Spyderco Sharpmaker Rods

ZippoThisKnifeThat

ZippoThisKnifeThat

Joined
Oct 7, 2009
Messages
1,861
How many of you own sharpmakers and have upgraded to Ultra Fine Rods and Diamonds or the likes? I just got my hands on some Ultra Fine Rods and really liking the edge they put on some of my knives.

Please share your methods with your Sharpmakers and UF, Diamond, or any other triangle rods you use with the kit!

Im still new to sharpening with this system and would like to know how you all go about touching up your knives or bringing dull ones back to life.

Have at it!
 
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I received the SM for Christmas and soon lusted after the Diamond and Ultra fine rods so I got 'em! Best thing I've bought in a while. The investment could have been spent on a nice knife, but now all my working knives and kitchen knives are razor sharp! With the diamond rods I have been able to bring back to life some of the nastiest knives in the kitchen and my Wife sure appreciates that. I lay the system out on the counter and within 30 minutes I can have 10 knives sharpened switching between rods. I've got my Para D2 sick sharp with the ultra fines! Best purchase in a while.:thumbup:
 
I use sharpmaker for more than four years and I bought UF rod with it. For PE I use only flats of UF. The biggest problem with standard set when you need to remove more material for repair or reprofiling. I never had diamond rods. Back then they were US made and cost about $70, so I decided to use DMT coarse stone leaned against flat of the rod. Then, on this forum I learned about "Congress stones". The company makes huge variety of stones, among them 1/2" triangular 6" long with various grits and media, for about $5 a piece. These stones are not made for sharpmaker, but most of them will fit. Fortunately for me it is local company, so I went there with my base and bought stones (150 and 320 grit), which fit well to the base. I was pretty happy with results 150 ruby works really good. Later I went back and bought 80, 150, and 320 grit, which sit loose in the base, which allow me just to create angle less than 15 degrees, squeezing tops of the rods together with rubber band.
 
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Agreed with bigmo66 that adding both the diamonds and UF really makes the SM even better! Especially the UF rods which will really put a disgustingly sharp and polished edge on any already sharp knife. I find them very useful for quick touchups during the week as well. But, once a blade fails to shave arm hair or slice paper cleanly, I will drop down the the fine stones, or even the medium/brown stones and then run the blade up to the UF and sometimes finish with a loaded leather strop. Typically 30-40 strokes (total) on each stone on both the corners and flats does it for me. Touch ups may only require 20 or so (again total, so 10 per side) on either the fine and UF or as mentioned, sometimes just the UF.

The diamonds come out if I have to reprofile or fix a ding or chip so they come in handy quite often as well and work ALOT faster than the medium stones.
 
I love the UF prisms. They further refine an already decent edge. The diamond rods have the same problem as the DMT "stones". They tend to lose their particles after a while, and their efficiency drops. The harder you press, the faster it drops. The diamond stuff can't be regenerated. You can change the angle of your prism by sticking a spare prism under the base on one end or the other. If one end is wedged to make a steeper angle the opposite end wedgie will produce a slacker angle. Make sure you always put the wedge rod in the same place. You can only wedge one rod at a time but can turn the jig (and wedge) end for end to sharpen the other side of the blade.
 
tiguy7 said:
The diamond rods have the same problem as the DMT "stones". They tend to lose their particles after a while, and their efficiency drops.
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No offense, but unless you mean "many many years" when you say "a while", you are doing it wrong. If used properly the diamond rods and stones will last a very very long time.
 
I have all of them, but find that reprofiling with the diamond rods takes a long time. The ultrafine do give an extra bit, I'm happy I bought the complete set so I can cover a wider range of sharpening needs (and wants) with them
 
ZippoThisKnifeThat said:
Some cool variation here guys!
Nice to hear a bit about the diamond roads. May have to pick those up eventually.
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Personally I don't think you do the 204 Sharpmaker justice without the diamond and ultra-fine stones. Even if you do use a high end diamond benchstone for reprofiling and for re-beveling badly abused blades I still say that there is plenty of legitimate need for having the diamond stones in the kit. I got my first set of 204 diamond stones back in 2002 when they first came out. It wasn't long after that I scored a couple of sets of ultra fine stones for the kit. From that point on I was always amazed at how great of a job I could do in the field sharpening my knives with a kit as compact as the 204 Sharpmaker is.

Now do I think there is room for improvement with the Sharpmaker system. Sure!! there is always something you can do to even improve on something that already is great. I wish they would make a base for the 204 which would also accomodate the Spyderco 701 Profile stones for ultimate serration sharpening. The Sharpmaker is the best kit type sharpener on the market today period. But it never hurts to try to make a good thing better.
 
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