Knife Sharpening?

[Astrogiblet]

I'm terrible at sharpening knives. I bought a decent sharpening kit a while back and tried it on some crappy knives I have and it just didn't turn out pretty.

I'm wondering if anybody knows anywhere (preferably in Michigan) you can send or take your knives to get them sharpened?

I know Bass Pro in Auburn Hills will sharpen knives but I've heard depending on which person does it, it can be hit or miss. Anybody have any experience with this?

Also to note Benchmade has a service you can mail your Benchmade knives into and they will sharpen it for, I believe, $5. But thats Benchmade knives only..

[d3ue3ce]

Spyderco also will sharpen any of their knives. just pay $5 for shipping. works great. knives are a little expensive, but they are awesome knives that really hold an edge. some of their models are guaranteed against rust for life. I an attest to that as one of the ones I own has been in and out of salt water for months at a time with no rinse offs. quick turn around time on them as well.

[Astrogiblet]

I didn't realize Spyderco also has a service like this. Awesome to know, I really like Spyderco and have owned a few different knives from them.

Still looking for somewhere local though...

[JohnJak]

Real butcher shops can sharpen a knife.

[postban]

Bring whatever blades you want sharpened to the OC picnic and I will fix you up with my Lansky Diamond set.

[Astrogiblet]

Bring whatever blades you want sharpened to the OC picnic and I will fix you up with my Lansky Diamond set.


Thanks for the offer, but right now I don't think I have any knives that need sharpening. One of my knives I just traded, one of my knives I lost (Fell out of my pocket somewhere :cuss:), and the others are either brand new, or junk that I don't use anyways. Mainly looking for a place I can get my knives sharpened at in the future.

This is the kit I used to sharpen my knives:
http://www.knivesplus.com/media/LK-LKC03.jpg

I set the angles based on the directions, and still I ended up creating a huge blade surface, and an uneven edge.

Luckily I only tried it on some flea market special $5-$10 440C Stainless blades.

[tenthumbs]

I have Used one of these for over 20 Years. Between Friends, Relatives and My Self.... probably at least a Few Hundred Sharpenings and Still Like new.

With the Correct Angle you can Make a Knife "Hair Popping" Sharp.

This Model Does Not have a Stone for Serrated, They are Available Separately But I Have No Experience with Them.

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=LSLKC03


Edit: I Type Slooowly.

[Astrogiblet]

Well damn.. maybe I'm doing something wrong then?

*sigh*...

[edge]

i use the sharpmaker by spyderco...works wonders

[postban]

...

This is the kit I used to sharpen my knives:
http://www.knivesplus.com/media/LK-LKC03.jpg

....

I completely wore out that exact set on a few hundred sharpenings, replaced it with the diamond set, still works a charm after more hundreds. If you are not getting good results bring it and I will show you how to use it. Lansky is the bomb for sharpening.

[Astrogiblet]

I completely wore out that exact set on a few hundred sharpenings, replaced it with the diamond set, still works a charm after more hundreds. If you are not getting good results bring it and I will show you how to use it. Lansky is the bomb for sharpening.


Alright. I just watched a Youtube video about the Lansky sharpener and I did exactly what they did in the video and it didn't work out that great for me.

[d3ue3ce]

I didn't realize Spyderco also has a service like this. Awesome to know, I really like Spyderco and have owned a few different knives from them.

Still looking for somewhere local though...
yeah i just got mine back it only took 4 days.

[Ol` Joe]

The Lanshy works great, I`ve used one for years.

If you can`t get the hang of sharpening and want to have it done, ask at your local butcher shop. They can tell you where they have thiers sharpened. Most resturants and meat markets have an outside service or did in the past..

[Pnab]

I have always used a broadhead sharpener, works wonders as long as the blade still has a good edge.

[tbird]

I have a Lansky that I do like, but it takes too long if you just want a sharp edge on a regular knife.

I have a Smiths knife sharpener that I use most of the time. They call it a "10 second sharpener", but I don't think it even takes that long. A couple pulls across the blade and your done. No technique, skill or time required. Here is a link: http://smithsedge.com/products/product.asp?id=42&cid=4

I still use my Lansky for special knives. But everything else gets sharpened with the Smith.

