The WORST sharpening system going! (No Longer!)

L

longbow

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Jan 9, 1999
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Let me edit this post entirely. Finally got the guide rods out of the stone carriers. To me they appeared glued in. No kiddin. A bit of a clear substance that appeared dried and for lack of a better term clear and crackly looking. I am assuming that this was done after the assembly process and maybe at Cabela's where I bought it. A bit of subterfuge maybe. Now they work as the should and are exemplary. Anyways wanted to straighten out my initial impression of the system. Seems to work as it should and the wide stones are nice to use. keepem sharp
 
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longbow said:
Back from vac. this p.m. and while on this little R&R picked up a GATCO sharpening system at Cabela's in W. Va. Well have tried it out and have to tell ya, the friggin GUIDE RODS are to SHORT! What a piece of crap system. Just tried sharpeing up a Camillus Becker Companion. Hosed the coarse the stone as it wore ultra fast, so it had a big dip in it, after about 25 mins of using it. Not kiddin either. Ya I knew it started happening but after about the umpteenth time of the guide rod pulling off the jig, to heck with it I said. That along with the short guide rods is an exercise in frustration. Had the clamp right down on the flat of the blade right at the plunge. Anyways live and learn. May work on very small narrow blades. keepem sharp and not recommended :thumbdn:
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Thanks for the info! looks like I won't be straying too far from my sharpmaker anytime soon...LOL:cool:
 
Um....

You did pull the guide rods out from the stones, right? They extend...

I find they work a lot better like that...
 
What he said. They extend out.

I have the GATCO Professional. I am very happy with mine.

I also purchased mine at Cabela's. I added the extra fine and ultimate finishing hones. I purchased those from GATCO.

Yes the extra coarse stone wears pretty fast. Mine has lasted longer than yours though. Might be worth it to give them a call or e-mail. Even with mine dished a bit it still cuts and works.

Light strokes work better than heavy. If you are doing some heavy reprofiling it just takes a bit of time.

Any questions feel free to ask.

I am going to go out and sharpen my Kershaw Vapor, Benchmade Ambush, Buck Trapper, and my kitchen cutlery tonight with the GATCO.

Good Luck.
 
A_Blade_Afficionado said:
Can't be a Sharpmaker for ease of use and results, and for only $50 bucks shipped, it's a good deal.
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I love mine, but they are about the worst system in the world for reprofiling.

Pick up a coarse diamond stone for the Gatco...and if you dont have it, you NEED the ceramic finishing stone. NEED it.
 
Yep tried that and couldn't budge them. I'll give it another shot holding the stone carrier with a set of pliers or something and the rod end with another set. Absolutely couldn't budge them by hand. keepem sharp

PS cause it's for lovers! Actually drove a couple of hours from Penn and the Pensic war my wife likes to attend. We rent a cabin at a campground for the week and while she is off doing medieval crap I hang out etc.etc.
 
Tripton said:
I love mine, but they are about the worst system in the world for reprofiling.

Pick up a coarse diamond stone for the Gatco...and if you dont have it, you NEED the ceramic finishing stone. NEED it.
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I agree. The ceramic hone refines the edge quite nicely.

Last night I took my 10" Chicago Chef, 8" Tramontina Santuko, 6.5" Kershaw Wasabi Nakiri, Buck Trapper, Kershaw Vapor, and Benchmade Ambush for a trip in the GATCO spa.

All but the Kershaw went from the fine to the extra fine to the ceramic finishing hone. All went to the strops. All came out better than shaving sharp.

The Kershaw had been dropped on the concrete garage floor and landed on the edge. I had to take that one though the full treatment. I probably could have ommited the extra coarse. I am sure that the coarse would have taken out the chips. After about 8 strokes per side through 7 stones, hones and strops she again has a nice, polished, even, better than shaving edge.

I should have measured how far the rods protrude from the stones in the storage position and in the deployed for use position. I will try to do that today.
 
On the GATCO Diamond hones it is exactly 13 inches from tip of fully extended guide rod to the far end of the hone. The rod at maximum travel is 8 inches. OldDude1
 
longbow said:
Let me edit this post entirely. Finally got the guide rods out of the stone carriers. To me they appeared glued in. No kiddin. A bit of a clear substance that appeared dried and for lack of a better term clear and crackly looking. I am assuming that this was done after the assembly process and maybe at Cabela's where I bought it. A bit of subterfuge maybe. Now they work as the should and are exemplary. Anyways wanted to straighten out my initial impression of the system. Seems to work as it should and the wide stones are nice to use. keepem sharp
Click to expand...

Great to hear. Which one did you buy? I have the professional kit.

The extra fine and the ultimate finishing hones are well worth the money.
 
Tripton said:
I love mine, but they are about the worst system in the world for reprofiling.

Pick up a coarse diamond stone for the Gatco...and if you dont have it, you NEED the ceramic finishing stone. NEED it.
Click to expand...

The Sharpmaker is for touchups, not reprofiling. It suits my needs perfectly, but if I worried about reprofiling I would invest in an edge pro or something else.
 
You can't reprofile an edge with a Sharpmaker by using the Spyderco diamond rods......?
 
Of course you can. Just as easy is using a diamond benchstone freehand to set your reprofiled bevel, and then use the Sharpmaker to clean up that edge.
 
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