What is the best bang-for-the-buck sharpening system?

M

maximus83

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Nov 7, 2011
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I'm curious, after joining the forum recently, it seems like I see a lot of blade owners being successful at sharpening with different approaches.
* Freehand sharpening methods with various stones, sticks.
* Manual sharpening "systems" to include: EdgePro, Sharpmaker, Lansky, DMT, Wicked Edge.
* Powered sharpeners including bench grinders, belt sanders, etc.

When you consider all the different methods out there, I'd be interested to know--not so much what is the "best" sharpening system, because it seems like many of them can work well depending on the user--but what is the overall "best buy" sharpener? For the sake of this thread, here are the criteria I'm using for 'best buy':
- Gets things sharp to an acceptable level (Doesn't have to be the absolute best sharpener in the world, but "sharp enough" for serious users).
- Is straightforward to use (i.e., you can learn it fairly quickly).
- Is efficient (Does not take a ridiculous amount of time to get things sharp, once you know how to use it).
- Keeps cost to a reasonable level (Whatever you consider to be "reasonable").
- Is flexible (It can sharpen a variety of knives and edged tools).

With those criteria in mind, what is the best bang-for-the-buck, all-purpose sharpener out there?
 
Basically any abrasive which allows you to freehand it. I often freehand-sharpen on stuff which I haven't bought, like cinder blocks, cardboard, coffee mugs, newspapers n' stuff.
 
Belt grinder. 1"x30" or 42" It'll sharpen almost anything, they're available
at a low price, easy to use, but also easy to burn the edge. Takes a light
touch and some practice.

Bill
 
David Martin said:
As stated numerous times, Norton's twin grit India stones offer very good economy. DM
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That would have been my recommendation. At ~$20 for an 8" x 2" combo stone, you can't really beat the Norton India or SiC ("Crystalon.")
 
Spyderco Sharpmaker with the optional diamond rods. It works, it's flexible, it's easy to learn and use, and it's reasonably affordable.
 
For versatility, ease of use and bang-for-the-buck, this is something I wish I'd known a long time ago:

A flat piece of glass (dirt cheap or even free), some wet/dry sandpaper (~ $1 per sheet), and a DMT Aligner clamp ($10 - $15) can get an awful lot done. From completely re-bevelling, to polishing & touching up an edge. The Aligner clamp is easy to use, and will produce excellent bevels for you. If you already have a bench stone you like, the clamp will work just as well with that.
 
db said:
Sandpaper.
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I'm betraying my ignorance here, so apologies for my noob-ness. But I've never used sandpaper on knives. I've read about the infamous "mousepad trick" for sharpening convex grinds, but that's all I know. Are you saying sandpaper for general sharpening? If so, what grits do you use, and are there any issues or side-effects to worry about?
 
maximus83 said:
I've never used sandpaper on knives... Are you saying sandpaper for general sharpening? If so, what grits do you use, and are there any issues or side-effects to worry about?
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Google "Scary Sharp" and you'll get lots of info on the method. Usually used is wet-dry sandpaper. What grit depends on how dull your edge is and how much metal you want to hog off. Good news is that you can get rather fine wet-dry from auto body repair vendors, where they have to prep a *very* smooth surface for applying enamel paint.

If you need a cheap substrate for your Scary Sharp setup, MDF (medium density fiberboard) is fairly flat and easily found at home centers, lumberyard, etc. Polished granite tile in larger sizes can also work, as found at the same sources. Supposedly gravesite marker scrap (if already polished flat) works -- comes from shop chipping/cracking stone while working on it or carving wrong name/date. If you desire more accurately flat surface, Google for "surface plate" which is used as a reference surface in machine shops. Good price is usually found at Enco.
http://www.use-enco.com (site down just now)
 
maximus83 said:
I'm betraying my ignorance here, so apologies for my noob-ness. But I've never used sandpaper on knives. I've read about the infamous "mousepad trick" for sharpening convex grinds, but that's all I know. Are you saying sandpaper for general sharpening? If so, what grits do you use, and are there any issues or side-effects to worry about?
Click to expand...

Wet/dry sandpaper (silicon carbide mostly; but sometimes aluminum oxide) in grits from 220 through 2000 and higher (up to your preference). Can be used on a softish backing, like a mousepad or leather, with an edge-trailing stroke, for convex edges. Or, it can be used on hard backing (glass or hard, flat, smooth wood) much like a conventional bench hone. When wetted with water, the sandpaper will cling to a hard backing and stays flat that way. Or, it can be glued/clamped down.

Woodworkers often use the paper on glass to sharpen chisels and plane blades. It's known as the 'scary sharp method' (if you wish to do some Googling on the topic). Edit: looks like somebody else (^) has this in mind, too. :thumbup:

Main issue to watch for, if pressure is too excessive when used on hard backing and with an edge-leading stroke, it's possible to cut the paper. But, use this to your advantage; maintaining LIGHT pressure is considered a best sharpening practice anyway.
 
I will upset RichardJ by beating him to this but paper wheels and a std bench grinder is purdy darn efficient and get most blades frikkin sharp. The set of wheels is ~ $40 and if you need a grinder its about $40 more from harbor freight. Fast with just a little practice and touchups take less than a minute.
 
Never Dull said:
I will upset RichardJ by beating him to this but paper wheels and a std bench grinder is purdy darn efficient and get most blades frikkin sharp. The set of wheels is ~ $40 and if you need a grinder its about $40 more from harbor freight. Fast with just a little practice and touchups take less than a minute.
Click to expand...
:D what he said^^^
 
Tactical knives tested Schrade's Advant-Edge and Dura-edge sharpeners and they both got great reviews even on a blade like the Kershaw Outcast which I have been told can be hard to sharpen. One is $30 and the other is $40 and these are sharpening systems not stones or those crappy cross rod things. If they're in your budget I'd check them out.
 
Pretty much covered the sandpaper question. You can use it in any config you can think of and polish up to any grit you can find.
 
as mentioned, a small belt sander. Narrow belts for different edge profiles. Powered, so faster than manual. Large variety of abrasives and grit sizes, even stropping belts. Easy to use since you don't have to hold your angle through multiple sharpening strokes, the sander does thousands of them in a minute.
 
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