View Full Version : Sharpening System
For a beginner, what would people recommend I get as a knife sharpener, probably looking at something portable as I've got access to a Tormek Sharpening system (friend has one). Also where's the cheapest place to get one?
Get a Spyderco Sharpmaker - a total beginner can put a shaving sharp edge on almost anything (and that includes chisels, scissors etc) in minutes. (note - re-profiling takes a lot longer)
It's really easy, relatively cheap and portable. You can add diamond rods for reprofiling (or just tape sandpaper to the rods), and super-fine rods for a polished hair popping edge.
You can get them easily on lots of sites. Try Joe at http://outdoorsuppliesuk.com, or http://www.knifecentre.com
The Sharpmaker won't put a convex edge on your knives - but for those edges just a bit of sandpaper will do.
K just been doing some reading, I've got a Cheap Frost blade at the moment, hoping to get the Lapp Pukko soon. Can you grind a 0 edge with the sharp maker or only add secondary bevels or should I not worry about this at this stage?
You can lay the ceramics flat on the Sharpmaker base (it's set up for this already) and use it like a regular whetstone - so yes, sharpening single bevel grinds is no problem.
Sweet, cheers for that, may look at getting one later then.
No problem, it's a great bit of kit.
Jig's are for girls. :-D
Seriously, they're good, but shrpening freehand is a good skill to learn and a cheap(ish) scandinavian ground blade is a good blade to learn it with.
Yeah I've never used a jig or felt the need to.
My main sharpener is actually a fine DMT stone (the red one) as a folding one for your keyring. It's a bit short but works very well as long as you're not intending to reshape the blade.
I quite fancy the DMT diafold with the Coarse on one side and the Fine on the other. They're longer than the one I have and you carry two stones in one.
Jig's are for girls. :-D
Seriously, they're good, but shrpening freehand is a good skill to learn and a cheap(ish) scandinavian ground blade is a good blade to learn it with.
Biatch :-P LOL
Hey the Sharpmaker ain't no jig - that's an Edge Pro LOL.
Scandi sharpening - anything flat and abrasive will do it. I'm using a fallkniven ceramic stone with a diamond plate on one side. About the size of a matchbox.
ditchfield
04-02-2004, 19:33
I also use a fine small DMT stone for sharpening. I used it to reprofile a clipper. It worked alright, but scratched the blade to hell.
I also use a fine small DMT stone for sharpening. I used it to reprofile a clipper. It worked alright, but scratched the blade to hell.
Really?
I've never had a problem with mine. You could always buy an extra fine stone from them. The old man has one but I've never felt the need to go that polished.
ditchfield
04-02-2004, 19:44
Sorry, I mean that I scratched the flat of the blade. This was because I was trying to do it on my knee and the blade kept slipping slightly and scratching it. You can get larger one, like benchstones, these would be the job for reprofiling. I'll probably get a set.