S30V sharpening for a newbie?

Fking said:
ugh, what's your problem?

I can't buy the knife i like for less than $400 but certainly can make it sharp for less than $50.

Don't troll the thread anymore!
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HE isn't trolling.....

I was thinking the same thing as some others were also.

You spend $400+ on a knife and balk at $50 or so to keep it sharp...... To me that makes no since at all and it's amusing.

You did ask for recommendations....

In the end it's your money and your knife though.
 
The fact that 1 piece of the puzzle is expensive doesn't at all mean that all the rest should be expensive, especially when the same effect can be achieved for less money.
 
two minutes on the crock stick is all u need. I currently own the The wicked edge,Lansky and crock stick.THey are all excellent products but for price to quality to time ratio nothing touches the crock stick
 
Fking said:
The fact that 1 piece of the puzzle is expensive doesn't at all mean that all the rest should be expensive, especially when the same effect can be achieved for less money.
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That doesn't mean it has to be dirt cheap either, $50 doesn't even scratch the surface of getting expensive for a sharpening system.

There are sharpening stones that cost $300 for one stone, buy a set, strops etc and you would be in the $1000 range easy.

Kinda like buying a Ferrari and then putting recaps on it....

Like I said it's your money though..

That said Crock Sticks will keep it sharp until it really gets dull and metal needs to be removed to refresh the edge then something like the Sharpmaker would be needed.
 
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Fking said:
The fact that 1 piece of the puzzle is expensive doesn't at all mean that all the rest should be expensive, especially when the same effect can be achieved for less money.
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Put it this way, for an assisted sharpening system, the Sharpmaker is very fairly priced. I see online deals for less than $45 right now. DMT aligner is similar but with a different type of media.

And the good thing about the Sharpmaker is that you can wrap the rods with sandpaper for aggressive reshaping. I don't think you're in need of that unless your knife edge is completely dull. Ceramic sticks are effective with any kind of steel out there and are long lasting.

If you're looking for a cheaper way, you're looking at natural bench stones. That will require time and practice on cheaper knives before you get your $400 knife near it. At least with the Sharpmaker, it's a much smaller learning curve. The only thing you need to remember is to keep the blade vertical and not to run the tip off the rods.

Absolute lowest cost might be sandpaper over a flat hard surface in several grit steps but it's only cheap for the short term. You will need to keep buying more since sharpening will wear them out quickly. Also, this has the same learning curve as hand sharpening.

EDIT - Looks like Richard mentioned paper wheels. I love my set and the speed and quality of the results are amazing. It pretty much the best option for a powered sharpening method in terms of fairly low cost and time saved. If you're serious about sharpening, it's worth it. There are a ton of options out there but trying them out to see what works can cost you a lot of money and time.
 
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dsmegst said:
Put it this way, for an assisted sharpening system, the Sharpmaker is very fairly priced. I see online deals for less than $45 right now. DMT aligner is similar but with a different type of media.

And the good thing about the Sharpmaker is that you can wrap the rods with sandpaper for aggressive reshaping. I don't think you're in need of that unless your knife edge is completely dull. Ceramic sticks are effective with any kind of steel out there and are long lasting.

If you're looking for a cheaper way, you're looking at natural bench stones. That will require time and practice on cheaper knives before you get your $400 knife near it. At least with the Sharpmaker, it's a much smaller learning curve. The only thing you need to remember is to keep the blade vertical and not to run the tip off the rods.

Absolute lowest cost might be sandpaper over a flat hard surface in several grit steps but it's only cheap for the short term. You will need to keep buying more since sharpening will wear them out quickly. Also, this has the same learning curve as hand sharpening.

EDIT - Looks like Richard mentioned paper wheels. I love my set and the speed and quality of the results are amazing. It pretty much the best option for a powered sharpening method in terms of fairly low cost and time saved. If you're serious about sharpening, it's worth it. There are a ton of options out there but trying them out to see what works can cost you a lot of money and time.
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Excellent post. :D :thumbup:

Also if one can freehand sharpen a Norton Silicon Carbide Med Bench Stone will put an edge on quick and easy, just another good option.
 
