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Sharpeners, so you have a Sharpmaker and a strop, what single other item is a must

C

Cackmandu

Joined
Aug 24, 2015
Messages
196
to maintain a great edge on your blades? It could be a stone, other Sharpmaker rods or even a compound, what say you?
 
For me, the absolute easiest form in which to maintain an edge (and the quickest I've found) is to use a guided rod system and get as close to a flawless (and even) edge as you can first. Once you are hair splitting hair shaving sharp, a couple of passes on the white sharpmaker stones and or the strop... You're good to go!

My FG Bodega has a 20 degree edge from a Wicked Edge system I put on a few years back. I'll cut up cardboard, styrofoam, nothing too harsh but they will dull an edge faster than anything! All I do is hit it for 6- 10 passes on the Sharpmaker's 40 degree setting and it's back to spec.

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Have to agree with dc on this one, a guided system works very well for getting that perfect edge when money is no object. If on a tight budget, I could put on a nice edge with a India stone, sharp maker and a strop.
 
The SM's standard rods are good for maintaining a sharp edge.

You'll need the Diamond/CBN rods or a guided system like the DMT Aligner for restoring, repairing, reprofiling. The rods are okay for light tasks like these but I much prefer the guided systems especially for repair and reprofiling.
 
woodysone said:
Have to agree with dc on this one, a guided system works very well for getting that perfect edge when money is no object. If on a tight budget, I could put on a nice edge with a India stone, sharp maker and a strop.
Click to expand...

Woodysone, free handing an edge is something I would love to be proficient at! I've got a long way to go Lol. As far as a guided system, you can get a nice Lansky system for about $39 and a basic system for about $24.
 
What about an Extra Coarse dmt? Get it the way you want it on the plate, keep it that way on the SM. I wrecked a set of rods with too much pressure and unrealistic expectations. Second set rarely used. Many of my edc rigs get that treatment and I have few complaints.
Russ
 
I'm not exactly impartial, but in addition or in combination with, or instead of all my other gear - one of my sharpening Washboards and a Norton Crystalon would be the first things I'd replace if I had to rebuild my gear from the ground up. Those two alone are capable of 80% of all my sharpening needs, and I'm not just talking about hard-use edges either. Throw in some fine honing compound and the coverage expands even more.

No matter how else I get to the final steps of an edge, I always finish on a Washboard with plain paper and 9 of 10 I maintain on same with a bit of honing compound.
 
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