# Help me choose a sharpner.



## CyclingSalmon14 (Aug 15, 2014)

Been out of the knifes game for a while and just started collecting again. 

Mostly cheap chinese knifes, I have a sharping stone and even stone guide's, but honestly just made my knifes duller, I just am not a stone person. 

So I was looking at getting a Rod style system, I dont want to spend Spyderco money though and also it cant sharpen some knife's if there over a certain angle?! 

So I was wondering what you guys would suggest, I did look at the Lanksy four rod box at £20 but it cant do serrations but I can add that at a later date. 

However I was thinking the Lanksy Master's edge looks good but I cant find any reviews for it other than the three on hennies? I would like to spend £30 or less but can stretch to £40 but would like to buy it in the UK.

I have seen sharp-maker copy's on AlliExpress, that also look's well reviewed and well made but is an obvious copy, I do prefer to buy originals or inspired knives ect rather than outright copy's. 

However if that my best option I might do that as its only £22. Thanks all in advance.


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## CRKDMike (Oct 10, 2014)

WorkSharp WSKTS.

It is a little bit out of your price range, unless you find a used one.

It makes sharpening brainless, and fast, and creates extremely sharp edges. There is a bit of a learning curve though, so use your really cheap knives first :thumbsup:


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## Samlittle (Oct 20, 2014)

I can't see how you can go wrong with the _Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker_. £40 will buy you one from US sources - don't know about the UK or the added costs of S&H from here. The _Sharpmaker_ is a very dependable and easy to use sharpener. It will easily do serrated knives and the set up for the range of angles will cover most every day knife edges at 15° to 20°. Yes there are some limitations but for the price you will have soooo many sharp knives.

Ask for a set of diamond rods as a birthday gift or buy yourself when you are next feeling flush and you will then have the capacity to reprofile edges or recondition badly degraded edges. Meanwhile the basic set with the brown and white stones will bring any edge that is in decent shape to outstanding sharpness.


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## gunga (Oct 20, 2014)

I second the Sharpmaker. Love it. 


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## 8steve88 (Oct 22, 2014)

Spyderco Sharpmaker in the U.K. costs around £60 - $96 and the diamond rods £47 - $75 so they are a bit on the expensive side, I have a four ron Lansky turn box, amongst other sharpeners, cost £19 - $30 and I can get 8mm round rods from Ali Express for $8 pair in a range of grits.
It won't sharpen serrations but the only knife that I use with serrations is a Spyderco so I bought the Lansky Spyder Sharpener crock stick hand held with the right radius curves for the Spyderco serrations, £7 -$11.
I also have the full set of Lansky hones including diamond and serrated.
Trying to import goods from the U.S.A. is not economical when most knife sellers won't send to the U.K. not even orders that don't contain knives, the high shipping cost of those that will ship stops them being competitive because we pay import duty and VAT (GST) on the item's value and the postage so it gets stupid expensive very quickly.
I have no doubt though that the Sharpmaker is an excellent sharpener having tried the Lansky and got a feeling for how the system works.


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## cyclesport (Oct 22, 2014)

I always sucked at free hand sharpening and felt the Spyderco Sharpmaker was just okay...since it takes forever to re-profile a bevel. Then I bought a DMT Deluxe Aligner Kit and all knives in my home are now ridiculously sharp. A guided diamond hone system is perfect for me since A) it maintains the same exact consistent bevel each time removing guesswork, and B) it will easily sharpen many of the new powdered "super steels" almost as easily as common carbon steel. One of my best tool maintenance investments at approx $45 -$50.


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## mrfuji62 (Jan 21, 2015)

Had my Spyderco Tri-Angle for over 20 years. Was about $30 back then. Easy to use, worked very well, and never had any problems with it. For the price it seems to be a steal for what I paid for it. 

Also used the professional wet stone back in the day when I worked at a butch shop. Was taught how to use all three of the stones and what angle by the owner of the shop. But at $100 was a little out of my price range and a little to big to store.


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## GSG9 SPEC (Feb 28, 2015)

If I were you I would buy the wicked edge it is the best and I have had most of them.

