Sharpening for a newbie

[Daskar]

Hey everyone, I’m Daskar and this is my first post.
What is a good sharpening system for a beginner? I am leaning toward a Lansky. Just the 3 stone set. Because I’ll strop after the fine grit. I have heard lots about the Sharpmaker. But I would prefer something that holds the knife for you. What do you guys think?

I’m sure that this has been covered a ton, so sorry for beating the dead horse.
Thanks

 

[ninjajoe]

I had a Lansky a long time ago and didn’t like it. If you don’t keep re-positioning the knife in the clamp, you'll end up with a thin tip, depending on the knife's dimensions. If you don’t mind re-positioning the knife, I’ve heard others have gotten good results with them. I think the sharpmaker would be a better bet; it isn’t hard to keep the knife vertical, and its more convenient to set up.