Sharpeners

patrickcudd

patrickcudd

Joined
Jan 2, 2006
Messages
554
I've always had great luck using the Lansky diamond system, however I just started getting into high-end knives. I've bought a Busse and a Sebenza (damn this site) in the last few weeks. I intend to use these knives (read not safe queens). The CR manual recommends the Spyderco Sharpmaker. Is there any advantage to the Sharpmaker? Would using the Lansky be problematic for the higher end knives?
 
There are three advantages of the Sharpmaker:

1. It is cheap, $40.

2. It is easy. Fast setup. Sharpens plain and serrated and a bunch of other stuff too. Don't have to worry about blade scratches/clamps, etc.

3. It is made by a real knife company that started their business selling knife sharpeners. They only started making knives when, after sharpening thousands of cra@@y knives at gun/knife shows, they realized they could do make a better knife.
 
Aside from some old timers with years of freehand experience, I have not seen someone able to get my knives as sharp as I can on the Sharpmaker. It's just simply foolproof.

Its a great system, and for $40 you really can sharpen everything you own.
 
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Now don't get me wrong because first and foremost I like the Spyderco 204 Sharpmaker the very best for keeping my blades up to parr. But there is one Sharpener that I purchased a couple of years ago at the 2004 BLADE Show in ATlanta. It is called the SKARB. The one thing I really like about it is that they don't really have a proprietary stone you must use with the unit. The unit does ( or did at that time) provide a 2 sided stone with the purchase of the unit. It is a fixed angle, clamp type sharpener somewhat like the EDGE PRO. But I really like the results you get with the SKARB and I like the fact that I can throw any stone on there that I want to use.

You can use everything from waterstones to the most aggressive diamond stones with great results from any of them. Plus the video that they provide with the unit is pretty much all the help/instruction/explaination one would need to get the hang of it. When it hit the market back in the late 90s or thereabout it was really touted by 3 of the major knife magazines. I do know that they are still in business because I just talked to the owner of the company about 2 months ago. They are at least worth giving a look over. Just Type SKARB into your search engine and you will find their site and a couple of places you can get one.

Another sharpening system that I recommend to those of you who are experimenters like myself would be the RAZOR EDGE SHARPENING SYSTEM. They are out of Ely Minnesota. The CEO of the company John Juranitch has written a great book called the "Razor Edge Book Of Sharpening" by John Juranitch. I really learned a lot about the science/methodology of sharpening by using that kit. I got their ULTIMATE KIT which is really nice and it comes with about all the bells & whistles they have to offer. and the book & video come with it. VERY educational

The only fault I can find with the 204 Sharpmaker but it is easily remedied: that is the fact that they just don't have a stone with that kit in which you can do really aggressive REPROFILING. I gave up asking them to come out with one and got me a coarse NORTON diamond stone to do that with. But the 204 without a doubt is the best comprehensive sharpening kit out there on the open market period. :)
 
I'm sure these are great products, but using Arkansas bench stones and a little oil brings me great pleasure. No clamps. No machines. Just me, the blade, and a selection of stones. A little stropping, and then it's off to the bathroom to have a go at my face. Now that's a satisfying feeling.
 
JD Spydo said:
The only fault I can find with the 204 Sharpmaker but it is easily remedied: that is the fact that they just don't have a stone with that kit in which you can do really aggressive REPROFILING. I gave up asking them to come out with one and got me a coarse NORTON diamond stone to do that with. But the 204 without a doubt is the best comprehensive sharpening kit out there on the open market period. :)
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Hi,
I recently got another sharpener for about $13 from Lowes that Blade or KI had rated last month as outperforming the Sharpmaker, and I'm not that impressed with it, so am considering getting a 204. But a few questions...
Do you think that profiling with a belt sander and then using the 204 would give a good result on a freshly made stock removal blade. Same for reprofiling? And would you use the Sharpmaker before as well as after heat treating.
Thanks,
Bob
 
medit8 said:
Hi,
I recently got another sharpener for about $13 from Lowes that Blade or KI had rated last month as outperforming the Sharpmaker
Click to expand...

I'm curious, how did they define "performance"?
 
They had a lot of different criteria, and I can't accurately remember the specific details, but they assigned points for each catagory and this little crock stick unit had the most, including sharpest ( I think 59 points with the Sharpmaker getting 56). I just checked their site and Lowes doesn't list it at this time.
Bob
 
Your Lansky will work just fine with those knives. If you are looking to spend more $ though the Sharpmaker is a fine choice.
 
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