[Astrogiblet]

I have a Smiths knife sharpener that I use most of the time. They call it a "10 second sharpener", but I don't think it even takes that long. A couple pulls across the blade and your done. No technique, skill or time required. Here is a link: http://smithsedge.com/products/product.asp?id=42&cid=4


I'm intrigued by price and "lack of skill required".. How sharp does that get a good blade??

[boganz45]

I'm intrigued by price and "lack of skill required".. How sharp does that get a good blade??

I have one of those and would only use it on kitchen knives.

[postban]

I'm intrigued by price and "lack of skill required".. How sharp does that get a good blade??
I have one of those "drag it down the blade" types too, looks exactly like that one linked but it came free in the box with my Drill Dr.
It works by using two pieces of carbide at a fixed angle which cut away your blades metal along it edge. If you use it on a thin blade knife it removes steel fast (faster than you may want), leaves a draggy burred rough edge instead or precisely angled like the Lansky . It will cut better than a dull knife but the burr is primarily responsible. Also it is easy to scallop the blade, irregular zig-zaggy cutting edge instead of keeping it straight.

Drag type edge ----~~~-----------~~---~~~---------~----------
Lansky type edge -------------------------------------------------


On thick blades it takes a few passes to get down the the angle the cutters are set at.

For $7 it is worth it but if you are wanting a lasting edge, my suggestion is that you already own the preferred tool.

I use my Drill Dr. one on kitchen, garage and garden knives. On thick blades like machete/hatchet/ax I use an air sander. All pocket/carry and hunting knives see the Diamonds.

[Astrogiblet]

Yea.. I'm thinking I just need to try the Lansky on a good blade. But I'm too afraid I'll ruin it.

If I'm at that picnic Postban, I'll bring my things along and hopefully I can get the method down well.

[tenthumbs]

Yea.. I'm thinking I just need to try the Lansky on a good blade. But I'm too afraid I'll ruin it.

If I'm at that picnic Postban, I'll bring my things along and hopefully I can get the method down well.


Try Full Long Strokes Alternating Sides Every 3-5 Strokes.

















Get Your Mind Out of the Gutter.:lolup: :hide:

[ghostrider]

I used to use the Lansky until bought a Sharpmaker. My observation is that, "most people who own a Lansky and eventually buy the Sharpmaker, end up shelving the Lansky".

The Lansky is good kit mind you, and you should be able to get a good edge with it. It just takes time, and it isn't a short process. I know I used it to get a scary sharp edge on my Crossbill PE, but it took awhile.

One thing to remember about the Lansky is that you have to keep the knife in the clamp until your completely finished sharpening. Otherwise, your just starting over at a different angle each time. Another thing to be careful of is that the knife can slop around inside the clamp due to the grind. When that happens, your again changing the angle and starting over. Adjusting the clamp itself can help with that. I also try to keep the guide rod at the same end of the guide rod hole at all times to maintain consistency.

Learn the magic marker trick also.

[Astrogiblet]

One thing to remember about the Lansky is that you have to keep the knife in the clamp until your completely finished sharpening. Otherwise, your just starting over at a different angle each time. Another thing to be careful of is that the knife can slop around inside the clamp due to the grind. When that happens, your again changing the angle and starting over. Adjusting the clamp itself can help with that. I also try to keep the guide rod at the same end of the guide rod hole at all times to maintain consistency.

I had this problem a lot. Seemed like no matter how hard I tightened the clamp the knife would always end up moving on me. Maybe I was pushing down too hard with the sharpener?

I thought about buying an EdgePro Apex like in this Youtube Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1izC_NU15es

Seems like its a lot better clamping system and a lot better sharpening system all around, but they are like $150 to $250..

http://edgeproinc204.corecommerce.com/Apex-Model-Edge-Pro-System-c3/

Learn the magic marker trick also.


Whats that??

