Sharpening Spyderedges? Your Method?

[JD Spydo]

I know we've talked about this before but it's not a bad idea to see if anything new has developed. Still my favorite sharpening tool to use on Spyderedges and most other knife serrations are the Spyderco 701 Profiles. Lately I've had a couple of people inquire with me as to what I thought about the GOLDENSTONE and I haven't heard much of anything about it. It's almost like there is a boycott against the tool or something of that ilk .

Well I'm convinced that there are probably several ways to sharpen Spyderedges and other serrated edges popular on the market today. I've talked to people who use DMT's conical diamond rods and their ceramic conical rods as well. I'm hearing more and more people say they use their DREMEL tool with certain attachments and have decent luck.

If anyone is using a GOLDENSTONE to sharpen their Spyderedges I would sure like to hear about it because I can do a much better job with the old 701 Profiles. I know that many of you all use the 204 Sharpmaker but I've discovered problems with it. Does anyone at all use the GOLDENSTONE? What about sharpening tools made by companies other than Spyderco?

 

[Lee48]

I've only used the Sharpmaker on serrated knives. For me, it works fine. I've never even heard of Goldstone before now.

 

[Jason B.]

The biggest problem with any sort of honing on the primary grind of the serration is distortion of the serrations. For this reason I only sharpen the backside of serrations using flat stones with the knife layed flat, or at a very shallow angle with a profile rod. I work-up a burr on the front of the serration then power buff to razor sharpness. Keeps metal removal to a minimal and sharpness to the maximum

 

[vanslem6]

I've only used the Sharpmaker on serrated knives. For me, it works fine. I've never even heard of Goldstone before now.

This. I use the ceramic stones, and I do it somewhat often. Takes a minute or two, but I just use the corners on the 40˚ side - 10 to 15 strokes on the ground side, and 1 or 2 strokes at a flatter angle on the flat side. Sometimes I touch up the tip on the flat side of the ceramic stone. I'm still learning, but it still saws through anything, lol.

She needs a little TLC right now, lol.

 

[Norther Hunter]

This. I use the ceramic stones, and I do it somewhat often. Takes a minute or two, but I just use the corners on the 40˚ side - 10 to 15 strokes on the ground side, and 1 or 2 strokes at a flatter angle on the flat side. Sometimes I touch up the tip on the flat side of the ceramic stone. I'm still learning, but it still saws through anything, lol.

She needs a little TLC right now, lol.

This works just fine on my 19 year old POLICE...razor sharp in minutes

 

[JD Spydo]

The biggest problem with any sort of honing on the primary grind of the serration is distortion of the serrations. For this reason I only sharpen the backside of serrations using flat stones with the knife layed flat, or at a very shallow angle with a profile rod. I work-up a burr on the front of the serration then power buff to razor sharpness. Keeps metal removal to a minimal and sharpness to the maximum

Glad to hear your input on sharpening serrations "Jason B">> because I was wanting to hear what you had to say about the subject. Now do you mainly use your Waterstones when you use flatstones? And I'm willing to bet that you probably use something in the extreme fine or ultra-fine range I'm a correct?

Because that is something I'm willing to give a try. I'm also wondering to maybe use your method and take leather boot laces impregnated with sharpening compound to strop the front sides of the serrations with? I mention that because I've had several of the guys over the Spyderco.com forum mention using that method for stropping Spyderedges.

Well whatever your reply I'm willing to give your method a shot when I know more. And if waterstones work the best I'll be getting some.

 

[JD Spydo]

I've only used the Sharpmaker on serrated knives. For me, it works fine. I've never even heard of Goldstone before now.

The Spyderco sharpening tool I referred to is called the GOLDENSTONE. There is information about it on Spyderco's website. It's been available for about 5 years or so. They also at one time had a diamond version of it called the DUCKFOOT which they discontinued a couple of years ago. And I can't figure out why either because I truly have slightly better results with the DuCKFOOT than I do the GOLDENSTONE in most cases.

For you guys who use the Spyderco 204 SHARPMAKER to do your Spyderedges and other serrations with I have one big question to ask. Haven't you noticed that it tends to round off the spike part of the Spyderedge? Also it seems like it deforms the original factory serration>> that's been my results using it. Now I have used it with success with Spyderco's kitchen knives which seem to have a more rounded/wavy serration pattern. But the more spiky pattern that you see on the Japan made and GOLDEN CO USA made Spyders it just doesn't look right to me

 

[Razzle]

The slight rounding off of the spikey parts makes the edge cut more better.

 

[JD Spydo]

The slight rounding off of the spikey parts makes the edge cut more better.

That's interesting>> I think I'll take one of my "hard user" Spyders and maybe try it. Albeit on my serrated Spyderco Hawkbills i.e. Harpy, Spyderhawk, TASMAN ect all have those spiky type of serrations and I've actually found them to cut better for the most part but we are dealing with a blade that has a completely different geometry all together which I can appreciate as well.

I'm still wondering if there are any other companies other than DMT that have anything like their conical rods?

 

[Danke42]

The Spyderco sharpening tool I referred to is called the GOLDENSTONE. There is information about it on Spyderco's website. It's been available for about 5 years or so. They also at one time had a diamond version of it called the DUCKFOOT which they discontinued a couple of years ago. And I can't figure out why either because I truly have slightly better results with the DuCKFOOT than I do the GOLDENSTONE in most cases.

