, I haven't bought a sharpmaker yet. I'm just afraid that I won't be able to sharpen a knife with it. Like any free hand type of sharpener, if you just turn your hand a little the angle will change. Therefore, I doubt I can replicate the same angle more than a few strokes. Like I said before I've never been able to sharpen knives with a bench stone so I figure all free hand sharpeners will produce the same results.

Clay Kesting · May 30, 2001

CYA,

Trust me, you won't have any trouble keeping the knife vertical and maintaining the correct angle with the Sharpmaker. Keeping something vertical seems to be a natural human reaction. I teach woodwork and I always have my students set there jobs at an angle in the vice so that the saw remains vertical. That way they have much less trouble with angled cuts in, say, a dovetailed joint. I get a much better edge with my Sharpmaker than I ever did with my Gatco.

Clay

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Clay

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....in Australia it's tomorrow already.

CYA · May 30, 2001

Ok guys, I'm going to trust you and buy me a sharpmaker. If I have any complaints or problems, I'll be sure to let you guys know! Hehe.

Sergiusz Mitin · May 31, 2001

CYA,
To hold knife the way providing blade movement in vertical plane is much easier than to hold consistent angle when sharpening free-hand on flat whetstone. This is the principle all V-style rod sharpeners are based on, Sharpmaker is just the most refined among them.

However to hold consistent angle when sharpening free-hand is also much easier than most of people expect

Training makes master! And more trust for yourself (didn't I say it already?)

Danelle O'Shea · May 30, 2001

Make a straight down movement like you're cutting a tomato, while pulling the knife towards you, so when you reach the bottom of the stone, you are at the tip of the knife.

Believe me, it's a "I cant possibly screw this up, it's too easy" manuever.

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http://i.am/Danelle

The General · May 30, 2001

Mankind has always been well suited to moving his hand up and down, up and down...wait a min, thats doesen't sound right!

------------------
Wayne.
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!

Sal Glesser · May 30, 2001

Hi CYA. IMHO Anyone using a Gatco has simply not ever tried a Sharpmaker.

Hi Danelle. good to see you visitin'. Hope all is going well with you.

sal

CYA · May 30, 2001

Originally posted by Sal Glesser:
Hi CYA. IMHO Anyone using a Gatco has simply not ever tried a Sharpmaker.

You got that right, Sal. I've always been afraid to sharpen free hand. Thanks guys and gal, for the tips. We'll see how this works out.

Danelle O'Shea · Jun 1, 2001

I have to agree with Sal on this one... Not being terribly dextrous by nature, (except with pc's) I keep an "oh my GOD!" edge on all my sharp doo dads with a Sharpmaker. Let us know how you fare..
Danelle

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http://i.am/Danelle

CYA · Jun 1, 2001

Thanks for the support, Danelle. I'll surely keep you people informed. BTW I like the barfing pumpkin. Very original. Hehe.

Coonskinner · Jun 1, 2001

I just bought a Sharpmaker and am absolutely taken with it. I've never had trouble sharpening free-handed with a benchstone, but after reading all the positive stuff about the 204, I finally took the plunge. I have Arkansas stones, EZ Lap, DMT, Norton fine India, and various other sharpening gadgets, but I am very impressed with the Sharpmaker. I have a BM 940 that I could get sharp, but for some reason I never could get as fine an edge on it as I could most of my other knives. It really irritated me because I like the knife, but I am fanatical about sharpness, and I was never quite satisfied with the edge I could put on it. Well, 5 minutes on the Sharpmaker and I'm happy. I don't know for sure what it was about it that did the trick so much better than my other methods, but I don't have to understand to be pleased. I didn't work long enough to change the bevel or anything...I guess it was just something about the kind of polish the Sharpmaker stone put on it. What is the term the instructions use, "proper scratch pattern"?

CYA · Jun 11, 2001

Well, I tried it and it seemed easy enough. It put a nice-looking edge on my knife. However, I think it's duller than it was before. I haven't had much practice so I guess I'll have to keep trying.