[Shooter McNasty]

I use a Norton Stone I got form work some years ago.
Those kits do work well but, I use that stone for just a couple of swipes and then 4 or 5 swipes on a drill blank. Basically, a round hard steel rod. What that does is smooth out the high spots. Then to get a knife [I]razor[I] sharp four or five swipes on the back of my belt does the trick.

[yocan]

a comment on the lanskys design you want to lock the blade in the same place every time you use it.

And maybe your knife is a really bad metal (cheap brand or manufacturing defect) and flakes at the stone, and if so will never be sharp, try a different knife, I suggest a kitchen knife to start, or something similar that won't make you cry.

[tote'ngranny]

Most chefs still use a stone, and then they use the best German Wuustof knives that hold an edge. They are very exspensive, but then it is their livlihood. I have seen Wuustof being sold retail, but they are not the same quality. I have several CutCo knives that are the best American made knives you can buy (JMO) They can be had cheaper by getting them off ebay. I haven't had to sharpen any yet and they are 8 yrs old. Should one get that dull, I can send it back to CutCo and they will bring it back to factory sharpness and polish.
Kris

[ghostrider]

I had this problem a lot. Seemed like no matter how hard I tightened the clamp the knife would always end up moving on me. Maybe I was pushing down too hard with the sharpener?

I thought about buying an EdgePro Apex like in this Youtube Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1izC_NU15es

Seems like its a lot better clamping system and a lot better sharpening system all around, but they are like $150 to $250..

http://edgeproinc204.corecommerce.com/Apex-Model-Edge-Pro-System-c3/




Whats that??The magic marker trick:

You use a magic marker to color the edge on both side of the blade. Let it dry, then try one pass at a time on the hone. You’ll see where you’re hitting the edge with the hone by noticing that the ink is ground away. If the ink is on the edge, but not further up the shoulder, then you’re not hitting the edge. This means you either need to adjust the angle, or wait until you grind down the shoulder. If there is still ink on the shoulder, but not the edge, then you should probably use a smaller angle. Either way, the ink will tell you where your hitting the edge with the hone.

I watched the edge pro video.

First thing I noticed:
He tells you to sharpen the back side of the blade on serrated edges. I disagree. I’ve heard people recommend that before, but neither the Lansky, nor the Sharpmaker (keep in mind that Spyderco is known for their serrations) recommend that method. If you sharpen the back side like the guy on the Edge-Pro video recommends, then you’ll eventually sharpen away your serrations, and make the blade thinner. If you’re going to sharpen the serrations away, you might as well just sharpen it like any other knife, and then you can still keep the blade thickness.

The Edge Pro has a great reputation. For Stock removal (resetting a new bevel) it looks like a good kit (and has the reputation to go with it), but your Lansky can do that, you just need to get better with it (maybe adjust the two screws on the clamp so that they better fit the blade. That way it won’t slop around so much). You also could be using to much pressure. Remember, the blade is ground at an angle, so you might have to adjust the clamp at an angle to match the blade. It also depends on the blade. If you’ve got a full-flat-grind on a knife that’s three inches wide, then it’s going to be a severe angle to clamp onto. Sometimes you have to “feel” your way.

Something else about the Edge Pro: It doesn’t have a clamping system. You’re required to hold the blade against the block, and move the hone against it. Still, they do say its top notch kit.

I’d recommend you just learn how to use the Lansky, and eventually get a Sharpmaker. The Sharpmaker is a good kit, and has become an industry standard. One thing about it is that it doesn’t do well with stock removal. It’s better at keeping the knife sharp, rather than sharpening a dull knife. There are diamond rods are available for it, but they are a bit expensive. I personally recommend the Sharpmaker before anything. It’s easiest to maintain a consistent angle from sharpening to sharpening, and it’s easiest for set-up/take-down.

Before doing anything I’d suggest getting better acquainted with your Lansky. If you’re serious about having a sharp knife, then you’ll probably eventually want a Sharpmaker. In the meantime, that Lansky is all you really need. Just play some with the adjustment screws, and try the magic marker trick.