GSG9 SPEC :devil:


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## 8steve88 (Mar 8, 2015)

GSG9 SPEC said:


> If I were you I would buy the wicked edge it is the best and I have had most of them.
> 
> GSG9 SPEC :devil:



That would depend on the depth of your pockets, wicked edge is wicked expensive and your knives won't get sharper than sharp, i.e there's sharp and not sharp.


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## gaswamp (Mar 9, 2015)

once you get an edge on a knife this is one of the best sharpeners I have found for keeping it maintained.

http://www.nativeamericanstuff.net/Native American Stuff-Knife Sharpeners.htm


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## more_vampires (Mar 10, 2015)

The Lansky jig is the cream of the crop of sharpening systems, IMHO. There is one primary drawback: patience of the user. If you don't mark your jig location and totally build a Lansky edge from scratch, you're kind of wasting your time.

I've done shaving straight razors and hunting knives with the Lansky system. I think it's overkill for a kitchen knife and there are faster, yet still acceptable options. In the kitchen, I prefer the Fiskars rolling ceramic wheel sharpener. The key to that tool is to apply ZERO DOWNWARD PRESSURE. The hardest part is to learn to push and draw the knife both smoothly and slowly. It will not fully sharpen the very base and very tip of the blade, but give quite a bit of razor sharp belly for the kitchen use. I hold my hand and arm still while shifting my body slowly back and forth with the Fiskars, it seems to give me the control I need to make kitchen razors with it.

It greatly depends on the knife usage as to the sharpening solution. Then again, I can freehand as well.

When a knife is really jacked up, though, I prefer to make a fresh start on a bench belt sander with a worn-out belt. Most sharpening systems are great for TOUCHING UP an edge established with them, but most are really lousy for first establishing the required angles.

My opinions, of course.


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## yoyoman (Mar 10, 2015)

The Lansky jig is very good value. I had some issues with the oil stones not staying flat, if you know what I mean. But the jig ensures you keep each stroke at the same angle and that is the key to getting a sharp edge. It is important to get a burr going and then smooth that out by going to finer stones. I also agree with more vampires - you need to mark where you put the knife in the clamp so you touch up the edge and not rebuild it from scratch. Stropping is also important, IMHO. It takes some of the toothiness out of the edge and the knife will hold an edge longer.

I have the Wicked Edge system - a lot more money. I like the diamond stones. But it took a few knives before they were broken in properly.

A dull knife will cut you. But a sharp knife will cut you to the bone.


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## RBid (Mar 10, 2015)

I see that the OP asked his question in August 2014, so it seems his decision is likely made. My post will be for the purpose of helping future posters with similar interest. 

There are 3 types of work to consider when you're looking at sharpening systems: touch up, edge setting, and reprofiling/regrinding. There are systems which excel in each role, and plenty of reasons why a consumer may opt for one over others. I'm not going to make this incredibly comprehensive. This post is simply to lay out my personal system and why I do what I do. 

1. Touch up. 

This is a very easy job if the user doesn't wait for blades to get completely dull between touch ups. Simply put, this involves removal of a very minimal amount of material. It can be done with coffee cups, car windows, flat stones, etc. 

My preferred touch up system is two parts: the wildly popular Spyderco Sharpmaker, and a strop (I use the Knives Ship Free hone kit). When I touch up my edges, it's usually just a couple of minutes on the white/fine Sharpmaker rods at 20 degrees per side, then stropping with gray and green compounds. This is very quick in part because of how I set my initial edge. 


2. Edge setting. 

For this, I prefer fixed angle systems. This involves removing more material than simply touching up an edge, and really determines a lot of your blades' performance, as well as influencing the speed and ease of touch ups. 

For my fixed angle system, I opted for an Edge Pro Apex, "kit 1", and added two stones. In total, I have the 220, 400, 600, and 1000 grit stones for it. I went with this because, simply put, it is very easy to get the job done right with this system. I see no need to spend more on a Wicked Edge or a WorkSharp Ken Onion Edition. The edges I'm getting with my EP are awesome. 

