Sharpmaker Diamond Rods – Reprofiling Redux

Magnaminous_G

Magnaminous_G

Joined
Jul 13, 2011
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Redid this video as there have been quite a few questions about the Sharpmaker recently. You can sharpen from butter knife dull to scary sharp with it, reprofile with it, and repair with it. However, the coarsest rods they give you (the brown ceramic rods) are simply not coarse enough to reprofile and repair an edge.

To reprofile (especially from a convex edge) or repair with the Sharpmaker, you either need to jerry-rig something to get the coarseness necessary (for example, by attaching another stone or sandpaper to the rods to get the same angle, etc.)... or just buy the diamond rods. I opted for the diamond rods, and I’m very glad I did. Now, they are not cheap, but they are excellent and cut fast. To further save time, you can use it the jdavis882 way, working each side for a while just like a whet stone, rather than the official Sharpmaker way (alternating one-to-one strokes). This will allow you to completely reprofile/repair an edge in a reasonable amount of time.


((Available in HD!!))
[youtube]ywogvxTQGXk[/youtube]
 
Yep, that's how I use my SS pretty much. I find it's unmatched for regular touch ups as well. Thanks M!
 
Sorry for not being clear, it seemed to slip & hit other parts that are not the surface to sharpen.

Edge seems to hit the top of the rod followed by tip hitting the side of the rod (?) around 4:36. Tip seems to hit base at 9:35,
 
Oh. Yeah, that happens occasionally. I'm not a Sharpmaker master, and even when freehanding on bench stones I will occasionally slip off the stone and stab the side of the stone or gouge it or something like that. :D

As long as it's just one or two errant, light slips, it won't do anything.
 
I see ... Was thinking it might gouge the edge, being diamond ... Forgot the top isn't diamond coated.

I sometimes slip too, with disastrous result :(
 
That's pretty much what I've heard. A coarse stone like the Spyderco rods (which I've actually compared to DMT stones under magnification, and it is similar to DMT C) will break in quickly and smooth out gradually. The only person I know of who has used them hard and regularly for a long period of time is knifenut, who told me that after 10 years, his diamond plates are getting to the point where it might make sense to replace, although they still cut.

I've been using mine for several years and haven't noticed a drop in performance, and I sharpen a lot of knives. I would guess with good care and maintenance for the average person who will use it a few times a year (since you would only be using it for reprofiling a new knife and you could maintain your edges with the ceramics), probably they would last forever.
 
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