[Astrogiblet]

Before doing anything I’d suggest getting better acquainted with your Lansky. If you’re serious about having a sharp knife, then you’ll probably eventually want a Sharpmaker. In the meantime, that Lansky is all you really need. Just play some with the adjustment screws, and try the magic marker trick.


I agree I just need to get better with the Lansky. Thanks for the info on the magic marker trick.. it makes perfect sense. :doh:

I'm going to have to try that out.

[2571]

I take better care of my kitchen kjnives that I do pocket knives or hunting knives. Hunting baldes only get used infrequently; pocket knives are tools to be used and abused.

Kitchen knives are used every day and rarely encounter abuse.

Bought an expensive filet at Delehrin's restaurant supply in Paris. They put the first sharpening on it. It was a thing of beauty and could almost be bent in half.

Came home one day & my wife was chopping onions with it.

[blackhawk2000]

http://www.razoredgesystems.com/ Is the only thing I've used so far that works prefectly. I hate my Lansky. Never worked. The rods bent way to easy. Bought this, and haven't needed anything else since.

[tbird]

I'm intrigued by price and "lack of skill required".. How sharp does that get a good blade??


Sorry I should have said I don't use it on a good expensive knife. I only use it on cheap knives I'm not worried about like pocket knives, cheap kitchen knives, things like that. Its great for when your trying to gut animals and find out your blade is dull. A couple of pulls and your back to cutting.

One thing I do recommend no matter what you sharpen your knife with is to strop it after. It will make a sharp knife into a scary sharp knife. It aligns the microscopic teeth created on your blade when you sharpen it. This keeps it sharp longer so you don't have to sharpen it as often.

[TFin04]

I own both the Sharpmaker and Lansky. Each have their use.

Recently, my Sharpmaker has begun rolling edges. It does it on multiple knives, with different types of steel. It is the white stones that are rolling the edge. It appears the stone is no longer cutting the metal, but just pushing it over. I have not changed my technique at all, and this kit used to produce Spyderco factory like grinds. The stones are clean and in good shape. I need to contact Spyderco and see what's up.

The Lansky is a bit more tedious to use, but it works better when a knife needs a lot of work. For hand ground knives, or ones that come with really poor angles from the factory, this is the fastest way to get the edge in shape. Once they are sharp, I like the Spyderco kit. I have my Sharpmaker mounted to my reloading bench and give my knives a few swipes once a week or so or depending on usage. It is much easier to touch up a sharp knife than it is to recover a dull one. Keep up on em and they will always be ready to work.

[CnA]

I use a Tormek for all my sharpening. It's a 10" powered water wheel with a leather strop. I have multiple jigs for it for different size knives, sissors, woodworking chisels and plane blades. It will put an extremely sharp polished edge on all blades with good steel. With the jigs, I can keep a set repeatable angle for all my knives.

My wife won't let anyone else touch her high end sissors that she uses for cutting slippery fabrics like silk. The edge I put on them are better than what the factory does.

I've been thinking of doing a little side work for people that don't have access to a good sharpener. How much are people willing to pay per knife? I would have to charge different rates for a long edge like a chef's knife vs. a short pocket knife.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x166/CnAPhot/workshop/IMG_0002a.jpg

[ghostrider]

I own both the Sharpmaker and Lansky. Each have their use.

Recently, my Sharpmaker has begun rolling edges. It does it on multiple knives, with different types of steel. It is the white stones that are rolling the edge. It appears the stone is no longer cutting the metal, but just pushing it over. I have not changed my technique at all, and this kit used to produce Spyderco factory like grinds. The stones are clean and in good shape. I need to contact Spyderco and see what's up. That’s one I’ve never heard before. They say that the gray rods can wear out, but that the whites should last a lifetime. If you’re not a member of the Spyderco forum, could you please join and report your issue there. I’d like to see if anyone else has anything to say about it over there. Just go to Spyderco’s website, and click on their forums button. Maybe some of them can have some ideas. The only thing I can think of is using too much pressure, but that wouldn’t make sense if you’ve been doing the same thing for years, and it suddenly started happening.