Ankerson said:
HE isn't trolling.....

I was thinking the same thing as some others were also.

You spend $400+ on a knife and balk at $50 or so to keep it sharp...... To me that makes no since at all and it's amusing.

You did ask for recommendations....

In the end it's your money and your knife though.
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maybe he doesn't realize a $400 knife that isn't sharp = an expensive cream cheese spreader. i basically gave up with him. he obviously doesn't have any sharpening experience (so i can't recommend a stone) and he is just looking for a cheap setup "just to get by". instead of spending the few extra dollars now on something that will work better, im pretty sure he will end up buying a better kit/system later on. some people learn better the hard way.

because of his lack of sharpening experience and unwillingness to take any advise beyond what's cheapest, paper wheels are a bad idea, plus they don't fit into his sharpening budget.
 
jimnolimit said:
maybe he doesn't realize a $400 knife that isn't sharp = an expensive cream cheese spreader. i basically gave up with him. he obviously doesn't have any sharpening experience (so i can't recommend a stone) and he is just looking for a cheap setup "just to get by". instead of spending the few extra dollars now on something that will work better, im pretty sure he will end up buying a better kit/system later on. some people learn better the hard way.

because of his lack of sharpening experience and unwillingness to take any advise beyond what's cheapest, paper wheels are a bad idea, plus they don't fit into his sharpening budget.
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Oh I know, if the typical pattern holds that I have seen over the years a lot of money will be spent in the end. That's a lot more than that $50 or so for a sharpmaker, that and a ruined knife or 3.
 
jimnolimit said:
maybe he doesn't realize a $400 knife that isn't sharp = an expensive cream cheese spreader. i basically gave up with him. he obviously doesn't have any sharpening experience (so i can't recommend a stone) and he is just looking for a cheap setup "just to get by". instead of spending the few extra dollars now on something that will work better, im pretty sure he will end up buying a better kit/system later on. some people learn better the hard way.

because of his lack of sharpening experience and unwillingness to take any advise beyond what's cheapest, paper wheels are a bad idea, plus they don't fit into his sharpening budget.
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ok, what do you have to say about this then?
http://www.lanskysharpeners.com/LCS5D.php


And what's the difference between the standard and deluxe version?
 
Fking said:
ok, what do you have to say about this then?
http://www.lanskysharpeners.com/LCS5D.php


And what's the difference between the standard and deluxe version?
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It looks like the deluxe has a fine grit stick as well.

There are two problems I have with a round stick configuration.

First, there's no flat surface to fix a chipped edge. Imagine a small chip on your knife edge. If you run that against a round rod, the rod will dip into the chipped area and dimple it further. Second, there's no way to touch up a serrated edge. Most serrated edges are too narrow for a round stick get into the valleys. If you're interests are only for plain edges, this won't be a problem but I think serrated edges are useful in several areas.

Also, with this set, I only see a single angle guide. I like having two for micro bevels and heavy duty edges.

I would invest another $25 for the Sharpmaker.
 
man you beat me to it..... there really is NO alternative to a sharpmaker for the price... even if you only have a few knives it is MORE than worth it.... just buy a sharpmaker.. really
 
Fking said:
ok, what do you have to say about this then?
http://www.lanskysharpeners.com/LCS5D.php


And what's the difference between the standard and deluxe version?
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That isn't going to get you very far, once the edge won't come back and it will happen you will need to refresh the edge by removing some metal and that just won't do it very easy.

That's more for light touch-ups.

There really isn't any free lunch when it comes to sharpening in the long run.
 
Sharpen it like any other steel, it's a fairly user friendly steel providing you don't roll the edge(cutting something hard, like hard plastic etc.) I wished I would have done a good pretouch up to my BM Switchback because a couple of weeks ago I rolled the edge and it was a real bear to get the edge back!
 
Peter Parker? shouldnt you be chasing after Mary Jane or Dr Octopus? j/k i couldn't resist :)
 
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