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Knife Making Discussions A place to discuss issues related to all aspects of the custom knifemaking community. |
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#1
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Sharpeners.....what do you use? Makers and collectors
I just got my self a Sharpmaker from Spyderco and I am impressed! I also got a special shaped set of stones for some really curved blades. I have a double pocket stone from Spyderco too....seems like I am hooked on Spyderco sharpeners...they work really great. I have used my Lansky for setting the bevel on new knives for years. Still use it but use the grinder to remove most material. I have yet to controll the grinder so much that I can create consistant edges with it...so Lansky is a keeper. Also I like my customers to be able to reproduce the edge the knife came with. Finally I have a few diamond coated special rods and "creditcards"...those however have not impressed me...seems very coarse...the once I have anyway. I allways seemed to have a dull pocket knife cause I use it so much (various Spyderco...recently the old Terzuola design) Then with the Sharpmaker it is real easy and FAST to sharpen ANY knife. I think fast is the key word here since I probably need to sharpen several times a week. Anyway...what do you use? |
#2
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well, I'm a new maker, but have had a knife since kindergarden, and seems like I have tried every thing from jigs to pocket dymond stones. What I've had the best luck with is the norton fine India stone and a fine Arkansaw stone. I use the coarse side of the India to establish the bevel on a new knife, then fine tune with the fine side, and then a few licks with the Arkansaw to finish. This seems to work best for me over anything I have tried. I used to cary an EZLap for touch ups, but never got the results I get now. |
#3
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I am afraid I am hopelessly addicted to the belt grinder, both to do the initial edge bevels and to touch up. I have found no better way to do it, and as long as I have the tools, I will take advantage of them. |
#4
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I am like you Don,I do like the belt grinder and have had reaaly good comments on how long the edge holds up,on my knives and those factory jobs too. I think for some that doing this on the grinder is near voodoo,but it works . Now if I had my Grandpas old wet wheel arkansas stone it may be different. |
#5
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I have a DMT Course for taking the occasional chip out of my Sebenza and then a soft, hard and black arkansas. I can get a really (good) edge with them. It will shave arm hair and slice paper but I havent gotten to Great edge on my sebenza with this set up. Buutttt The pleasure I get from taking out my stones and oiling them and hearing the swish swosh as I sharpen adds so much more enjoyment to my fasination with sharp shiny things that Im willing to keep toughing it out until I can get a GREAT edge on my Sebenza. It really is Zen like. PS It seems its only my Sebenza I cant get the edge Im looking for. My carbon blades and kitchen knives I have managed to get to atom slicing sharp. |
#6
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I also use the ole 2 X 72. I use a worn 400 grit belt for the initial edge, then switch to a worn 600. I run the grinder fairly slow so I can see the wire burr on the edge and to keep the blade from heating up. Once I can no longer see the wire burr, I switch to a leather belt loaded with green chrome and polish the edge to a mirrow finish and I get a scary sharp blade from this process. Mike |
#7
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I set my bevels with a new 320 grit belt moving slow and then go to a Norton Fine India stone followed by a light strop on a strop stick I made out of red oak with a piece of 9-10oz. leather glued to it embedded with green chrome compound. The blades cut like a rabid chainsaw and the edges are easy to touch up usually with just another light stropping. I likes them toothy edges! Scott |
#8
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I use Lansky Sharpeners myself, mostly because I have customers always asking me what is a good system to use and a Lansky set is relatively inexpensive. I use a rough synthetic stone to start the edge and Arkansas stones to get that mirror polish edge- I love a hidden shiny line on metal... I also like the fact that the edge is exactly replicable for customers. The disadvantage is that if you are sharpening a lot of knives you will go through stones... especially the softer ones. Also you MUST tape the clamp or it will mar your blade... the tape is kind of a pain in the ass... I am looking into a latex dip. Anyone tried the 'Edge Pro' ? |
#9
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when using Lansky...(for the same reasons as you listed) I use a small piece of cloth..(old t-shirt mostly) in the clamp...it is easy and does not mar the blade....the dip sounds interesting...but I think it might catch small chips..? |
#10
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I think you guys are talking about plasti-dip www.plastidip.com/plastdip.html I use it on tool handles. As for sharpeners I have a spyderco sharpmaker and a double sided (coarse / fine) arkansas stone that I must replace as it has seen better days. |
#11
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I use the slack part of the belt grinder with a 220 or 320..whatever is handy. I try for 20 degrees. And work both sides until I get the visible burr formed along the whole edge. I then take it to a leather strop (rough side up) and get a good coat of green compound on it. It usually only takes a few passes and the edge gets hair poppin' sharp. Neil Blackwood showed me the strop trick. |
#12
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I also use the belt grinder for all but touch up sharpening. I usually adjust the angle to fit the blade size and thickness. Normally I use a 400 grit belt for the first cut then a worn out 600 for the final finish then to the leather strop for touch up I use a 1200 grit diamond steel that is 3" wide and 12" long. It only takes two or three strokes on this and it will shave. This works great on kitchen knives. |
#13
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Rade, I like your tag line. It reminds me of the saying "A mind is like a parachute, it works better when open." |
#14
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Thanks Jerry I will try and remember the parachute saying. Rade |
#15
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Sharpeners.....what do you use? Makers and collectors
Jens - I'm with you. I love Spyderco's sharpeners, especially the 204 Sharpmaker. Easy to set up, easy to use, and sharpens anything with an edge (well, almost!). I can put a really nice edge in a short period of time. The first sharpening kit that I got was a Lansky, but that was replaced when I got the Sharpmaker a while back. The Lansky is nice but for me, it gets kind of messy with the oil and all. For the bigger fixed blades I have that are too big for the Sharpmaker, I'll usually use my Hewlett 3 sided diamond sharpening rod. Works very nicely. I've also got other sharpening tools like DMT files and benchstone but the default sharpener that sees a lot of use is my Sharpmaker! |
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blade, folding knife, knife, knives |
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coastie117, redhosmer |
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