What I do: 

- set the edge to 15 degrees per side using passes from all 4 of the stones I have.
- bump the angle to 18/side and make a few passes with the 600 and then 1000 grit stones. This sets a micro bevel that is still slightly more acute than the 20/side Sharpmaker rods. 

- finish on the KSF hone. 

With that in place, touch ups remove minimal material. This makes maintenance very quick, and the micro bevel causes the edge to hold up a little better by keeping a very slight amount of extra strength behind the cutting edge. 


3. Reprofiling/regrinding.

If I ever bother to get into removing enough material to do this, I'll get a powered system like the WorkSharp Ken Onion Edition. Simply put, it would take a loooooong time to do something like regrinding a Microtech DOC from a "nightmare grind" to a high flat grind without juice. 

This is a category of work that I don't see a need to get into. That's not to say that I don't get why a person would do it. I am simply pointing out that this is a 'want' category. Having said that, it can transform a knife and redefine the user's experience. I used the DOC as an example because I hate the grind and finish (mine is bead blasted), and daydream about changing them.


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## gaswamp (Mar 10, 2015)

definitely the key is not letting your edge get to bad. Maintaining it is a lot easier than bringing it back.


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## Runt (Mar 10, 2015)

Both Lansky options would be a nice choice for keeping your blades sharp enough for most uses. Spyderco system is definitely a step up but you pay for it. 

I would still suggest a lot of practice on stones both diamond and natural. They can repair heavier damage with much greater speed, and if you get good (emphasis on good), the results you can get will outmatch any system you can buy and on a greater variety of blades. The good sushi chefs are still using traditional wet stones and they likely know a thing or two about sharp steel.


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## @cafecomfacas (Mar 10, 2015)

I like the wicked edge!


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## G. Scott H. (Mar 11, 2015)

more_vampires said:


> The Lansky jig is the cream of the crop of sharpening systems, IMHO.



If you like the Lansky guided system, you should also look into the KME system. Pricier, but I looove mine. Ron, the guy behind it, is constantly upgrading various components but also making them retrofittable to older KME systems, so you don't have to buy a whole new jig, etc. :thumbsup:

http://www.kmesharp.com/kmeknshsy.html


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## 8steve88 (Mar 12, 2015)

gaswamp said:


> once you get an edge on a knife this is one of the best sharpeners I have found for keeping it maintained.
> 
> http://www.nativeamericanstuff.net/Native American Stuff-Knife Sharpeners.htm



That sharpener owes a lot to the Lansky 4 rod turn box.

I have both the Lansky systems, the jig with diamond hones, oilstone hones and the turnbox, covers all my sharpening needs, the hones to re-profile and set the edge and the turn box to keep the edge sharp. Stropping helps as well.


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## smokinbasser (Mar 12, 2015)

Bass pro shops have a nice "small" portable abrasive belt sharpener that does a good job on knives that will fit the jig. The edges are wicked sharp and does a nice job if you do not have a lot of spare time to hand sharpen. My SIL bought one and he is impressed with the results.


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## Rusty412 (Apr 8, 2015)

Lansky is a great system in the price range mentioned.


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## markr6 (Apr 9, 2015)

Rusty412 said:


> Lansky is a great system in the price range mentioned.



I purchased the simple one for $13 on Amazon. It seems to do a good job. I've always been horrible at sharpening so I don't expect my knives to have a perfect edge.


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## Eneloops (Apr 10, 2015)

I gave up some expensive systems when I got my belt sander/grinder. Changed my life and all my knives stay razor sharp, effortlessly. Best thing I ever did for my knife affliction.


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## desmobob (Apr 11, 2015)

Like a lot of knife nuts, I have a bunch of sharpening alternatives including stones, the Spyderco Sharpmaker, the Lansky diamond set, and a 1" x30" belt sander. Each has its advantages and limitations. 

I think a Lansky-style set would be a solid choice for a limited budget. I would also recommend the Spyerco set, but for it to be really versatile, you pretty much need to invest the extra money for the coarse diamond rods. A good strop really helps finish the job (pun intended!).

Take it easy,
Bob


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## more_vampires (Apr 13, 2015)

My favorite strop is a piece of leather reclaimed from a 1960's couch. It was one of the many supporting straps for the cushions. I selected the one that did not split or break. I have been using it for about 8 years at time of posting.

