Re-profiling with a Sharpmaker is no walk in the park!

M

Muaddib1116

Joined
Dec 26, 2010
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I just re-profiled the terribly uneven factory edges on my Cold Steel Recon 1 and American Lawman using my Sharpmaker, and man that was a chore! Even using diamond rods, it took forever! I know AUS8 isn't buttery soft, but it's hardly the most difficult steel to sharpen. Taking down those high shoulders was the real time-sink. Anyways, I'm not the best knife sharpener (probably not even a good one), and I probably didn't do the very best job I could have (I was getting tired!), but I ended up with pretty nice almost-convex edges that easily put these two knives in the top 5 sharpest knives I've owned list. They don't whittle hair, but the shave it easily and slide through receipt paper easily. Anyways, just thought I'd brag a little.:rolleyes:
 
I prefer the Lansky for reprofiling edges.

It's a pain for routine maintenance and I can see using a Sharpmaker for that instead.
 
Once it is re-profiled you are home.

Just don't tell your friends and neighbors that you can sharpen knives. lol.
 
One time I re-profiled a friends Cold steel Ti-lite in a guided stone sharpening system, and that %$&ing stiletto nearly stabbed me twice when it fell out of the clamp.
 
I don't recommend the Sharpmaker to people looking for their first sharpener. There are many, many knives that are over 20 degrees that it just cannot sharpen efficiently. I have spent hours working on one knife. The Edge Pro Apex or Lansky can cut the time down considerably.

Good sharpening,
Dave
 
Congrats on a re profiled edge. There is nothing better.
I did a DUA and a Sebbie 25 almost two months ago for some folks. About 15 minutes a knife and it was a mint 15 degrees per side at the rough finish. Before a member traded them to me. I would do it free hand. I like this much better.
It seems the longest work is removing the diamond marks with the dark ceramics for me. I cheat with a few strokes on 400 grit Wet/dry then jump to the ceramics.
 
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BellaBlades said:
Congrats on a re profiled edge. There is nothing better.
I did a DUA and a Sebbie 25 almost two months ago for some folks. About 15 minutes a knife and it was a mint 15 degrees per side at the rough finish. Before a member traded them to me. I would do it free hand. I like this much better.
It seems the longest work is removing the diamond marks with the dark ceramics for me. I cheat with a few strokes on 400 grit Wet/dry then jump to the ceramics.
Click to expand...
That's where I got sort of impatient. I didn't completely remove all of the diamond marks on the back of the bevel.
 
wvdavidr said:
I don't recommend the Sharpmaker to people looking for their first sharpener. There are many, many knives that are over 20 degrees that it just cannot sharpen efficiently. I have spent hours working on one knife. The Edge Pro Apex or Lansky can cut the time down considerably.

Good sharpening,
Dave
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I have been thinking about getting a clamp system. Even though it's the most expensive, I'm really drawn to the Wicked Edge system. I'm not in any rush, but I'll probably start researching it.
 
I have a set of Mold Master in 240 grit, in case I need to reprofile. I will clamp them to my sharpmaker.
 
I use a lansky only when necessary for reprifiling and sharpmaker for everything else. My recon 1 and both of my xl voyagers had screwed up almost chisel ground bevels, they were a pain even with the lansky but I got kinda lazy because I was tired, so the edges are ugly and wonky but sharp. Until I get an edge pro I dont care how my edge looks as long as its hair whittling, the lansky is more than I like to mess with but it does work well.
 
Congrats on a "best of" edge for you. I love that feeling.

But as you seem to be figuring out, the SM is not the right tool for this job unless you enjoy spending the hours doing it. A coarse bench stone or a belt sander is much faster. I've got both and prefer the belt sander right now, though I have lots of love for the DMT XXC. That stone/plate is a BEAST! Though you'd likely need at a few more stones after the XXC to clean up the scratches enough to go to the SM medium rods after.

The Wicked Edge and Edge Pro systems are both solid. I might even get one at some point. But having experienced the speed and results of the WSKO, I'm not sure I'll ever want a guided hand powered system now. Never say never. Sharpening is a hobby, a skill, a craft, and for some of us, an obsession. :)

Brian.
 
Just got my Diamond rods today for the Sharpmaker, I reprofiled my PM2 in about an hour with them :eek: thank god for Diamond rods :D
 
I just found an older thread where somebody made their own wicked edge system that would use the wicked edge stone holders. He did it for pretty cheap, I might try to emulate it.
 
Muaddib1116 said:
I have been thinking about getting a clamp system. Even though it's the most expensive, I'm really drawn to the Wicked Edge system. I'm not in any rush, but I'll probably start researching it.
Click to expand...


Muaddib1116 said:
I just found an older thread where somebody made their own wicked edge system that would use the wicked edge stone holders. He did it for pretty cheap, I might try to emulate it.
Click to expand...

I was looking for a good clamp based system 18 months ago. I did lots of research and decided the WE Pro Pack was the right one for me. I bought it and have been happy ever since. It's fast, accurate and repeatable. When I want lots of refinement I will tape 1500 - 2500 grit 3M auto sandpaper to the 1000 grit stones before using the strops.

It was a big investment and took a few knives to get the technique down. After 18 months I will say it was worth the money and the time it took to learn the system.......only trashed one blade while learning the WE :rolleyes:
 
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