Sharpmaker Mods

S

SanShou

Joined
Nov 18, 2005
Messages
258
Hi!

In the months I've been around, I have read some comments of people that speaks about their modifications to the Sharpmaker to exapand it possibilities.

The most usual seems to be making more sharpening angles (with a protractor I suppose) or attaching sandpaper to the rods to get custom made coarse stones.

I have only made the last one and was wondering what have you done and how to make the Sharpmaker greatest than it is. I'll post pics of how I attached the sand paper and my experience reprofiling when I get home :)

I was thinking about making a multi angle home made system but I'm not sure how yet...
 
I've been pondering that myself... how to make the Sharpmaker more flexible without sacrificing usability or portability, at least. My whole thing is that I want to use 10/15 bevels on some of my knives instead of being limited to 15/20 (yeah, I know I don't have to make a relief grind, but I do prefer it.) I really want a solid means for setting arbitrary angles without a lot of fuss, but I haven't seen any tricks that I like so far.

One thing I'm curious about related to your experiences; do you have to use it in a different way with sandpaper, or do you still use the same sharpening technique? I've only heard detailed accounts of sandpaper usage for stropping; it would seem to me that the blade would damage the paper if sharpened with an edge-first motion.
 
My whole thing is that I want to use 10/15 bevels on some of my knives instead of being limited to 15/20
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Some of us have resorted to putting a fulcrum under the center of the base which allows it to teeter-totter, thereby altering the out-of-the-box angles. I have found that putting a 1/4" diameter dowel under the center reduces the angles by approximately 5 degrees.
 
Hmmm... a regular ol' No. 2 pencil is about the same size, guess you could use one of those instead. And it won't roll as easily, either.
 
why doesn't spyderco just make a new base for 10/15? i need a place to store my diamond/ultrafine rods anyways...
ryan
 
05dr said:
why doesn't spyderco just make a new base for 10/15? i need a place to store my diamond/ultrafine rods anyways...
ryan
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I second that. I wish there were other sharpmaker models that did different angles. It would be cool if the different models came in different colors, that way you can easily tell which is which.
Or how about an even larger sharpmaker that has all kinds of angle arrangements, and can store 8 rods?
 
I've heard of using a fulcrum, but I can't see it being particularly stable or consistent unless the fulcrum is glued on, and then the angle changes become permanent.

Although, perhaps a design that involved Velcro or something similar (that 3M industrial stuff, maybe?) with a fulcrum in the center and a supports at each end, all removable, might work out okay. Still sounds a little shaky and cancels out the option to use the underside of the Sharpmaker as a traditional benchstone, but those disadvantages can be considered highly debatable (the Sharpmaker isn't really meant to be a freehand benchstone.)
 
There was a thread around these parts with the angles produced if you use a sharpmaker stone as the fulcrum. It just occurred to me that you could use a rubber band looped around the 204 to hold the stone in place. Here and here.

I would also love a 10/15 Sharpmaker, but the fact that one doesn't exist is encouraging me to learn freehand, which is seeming a lot easier than most people persuade themselves it is. Here.

In another thread, Sal suggested drilling holes in wood at the angles you wanted and putting the SM stones in there. Half inch holes I think they were... Here.

Someone on the Spyderco.com forum added extensions to the top of their stones for hawkbill sharpening too. Here.

I'll try and find the links to the threads later on.
 
Interesting ideas... I'm actually going to work on my freehand technique anyway; I'm really holding onto the Sharpmaker for the serrated blades I own and other things that the Sharpmaker can hone, but that bench hones can't.
 
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