The path to a sharp knife

[steve-in-kville]

I've following the "Sharpmaker" threads. I looked this product up on the web. I saw pictures, read comments and reports, etc. I have a Lansky but I hate the way it re-profiles the edge. From the ad I read on the Sharpmaker, it is designed for only serrations. Is this correct? What should I be using for the plain edge? I want to invest in a decent sharpening tool, but I am lost. Thanks for any insight.

 

[bladezealot]

I too was not impressed with the lansky. I have been using a sharpmaker, as well as benchstones for about 10 years now I think.

The sharpmaker will take care of most, if not all of your sharpening needs. Straight as well as serrated.

 

[92degrees]

I had pretty good luck with the Lansky, but think the Sharpmaker is faster/easier/better. Coarser stones are supposedly in the works and that will make the Sharpmaker almost perfect, IMO.

 

[RokJok]

Originally posted by steve-in-kville
I have a Lansky but I hate the way it re-profiles the edge. From the ad I read on the Sharpmaker, it is designed for only serrations. Is this correct? What should I be using for the plain edge?

The sharpmaker is not only for serrations. It works very well on plain edges too. My process for sharpening is to reprofile the edge with an EdgePro (if needed), then use the Sharpmaker for maintaining the edge. If I chip or do heavy damage to an edge, I'll put it back on the EdgePro for the heavy work. But the Sharpmaker works fine IME for that "in-between times" edge maintenance.

With the currently available triangular stones, reprofiling an edge with a Sharpmaker is an exercise in slow tedium. I tried it and it didn't work. Those stones are just too fine to remove much metal with any speed. There are supposedly coarser (diamond?) stones due out for it sometime soon, which could conceivably fix the problem.

For its $43 price, the Sharpmaker has proven to be a valuable tool for me.