I shave with a straight razor stropped with this strap. I even lost it for a year and a half when it was moved by a well-meaning person during a social gathering. Proper stropping technique even lets you shave with 400 grade stainless. It seems to take 4-18 strokes on a strap with poor steel. Better steel takes less effort.

As others have said, it is likely best to not let the edge degrade much without maintenance of some kind.


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## markr6 (Apr 14, 2015)

Don't want to get off topic, but regarding the Lansky, do the sharpening rods wear out? Any way to maintain them? I noticed the white ones (ceramic?) rods get black/dirty from the knife after just a few swipes. It doesn't "sound" like it's sharpening as much as when it was new.


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## desmobob (Apr 14, 2015)

markr6 said:


> Don't want to get off topic, but regarding the Lansky, do the sharpening rods wear out? Any way to maintain them? I noticed the white ones (ceramic?) rods get black/dirty from the knife after just a few swipes. It doesn't "sound" like it's sharpening as much as when it was new.



I have the diamond Lansky stones and they aren't showing any wear so far. 

As for the ceramic stones, scrub them under running water with cleanser (Comet, etc.) to get their "bite" back. The get clogged up pretty quickly. A little scrubbing brings them right back.

My favorite strops are a 1" x30" leather belt on my belt sander loaded with chromium oxide paste and a Hand American bench strop with a few different leather strops that are laminated to a flexible magnet and attached to the steel base that way.

Take it easy,
Bob


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## Dipti13 (Apr 17, 2015)

You can get gatco super micro sharpener.It is a great work sharp knife and tool sharpener and very easy to handle.


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## Optimistic_Pess (Apr 18, 2015)

The Wicked Edge is one of the best sharpening systems available, albeit expensive. 

It's more suited towards those who:
- have a large knife collection or intend to sharpen numerous knives either as an enthusiast or business.
- are perfectionists in terms of consistent blade angles every time they sharpen or reprofile or polish/mirror shine
- want to be able to choose/control what angles their knives should have, for their intended purpose

That said, for general sharpening at a reasonable-ish price, I'd recommend the Spyderco Sharpmaker.


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## P_A_S_1 (Apr 19, 2015)

CyclingSalmon14 said:


> I have a sharping stone and even stone guide's, but honestly just made my knifes duller, I just am not a stone person.
> .



Providing you have the proper stones, in that one is coarse and one is very fine, I would revisit your technique. With the proper stones and guides your results should be just as good as any system your looking at.


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## Eneloops (Apr 19, 2015)

Optimistic_Pess said:


> Wicked Edge . . .



Your first post? Are you a shill? That's the biggest joke in the knife world, huge rippoff and worthless. It cannot do fully flat ground knives, nor can it do narrow ones. The "swivel" joints squeak and bind up constantly, insanely overpriced lansky or gatco, which work better for a fraction of the price. 

I just added a trio of DMT "credit card" hones for those times when I can't take my 1x30 belt grinder with me, for on the go.


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## Optimistic_Pess (Apr 22, 2015)

Eneloops said:


> Your first post? Are you a shill? That's the biggest joke in the knife world, huge rippoff and worthless. It cannot do fully flat ground knives, nor can it do narrow ones. The "swivel" joints squeak and bind up constantly, insanely overpriced lansky or gatco, which work better for a fraction of the price.
> 
> I just added a trio of DMT "credit card" hones for those times when I can't take my 1x30 belt grinder with me, for on the go.



Yes, It is my first post. I've mainly been lurking around the flashlight sections (albeit not always logged in either); but have of late been enjoying the knife forums and have been thinking of getting some Spyderco blades. (not an easy task since I'm in Australia)

No, I'm not a shill, I did not suggest that he should buy the Wicked Edge, only stating that its more aimed towards those who consider themselves 'knife/blades enthusiasts' and such.
It doesn't do fully flat ground blades out of the box, it does require slight consumer ingenuity in that aspect such as double sided foam type/etc, to facilitate the sharpening of FFG blades. 

It does have its limitations/flaws of course, as does every other sharpening system.