The Lansky is a bit more tedious to use, but it works better when a knife needs a lot of work. For hand ground knives, or ones that come with really poor angles from the factory, this is the fastest way to get the edge in shape. Once they are sharp, I like the Spyderco kit. I have my Sharpmaker mounted to my reloading bench and give my knives a few swipes once a week or so or depending on usage. It is much easier to touch up a sharp knife than it is to recover a dull one. Keep up on em and they will always be ready to work. Yep. Agree with all points made. Lansky is more tedious to use, but faster than Sharpmaker (not fastest, there are other methods I’ve discovered, but they employ free hand). Sharpmaker is better for finishing up the edge (unless you are into the Japanese water stones. Not my thing, but some people are that extreme when it comes to edges).

[45 acp]

http://www.edgemakerpro.com/

This the best. quick simple and it will not ruin your quality knives.
I have used this for about 10 years Everyone that wants to use my pocket knife comments on how sharp it is.

[Astrogiblet]

http://www.edgemakerpro.com/

This the best. quick simple and it will not ruin your quality knives.
I have used this for about 10 years Everyone that wants to use my pocket knife comments on how sharp it is.


I actually have something very similar to this. Different shape, same color and function. After about 100 strokes on the thing I could get a knife somewhat sharp.. I picked it up somewhere for $1.99 though so that may be why mine sucks! lol.

[ghostrider]

ETA:
Also google "Joe Talmadge's knife sharpening FAQ's".

http://www.knifeart.com/sharfaqbyjoe.html
I actually have something very similar to this. Different shape, same color and function. After about 100 strokes on the thing I could get a knife somewhat sharp.. I picked it up somewhere for $1.99 though so that may be why mine sucks! lol.
Years ago, I used something similar to that, and it looked a lot like this:
http://www.rapala.com/products/accessoriesdetail.cfm?name=Fillet%20Knife%20Sharpeners&category=Knife%20Accessories

At the time, I was using a Lansky to sharpen my knife, but I realized that my knife would get dull from day to day, but not so dull that I wanted to spend the time necessary for a session on the Lansky. My solution was that little ceramic, "V" sharpener. I'd run the knife lightly through the rods on that sharpener for a touch up, and it did a decent job of maintaining the edge. Really, all I was doing was what amounted to "steeling the edge", but it worked for me. It didn't always keep my knife shaving sharp, but it was sharp enough for the daily tasks for which I used it.

I am also a member of the Spyderco forum, and this topic gets brought up on occasion. Here's my latest response to that query.

In hopes that it may help some others who are struggling with the subject matter, I thought I’d put down some thoughts and observations on my progression of sharpening skills. Please understand that I am by no means an expert in this field. I’m really not even that good at it. There are others who appear to be far beyond my capabilities. I don’t use water stones, and I’m not going to sharpen an edge to about five degrees inclusive. Nor will you see me posting pictures of a hair that I split with one of my blades (although I do like to keep them shaving sharp). Again I say, “There are a lot of people out there who know more about this than I do.” I just have gotten to a point where I’ve observed some things, and thought I’d share.

First, Get the Sharpmaker, and if you don’t free hand well, get the diamond rods for it. The ultra fine rods are cool, and fun, and for the inexpensive price tag they are a great thing to add to an order next time you buy a knife. Just don’t make them a priority over the diamond rods. The standard Sharpmaker with the added diamond rods should be good enough for just about anything the average user will need doing.

I started around the age of 12 with a kit that came with a couple of Smith’s stones. I never did get the hang of freehand, so when I got back into knives as an adult, I bought a Lansky. After using that for a few years (with good results), I eventually progressed to the Sharpmaker and naturally realized the wonderment of why I waited so long. Sharpening became a breeze, and I never had to leave the house with a knife that was less then shaving sharp. A short while later I bought the diamond rods, and felt I was set. Then I bought the Crossbill. For some of you who don’t know, the Crossbill is a byrd knife from Spyderco, and the byrd knives have a hardness in the 60/61 range. When I first got the Crossbill, it needed to be re-beveled to my needs. I spent 12 hours pushing that knife down the diamond rods on my Sharpmaker before realizing that I had to do something different.

