Which knife sharpener do you use/suggest?

W

Wilynole

Joined
May 3, 2006
Messages
24
Is there one above the rest? I've heard the Spyderco sharpmaker is pretty good, what do you guys use or suggest I use?
 
Learn to sharpen with bench stones, you will get the job done much faster and have a lot more options for stones. Thru the years I have tried Lansky type systems, various ceramic sticks, etc. I do not care for any of them. I use 8 in double sided DMT diamonds and strops. I have and use the Black, Blue, Red and Green, Two leather strops, one loaded and one is not. I have aquired many fine stones thru the years that I rarely use anymore, just to slow. Good diamond stones are quite expensive but worth every penny. It does not take long to learn to hand sharpen with diamonds as they cut so fast.

Leon Pugh
 
i use a sharpmaker and I am very happy with it I think i need the diamond accesory hones. It is extremely simple to use and easy to learn.
 
moving-van.jpg
 
I too vote for the Sharpmaker. Sharpening on benchstones is intimidating to me, but less so now that I've developed some degree of proficiency with the Sharpmaker. I admit I hold these fellows in here in higher regard who can sharpen on a benchstone, but if you're anything like me, learn first on the Sharpmaker or similar "angled crockstick" sharpeners. I really don;t think benchstones are "faster" because it's hard for me to imagine anything faster than the Sharpmaker. You can do it in the shop or at the kitchen table or on the counter. No oily or watery mess to clean up. I leave mine set up in my woodshop all the time, ready to sharpen. I took some advice from those here and I do keep a small bottle of Hoppes #9 and blue paper shop towels nearby. Once in a while I'll wet the shop towel and wipe the accumulated metal from the stones...a two minute job. And then once in a while, depending on how much I'm sharpening, I'll take them to the kitchen sink and scrub the stones with water and Comet.... a five minute job...clean as a wistle and ready to go.

With the Sharpmaker, the stones are angled and your job is to keep th knife vetical through its stroke down and across the stones. The same principal as honing on a benchstone, BUT, more easily accomplished because you can SEE deviations from vertical...and that is more difficult when using a benchstone. It doesn;t take very long before you begin to develop confidence in your ability to maintain the proper angle with the Sharpmaker. Plus, your knives begin to become sharp.....very sharp....and, for me, that boosted my confidence even more.

Now, I feel less intimidated in approaching a benchstone. I went to Sportsman's Warehouse a week or two ago and they have several stones they allow customers to use. I took one of their diamond stones spent about 5 minutes honing one of my cheap folders I brought in that I had in the truck. It came away very sharp and I thought "Hey...I can DO THIS"

I say start with the Sharpmaker and then, if you choose, get some good diamond stones.
 
Sharpmaker, works the best for me. I have the Lansky system also but I always have trouble clipping the holder to my smaller knives.
 
leon.pugh said:
Learn to sharpen with bench stones
Click to expand...
Agree. Benchstones are the most versatile sharpening system of all, and maybe even more importantly facilitate learning the principles of sharpening. After that you can use just about anything you want, from v-rod sharpeners like the Sharpmaker, to jigged systems like EdgePro, to mere sandpaper or even a flat rock.

Take nothing away from ceramic v-rod sharpeners, I rely on them heavily for achieving a very fine edge very quickly and easily. But they have their limitations, and IMO are only really suited for finish sharpening .... for reprofiling an edge, removing moderate or heavy damage, or even just sharpening a blade that's very dull, Sharpmaker and similar are going to be very, very slow unless you invest in the Sharpmaker diamond sleeves. And still an inexpensive aluminum oxide or silicon carbide benchstone will do just as well if not better, while affordable waterstones and diamond hones will will be much faster and less work.

In other words, if you buy a Sharpmaker or CrockSticks, plan on buying a benchstone of some kind as well.
 
Thanks guys, I just bought a Sebie and I figured if I'm going to buy an expensive knife I better buy something to keep it sharp.
 
Another benchstone diehard here. Its what I learned on as a kid, and after a breif 'bout with lansky type systems as a teenage has returned to the tried-and-true benchstone. Much more effective and versitile (although heavy recurves dont get along well with a benchstone). I also have to vouch for DMT. Recently picked up a F and EF DMT stones and love them. One of these days I have to spring for a coarse.
 
Wet dry sand paper on a mouse pad, bench stone or Smith's 3-in-1. I sold my Sharpmaker, because I couldn't get anything sharp with it.
 
Once you get the sharpening bug the SM won't be enough ... Learn to freehand with benchstones. It's part of the addiction ...
 
I am not very good at sharpening and I don't like to spend a lot of time on it. So:
Edge Pro to reprofile, Sharpmaker to maintain.
Don't use the Edge Pro much, but when the edge is very dull....
I use the Sharpmaker often (a few passes every other day or so) I use the 30 deg side. Often just the white sticks.
 
My father taught me to sharpen freehand I use bench stones steels ceramic and a four sided strop with razor stone and three grades of leather. Never have used a sharpener.
 
Thanks for the offer John, I have had them so long I cant part with them now, I will hand them down to my son who is a avid hunter.

Leon Pugh
 
leon.pugh said:
Learn to sharpen with bench stones, you will get the job done much faster and have a lot more options for stones. Thru the years I have tried Lansky type systems, various ceramic sticks, etc. I do not care for any of them. I use 8 in double sided DMT diamonds and strops. I have and use the Black, Blue, Red and Green, Two leather strops, one loaded and one is not. I have aquired many fine stones thru the years that I rarely use anymore, just to slow. Good diamond stones are quite expensive but worth every penny. It does not take long to learn to hand sharpen with diamonds as they cut so fast.

Leon Pugh
Click to expand...

Leon, as far as sharpening with bench stones, is there any specific technique you use? Do you use any oil? All I've ever been shown was to move the blade against the stone in a cutting motion.
 
What works for me with stones (I'm sure a lot of folks will disagree) is to hold the stone in left hand and move the blade in a counterclockwise circular motion with right hand - counter-clockwise on both sides of the blade.

With a coarse diamond plate, or any other stone this works fastest for me when I am trying to remove some metal to re-bevel or establish proper bevel on a new knife. Easier for me to hold the proper angle that way. I usually do it over the sink with the diamond or ceramic stones and use water, or over the trash can with the oil stones.

Once I have the bevel, for touchups & Finishing, I will use a cutting motion edge first. To me this would be where the sharpmaker should really shine, although if I had one I can promise you I would use the rods freehanded and not put it in the jig.
 
Thanks for the reply Zip!

I don't have much money to spend on sharpening implements (around $30). What kind of bench stones or diamond plates do you recommend for general sharpening?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top