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RC-4 and Sharpmaker
- Thread starter newknife
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2007
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- 431
sharpmaker can be used to maintain the edges on any knife really, but your RC may have slightly different angles. I just tried myself with my RC-3 and a black sharpie. One side of the edge was slightly more obtuse than the 40 deg. setting and the other side was slightly less. It would require some reprofiling if you have the time. I ended up just doing it free-hand. Your knife may have slightly different angles and you should probably do a quick marker test yourself.
Just my opinion and I'm about as far from an expert as it gets
Just my opinion and I'm about as far from an expert as it gets
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2007
- Messages
- 9,786
Spyderco sharpmaker works well. My RC's blades were bevelled as spec'd (20o for RC-4; 15o for RC-3).
I do find that after several sharpening you have to rebevel the knife though. A Lansky or stone is needed to rebevel the knife. So you should be good for a bout a year on of maintaining the knife with the sharpmaker.
I do find that after several sharpening you have to rebevel the knife though. A Lansky or stone is needed to rebevel the knife. So you should be good for a bout a year on of maintaining the knife with the sharpmaker.
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- Dec 30, 2006
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why not use the rebeveling side of the sharpmaker with diamond rods (sold separately)?what don't you like about it? or is it personal prefrence?
kgd thanks for the invite to check out your RC-6.I do get over there once or twice a year I will keep you in mind next time I'm going over there. I should have my rc-6 around nov 14th one day before my birthday.(perfect)
kgd thanks for the invite to check out your RC-6.I do get over there once or twice a year I will keep you in mind next time I'm going over there. I should have my rc-6 around nov 14th one day before my birthday.(perfect)
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- Feb 28, 2007
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- 9,786
Most of what I've read on the diamond rods is that they still aren't all that great for re-beveling. Even though they cut faster than the supplied grey rods, the problem is in the action (which is also what makes the sharpmaker such a precision tool for maintaining the edge).
Basically, the action of just sliding the knife one side at a time on the angled rods is pretty inefficient at grinding lots of metals. When using a benchstone or the guided rod systems, you can work at the bevel with circular motions or vertical motions and keep at it on parts of the edge and over the entire side until a burr is formed on the opposite edge and then you switch over. Even with a pretty fast cutting grit, it still takes a while to shave off enough metal for re-beveling.
I suppose you can do this by using a circular motion on the downstroke of the knife with the sharpmaker, but it feels awkward and less controlled then the standard methods above. Alternatively, you can use the diamond rods in the slots under the case and use them as a bench stone. Personally I don't find this works very well. It works in theory, but the stones shift a little bit when using the like this and the gap between the two stones bothers me. For the money, buying a good DMT course grit diamond benchstone is a far superior investment then buying the spyderco dioamond rods if the primary idea is to rebevel the knife IMO
Basically, the action of just sliding the knife one side at a time on the angled rods is pretty inefficient at grinding lots of metals. When using a benchstone or the guided rod systems, you can work at the bevel with circular motions or vertical motions and keep at it on parts of the edge and over the entire side until a burr is formed on the opposite edge and then you switch over. Even with a pretty fast cutting grit, it still takes a while to shave off enough metal for re-beveling.
I suppose you can do this by using a circular motion on the downstroke of the knife with the sharpmaker, but it feels awkward and less controlled then the standard methods above. Alternatively, you can use the diamond rods in the slots under the case and use them as a bench stone. Personally I don't find this works very well. It works in theory, but the stones shift a little bit when using the like this and the gap between the two stones bothers me. For the money, buying a good DMT course grit diamond benchstone is a far superior investment then buying the spyderco dioamond rods if the primary idea is to rebevel the knife IMO
I wanted to resharpen my rc-4 with the sharpmaker using the 30° angle. It worked, the knife got sharp again but I wasn't satisfied with the angle and I didn't want to reprofile the edge. So I used the "stone" on the back of the sharpmaker with the two fine rods. I didn't check the angle of the knife or anything, it came naturally as I passed the knife. Never used the stone technique before but the edge came out well. As sharp as it came from the factory. Now I'm thinking of buying a strop to get a sharper edge.
So do you prop the sharpmaker up on a book or something? The only settings on it are for 40 and 30 degrees right?
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Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the 40 and 30 degree designation on the Sharpmaker is inclusive. Meaning 20 and 15 degrees per side respectively.
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You are correct - 40 o on the sharpmaker means 20o on a lansky or other guided rod system. 30o on the sharpmaker means 15o in lansky speak
So for the RC-4 use the 40 degree slots of the sharpmaker when sharpening it.