Sharpening sheepsfoot blade on the Sharpmaker

Joe58

Joe58

Joined
Nov 11, 2002
Messages
1,969
Hi!

I use the Spyderco Sharpmaker on about every knife I sharpen. I’m quite sharpening stone challenged and normally the knife ends up duller than before I started. Hence the Sharpmaker.

In order to prevent rounding the nice tip on a sheepsfoot blade, is it better to have the knife tilted up a bit in hand, or down a bit? Or just hold it level as you bring the knife down on the sticks?

Thanks guys!
 
So normally, as I bring the blade down on the sticks, I’m also drawing the knife towards me. If I’m following you guys right, you’re saying to just bring the blade down and stop at the bottom of the stick? Not draw it towards you?

And yes, I’m using the flat sides of the sticks. Unless I’m doing a serrated blade, like the wifes kitchen knives.
 
Use your normal down and back stroke starting with heel as normal. Just stop at the bottom with the tip of the knife still on the rod.
 
You can draw the knife towards you, just don't let the tip roll off the flat side of the stone. You want draw back until the tip is half way across the stone and stop there. It's when you draw the tip off the stone that it can round the tip.
 
One way to do it:
Place the TIP of the blade against upper end of the rod, instead of the heel. Then make your sharpening stroke down and away, along the rod, going from tip-to-heel instead of heel-to-tip. That's how I initially learned to protect the tip on the SM.

Another alternative method:
Start lower on the rod with the middle portion of the edge in contact, finishing the pass SLOWLY, with the tip of the blade making contact with the plastic SM base and stopping it's travel before it comes off the lower end of the rod.
 
Ah, ok. I’m following what you guys are saying now. Much appreciated!

Im guessing then use the same method for clip and drop point blades? The spey should be ok to draw off since it is rounded as is?
 
Joe58 said:
Ah, ok. I’m following what you guys are saying now. Much appreciated!

Im guessing then use the same method for clip and drop point blades? The spey should be ok to draw off since it is rounded as is?
Click to expand...
Always finish your stroke before the tip of the knife comes off the hone. A good place to stop would be when the tip is halfway across the width of the rod. Doesn't matter which blade you are sharpening.

Lance Clinton gives some worthwhile tips here:

 
Joe58 said:
Ah, ok. I’m following what you guys are saying now. Much appreciated!

Im guessing then use the same method for clip and drop point blades? The spey should be ok to draw off since it is rounded as is?
Click to expand...
Do what works for you and what you're comfortable with in the near-term.

In time using the SM, it'll be possible, even likely, that you'll develop the touch to finish the passes on the rods in the conventional way, without damaging or rounding the tips. Part of that involves lightening the touch at the end of the pass, so the tip comes off the rod at virtually no pressure. OR, just developing the timing to finish the pass with the tip in contact in the central portion of the rod's width, lifting the tip away before it gets near the edge of the rod. When that touch is developed, it really won't matter which blade type you're sharpening - it'll work.

Keeping everything slowly-controlled and steady, at a very light touch, makes it easier. When the pace gets rushed, pressure usually increases and the timing gets sloppy - that's when the tip gets damaged.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
lightening the touch at the end of the pass, so the tip comes off the rod at virtually no pressure
Click to expand...

Good.

Obsessed with Edges said:
finish the pass with the tip in contact in the central portion of the rod's width
Click to expand...

Good.

Obsessed with Edges said:
slowly-controlled and steady, at a very light touch, makes it easier
Click to expand...

Good, at first, and your muscle memory will allow you to speed up over time.

Joe58 Joe58 you might also try turning your SharpMaker 90° so that instead of drawing toward you, you are drawing out to the side. I am left handed, and sharpen this way, with the SM parallel with my line of sight, not perpendicular to it. I can go much faster this way, with better angle control.

Also, I use the corners of the rods when I need to, on any style of blade. It is a simple matter to quickly reset an edge on the corners, while lightening up pressure towards the tip. Of course this means the tip is not getting as much sharpening as the rest of the blade, but then simply revert to the flats of the stones, and blend the tip in with the rest, strop and done.

That's how I do it.
 
I'm also using the corners of the rods for virtually all touchups on the SM, these days. All of that is done at a very, very light touch in relatively few passes (2-10 per side). If there's any need for any heavier or more extensive work, I do all that on other stones, usually bench stones. The SM is really in it's wheelhouse on the delicate refinement and touchup end of things - it does a great job with that.

As mentioned, all this is possible in time with some continued use of the tool. The touch will come.
 
I just make a normal cutting motion. Can't post any pics of the sheepsfoot I have since they're all modern.

I do find for whatever reason I'm not happy with what a sharpmaker does with my tradional knives. I don't know if it's me, or the size or the steel. For those I use a Byrd Harp and get great results. But those are now discontinued.
 
With the sheepsfoot, let your elbow and/or shoulder be the "pivot" point and learn to keep your wrist locked/stationary (if you haven't) throughout the draw down and back toward you.
Also, your arm should be in the same relative angle and distance from your torso each and every stroke.
... that works for me anyway.
 
As we're on the subject of the Sharpmaker and Traditional blades, what's the best way of trying a Pruner blade with it?

Thanks, Will
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top