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 ...

[Mitchell H.]

Ray, I got on the Bronks site and checked....no longer says out of stock or whatever and also my order shipped I look forward to playing with my new toy, heck, I sharpened the blade on my black and white ebony handle bowie this morning with a 320 grit belt, got the burr, turned the belt around, burr got smaller, stropped on a regular leather belt, burr gone, and OMG, sharpest I ever got something, I look forward to the control I will have with the edge pro to get even sharper, this is realy starting to be fun. Off topic a bit, I even did a vinegar etch on the O-1 blade of same knife and got a reallty nice hamon, weird, the only time have seen this on O-1 was a batch I got locally from a tool and die place in Nashville. I'll try to post some pics later where the pics of my knife are.....also, I actually have a couple of folks wanting to know how much I want for my knife as well, this is a real addiction...in a good way. Okay, ramble...off.

[Coutel]

I have tried a fair few systems...

I have an Edge Pro pro, which is a fine piece of machinery and will put a very sharp secondary bevel on a knife............BUT, I do not use it anymore.....

I prefer to do all my sharpening on a tight slack belt above the contact wheel...usualy start with a worn 240 depending how much the edge needs dressing. Then take it to a worn 400 and sometimes a 1200 belt. I find it very easy to put a burred edge on...I then take this off with a leather strop.That usualy does the trick. This puts a razor sharp convexed edge on.

My second favorite is using round ceramic rods to hone if required.

Maybe I should sell my Edge Pro as I do not use it.

[Mitchell H.]

Wish I'd known before I ordered mine....I almost called and cancelled my order when I realized how sharp i could get one on a slack belt with just a 320grit belt....it is super easy to get the well known burr.....hopefully I'll enjoy using the edgepro as well...to keep me from trudging down to the garage each time i need to put an edge on a blade.

[Ray Rogers]

Nothing wrong with the slack belt method but it does produce a convex edge. The Edge Pro will not produce a convex edge, it only produces very precise flat ground edges. What I'm saying is, there is no single type of edge that is 'best' for every type of knife and application. It is wise to have more than one way to put an edge on your knives ....

[mmunds]

I use either the belt method or I have a set of OLD arkansas stones. One wa####a, one hard arkansas, and one black surgical about 80 years old I found recently and were in very exceptional condition. They cut better that my new tri stone could ever begin to work (so I gave it away). I personally like oil and arkansas stones, just takes training your hand for desired angle. Made my first 4 water bottle cut last night playing with the edge on a blade I am working on, only sharpened freehand on the old stones but then I have been sharpening freehand over 30 years and kind of just used to it. I do have a diamond stone, ceramic rod thingy, and a couple other gadgets I have been given over the years but I just like the old stones. It is a matter of getting used to what you like and what works for you then using it a long time till it is second nature.

[Mitchell H.]

Originally Posted by Ray Rogers

Nothing wrong with the slack belt method but it does produce a convex edge. The Edge Pro will not produce a convex edge, it only produces very precise flat ground edges. What I'm saying is, there is no single type of edge that is 'best' for every type of knife and application. It is wise to have more than one way to put an edge on your knives ....

Thanks,Ray, for those words of encouragement, I am exited to see the results from the edge pro as it looks to me to be a really great system...too bad I won't get to use it for a couple of weeks as it is scheduled acording to ups tracking to deliver on the 12th and I will not be back in town after the 8th until the 16th