Sharpmaker Safety

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matt321

Joined
Nov 5, 2004
Messages
563
OK, how many folks still use the safety rods on their Sharpmaker. I have been skipping that step and was curious what fate has in store for me if I continue to do this?
 
Haven't used them in 3 years, but I tend to not go very fast unless I'm sharpening a blade under 3". I think if you're going to "speed sharpen" kitchen knives or knives longer than 3" you should still use them.
 
A member recently posted a photo where he split the knuckle side of his thumb.

Think about the dynamics of what is going on. You're working towards a hair-popping edge, pushing the edge with downward force, towards tender unprotected flesh.

It don't take no friggin' rokkit syuntist to figger that one out.
 
Please. Please. Please, use the brass rods. It doesn't take that much longer to set them up. Here's the url to what TedGamble is talking about.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=382485

If you really don't want to be bothered with the brass rods, then the sharpmaker base needs to be screwed down to a surface. That way you can operate it with just one hand. Your free hand can then be kept away from the danger zone, or you can use 2 hands on the knife for even more control.

Be safe!
 
matt321 said:
OK, how many folks still use the safety rods on their Sharpmaker. I have been skipping that step and was curious what fate has in store for me if I continue to do this?
Click to expand...

I do use the brass protective rods because I really don't like the smell in the hospital's emergency room.

My knives are too sharp to mess around with. They will seriously bite you if you are not careful. Just not worth the risk.

Here are some graphical pictures, not for the faint of heart , of what a knife wound looks like.

http://www.hockscqc.com/knife/index.htm

http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/kearny/forensic/bodynwater/evidence/grossresults.htm

There is a reason why all my hunting fixed blades have blade guards on them.
 
I have used my sharpmaker extensively, and have never hit the rods, but I always use them anyway.....extra five seconds could save a finger. Think of it this way...If you are playing russian roulette, the chances are that you won't hit the loaded chamber, but, is it worth the risk to play?
 
Kind of sorry I looked at those pictures just before throwing a steak on the grill. Proves a point though !
 
I have only used my rods a couple times in the last 4 years or so. I worry more about damaging my blade than cutting myself. Sooner or later I cut myself when I am sharpening regardless of the tool I'm using. I guess that it has happened about 48 times out of the last 48 years. Most of those cuts happened in the first 8 years.
 
Well, looks like I better start using those dang thangs.

Next question:
How many folks sharpen while watching TV? :o
 
How many folks sharpen while watching TV?
Click to expand...
Sharpening is one of those Zen/Zone things in which I don't want anything intruding my space. Feel the steel on the stone. Hear the swish as it passes over. During that time and space, nothing else exists, unless the wife walks through the house wearing "nothing but cowboy boots", but that's another story...
 
Jeff Clark said:
I have only used my rods a couple times in the last 4 years or so. I worry more about damaging my blade than cutting myself. Sooner or later I cut myself when I am sharpening regardless of the tool I'm using. I guess that it has happened about 48 times out of the last 48 years. Most of those cuts happened in the first 8 years.
Click to expand...

What kind of blade are you sharpening that would be damaged by a brass rod??? To each their own, but a brass rod isn't going to hurt your blade (that's why they used brass instead of something harder) a blade, however, will hurt your hand.
 
Ceramic 'V' sharpeners remove so little metal, IMO it makes no sense to use them for anything but applying a final edge after sharpening on other media, or for touch-ups. That shouldn't be more than a few passes at most .... besides, unless using the Sharpmaker flats, you'll want to use very light pressure. So I just don't see any risk doing a few, light, controlled swipes on one of these without the protective brass rods.
 
up until I got my eze sharp, I used the diamond rods on my sharpmaker to reprofile, and many people do all their sharpening with the sharpmaker. The laughable thing IMHO about all the posts advocating "why bother with the rods" is the fact that those people feel that 5 seconds out of their day to set up the rods just isn't worth mitigating the chances of a cut. 5 seconds!?!?!?!???!!!! that's all it takes to put the rods in and about three seconds to pull them out. How is it that 5-8 seconds is such a hardship? I shouldn't get bent about this because I really could care less if careless people cut themselves, but those are the same people that can't be bothered to buckle seat belts, come to a complete stop at stop signs, don't bother to follow safety procedures at work, etc.. because they are so much smarter than the people that put those rules, procedures, or safeguards in place. I am sure that everybody that thinks they don't ever need to use the safety rods feel they know more about knives, sharpening, and safety than Sal Glesser and the other people that designed the sharpmaker who decided that the safety rods were needed in the first place. *****end of rant***** I don't mean to flame anybody in particular, just thinking about the justifications people use for their actions.
 
Once I forgot to put safety rods and cut my finger bad. Now I remember to do it.
R
 
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