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Sharpmaker Ordered, Now What?
- Thread starter sabre cat
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If your knives are already pretty sharp, and you're just looking to keep them that way, the stock kit should be fine for you. BUT, if you ever have to resurrect a very dull blade, or thin the edge grind on any blade to make it fit within the set limits of the SM (within or below 30°-40° inclusive, or 15°-20° per side), then you'll likely want or need the more aggressive rods (diamond or CBN; probably wouldn't need both).
The optional Ultra-Fine rods could be useful after you've refined your technique on the SM, for higher polish and finer edges. With that being said, even the stock 'medium' rods can be used to produce hair-popping edges, if technique is good (held angle and use of very light pressure). If still needing to improve technique, I wouldn't even use anything other than the 'medium' rods in the meantime. In other words, if edges aren't already very good coming off the medium, the Fine & UF rods likely wouldn't do much good anyway. I've personally preferred using only the medium rods most of the time, as I've liked the little bit of extra 'bite' they leave in the edge.
David
The optional Ultra-Fine rods could be useful after you've refined your technique on the SM, for higher polish and finer edges. With that being said, even the stock 'medium' rods can be used to produce hair-popping edges, if technique is good (held angle and use of very light pressure). If still needing to improve technique, I wouldn't even use anything other than the 'medium' rods in the meantime. In other words, if edges aren't already very good coming off the medium, the Fine & UF rods likely wouldn't do much good anyway. I've personally preferred using only the medium rods most of the time, as I've liked the little bit of extra 'bite' they leave in the edge.
David
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The only thing that I have in addition to my sharpmaker is a leather strop with two different stropping compounds. It's amazing, and often gets used more than the sharpmaker. It's a great way to give edges a quick tune up.
When I do use the sharpmaker, a few passes on the strop is always my last step.
When I do use the sharpmaker, a few passes on the strop is always my last step.
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First, order a set of Diamond and Extra Fine rods. Then practice until you can't stand it on cheap $5-$10 knives. There is a learning curve.
Now for a little bit of my experience....After you've driven yourself nuts with a bunch of uneven bevels, or edges that are sharp in some spots, but not others, come back here and ask what to do. The answer, buy a guided system and have amazing edges. In order of price....KME Sharp, Edge Pro Apex, Wicked Edge. The KME is my favorite and cheapest. Now you keep the Sharpmaker out on a table for touch-up's on knives that have already been given amazing edges. Now I pretty much only use the Fine and Extra Fine rods on the SM.
Now for a little bit of my experience....After you've driven yourself nuts with a bunch of uneven bevels, or edges that are sharp in some spots, but not others, come back here and ask what to do. The answer, buy a guided system and have amazing edges. In order of price....KME Sharp, Edge Pro Apex, Wicked Edge. The KME is my favorite and cheapest. Now you keep the Sharpmaker out on a table for touch-up's on knives that have already been given amazing edges. Now I pretty much only use the Fine and Extra Fine rods on the SM.
Mike157
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As Obsessed with Edges said, the diamond or CBN rods come in handy with edges that need reprofiling or are extremely dull. The more recent Sharpmakers also have 30 degree inclusive slots. I've re-profiled a number of knives to 30 degrees inclusive and the diamond and CBN rods have helped save a lot of time getting there. I have both because I'm a bit OCD, but one or the other should be fine. The CBN rods are a newer product than the diamond rods and (anyone please correct me if I'm in error) I haven't personally seen any definite reason to buy one over the other. Mike
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^I should've specified down to (or less than) 30°-40° inclusive for the SM's set limits in my post. I have one of the more recent ones with 2 settings, but didn't account for that in my post (since edited). A blade's edge needs to be at or below 40° inclusive for the SM to be very useful at all; it becomes a pleasure to use on a blade that's at/below 30° inclusive (where I like to keep mine).
David
David
mwhich50
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I ordered the extra fine and the diamond a couple of years ago. I think I have used the diamond once or twice. I haven't mastered the Sharpmaker yet because I don't actually use my knives a lot. I still prefer box cutters and scissors for most situations. The stones that come with the SM are adequate if you want a simple working edge. I've gone a little (lot) overboard with my knife purchases. I don't want to go nuts over sharpening systems, as well.
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I would say that the Diamond rods are worth the money, in fact I would sell the Sharpmaker with one pair of diamond and one pair of the brown/gray rods if I were Spyderco!
