sharpening

I tried for so long to get by just using an old benchstone, but I could never really get the results I wanted. Picked up the sharpmaker a while back, and found it to work great, and I also found it really useful to give me a feel for what I needed when sharpening in general. Trying the stone again, I found that it works much better for me now. So yeah, big recommendation for the sharpmaker.
 
Even though I had heard a lot of complaints, I bought a basic Lansky kit. With the grind of my RC-4 I found it was hard to hold it just so in the clamp. Might work better for smaller, thinner blades, but it's already in the closet.

For sharpening systems, sounds like the Sharpmaker is the favorite by far. I'm not as good at sharpening as I'd like to be. Patience is a virtue and all that I guess.
 
I guess I'll pick up a Spyderco setup for home use. I've been trying to learn by hand with stones recently and I've used the Lansky system in the past.

Is there a well-documented strategy easily available to really learn to sharpen by hand? I'd like to have the ability to touch up blades in the field.

Thanks,
Jay
 
Jay - If you have a sharp knife with already established edge, all you should need is a home made double sided paddle strop or one they sell online tithe the compound.

Just google "paddle strop" and you'll find all of the info you can bear to read on the subject as well as the products.

That DMT diamond course/fine deal - forget what it's called - that one that folds into itself would be very nice too.
 
cziv said:
Jay - If you have a sharp knife with already established edge, all you should need is a home made double sided paddle strop or one they sell online tithe the compound.

Just google "paddle strop" and you'll find all of the info you can bear to read on the subject as well as the products.

That DMT diamond course/fine deal - forget what it's called - that one that folds into itself would be very nice too.[/QUOTE]

I have the Smith's version of this. I was planning on carrying this in my pack/sled during my winter trips. I've managed to make most of my knives "sharpish" at best. Even my good kitchen knives won't hold an edge very long
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steelheadr,

You can get them for way cheaper than that site. Just copy and paste them into Google and you'll find them all over the place. Amazon has them with free shipping too if you don't need them in the next few days.
 
Smith Kit is shitty, doesn't hold the knife in the clamp securely - I dinged up my EDC knife of 18 years with the da** thing because the blade slipped and the rod was flopping around on the finish, mid-stroke.

The kit is fine if that's what you want. It's your knife and your hobby.

What I showed you is very portable, especially the duo-folder on the bottom of that page and dirt cheap from Amazon. Like $28 with free shipping or the aligner with "three diamond grits" is only a few dollars more and won't take up any space at all in your kit.

I agree with convex all the way. I use a Sharpmaker, complete with diamond rods if I want to set bevels, also I'm getting very good very fast with mousepads and wet/dry sandpapers. Then I strop the heck out of them to start blending those bevels to a nice convex edge!
 
cziv if you want to never see that Smith's sharpner you can send it to me! I'll be happy to pay postage.
 
steelheadr said:
I guess I'll pick up a Spyderco setup for home use. I've been trying to learn by hand with stones recently and I've used the Lansky system in the past.

Is there a well-documented strategy easily available to really learn to sharpen by hand? I'd like to have the ability to touch up blades in the field.

Thanks,
Jay
Click to expand...


Here's a link to some instruction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQCkKPGSOtA

There is all kinds of help with convex sharpening on the web.
 
cziv if you want to never see that Smith's sharpner you can send it to me! I'll be happy to pay postage.
Click to expand...

I would rather blow it up with my 12 gauge thanks. I'm too lazy to drive to the post office and go through all that. The side of the barn is a very fun way of disposing of things that tick me off. Broken keyboards, computer monitors that give out exactly when I need them, my Dad's old phone that he bragged about every week for 5 years to me (he needed hearing aids) and then passed down to me.

I take them all to the barn and prop them up on the woodpile and blast them with one of my pistols. The real pissers get the 12 gauge with skeet loads at close range. Like his rotten phone and the Smiths is going to get! :thumbup:

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Got my Sharpmaker yesterday and touched up a couple of blades this morning. Very easy to use and simple in design. The edges turned out nice and sharp and I only used the medium stones.

I believe that my Lansky set is officially retired except when I might want to reprofile an edge. The coarse stones will be quicker than the ceramic medium.

Thanks for the recommendation guys.
 
Can you get a blade sharper with the Spyderco Sharpmaker or a Sharpening stone?
Also people say get the diamond hones with the sharpmaker. How much extra do those cost? Would a leather belt, one side tied to a pole the other end in your hand and you run your knife on the belt make it sharper after you use your preferred sharpening device?
 
I use a Sharpmaker, using all stones complete with diamond rods first if I want to set bevels. I'll use a pencil and get about 22.5 - 25 degrees, move to the 30 degree setting, then the 40 degree setting. Then I strop the heck out of them to start blending those bevels to a nice convex edge!

I'm getting very good, very fast with mousepads and wet/dry sandpapers and a strop but I'm afraid to take a $100+ blade to the sand paper yet.

My knives are extremely sharp, better than from the factory (except Spydercos, which I don't mess with) I don't know why Benchmade and some others can't put an edge on their knives like Spyderco does.
 
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