sharpmaker questions

[pepper]

i'm sure these questions have been asked before, so i apologize ahead of time, i didn't see the answers on the video (i used to pay a knife shop to sharpen all my knives).

when sharpening REALLY cheap knives (my girlfriend's mother's cheap stainless kitchen knives), what is the best procedure? i realize that i can't expect much, but i can't even get them close to sharp.

i love the maker for my own knives (spyder, benchmade, etc.), even with my very limited skills i have sharpened an old cold steel aus-8 safekeeper II and recon tanto to "scary" sharp.... are the cheapos a lost cause?

also, what is the best way to "touch up" a knife, so to speak...after a few days of steady kitchen use, outdoors, etc....should i start from step one to rebuild the edge every time or is there an easier way? maybe i overlooked this on the video.

btw i really enjoyed the video, in case you are there, sal...i have recommended spyders to many of my friends since 1992 and all have been happy...please don't let the quality drop and the price rise (as has happened in the case of many other successful products)...

regards,

pepper

 

[trane fan]

I purchased a new 204 from an eBay dealer the other day. It's on the way to my house via UPS. I can't wait for it to arrive.

 

[allyourblood]

i don't really have a good answer for your question. i've sharpened some pretty crappy knives on my 204, so i don't think that would be the problem. maybe their edges need to be reprofiled?

also, to "touch up" my knives, i've been just using the final steps (4, or sometimes 3 & 4) to bring them back to razor sharp.

welcome to the forums!

abe m.

 

[dialex]

I managed to sharpen some "chippies" up to the stage of "razor sharp". Just by following the procedures: gray corners, gray flats, white corners, white flats. But it really didn't worth. The junks wouldn't hold an edge for half an hour of light / medium cutting (basically food preparation)
So in this case, I just use a coarse grit stone (like a 303M). It makes a "toothy" edge, far from shaving sharp but enough to cope with regular cutting chores and it lasts longer.