Sal rules!

[thestaber]

I just received my 204 sharpmaker and 3 micron diamond compound. I am sooo satisfied! I am just about to use the flat side of the white stones, but so far I have been able to make a pretty sharp knife that will slice paper pretty easily. I have just been using alternating strokes. I am supposed to put a burr on the edge after I use the flats on the shite stones and then raise a burr? Then take the burr off with the compound on an old belt?

Or do I raise a burr, take it off with white stones and THEN strop?

 

[DGG]

Oh, you have woken up the dragon now!

Once friends and neighbors find out that you are a sharpening wizard they will start bringing you boxes of metal objects. Of course you can always extract some liquid refreshement reward for your wizardry services (or oatmeal cookies in the case of my grannie).

About the only way to get a BURR on a Sharpmaker is to sharpen one side only. If you alternate strokes on each edge you will sharpen but never really get a burr since you are removing it by stroking on the other side. It isn't a big deal and it sounds like you have the sharpening down pretty good.

The problem I had when I started was that I really believed the video and thought that 20 stroke was all it took. Maybe on a knife with cheap steel but not mine. I was impatient and moved to the next stage too soon and got frustrated. Then someone on the forum gave me some great advice.

Forget the stroke count. Work as long as it takes to get the blade really sharp before you move to the next stage. Each stage should result in a really sharp edge. The finer grits on the white rod are just refining and polishing the already sharp edge.

I like the compactness of the Sharpmaker and the fact that I don't have any clamps to mess around with and worry about scratching the blade up.

I like the DMT x-course whetstone for the rare times it is necessary to reprofile. I have a homemade strop/hone and some of the green goo for finishing touches.

http://www.dmtsharp.com/general/basicsharp.htm

 

[db]

Yeah you don't need to get a burr. All a burr does is let you know you've gotten to the edge. Then you need to remove it anyways. Go ahead and keep doing what your doing on the finer hones to polish the edge. I personally like the finish on the coarser hones for alot of my knives, but a very polished edge is good for some work too.