For you guys who use the Spyderco 204 SHARPMAKER to do your Spyderedges and other serrations with I have one big question to ask. Haven't you noticed that it tends to round off the spike part of the Spyderedge? Also it seems like it deforms the original factory serration>> that's been my results using it. Now I have used it with success with Spyderco's kitchen knives which seem to have a more rounded/wavy serration pattern. But the more spiky pattern that you see on the Japan made and GOLDEN CO USA made Spyders it just doesn't look right to me

I think this is the one you're after. https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=253

They say it was discontinued because people would press too hard and knock the diamond grit off. I found a new on on eBay the other year. It's pretty neat.

 

[Jason B.]

I usually use a 1000 grit stone because it's coarse enough to remove metal but not so coarse you hog off a bunch of metal in the process. It also allows the buffing wheel to produce a clean looking finish without being under or over polished.

I use an 8in leather wheel with green compound but have also used tight sewn cotton wheels with great results. The shoe lace method in my hands didn't work so well, I'm pretty picky about my edges though.

 

[JD Spydo]

I usually use a 1000 grit stone because it's coarse enough to remove metal but not so coarse you hog off a bunch of metal in the process. It also allows the buffing wheel to produce a clean looking finish without being under or over polished.

I use an 8in leather wheel with green compound but have also used tight sewn cotton wheels with great results. The shoe lace method in my hands didn't work so well, I'm pretty picky about my edges though.

Jason I'm definitely going to look into some of the methods you've listed. To sharpen from the back side really makes me curious in a good way and I'm convinced that you're definitely on to something that works. That's why I started this thread because I just knew in my gut that there has to be other more non-conventional methods of sharpening Spyderedges and other serration patterns.

I still maintain that Spyderco's older/discontinued 701 Profiles were a genius designed tool and are a great solution for many different sharpening jobs. If they would bring them back and offer them up in more grits I think they would be amazed at how many different tradesmen would find them useful in their vocation.

 

[JD Spydo]

I've been chatting with a friend over at the other Spyderco forum and he has told me that by the use of a Dremel tool he's able to get the edges super sharp. I'm going to give my Dremel tool a try at this myself because I do have a huge selection of Dremel attachments that could help hone the Spyderedges. I'm wondering if any of you all have had decent results with a Dremel tool and if you do which attachments did you use.

I've also had another friend tell me that he's wrapped his DMT rods with super fine aluminum oxide sandpaper and silicon carbide paper and has claimed great results as well. So far you guys have come up with some interesting ideas.

 

[uxo2]

GOLDENSTONE ???


No reason to want want one.

My 20yr old SharpMaker works just fine and travels easy.

 

[shipwright]

I've been sharpening serrations on the Sharpmaker for about 13 years and it doesn't deform the serrations in a bad way at all. All the points are just as pointy, and the concave sections just get more polished. I sharpen both sides and use light pressure against the rods. I try to alternate pushing and pulling strokes to make sure I hit all the curves evenly. I go all the way up through the ultra fine rods. Works great, and there's nothing like a Spyderedge that's crazy sharp.

 

[marthinus]

I have used my Atlantic Salt for site work for 4 years now, sharpened it numerous times on just a stone on the back of the serrations, reground it as well. For site work I prefer SE as I can cut everything required. Not pretty cuts but separate two materials from one another.

When the day comes that the inner scallops are almost parallel to the teeth all I am going to do is take a rat tail diamond file, dremel and rework them. Boom, another 4 years + of service. One of the best knives I have ever bought.

[/quote]

 

[Jason B.]

Here are some photos of my brothers knife. It's been sharpened a handful of times in the last year with about 3-4 trips to the stone, most of the time it's just the polishing wheel though. You can see the faint line at the top of the blade grind where the stone touches on the backside.

 

[blanex1]

i mostly have been using the sharpmaker,but also have used a smiths diamond rod when the edge gets real bad!but don't use my serrated native 4 that much these days.

 

[JD Spydo]

i mostly have been using the sharpmaker,but also have used a smiths diamond rod when the edge gets real bad!but don't use my serrated native 4 that much these days.

Just curious Blanex1 how do you compare Smith's diamond rods with the conical diamond rods that DMT makes? I've had such good luck with some of DMT's manual sharpening tools that I haven't tried many others. That is if you've even used any of DMT's sharpening tools before.

And for you guys who are having such great luck with the 204 Sharpmaker all I can say is "more power to you">> because I do dearly like my 204 Sharpmaker for plain edges. I've owned two of the 204 Sharpmaker units and have had them for years now but again I've had better luck using other methods sharpening my Spyderedged and other serrated blades.

It's funny about the GOLDENSTONE in a strange way because when Spyderco released it they were really proud of it and thought highly of it. They made comments that it was the new sharpening tool they thought everyone would eventually move over to. But it's really strange in a way because even many sharpening fanatics I've encountered here at BF and over at the Spyderco.com forum that I talk to a lot>> I don't hear hardly anyone talking highly of the GOLDENSTONE at all.

I find that extremely strange because I truly thought it was going to replace many sharpening tools>> they even discontinued the 701 Profiles which I still dearly love and like 10 times better than I do the GOLDENSTONE. But if someone can give me the lowdown on the GOLDENSTONE and why they think it never gained any popularity I would love to hear what you all have to say about it.

 

[wiredbeans]

The biggest problem with any sort of honing on the primary grind of the serration is distortion of the serrations. For this reason I only sharpen the backside of serrations using flat stones with the knife layed flat, or at a very shallow angle with a profile rod. I work-up a burr on the front of the serration then power buff to razor sharpness. Keeps metal removal to a minimal and sharpness to the maximum

Thank you so much Jason, that makes a lot of sense.