At first, I tried this:
http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16689

And then, this:
http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24938

The sandpaper and dowel rods worked well enough, but sometimes I’d just end up cutting the sandpaper if I wasn’t careful. The tool & die files also worked, but they shed and make a mess. As a result I’ve experimented with other options.

Several years ago, a member of the Spyderco forum reported of a three-grit set of diamond hones available at Harbor Freight. At $10 per set, I decided to buy two sets. Once I got them in the post, I didn’t use them much (maybe a couple times) and set them aside.

Last winter, I decided to try a few of the less expensive Scandinavian style blades. I’d always heard about them, and have long been intrigued by the concept, so I finally broke down and got three. I’d wanted the Frost Mora 2000, and when my local offered me a good price on one, it seemed like a good time to try out a couple. So I ordered two Frosts (the 2000, and the Triflex), and one Marttiini bait knife (Finnish Puukko) . I ended up giving the bait knife to a good friend, but the other two I kept. The Triflex blade came with a decent edge. I just touched it up with the Sharpmakers ultra fine rods, and it’s ready to go. The 2000 OTOH was a different story. (I’ve looked at least three others, and mine seems to be the only one that didn’t come with as good of an edge.) It wasn’t bad mind you, but I wanted something different.

For those of you who don’t know, the Scandi grinds are relatively high. When I say “high”, I mean that it’s probably going to be about ¼” wide. That high grind makes it so easy to find the edge angle, that all one really has to do is place it on the hone, and let it glide along. Because of this, I thought it would be a cheap way to practice free hand, and train myself to maintain a steady angle. It worked …. Sort of.

When I bought the Mora’s, I also ordered a Gerber 3-in-1 sharpener. It was on close out from Blue Ridge, so I thought I’d give it a try for $8. It’s not a bad piece of kit. It comes with three different grits mounted on a block with a handle. Since the Mora 2000 needed work, it was a good candidate. By the time I was finished, I had a fairly decent edge on the knife. I followed up with some Spyderco rods, and eventually tried a few passes on the Sharpmaker Ultra Fine rods. After that, I used a piece of leather mounted on a block of wood, and some jewelers rouge. It worked like a charm, and that knife is very sharp, but more importantly, the experience trained me to maintain a consistent angle while free hand sharpening. On to other things.

After the Mora experiment, I thought I’d try a few other knives. I’ve had a black Yojimbo for a few years that I bought used, and in need of some edge work. I also had a Waved Endura that I traded for that needed to be sharpened (both badly IMHO).

I first tried to re-bevel the Endura on the Gerber hones, and it didn’t go as fast as I’d liked, so I decided to give the diamond hones from Harbor Freight a try (I didn’t previously understand which ones were what grit). They did a good job on both knives, and the hones are still going strong. I used the diamond hone to cut down the bevel on the Endura, then I finished up with the Sharpmaker. It looks crude, but it’s a very polished edge after using the Ultra Fine rods.

Gerber lists the grits as; 120, 280, and 600. The Harbor Freight (name brand “Diamond Life”) lists theirs as;180, 260, and 360. The diamond hones do seem to do faster work than the Gerber.

The Yojimbo needed a good sharpening. It had some chips, a dull edge, and the tip needed to be refined since the previous owner had left it just a tad rounded. For the Yojimbo, I started the same way as the Endura started with the Gerber, but didn’t spend as much time before going to the diamond hones. The diamond hones made good work of the S30V, and once I got the bevel down, I decided to strop them on the leather (First with some coarser compound, then with Jewelers rouge). Once the stropping was finished, I found that the blade could shave hair off my arm (IMHO, not bad considering that I’d hadn’t even put it to the Sharpmaker yet). Considering the money invested the Harbor Freight diamond hones, they turned out to be okay. I haven’t even started using the second set yet. I did strop the knife for a goodly amount, and then finished up by using the gray rods of the Sharpmaker to put some “teeth” on it.