I did recommend the Sharpmaker as it isn't too overly expensive and as others have mentioned, it does provide some measure of decent sharpness, isn't overly complicated and portable.


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## Kestrel (Apr 22, 2015)

Hello Optimistic Pess, :welcome:
One post every six years, we don't see that very often. 
Best regards,


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## Optimistic_Pess (Apr 23, 2015)

Kestrel said:


> Hello Optimistic Pess, :welcome:
> One post every six years, we don't see that very often.



Thank you for the welcome, appreciate it.

Yeah, haven't been much of a poster in some of the other forums I follow either, but have been finding myself with a bit more time on my hands as of late; so figured I might try and be a bit more active.



Eneloops said:


> I just added a trio of DMT "credit card" hones for those times when I can't take my 1x30 belt grinder with me, for on the go.



How have the DMT 'credit card' hones performed with sharpening blades? What grit/microns did you purchase?


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## Eneloops (Apr 24, 2015)

Optimistic_Pess said:


> How have the DMT 'credit card' hones performed with sharpening blades? What grit/microns did you purchase?



Welcome to the CPF! Glad you're not a shill! 

I haven't tried the DMT credit card hones and don't plan to. I got them for "emergencies" as a take-along back-up, just in case. I've (almost/basically) mastered my 30 x 1 belt sharpener with the "surgi-sharp" leather strop and 800 grit belts. I've never had such sharpness before, and it's so fast and convenient, that it's my preferred method. 

The DMT cards are just something to always have in my EDC bag, in case I find myself away from home for an extended period. The seem very nice, and are thicker and more sturdy than I imagined they'd be. Very small form factor and fit in my baggage quite nicely, taking up almost no room. 

They weigh a lot more than I imagined as well. All three (coarse, medium, and fine - all came in a kit for around $28) weigh in at 131.73g, or 4.65 ounces. Each one alone averages 43.6g or 1.54 ounces each, in their respective plastic sleeves. The cards are 1.2mm thick. They measure 3.25-inches wide, by 2-inches tall. This measurement is slightly smaller in every dimension (except thickness), compared to regular credit cards. 

I have other DMT products, so I have no doubts as to how they'll perform, so I don't feel the need to "test" them. If one were to maintain their knives, I imagine just having one of them, in the extra-fine grit (or fine, for a utility edge), would suffice. I got all three, just in case I was ever in a longer-term situation where I might "abuse" my blades. 

They are ferrous, attracted to magnets. They'll probably rust, as my other DMT hone has, if not looked after or slathered in a light mineral oil for longevity. I wouldn't want to carry them in my wallet, because the plastic sleeves (the sleeves help reduce them rubbing against each other) couldn't be used while still fitting in a credit card slot, and the extra weight. Also, they're very rigid, which won't agree with the contour of my buttocks during rear-pocketing my wallet. Regards.


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## ForrestChump (May 1, 2015)

Eneloops said:


> *Your first post? Are you a shill? That's the biggest joke in the knife world, huge rippoff and worthless.* It cannot do fully flat ground knives, nor can it do narrow ones. The "swivel" joints squeak and bind up constantly, insanely overpriced lansky or gatco, which work better for a fraction of the price.
> 
> I just added a trio of DMT "credit card" hones for those times when I can't take my 1x30 belt grinder with me, for on the go.



Plenty of rave reviews on the wicked edge from knife connoisseurs.

Id go with a Spyderco Doublestuff.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...9-Need-help-to-choose-a-good-sharpener-PLEASE!


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## Ben850 (May 1, 2015)

The lansky deluxe is all you need. It's what I use to sharpen my Benchmade 940 with s30v steel. Works like perfection. Although I cannot comment on blades with harder steel (which are few and far in between.)


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## ForrestChump (May 1, 2015)

Ben850 said:


> The lansky deluxe is all you need. It's what I use to sharpen my Benchmade 940 with s30v steel. Works like perfection. Although I cannot comment on blades with *harder steel (which are few and far in between.)*



SV110 - M4 - M390 - ZDP-189 are becoming a little more popular. I believe those are harder, not positive.

On a folder, I do like S30V.


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