I almost never use the white ones, the brown/gray rods produce a better edge than I'll ever need and I almost always start with the diamond rods, even for a touch up - at least for a stroke or two. In fact my currently favourite edge is right off the diamond rods without a strop after (or really only a few soft strokes on white compound or 1200 Sic compound on balsa). With a feather light touch at the end, the burr is neglectable, even after only the diamonds.
I almost never use the white ones, the brown/gray rods produce a better edge than I'll ever need and I almost always start with the diamond rods, even for a touch up - at least for a stroke or two. In fact my currently favourite edge is right off the diamond rods without a strop after (or really only a few soft strokes on white compound or 1200 Sic compound on balsa). With a feather light touch at the end, the burr is neglectable, even after only the diamonds.
I agree that the fine is good enough especially followed by stropping.
But I have a question, David. very light pressure is what the sharpmaker calls for? Sounds counter-intuitive to me. How light is light enough? I'm not saying you're wrong, i just want to learn.
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The Diamond (or CBN) rods are imperative IMO. Most knives comes with greater than a 30 degree inclusive edge from the factory (and many come with greater than 40...eek!). I typically end up re profiling the edge to 30 degrees shortly after getting new knives, and that's nigh impossible with the brown rods.
Also as others have said, perfect your technique with the browns before even touching the fine or extra fine rods. You should be able to EASILY shave when you finish with the browns. If not, you're technique needs more work. Spyderco markets the browns as "medium" stones, but I would really call them more fine than medium. So they are a good finishing stone, particularly for steels like S30V that like a slightly toothy edge.
Also as others have said, perfect your technique with the browns before even touching the fine or extra fine rods. You should be able to EASILY shave when you finish with the browns. If not, you're technique needs more work. Spyderco markets the browns as "medium" stones, but I would really call them more fine than medium. So they are a good finishing stone, particularly for steels like S30V that like a slightly toothy edge.
I think he means light touch to finish? I dont have a sharpmaker but use a lansky turnbox, same concept tho.
Once my burr is set on the mediums with decent pressure, I start easing off till its basically the weight of the knife only for the last 10 strokes. Repeat on other side, then strop off the burr and they get damn sharp.
Touch ups I dont bother with the burr, just like 10 medium pressure swipes on each side, then ten or so light ones and done.
I would pass on the upgraded rods unless you have a knife steel that will not easily sharpen on the basic stones.
I would recommend some green compound and a piece of scrap leather from the hobby store. Stropping after the sharp maker and in between sharpenings goes a long way.
I would recommend some green compound and a piece of scrap leather from the hobby store. Stropping after the sharp maker and in between sharpenings goes a long way.
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ALL sharpening calls for 'light pressure' for refining edges. Somewhat heavier pressure will do more damage than good (rolling or chipping a fine edge), EXCEPT when doing the initial heavy grinding for re-shaping bevels and such, before the edge is ready for refinement (nearly apexed, in other words). The stock SM kit, with it's medium and fine rods, won't be aggressive enough to do the heavy grinding anyway. This is why the SM's instructions mandate use of light pressure, as anything heavy will damage the edge, and still won't remove much metal (the stock ceramics aren't capable of that).
For the question, 'how light is light enough?', I use the ceramic rods just as if brushing dust from their surface with the edge of the blade; anything much heavier will be counterproductive as the edge gets thinner. The stock SM kit is a refining tool only, for all practical purposes. So, it needs to be used with a light touch. This is why many have more accurately described the 'Sharpmaker' as a 'Sharpkeeper', as the stock kit is only meant for the regular light maintenance done on edges that are relatively close to being sharp, but not quite there.
And even with the diamond or CBN rods, care must still be exercised to keep pressure within reasonable limits. Really leaning into them can still damage the blade by removing much more metal than necessary and risking rolling thinly-ground edges or chipping very hard steels, as well as shorten the life of the rods themselves by scrubbing excessive amounts of abrasive grit from their surface.
Even for extremely heavy grinding of edges, I'm of the belief that, if you're using such heavy pressure that your hands are hurting or getting fatigued too soon, or if you can't maintain steady control of the blade, you need to select a more appropriate abrasive and grit size for the job. With the right grit, one can still get a lot of metal removed at a comfortably moderate touch without wearing oneself out. 'LET THE GRIT DO THE WORK', in other words.
David
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I have an old Lansky diamond system around somewhere. That will have to do until I get some of the bills paid. For cheap knives, my wife has some garbage kitchen knives from before we were married that I can start on. Why she keeps them around is beyond me. Maybe they fit her hand better than the good stuff now in the kitchen.