Triangle SharpMaker Technique

For some reason, over the past few months, I've developed a nasty habit when I'm using my Sharpmaker - blades that had nice points now have rounded ends. Anybody have any ideas what I'm doing wrong here? Too much pressure maybe?

Thanks,
Ray

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Knowledge without understanding is knowledge wasted.
Understanding without knowledge is a rare gift - but not an impossibility.
For the impossible is always possible through faith. - Bathroom graffiti, gas station, Grey, TN, Dec, 1988

 
You're letting the tip of the blade slip off the end of the stone. As it slips off, the very tip hits the corner of the stone and quickly rounds off.

The fix ... use the flat sides of the stones only. Never let the knife blade slip off the stone. You should have complete control of the stroke the whole way down. At the bottom of the stroke you'll get to the tip of the blade, so control the motion, keep the tip in the middle of the stone, and at the end of the stroke LIFT the knife blade off the stone. Do not let the tip simply slip off the stone.

Joe
 
Aw shucks!


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Joe
 
My first thought was that sliding off the edge was causing it (I think Juranitch mentions it), but I thought that would be so commonplace with the Sharpmaker that I'd have seen someone else mention it. So, I wrote it off and stayed confused.

Thanks for helping out Joe. Now, I'm off to re-shape the tip...

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Knowledge without understanding is knowledge wasted.
Understanding without knowledge is a rare gift - but not an impossibility.
For the impossible is always possible through faith. - Bathroom graffiti, gas station, Grey, TN, Dec, 1988

AKTI Member #A000831

 
I think Sal's mentioned in several other posts that the slight rounding of the tip can be an advantage in terms of increasing the point strength.

Sal should be in computers... like we say in my world, "it's not a bug, it's a feature".

OTOH, anyone who can patent a hole and get royalties from his competitors for using "nothing" on their knives, has got to have business sense that's (dare I say it?) scary sharp
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[This message has been edited by Longden (edited 17 August 1999).]

[This message has been edited by Longden (edited 17 August 1999).]
 
Ray,
You aren't alone in doing this...I have rounded a few knife tips myself and I am now doing what Joe says and it has helped a bunch.

Increase strength on tip or not....I want mine pointy.
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~Greg~


 
Two knives. Two butter knife tips. (But nice sharp edges!) Now I know why. Thanks for the info. Suggestion: Always learn how to sharpen on your cheap knives!
 
I'll have to do that myself...I sharpened my Native last week and it's got a great edge back on it again, but I did think I remembered that this knife had a better point on it than it does now...and it did come to think of it now... Over time I'll get it back on there.
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~Keith~

 
I think I mentioned this somewhere else before, but maybe it'd be easier to sharpen most of the edge (sans the part near the tip) on the 204 as you already do... being careful not to draw the tip across the edge of the stones (as Joe mentioned).

But what about finishing the tip after the long edges are done by setting the 204 into the "benchstone" configuration and working the tip separately (to sharpen or rework).

That way, you have more surface to work the tip on rather than just the narrow flat of a single stone...less chance of slipping and rounding the tip again. My $.02

[This message has been edited by Longden (edited 18 August 1999).]
 
Longden - Thanx for the compliment. However, the royalties earned do not cover the costs of the legal fees to prtect what the royalties are being paid for. If that makes sense. Patents are an honor game. Very few companies actually make measurable profit on this type of royaltiy, unless the item is not often copied.

When I want to keep the point "pointy", I use the sharpmaker as normal, but stop before the point. Then I use the flat side of the stone and using the same method (stroke) just sharpen the point, making sure
the stroke is stopped on the flat of the stone. Since I've already sharpened the rest of the blade, concentrating on the 2 or 3 mm of the tip that is left is easier.
sal
 
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