Speaking of sharpening...

BruceWayne

BruceWayne

Joined
Jul 11, 2004
Messages
487
What is the easiest, most user friendly sharpening system? I have never really sharpened anything before, but I was thinking of getting the Spyderco sharpmaker.

BruceWayne
 
Spyderco Sharpmaker

SpydercoSharpmaker05.jpg


SpydercoSharpmaker06.jpg


160 moves like that (2-3 min) and any knife will be shaving sharp. No special skills needed.

If you like to make your own edge - you'll need diamond rods (on the picture), but for shaviing standart set is enough.

SpydercoSharpmaker02.jpg


(I have problem with KaBar only - it has 50 degry angle, diamond rods required for reprofiling, all other knives did not cause any problems (160 moves...))

Thanks, Vassili.
 
Somehow, I managed to DULL my Gerber Applegate/Fairbain Covert ATS-34 with it.:grumpy:
Also, I STILL have problems keeping the angle correct with it.
And HOW do you do that in 2-3 min?:confused: That takes me at LEAST 30min. if I want to avoid rounding off the tip of my knives.
Do not get me wrong here....It usually does a good job, but I SURE do not get the results that a lot of people around here do.
Another problem is that when I use the diamond stones....They leave diamond powder all over the base and in the holes in the base...Then when I put the ceramic rods in, they get scratched up by the diamond ones....Do you know if they sell JUST the base?? I would like to set one up with the diamond stones and never use anything else in that one...

Well, I have my Pro. EdgePro in now, so, as soon as I find someplace to set it up at, I should be good to go.:)
 
How hard are you pressing? Diamond dust coming off sounds like way too much pressure. I like the Fallkniven DC4 stone myself. I know it's not a 'system' but learn to sharpen freehand and you won't look back. Practise on something cheap though :D
 
5 minutes on the Sharpmaker? Sure, if your edges are profiled narrower than Sharpie's preset angles. Otherwise you better have some time or a good, flat coarse stone like the one from Razors Edge.
 
I've also had good luck with the Sharpmaker and don't spend much time to get good results with it. I bought one as a groomsman's gift for my best man and with no experience he was able to get all of his kitchen cutlery to what he called "ridiculously sharp" levels the first day he got it. If you can hold the knife consistently vertical, you should have no problems using it.

Spyderco does NOT sell just the base for the Sharpmaker. I wanted to buy the diamond and ultra-fine stones and a spare base to store them, but no dice.

I agree with Daverave about the diamond dust coming off of the stones: sounds like you are using way too much pressure. You should not apply much more pressure than the weight of the knife when using diamond stones (from what I've read).
 
I love my Spyderco sharpener and when I gave one to my Dad for his kitchen cutlery, he promptly had me sharpening all his knives. It doesnt take long at all. (I agree with the 5-10min avg.) And it is easy to use. The real trick is keeping your blade straight and not angling in to meet the rods. I have seen people doing that. Let the sharpener do the work.
I also needed just rods and got them through a local retailer in the Baltimore area. As for the base, I don't know, mine has lasted almost 11 years and still going strong. I did lose those wimpy brass hand guard rods. So I have some stitches, big whip.
I also have a GATCO sharpening set and like it. That has a clamp that attaches to the knife and the stone is drawn at pre set angles. I found that another easy one for those of us that are not angle friendly and can't figure it all out.
 
How much time it taks has to do with the condition of the knife being sharpened and your experience with the Sharpmaker. I know my first times with it were very measured and careful, getting the knife to stay vertical and also getting used to how much pressure to apply evenly. Later, I was breezing through the very same motions. And I started practicing with crap kitchen knives whose edges were too far gone, so those in the know can picture the hassle and putrid outcome that must have been. But the skill comes very quickly, as does the good results.
 
It sure is not the apex pro!!!

What a learning curve.....................
 
Spyderco does NOT sell just the base for the Sharpmaker. I wanted to buy the diamond and ultra-fine stones and a spare base to store them said:
I have a very old Sharpmaker, with only one angle and it still does a good job. Trying to get just a new base, with more angles, met with a brick wall. Guy in the service dept. was rather snarky when he told me that they sell Sharpmakers....not parts. Then he, apparently, thought about it and relented.....asked for my address. I thought he might have changed his mind but I never heard from him again. Whatever.

Most good companies will try to be of assistance in a situation like that....you know, serve their older customers when something needs replacing or fixing.....who bought their products long before they were so well known.

Considering Spyderco's rep (including the owner) I was both surprised and disappointed that this service dept. guy seemed to think I had some sort of personal problem. Had I been able to get the newer base I was considering buying the diamond stones for reprofiling. Rather than spring for a new Apex. Oh well.
Click to expand...
 
I found that keeping knife vertical is not a problem at all. It is not harder then keep it at the right angle when you cutting or slicing something (if you can not - how can you use knife? - I do not need clams to slice or cut something :) ). It is not required to keep it ideally vertical.

I have a lot of dust when I use diamond rods - but it is steel dust! And I it did not scratch my ceramic rods at all. I found that vet diamond rods better then dry ones. Also I found when reprofiling I need to repeat combination 20 on angle + 20 on flat side + wash it, then 100 on angle and 100. I use diamond rods to reprofile every new knife - I use it enough to make some conclusion. Usually Sharpmaker makes better, more accurate edge then manufacturers provide (except Spyperco) and this may mislead you, I thought that I do not keep right angle etc, until realize that manufacturer edge which I reffering to is actually problem - not even on different side, angle not always same etc.

About base - I heart genius solution on

http://talks.guns.ru/forumtopics/5.html

russian forum from FIXXXL. His Brilliant idea is - take a wooden board and cut any angle out of it - 30, 40, 50 degree whatever, then attach you rods to it, then fix board in the bench etc. He talk about cheap russian diamond rods and suggest just glue them to the board - but I think anybody can came up with some other solution. I thought about glueing sandpaper instead, but never try it for real.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
nozh2002, hope I'm not moving the point of this thread away, but I just got a Kabar myself and I'm not too happy with the out-of-box sharpness (at least compared to my BK7).

When you sharpen your Kabar, are you placing the MAIN bevel flat against the rods or is it just the edge againts the rods?

Since the diamond rods are a bit out of my price range, I'm thinking of using sandpaper on the Spyderco rods for the reprofiling -- does anyone know if this will work? What grit(s) should I be using?
 
I sharpened mine on 40 degree standart way - but I form my own secondary bevel (edge) because original was 50 degree. Exactly as it is on the picture - keep it vertical, no tricks.

Usually manufacturers makes it between 30 and 40, this is why Spyderco recomment 40 - always works without reprofiling factory edge (I like 30 - so I need diamond rods to make it my way). But KaBar is 50 degree - edge should be reprofiled to at least 40 first.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
Let me recommend the DMT Aligner with 4 diamond hones. Mine arrived just the other day and I found it very easy to put a beautiful edge on a Furi kitchen knife that needed a re-bevel, and on a Sebenza that just wasn't up to my standard. Of course both knives benefitted from a couple of strops on a piece of leather with a smear of polishing compound to just finish them off. They were plenty sharp after the 1200 grit but I like the edges very smooth and polished.
Greg
 
I have been away for a couple days. Thanks for all the info. I will probably get the Sharpmaker, but I will check the other suggetsions first.

BruceWayne
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top