what should i do...

D

dniice87

Joined
Jul 19, 2005
Messages
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I have the basic lansky sharpening system but i was considering getting the Spyderco sharpmaker. I was wondering weather i should buy the sharpmaker or buy the three Lansky diamond stones? How do diamond rods compare to ceramic rods? What would be a better choice? What will get a blade the sharpest?

thanks in advance
 
It depends on your knives. The Sharpmaker is a great tool, but it won't do much for you if you need to remove a lot of steel. The ceramic rods are just too fine. It'll put a scary edge on a knife that still has a bit of an edge, but you'll be there for days trying to reprofile a really dull knife.

There are diamond rods for the Sharpmaker, but they cost more than the basic set. You can however use coarser sandpaper glued or taped to the standard Spyderco rods to do heavier reprofiling. That way you'll keep the 30 or 40 degree angle that the Sharpmaker uses.

It has its limitations, but the Sharpmaker is probably the best sharpening system on the market. That said, since you have the Lansky, if you get good results with it and like it well enough, just stick with it and get the diamond stones.

How do they compare to ceramic? Diamond, even in a fine grit, will remove a lot of metal very quickly compared to ceramics. My experience has shown that a diamond sharpened edge will be toothier and good for heavy cutting, but it won't slice that evil news paper or shave hair off your arm. But if that's the edge you need, then it may be just what you're looking for.

Or, if you have the disposable cash lying around, get both the diamond stones for the Lansky and a Sharpmaker. Grind the edge on with the Lansky and keep it there with the Sharpmaker.
 
Grind the edge on with the Lansky and keep it there with the Sharpmaker
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Ditto. The Sharpmaker is one of those tools that the more you sharpen (maybe better stated as "touch up") a particular edge, the better it gets. I had a Lansky, and was very pleased with it on medium-sized blades, BUT it is not suited for small blades (such as on pocketknives). With small blades, the stones scrape the clamp instead of the blade edge.
 
I would vote for the Sharpmaker and save up for a DMT extra-course or course stone for the hopefully rare occassions where you need to reprofile.

Here is a link to DMT's website.


http://www.dmtsharp.com/general/basicsharp.htm

You are headed in the right direction. I started with a Lansky and found the Sharpmaker much easier to use. However, I can half-*ss freehand an edge on a 2" x 6" stone and like the DMT stone with the polka dots. I have to be careful with it because it will hog steel off a blade very quickly. Some day when I get really brave (or plastered) I hope to buy a belt grinder like the big guys use.
 
With no dis-respect intended to those other sharpeners mentioned I still vehemently recommend the Spyderco 204 Sharpmaker first and foremost. It comes with a very informative booklet and video ( VHS or DVD). It is very safe to use and does not take long to master it. I do recommend to also get the extra stones that you can buy for it i.e. the Ultra fine 204 stones and the 204 Diamond stones that go with the unit.

Also if you want a fixed angle type sharpener like the Edge Pro and others like it; I have one to consider. There is one called the "SKARB" which operates pretty much on the same principle that the Edge Pro operates. The big thing I like about the "SKARB" is that you can use your own stones with that unit. I have a lot of respect for the Edge Pro and I think it is a fine unit but I like experimenting with some of my more obscure, exotic whetstones I have accumulated. Really enjoy this new slot here on BF.;)
 
Thanks for the helpful info guys i really apprietiate it. I learned some things i wasnt aware of. I'll keep everything in mind.
Can i sharpen fixed blades on the sharpmaker easily? I know it doesnt work on the lansky for me because the blades are too long and the stone starts to turn at an angle and isnt flush with the blade. Thanks again.
 
I can sharpen my Kabar pretty easily on my sharpmaker, so I would say that you can sharpen fixed blades on it.
 
I agree with JD Spydo. You just can't beat the Spyderco Sharpmaker for the money. You can pretty much sharpen anything on it including serrated and recurved blades. I've got a ton of sharpening paraphenalia that I've aquired ocer the last 30 years that sits idle in a storage closet since I invested in a Shapmaker four years ago.... Absolutely the best forty bucks I've ever spent on a knife accessory.
 
dniice87 said:
Thanks for the helpful info guys i really apprietiate it. I learned some things i wasnt aware of. I'll keep everything in mind.
Can i sharpen fixed blades on the sharpmaker easily? I know it doesnt work on the lansky for me because the blades are too long and the stone starts to turn at an angle and isnt flush with the blade. Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Yes you can. That's one of the nice things about the Sharpmaker. You can keep a very constant angle on the micro-edge. If your knife has a big belly or when you get to the tip you just tilt the blade down to maintain the same angle of attack. Good instructions come with it and it is very compact and easy to carry when going hunting/camping/fishing/ etc.

Here is a link to the Spyderco website that discusses the Sharpmaker.

http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=77
 
I have several sharpening systems. BUT I use the most ..
Sharpmaker use to touch up the knives keep them hair popin sharp
I sharpen some knife almost every day just a few strokes on the white stones
Lansky when I have to reprofile an edge I use the regular coarse and medium stones.
I got the coarse diamond lansky stone but I dont like it. It doesnt remove metal fast enough.
I have a 6 dollar gerber round dowel sharpener. I duct taped it to a small alum rod and use it in the Lansky. It profiles faster than the lansky diamond does.
so... both sharpeners have a place in my tool box. both have there use and both work well for me.
Good knife hunting
Jack
 
Thanks again for the info guys ill deffinately have to pick a sharpmaker up for christmas :thumbup: :thumbup:
 
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