sharpmaker question , please HELP!!!!!!

D

Dr sharp

Joined
Oct 20, 2003
Messages
299
I am so down today:( , i got my new sharpmaker out, grabed some old junkie kitchen knives and 1 shrade old henry 2 inch blade and went to town. oh boy here is where it goes down hill. 1st off i rounded the tips, Why does this happen? Second i was far from scarey sharp, when i went to shave my arm the hairs just laughed at me. The rods were a little slick and sal does recomend rubbing them on each other. 2nd i notice it takes some practice running the blade down the rod. So before i give up someone please cheere me up and tell me all it takes is some practice. I know everyone loves the sharpmaker and sals video is awesome. Could it be i was using small flexiable blades, does that make it harder?:(
 
You know, these same questions just keep coming... We need a Sharpmaker FAQ. Maybe someone like Cliff or Joe could pull all of the pertinent info into a common thread?

Please search for "Sharpmaker" and you'll see thread after thread after thread that contains the answers to the questions that you are asking.

I'm sorry if my reply sounds arrogant, but we get at least three of these every week.

Here are just a few of the threads:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=331690
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=384514
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=379887
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=287211
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=363553
 
Take a black magic marker and blacken the edge. Then make a few passes and see where you are touching the rods. If not at the very bottom you need to be sure you are using the 40 rod setting (20 per side). Stick with the edge of the grey rod until the blade is sharp before switching to the flat. If you are not hitting the very edge you will have alot of work getting the blade sharp but it can be done.

In the attached drawing by Dave Osmo you want to be hitting the blade like picture "B". As you can see both "A" and "C" pictures are going to take alot of steel off the edge to get sharp.

Remember, one of the rules for being allowed in this forum is "WE NEVER QUIT! THEY WILL HAVE TO PRY OUR COLD DEAD FINGERS FROM OUR SHARPNERS".

Hang in there. All the sudden you will be amazed at what you can do and I know you can do it.
 
As far as the issue of rounding the tips, that can very easily happen if you are not very careful.

Especially when using the dark rods, it is important that you stop your downward stroke before the knife blade tip crosses over the edge or flat of the stone. I suspect that you were going quickly and the knife went past the edge of the rod, hence rounding it off.

Its been awhile since I watched the video, but I think that it shows Sal flying down the rod. IMHO, a big mistake.
 
I have the same concern about the tips of the knives when using the S/M.

Do you mean that when you get to the tip of the blade that you should stop all downward motion and just pull the tip across the stick ?

I'm trying to visualize exactly what to do ? I know... I'm a little thick....

Tim
 
To prevent rounding the tip:

As you slide the knife down the rod, you will be pulling it towards you (as normal).

As you get towards "the belly" of the curve (assuming there is one) on the blade, begin to rotate the knife by pulling up on the handle to that the tip begins to point downward. Continue pulling and rotating all the day down the rod to the base. This will keep the area of the blade that is in contact with the rod perpendicular to the direction of travel.

The goal is to NOT pull the tip of the knife off of the stone. Your stroke should end with the tip of the knife gently resting against the base of the S/M, and still against the rod. It's the tip of the blade slipping off of the rod (towards your body) that rounds the tip.

There used to be a photo on one of the threads that demonstrates what I'm talking about, but I can not locate it right now.

You can also modify your draw such that you start in the middle of the edge instead of the hilt, and sharpen on the belly towards the tip. Be sure to stop the pull towards you before the tip slides off of the stone/rod.


Hope this helps.
 
TedGamble said:
To prevent rounding the tip:

As you slide the knife down the rod, you will be pulling it towards you (as normal).

As you get towards "the belly" of the curve (assuming there is one) on the blade, begin to rotate the knife by pulling up on the handle to that the tip begins to point downward. Continue pulling and rotating all the day down the rod to the base. This will keep the area of the blade that is in contact with the rod perpendicular to the direction of travel.

The goal is to NOT pull the tip of the knife off of the stone. Your stroke should end with the tip of the knife gently resting against the base of the S/M, and still against the rod. It's the tip of the blade slipping off of the rod (towards your body) that rounds the tip.
Click to expand...

I am assuming you are referring to using the flat surfaces of the S/M correct?
I don't think it's possible to reliably do this on the edges.
 
You can start st the tip with the tip just forward of the edge or flat of the stone and push the blade away from you instead if pulling it towards you.
 
I post somehthing similar to this every time I see a simlar thread, but here it is again. (Yes, practice is all it takes, ultimately.)

"You'll get the most out of any "system" simply by learning the proper way to sharpen. Understanding what you're really doing to the edge in terms of the geometry is far more important that the dollar amount spent on the sharpener. These things only work as well as the person using them.

(Yes, some manage variables better than others and offer nice options.)

If you just arbitrarily pick up the first knife you happen to grab and "sharpen" it at some unknown fixed angle, you're gonna be frustrated when it's still dull after 500 strokes a side because all you've done is work the shoulders and haven't even touched the actual edge. Or, you'll quickly form up a wire edge and bust it off over and over again.

I often wonder how many sharpeners have been purchased and then relegated to back of the closet duty because they "didn't work well". "
 
I am assuming you are referring to using the flat surfaces of the S/M correct?
I don't think it's possible to reliably do this on the edges.
Click to expand...
It is much easier with the flats. When using the edges, just try and stop about 1/4" to 1/8" before you get to the tip. Then as suggested above, you can start with the tip on the edge and push forward instead. With the flats, you can stop with the tip still on the rod/stone.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top