Spydie Sharpmaker, Yes or No, and Why

[Spats McGee]

Probably not is my answer. If you didn't already have the Diafold then I would recommend but if you are getting good results now then save the money for your next knife.
It is easy to get all wrapped up with the next piece of sharpening gear but remember, a sharp knife is a sharp knife regardless of the equipment used to get it there. Just use the gear that works for you.

Half the fun for me has been figuring out what works for me.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Half the fun for me has been figuring out what works for me.

Another aspect to that journey is figuring out how individual sharpeners fit into particular niches of edge character or knife usage. Any one sharpener of decent quality can get a knife 'sharp'. But 'sharp' is subjective and has an infinite range of character nuances. Experimenting with many different options is a good way to figure out what you like to use for certain knives, steels or situations.

 

[TheEdge01]

I’d say yes! I used one for several years and it worked great. I recently moved on to water stones, but the Sharpmaker gets a big thumbs up from me.

 

[Spats McGee]

Another aspect to that journey is figuring out how individual sharpeners fit into particular niches of edge character or knife usage. Any one sharpener of decent quality can get a knife 'sharp'. But 'sharp' is subjective and has an infinite range of character nuances. Experimenting with many different options is a good way to figure out what you like to use for certain knives, steels or situations.

Yeah, I’m seeing that. I’ve (mostly) got enough gear that I can experiment, and the interplay between different stones & steels is interesting.

 

[Pcexbird]

If rounding off the tips is your problem, only use the flats and just “scrub”. Don’t ever let the tip slip off. I learned that from a YouTube video some guy who’s a good sharpener made about it. I don’t ever use the corners anymore.

I use my DMTs to set the bevel and the Sharpmaker for bringing the edge back. It will sharpen a knife from dull, but it’s very slow to reprofile an edge. I think the Sharpmaker’s great, and it’s fast, and definitely easy.

Would you please link to this video?

 

[Spey]

ANYONE with a serious interest in a SharpMaker should, in my humble opinion, go back in time and watch ALL of Sal Glesser videos on his creation. The vast majority of other videos and various discussions I have read over the decades on this tool barely scratch the surface (example: how many videos have you seen with tool being used in horizontal position, using both stones at the same time, how/why/when to use flats vs corners, how to preserve needle-point tips, how to use on bevels that do not match the tools two main geometry positions, etc.) . Sal is easy to listen to and a joy to watch from the days of his prime. So many options that Sal covers is truly an enlightening experience.

As many have already mentioned above, makes a great tool for maintaining sharpness on pre-existing good geometry.

EDIT:
All videos on a DVD for only $6 (or hunt them down individually for yourself):

Tri-Angle Sharpmaker® DVD - Spyderco, Inc.

This step-by-step instructional DVD teaches you everything you need to know to use our Sharpmaker to sharpen virtually every cutting tool you own. This is the same DVD included with every Sharpmaker kit....

www.spyderco.com

There is no reason you can not maintain a bevel set at any angle with the SM. Those that say you are limited to (insert 15°, 20°, etc.) ..., are simply unaware of how to use the tool ;-) and should strive to be a smarter tool than the tool being used.

 

[Alpha556]

Like previously stated if your edge bevel is already set to 20 degrees than the sharpmaker is great to touch up and maintain a very sharp edge. Very easy and very fast.
But for me it's a nightmare trying to put a different angle bevel.
I use the new worksharp fixed angle system.
With those two systems I found a way to get a precise edge bevel and a way to maintain it quick and effortlessly.

 

[Pcexbird]

Like previously stated if your edge bevel is already set to 20 degrees than the sharpmaker is great to touch up and maintain a very sharp edge. Very easy and very fast.
But for me it's a nightmare trying to put a different angle bevel.
I use the new worksharp fixed angle system.
With those two systems I found a way to get a precise edge bevel and a way to maintain it quick and effortlessly.

The work sharp precision adjust you use?

 

[Alpha556]

The work sharp precision adjust you use?

The worksharp precision adjust sharpener. For $50 shipped from the big river site I highly recommend it paired with the sharpmaker for an affordable way to a precise edge with a way to easily maintain it