The Sharpening Failures of a Novice...

tjswarbrick said:
I haven't tried it, so should probably keep my trap shut.
But: the Sharpmaker still requires the user to have a steady hand to maintain a consistent edge, and
I've seen recommendations to use Extra Course Diamond rods (bought separately) to re-profile and repair. Like, it'll take hours and hours on the supplied medium stones.
(Side note, I love Spyderco knives and carry at least one every day.)

If the WorkSharp is out of your reach (which I totally understand) I'd take a long hard look at one of the $50 DMT, Lansky or Gatco guided systems to give good, consistent results with the least amount of cost and trouble. Just use light pressure - like you're shaving. Beckers come with a 23dps factory edge, which may not be available on the supplied clamp guides. Either spend a lot of time at 20 degrees to reprofile and get the initial burr, or go in at a 25 degree secondary bevel.
Then, when you get comfortable and want a further refined edge, you'll have a feel for what you're doing when you step into free-handing on your choice of bench stones, sandpaper on glass for scary-sharp edges, or sandpaper on mouse pads for convex edges.

Free-handing gives you much more freedom to get the exact edge you want, and puts you in touch with your knife in a way few other things can. But the learning curve is so long and so steep (at least for a klutz like me) that the frustration can easily lead to burn-out long before you get a truly satisfying edge on your blade.
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I discovered that the WorkSharp is indeed in my reach if I just removed the BK2 from my cart (really was the last thing I thought of). :D So my question now becomes: what about that guide. I've watched YouTube videos; I've read articles; I've even spent (too much) time on Amazon reviews. Every complaint that I've seen regarding the Ken Onion relates to that pesky guard. Have you had any trouble with it? How do you sharpen the tips of your Beckers if you aren't supposed to pull the tips all the way through the slot?
 
Me like da BK5 :cool:
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zfJames said:
Being a complete novice when it comes to sharpening my knives (my usual attitude was "if it cuts wood, it ain't dull"), I failed on my first attempt to sharpen my Becker. Epically. Here are the pictures documenting the tale, starting with my first official Becker test results photo:
exportproduction_4-1-e1521751261291.jpg

After this 'adventure,' I spent some time trying to figure out how to sharpen my blade. Novices like myself never know what sharpener to get; hence the Lansky that I bought and used in this story:
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All was going well at the start. I had whisked it up and down the small slot at the top, then I had finished it off with the rod. Then I repeated the process. Again, all seemed to be well. A little bit of black coating/finish had been lost, so I examined my sharpener:
exportproduction_4-10.jpg

...only to discover that there was a large amount of coating/metal which had collected at the side of the sharpener. Upon inspection of the blade, I found this:
exportproduction_4-11.jpg

So, given my unusual level of success (at failing to sharpen my blade properly), do any of you have any advice (you probably have lots of advice at this point) about what I should do to PROPERLY care for my Becker blade? Beyond just sharpening tips (and methods since I obviously lack a method), what else do you do to care for your Becker?

Disclaimer: I cannot prove that the chip occurred during the process of sharpening. However, that seems the most likely scenario given the slightly metallic glitter upon my sharpener (practically invisible in the picture).

EDIT: If you feel that this thread belongs in the appropriately-entitled "Maintenance, Tinkering & Embellishment" section of the forum, feel free to move it. I believed that, given the specific Becker-oriented nature of my question, this thread belonged in the Becker section. Other views may, of course, overrule.
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That should sharpen right out in a few sharpenings. I've done chips like that hitting the ground when chopping. This small little chip doesn't take away from the rest of the useable edge of the knife though. A coarse diamond stone should sharpen that chip away in time.
 
91bravo said:
That should sharpen right out in a few sharpenings. I've done chips like that hitting the ground when chopping. This small little chip doesn't take away from the rest of the useable edge of the knife though. A coarse diamond stone should sharpen that chip away in time.
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Sounds good! I'll see what I can do! Right now, I'm just waiting for a break in my schedule so that I can make a final sharpening-system purchase decision...
 
zfJames said:
I discovered that the WorkSharp is indeed in my reach if I just removed the BK2 from my cart (really was the last thing I thought of). :D So my question now becomes: what about that guide. I've watched YouTube videos; I've read articles; I've even spent (too much) time on Amazon reviews. Every complaint that I've seen regarding the Ken Onion relates to that pesky guard. Have you had any trouble with it? How do you sharpen the tips of your Beckers if you aren't supposed to pull the tips all the way through the slot?
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Without the roller guide the right side of the KO will push your blade thru. Not Good!!!! To sharpen the tip just follow the contour of the blade against the outter guide and the knife edge on the belt. Roll with the shape of the blade as your pulling it thru. Stop before you get the tip half way over the belt. Repeat other side. Give the blade a hesitation to cool and repeat.
 
Tanker 1/66 said:
Without the roller guide the right side of the KO will push your blade thru. Not Good!!!! To sharpen the tip just follow the contour of the blade against the outter guide and the knife edge on the belt. Roll with the shape of the blade as your pulling it thru. Stop before you get the tip half way over the belt. Repeat other side. Give the blade a hesitation to cool and repeat.
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I had the opportunity to check out each of the WorkSharp models at Cables and I really like the regular WorkSharp for my purposes. The Ken Onion is just too expensive given the small size of my current blade collection. I walked away with a WorkSharp Field sharpener, which is a pretty nifty gadget for what it is. I think I'll be back soon for a WorkSharp though... ;)
tanglediver said:
Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from making bad decisions.
Mark Twain

You ought to see some of my failures, well, maybe not.
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Lol. Thanks for the quote! That fits this situation perfectly!
 
What are Experienced knife sharpening Member’s thoughts on guided systems such as Wicked Edge Sharpeners or the EdgePro System for Beginners?

I’ve read that these two systems are easy to use with great results. Once comfortable on these systems, a hopeful move towards freehand sharpening for that more traditional feel. Any input is appreciated.
 
BenchMEDAL said:
What are Experienced knife sharpening Member’s thoughts on guided systems such as Wicked Edge Sharpeners or the EdgePro System for Beginners?

I’ve read that these two systems are easy to use with great results. Once comfortable on these systems, a hopeful move towards freehand sharpening for that more traditional feel. Any input is appreciated.
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From what I've heard, the answer is "great but expensive." As several other members have posted (and after I got the opportunity to look at them and try them out), I would say that a WorkSharp would be a better choice if you're looking to go big. I have also heard really good things about the Lansky systems, although they aren't my cup of tea.

You will get the job done really quickly with a WorkSharp and you can free-hand if you want to after you get used to the setup and feel comfortable with holding an angle.

Honestly, if you want to get the best opinions, try asking this question as its own thread on the Maintenance forum. The moderators encourage asking different questions in their own thread, although I can definitely see how your post could be relevant. Have fun, and welcome to the forums (very late, I know, but still)!
 
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