Sure this has been brought up before

[Mitchell H.]

but I couldn't get the specific answer from search function so here goes. Which sharpening system is the best in your opinion and why, I don't really like the lansky type as the clamp on the smith sharpening system I got would simply not hold my knife so I took it back and got a two sided diamond stone which is ok, but I feel like I am just not getting the right angle all the time so is the spyderco sytem easier to keep an angle on than flat stones?? Is the edge-pro sytem that runs from $130.00 to $180.00 worth the cost??? :confused:

[nozh_scrap]

Originally Posted by Mitchell H.

but I couldn't get the specific answer from search function so here goes. Which sharpening system is the best in your opinion and why, I don't really like the lansky type as the clamp on the smith sharpening system I got would simply not hold my knife so I took it back and got a two sided diamond stone which is ok, but I feel like I am just not getting the right angle all the time so is the spyderco sytem easier to keep an angle on than flat stones?? Is the edge-pro sytem that runs from $130.00 to $180.00 worth the cost??? :confused:

These things take practice practice practice. I have a Smiths Tri Hone that my father had (and never used), and that's what I've been using mainly for about 16 years. It has a course silica type stone, and 2 arkansas stones, fine and medium. Everyone reccomends that you use oil for these stones, but I hate to. It's messy, and I find that the "sludge" it produces makes your edge duller. I use them all dry, and strop with an old leather belt.

Speaking of the oil... even though I don't need it and hate to use it, I find it's useful for determining the correct angle on your blade, whatever angle it may be. When you get a little of the sludge going on your arkansas stone, drag the knife like you're cutting a thin layer off it and "load" some of the sludge onto the side of the blade. When you put your knife back down on the stone, lay the angle back a little further, and slowly tilt the blade up. You'll find that the sludge will have a kind of tension a little above the edge and it wont drip off. Keep a close eye and a steady hand, and as soon as you see that sludge finally break, and run off onto the face of the stone, you have your angle. Repeat this process for both sides of the blade.

I hope to hell that helped, and some of you guys aren't scratching your head at me....

Anyway. I haven't used anything else other than these stones. I'm sure there are $200 Japanese waterstones and such out there that will put a super mirror finish on your knives, but I find that the regular old flat arkansas stones do very well for me.

I never trusted crock sticks/steels/or anything like that. The Lansky will put a great edge on your knife, but I feel it's like training wheels, and not as satisfying.

[Ray Rogers]

I use the Edge-Pro and get great results. It is physically much larger than the Lansky and it does not clamp your blade (no training wheels here!) .....

[DiamondG Knives]

Ray
Ive looked at the edge pro, but never spoke to anyone who had one.
does it allow infinate angle settings, or is it like the Lansky that has preset angles?
I too dont feel I am sharpening my knives to their full potential.

A trick I learned from Ron Claiborn, is to turn a worn out 600 grit belt bacwards so that the belt backing is facing out, load this with buffing compound and it makes a DANDY strop!!! Give a nicely polished egde. Then I go to a hand strop to finish it up.

God Bless
Mike

[Mitchell H.]

Well, I took the plunge and ordered one over the weekend, from bronks knifeworks, but now I'm worried as I visited his site and it says they are sold out and I cannot remember if it said that when I placed my order....I'll find out if I was paying attention tomorrow when I give him a call.

[Ray Rogers]

Yes, infinite angles Mike. The Edge Pro is able to polish an edge to 3000 grit which is enough for most purposes. Also, remember that a polished edge is not the best edge in every case so, once the novelty wears off, think before you polish!

Mitchell,

Edge Pro has a website and you can order direct from them if you need too ...