While the Gerber, and Harbor Freight tools performed in a manner which I needed, they did not address the need for a good tool for cutting the steel off of my hawkbills. I have Spyderco’s Diamond Rods for the Sharpmaker, and do use them on some knives (usually VG-10 and H1), but I’m reluctant to put much pressure on them because of the cautions of scrapping the diamonds off the rods if using too much pressure. I ran my PE Crossbill down my diamond rods for 12 hours before deciding to use something else. Maybe I was just being too gentle, or maybe my approach was justified. All I know is that I’m less reluctant to ruin a $10 oval hone, than I am to trash a $45 set of diamond rods. Don’t get me wrong, I think the diamond rods for the Sharpmaker are a good investment. They may seem expensive compared to some other tools, but those other tools aren’t made to work specifically with the Sharpmaker, and won’t set the same angles like the Sharpmaker’s diamond rods will. For someone who struggles with free hand, and needs to take off large amounts of steel, the Sharpmaker’s diamond rods will perform.
Nevertheless, that didn’t help much with my Crossbill, and I like to experiment, so…

Lately I've been experimenting with a couple of the Eze-Lap Oval Diamond rod sharpeners. I've got two now ( the 12" rod, and the 5" rod). Both are in their "fine" grit, which they advertise to be 600 grit. I got the 5" one at the Outdoorama to experiment with, as I wanted something to use on my hawkbills when they needed to be re beveled. The five-inch version worked great on my CE Crossbill (only used it on the PE portion since it was unneeded on the SE part), but when I went to sharpen my Tasman, I found myself running out of room (they say that five inches should have been enough, but I like to take long strokes with the idea that the micro serrations will then be more perpendicular to the edge, rather than more angled. I don’t know if this applies in reality, but it sounds right to me. ), so I ordered the 12-inch version.

Those rods cut steel quite aggressively. I can't imagine what Eze-Lap's coarse diamond tools are like, just judging from the results of their fine rods. For a working edge, the fine rods are sufficient. I beveled the Tasman, and then stropped it on jewelers rouge, and leather. After that it shaved arm hairs. I didn’t even put this knife on the Sharpmaker, it shaves from free hand (something I’d not accomplished in the past). The 12-inch rod has seen only a couple knives, but the five-inch version has been used for several knives, and not babied (Eze-lap advertises that the harder you press down on the blade, the better the rod cuts the steel, and they seem to encourage it. They recommend it. They also advertise that using pressure will take off some of the finish from production, and this in turn allows more diamonds to cut the steel. It seems to work, and so far there seems to be good resiliency in the product).

I've seen that Eze-Lap also makes an oval rod that folds (much like the DMT diafolds) in the same grit that my current rods are. I'm might about getting one of those for my EDC pack. I'm thinking that if I ever need (to sharpen) something that badly (that I can't get home to sharpen it) then having a perfect shaving edge from the Sharpmaker won't be all that important.

I've also noticed that there is another company called Hewlett that makes a similar product. I don't know how well their hones hold up, but at their price, it wouldn’t be too much out to experiment with.

Conclusions:
The main thing I’ve come to realize is that, “Working with a Scandi grind accomplished two things. One, it trained me to maintain a more consistent angle during a free hand stroke. Two, it also taught me to better feel the angle of the edge during free hand.” I’ve talked with my friend whom I gave the bait knife to about this concerning his experience with that knife (I gave it to him because I knew he struggled with sharpening), and he observed that it was much easier for him to sharpen.

I like the Eze-Lap sharpeners for what I use them for. They did exactly what I wanted them to do, and I no longer feel like I am missing something in my sharpening gear. I don’t know how long they will hold up, but I did loan the five-inch rod to a friend who sharpened several of his, and several of his friend’s/family’s knives with it. I know that he uses a good amount of force when sharpening, so I expected it to come back well broken in. Right after he handed it to me, another person in the shop he works at asked me to sharpen their Kershaw Scallion. The Scallion was more than dull, it was rounded! Even so, it only took about five to ten minutes between the Eze-Lap, and a finishing touch up with the Sharpmaker to bring it relatively close to sharp. It could shave hairs if one tried hard enough, and he thought it was more than good enough for him. Mind you, I don’t think I’d trade the oval rods for the Sharpmaker’s diamond rods. All of the hones I’ve mentioned suite their individual purpose. The Sharpmaker is still IMHO the best sharpening kit to have. It’s easier to use than some of the more expensive kits, and it gets the knives sharper than most people ever will want.

