what sharpener do you guys prefer/have?

I have a good set of stones and enjoy using them but recently I've started using my sharp maker again and find it along with my strop quicker and easier for simple maintenance.

My stone set includes-
DMT 6" continuous XC, C, F & EF and a 8x3" spyderco fine stone (so that gives me 220, 325, 600, 1200grit DMT's and the fine spyderco is ~2400 grit. I also have a DIY 14" double sided strop I made. For the SM I have all 4 sets of rods.

Like I said I've just recently got back to using the SM (and just a couple weeks back added the diamond and extra fine rods) and I'm pretty happy with my kit at the moment but I do think I'll be getting myself a paper wheel setup here soon.
 
Revival29 said:
DMT Aligner from X- Coarse to XX- Fine and a Sharpmaker with the Ultra Fine stones.
Click to expand...

This is what I have too.

I got a Ken Onion WorkSharp for Christmas. I'd say I like the convex edge the WorkSharp gives better. You can also get a mirror edge pretty quick and easy.
 
Cereal_killer said:
I have a good set of stones and enjoy using them but recently I've started using my sharp maker again and find it along with my strop quicker and easier for simple maintenance.

My stone set includes-
DMT 6" continuous XC, C, F & EF and a 8x3" spyderco fine stone (so that gives me 220, 325, 600, 1200grit DMT's and the fine spyderco is ~2400 grit. I also have a DIY 14" double sided strop I made. For the SM I have all 4 sets of rods.

Like I said I've just recently got back to using the SM (and just a couple weeks back added the diamond and extra fine rods) and I'm pretty happy with my kit at the moment but I do think I'll be getting myself a paper wheel setup here soon.
Click to expand...

Let me know if you want to clear some space and I'll take those stones off your hands :D

:thumbup:
 
Pretty open ended question here. I would always recommend learning to freehand sharpen. This way you can sharpen on a cement block or a river stone if the need ever arises. To 'hone' your skills will take time, and you might scratch the secondary edge (side of the blade) in the process. So how expensive your knives are might come into play here. On the other hand, those scratches you put on the blade is what makes the blade yours. For me, I like the wicked edge (WE) as far as a fixed angle system is concerned due to the flexibility of stones and the fact that you can dial in any angle that you want for the primary (cutting) edge. But the system is very expensive. If I use the WE, I always thin the blade (secondary edge) using Japanese water stones. I also have gravitated to using water stones for freehand sharpening. I recommend that you check out Murray Carter on YouTube for his philosophy on sharpening knives. He has hand forged thousands of knives and has sharpened thousands of more. Good stuff there.

Edit: Thinning the blade requires grinding metal from the side (secondary edge) of the blade. It is hard to bring myself to do this on a $450 CRK or other expensive knife. I no longer buy coated blades because of this. Removing the coating is a pain. But if you do not thin the blade at every sharpening, you will be getting into thicker metal and your blade geometry will become inefficient. Something to think about.
 
Last edited:
Sloppy free hand checking in, Congress mold master 1x1/2x6 stones and Spyderco double stuff are the ones in rotation currently, also have C/F DMT 2x6 plate.
 
The WSKO is the easiest best method I've found for me, without a doubt my favorite sharpening system
 
A little different here I use a KME, I like the diamond hones and the Arkansas stones both works great for me with or without the base nice simple setup that gets things sharp very quickly
 
Last edited:
First sharpener I ever had any luck with, Spyderco Sharpmaker, still great for maintenance duties. WSKOE, incredible results with knives I still could not get sharp with the SM.
 
I used the family system for a long time. By that I meant I gave the knife to my cousin who started with a sharp maker and now has a wicked edge. I now have my own wicked edge and do my own sharpening. I tried my cousins sharp maker and I have what appears to be very little wrist to brain coordination. I always ended up turning the blade to one side of the other. Given my lack of coordination the wicked edge works well for me.
 
I use an edge pro apex because half of these dont work. diamonds are not for steel they are for ceramic knives and strops wear for getting the moisture off of a straight razor and will only roll the edge of your knives. i use the 4 kit and polish it up to 3000 grit
 
DSC00743.JPG
 
sharpmaker for touch ups, Edge Pro Apex for those knives worthy of a polished edge:-)

11863886805_6105954b11_c.jpg
 
hunter s thompson said:
A little different her, I use a KME, I like the diamond hones and the Arkansas stones both, works great for me with or without the base nice simple setup that gets things sharp very quickly
Click to expand...

Love mine, recently got the KME diamond stone kit, awesome stones!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top