thinking about giving up on my Sharpmaker

[OHALLUM]

Why would anyone spend an hour with a Sharpmaker?
If you need to reprofile, use a coarse grit sandpaper. Minutes.
If you need to sharpen, as the video shows, 20-30 strokes per side is all it takes. 3-4 minutes
Touch up an edge? 10 strokes per side. 1 minute.
It would take longer to walk out the the garage, turn on the lights and the power, turn on the grinder... run the blade, then turn off the power, turn off the lights, and walk back to the house. Stitchawl

I understand what you are saying about the Sharpmaker, verses the paper wheels, but in reality, most of us don't have our Sharpmaker sitting on the kitchen counter, or our paper wheels for that matter.

I have and use the paper wheels for sharpening dull or new (never been sharpened since used for a while) and they give me great results quickly. I would like to have a Sharpmaker to use for a quick and easy tune up sharpener for my knives, as most of my knives are at a 30* bevel. However it would be in my basement workshop along with my wheels. So, the time to use it would be about the same for me.

I look at the Sharpmaker like a good "steel" or ceramic rod to touch up a knife between re sharpening, except a much better device than the rods. Again, I would love to have one (hint hint Santa!). and would use it often. Of course YMMV

Omar

 

[bdmicarta]

Best way to use the Sharpmaker imo. Once bevels are set so they're a bit below the 30 or 40 setting, it's just so fast and easy to maintain a sharp knife.

I made a fixture to hold my DMT Diafold at 18 degrees for reprofiling, then use the Sharpmaker at 20 degrees. It works fine but I only have the coarse/excoarse stone set. For what it costs to buy more stone sets I might as well buy a DMT aligner. I've tried the sandpaper on the sharpmaker trick. I've worn out a lot of sandpaper without making a dent in reprofiling a blade. On a blade that doesn't need reprofiling but is dull, I can and have worked for an hour with the sharpmaker without making any progress. My stones are not perfectly smooth and I worry that they are doing more harm than good to an edge.

 

[HoosierQ]

Best way to use the Sharpmaker imo. Once bevels are set so they're a bit below the 30 or 40 setting, it's just so fast and easy to maintain a sharp knife. And as was mentioned before, it removes so little material, I can go months without having to go to an edge pro or similar. Very good piece of kit as far as I am concerned!

This is the key to SharpMaker happiness. You have to get the bevel "indexed" to the tool first by doing exactly this. I like to go ahead and get the bevel down to 25 inclusive regardless and then I choose either the 30 or the 40 for the micro and subsequent touch ups.

That first few passes with a new knife when you want to see that edge index nicely is always a frustrating dissapointment with the SharpMaker and you have to drive it out of your obsessive mind with a hand-ache inducing session on a proper reprofiling tool. After that, harmony returns.

 

[PC87]

I am new to the sharpening world,

I have had my SM for 1 yr. My observations are that it is good to touch-up new knives that just need a little bringing back then a little stropping. Put my new 560 on it and WOW did it get even sharper! I have some knives I had abused and tried to get sharp but it just takes to long with the supplied stones. I did get the UF stones when I got the SM and those do make a difference right before putting a good edge on the strop.

I am going to get in the free-handing world and would advise anyone who has the time and patience to do that, as it seems that is the way to go. I thought about a system like the EP and those types, but for the money why not just get some good DMT's and learn the old fashion way.

 

[me2]

The Sharpmaker works well as a fine benchstone for finishing or adding microbevels. I get some of my sharpest edges that way.

 

[Bernoulli]

Why would anyone spend an hour with a Sharpmaker?Stitchawl

I have a lot of knives. 18 on mag strips in the kitchen - more that won't fit - plus non-kitchen knives. Using the Sharpmaker is a chore when you have to care for many knives. Using the paper wheels is not.