[Shooter McNasty]

I use a Tormek for all my sharpening. It's a 10" powered water wheel with a leather strop. I have multiple jigs for it for different size knives, sissors, woodworking chisels and plane blades. It will put an extremely sharp polished edge on all blades with good steel. With the jigs, I can keep a set repeatable angle for all my knives.

My wife won't let anyone else touch her high end sissors that she uses for cutting slippery fabrics like silk. The edge I put on them are better than what the factory does.

I've been thinking of doing a little side work for people that don't have access to a good sharpener. How much are people willing to pay per knife? I would have to charge different rates for a long edge like a chef's knife vs. a short pocket knife.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x166/CnAPhot/workshop/IMG_0002a.jpg


Geez, U oughta be able to shave with a knife after running it on that set up!!
Charge $10 and you'll be rich. Do you use a steel before the strop??

[CnA]

Geez, U oughta be able to shave with a knife after running it on that set up!!
Charge $10 and you'll be rich. Do you use a steel before the strop??
All my knives (except for a few really crappy soft stainless paring knives in the kitchen) can shave hair...if I put a small angle on them. The problem with a small angle is that it is not a durable edge on most common steels. I put a 18 degree edge on my Kershaw Avalanche, but the blade is made from S30V which is a fantastic and tough knife steel.

No, I don't use a steel before the strop. That is not the purpose of a steel. The strop removes the wire edge caused by sharpening and polishes the edge. A steel is used to push back the edge in proper position after use. Using a steel frequently will prolong and keep the knife's edge sharp longer between sharpening.

[Ol` Joe]

You can always strope your knife on your leg (a mouse pad works just fine, if you`re a bit sissy ) starting with a piece of 600 grit emery paper and moving to finer grits. Lay the blade flat and apply even pressure on the flat for the full stroke. Pull the blade with the edge pointed away. You`ll change from a bevel grind to a convex edge over time but, it will sharpen very fast, and cut well after.
I don`t recommend it for a expensive blade but it does a good job on everyday knives you want sharp with a minimum of effort. A common Buck or Gerber is a prime target. I use it on my Marbles hunting knives and some of my old Chicago Cutlery kitchen knifes, it`s great on boning and filet knives.
it is explained a bit more here
http://www.sosakonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=80&Itemid=35

[PhotoTom]

Moved from "General" forum

- Admin

[Eternal Sun]

I use a DMT (Diamond) stone to sharpen, and a Henckels 12 inch steel. The steel is used to take the "wave" out of a blade; not to sharpen it. Once the wave is removed a blade will then appear sharper.

[Shooter McNasty]

All my knives (except for a few really crappy soft stainless paring knives in the kitchen) can shave hair...if I put a small angle on them. The problem with a small angle is that it is not a durable edge on most common steels. I put a 18 degree edge on my Kershaw Avalanche, but the blade is made from S30V which is a fantastic and tough knife steel.

No, I don't use a steel before the strop. That is not the purpose of a steel. The strop removes the wire edge caused by sharpening and polishes the edge. A steel is used to push back the edge in proper position after use. Using a steel frequently will prolong and keep the knife's edge sharp longer between sharpening.


Ive had good luck with the ceramic crock sticks. Ill have to try your way next time I sharpen my knives. I have a K Bar with an edge that sucks. Do you think an 18 degree edge is the way to go??

[TFin04]

18 on a Kabar is too thin IMO. The Kabar is probably 1095 which is a good steel, but nowhere near what S30V will hold.

Besides, the Kabar is probably more of a utility blade and doesn't need a fine edge for intricate work.

I put a 25 degree bevel on my hard use knives and hatchets. 20 degree on the every day users (VG-10 and H1), and for the few high grade knives I still have in S30v, they get a 17 degree edge and cut like laser beams.