Sharpening Systems

B

Bamafan14

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Jan 12, 2014
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I have a friend who has tried an assortment of different stones and gadgets to sharpen knives, but hasn't gotten the hang of sharpening. What type of sharpening system would you recommend for a frustrated beginning sharpener.
 
Buy some Dmt diamond hone stones. Get a Diafold fine and extra fine or dia-sharp. Then practice with your cheap knives and strop afterwards. The Dmt's are all i use and all i do is free hand sharpen. Practice makes perfect.:) the money you save from not buying a wicked edge or something can be used for more knives.:D Every sharpening system i've tried didn't work as well as free hand for me. But didn't buy a high end one like the wicked edge either though.
 
I would recommend picking one and sticking with it until he or she learns to sharpen with it. Granted, some methods are easier to pick up than others. If you're looking for a system for a beginner, I'd suggest the Sharpmaker. If they already have some usable equipment like decent stones, I'd recommend looking at some freehand sharpening vids, maybe picking up a book on sharpening, and sticking with the stones. They may get quicker results by learning to use a system like the Sharpmaker, but I suspect that they'll actually learn more about sharpening by learning to sharpen freehand on stones.

Again, though, whatever this friend decides to use should be used consistently until good results start to come. Jumping from one system to another when you're not skilled in the first place can be counter-productive.
 
I've got a ton of recommendations for different stones and different systems. Well, maybe not a ton, but definitely a few! :) That said, I think Dale is wise to recommend *technique* over gear. I'm guilty of being gear focused. Lots of guys are like this. In any new endeavor we tend to focus on the equipment. But the truth is, with almost any activity that involves a human doing something physical, the technique is more important than the equipment. "It's the Indian, not the arrow."

Tell us what your friend has to sharpen with and I will give you my opinion on whether or not the equipment is the limiting factor. I'll also try to offer suggestions on how to improve, or what equipment might work better than what he has now.

Thanks,

Brian.
 
Yup I have to agree with bgentry it's the skill not the equipment. I started with a DMT Aligner but moved to just using some cheap norton economy stones which you get for $6 and a $3 tube of bad green polishing compound I use to strop on paper and I can push cut newspaper with my knives.

The trick is to find something to use and learn how to use it and try to master it. Jumping around from one thing to another doesn't work and is counter productive as others are saying. And simply just using it when your knives are dull won't get your the greatest results quickly. This is a skill you need to sit down a practice doing, preferably with some cheap knives you don't care about. It's what I did and a lot of us did.
 
Watch you tube videos on sharpening, and go with what catches your eye.
 
Lansky.

No question.

The Lansky system removes most of the variables and leaves only pressure to the user. Sort of like training wheels.

This is the system that first allowed me to feel an edge getting sharp. I languished with hand sharpening for years and still struggle with it. But I'm infinitely better than I used to because the Lansky taught me what I should be looking for. It also produces fast results very reliably.
 
I'd have to second the Lansky, it's pretty fool proof.

Just one thing I find disconcerting is the number of youtube videos I see where the person using the Lansky runs the stone backwards and forwards across the edge - you should only be pushing towards the edge with the stone.
 
I'd say a KME system with Diamond stones. It's a guided clamp system and is very easy to use. I HIGHLY recommend it and is an affordable set up to get into.
 
DREW78 said:
I'd say a KME system with Diamond stones. It's a guided clamp system and is very easy to use. I HIGHLY recommend it and is an affordable set up to get into.
Click to expand...

I am a Smith's TriHone guy but lately I have been looking into these KME's. They appear to be a solid investment.
 
If you do go KME I would suggest going with their gold class diamonds vs the DMT stones. I've done countless knives on my KME with the gold class diamonds, exotic hard steels to 1084 and they just keep plowing through the steel. I wore out my original DMT stones in no time by comparison.
 
I've used a Lansky enough to have a collection of worn out and broken stones. For doing a couple of middle sized knives it is not too bad. For a huge collection.... not so much.
If you are going to get a lansky, My recommendation is to get the starter pack, and then get the course and middle diamond stones. The course and extra course natural stones are pretty well useless on anything but pretty soft steel. However, the lansky system is expensive, the diamond stones don't last all that long, and the other naturals do dish pretty quickly.

The entire system is based on getting the same set-up every time, so it takes some work to get the rods straight, get the clamp on the same every time. It does work. I've gotten some really good edges with it. and for someone who doesn't have great motor control, or just wants to look after a couple knives, its very good for that. I gave all my stuff to a friend who has also had good luck getting some edges started on knives.

But its not magic, and if you have the patients to learn free-hand, that will be much better long term.
 
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