# Knife Sharpening "Systems"



## Kevin

My dad taught me to sharpen knifes when I was a kid and I was always able to keep my knives sharp using his old 3 stone oil bath system. I still use it and although I don't use a knife everyday like I did when I was fishing everyday, I still have the knack to keep my blades sharp. I always strop afterwards because like he said stropping makes it sharper and let's it hold an edge longer.

I'm not usually one to fix something that ain't broke, but with all these new systems out like the Wicked Edge etc., I figure it never hurts to check it out. Is anyone using any of the ceramic rod systems that seemed to have swept the knife community? If so please let us know what you have and how you like it.


----------



## Mike1950

I learned with an oilstone on knifes my Gramps made from old planer blades.
I have re-learned using waterstones. 800-2000-4000 and 8000. Have a medium grit large size diamond for heavy work and a fine diamond for hand tune-up of tools as I work. A strop as well when I really want an edge. I like the waterstones better then oil. sandpaper and glass works well also but might not work so well on knifes.[/u]


----------



## brown down

my father has ceramic rods he has had for 30-40 years, which is what i learned on... I have triangle ones with 30-40 degree angles on them, two rods one is med and the other is fine and love them. we tend to skin a lot of deer in rifle season depending on the year.... but still average a lot and my knife gets used...
It takes me 1 -2 mins to touch that thing up and its razor sharp again. 

now when they are real bad, i mean real bad like the three my two buddies gave me to sharpen, i used the work sharp system, motorized. 80 grit 120 grit and 8000 grit i think, that works great for knives with severe chips and such in them!! which those did have...


----------



## davebug

I tried one of the Lansky diamond systems once a while back. I did not care much for it it was one of the cheaper ones some where in the $40-70 range so not sure if that had anything to do with it. I could not see spending much more then that to try a new system out as I already have hundreds in stones that work just fine. It had 4 grits and the highest one was not high enough for my liking, so that hurt it in my eyes as well. Not sure I gave it a fair enough shot as I only tried to use it a few times before I moved back to my whet stones, but they work great so I am not sure I had enough motivation to change. 

With what ever system you use you can take it a step farther with the strops. Make a few of them and use some of the different grit diamond sprays or pastes to give it that much more of a fine edge. Lately I have been using horse hide for my leather strops and like it a lot.


----------



## Kevin

I wasn't very specific my bad. I actually use the Scary Sharp system for my woodworking tools. I'm asking specifically about knife sharpening here. Has anyone used the Wicked Edge or Spyderco Sharpmaker or other such systems to sharpen knives? I'm thinking abut ordering a Spryderco Tri-Angle 204MF from Amazon.


----------



## Kevin

Jeff I have a Worksharp 3000 but never did like it. I tried it out on chisels but never knives. So you do like it with knives?


----------



## brown down

Kevin said:


> Jeff I have a Worksharp 3000 but never did like it. I tried it out on chisels but never knives. So you do like it with knives?



they make one specifically for knives and scissors its like a 4 in or so 3/4 to one inch wide belt driven system! does broad heads axes i only use it for knives and works well. the belts are pricey but heck you could prob make them from the looks of them!!


----------



## Kevin

Okay now that makes sense. I was trying to figure out how I would use my spinning platen to sharpen a knife. It's probably possible but seeing the attachment makes sense. Shows how much I've used it. My wife uses it but I have used it a couple times I think. I'm looking pretty hard at the Spyderco.


----------



## brown down

Kevin said:


> Okay now that makes sense. I was trying to figure out how I would use my spinning platen to sharpen a knife. It's probably possible but seeing the attachment makes sense. Shows how much I've used it. My wife uses it but I have used it a couple times I think. I'm looking pretty hard at the Spyderco.



i have the same setup you have for your chisels and plane blades, love that thing. i am working on a jig for my turning tools had one kinda set up but have a better idea in mind. should be real cheap to make and should work real well! i am hoping at least. 

kevin that is the exact sharpener i have and absolutely love that thing. once the sticks get clogged up, take them to the sink and wash them off simple as that. i use the worksharp setup with the 6 or 8000 grit and than fine tune them with the spyder, you won't be able to sharpen a knife faster with any system imo 

we have crew of about 10 guys and thats what i do the night before season is touch up everyones knives for them. my cousin who has multiple setups said, he has never had his knives shaper!!!

that set is worth its weight in gold, the one you are looking at!!!!!!!! that i can't stress enough! worth every darn penny!!!!


----------



## SENC

I appreciate this thread. I was never taught knife sharpening and have never figured it out, so either go with dull knives or finally get so frustrated I replace them. I'm looking forward to responses you get and hope to pick up a tidbit or two.


----------



## arkie

Kevin said:


> My dad taught me to sharpen knifes when I was a kid and I was always able to keep my knives sharp using his old 3 stone oil bath system. I still use it and although I don't use a knife everyday like I did when I was fishing everyday, I still have the knack to keep my blades sharp. I always strop afterwards because like he said stropping makes it sharper and let's it hold an edge longer.
> 
> I'm not usually one to fix something that ain't broke, but with all these new systems out like the Wicked Edge etc., I figure it never hurts to check it out. Is anyone using any of the ceramic rod systems that seemed to have swept the knife community? If so please let us know what you have and how you like it.



Kevin - I've seen nothing faster or better than the Frizzell's Razor Sharp system, a set of paper wheels. You have to apply the edge in the right direction, backward of what you'd use on a regular grinding wheel.


----------



## AustinTom

brown down said:


> Kevin said:
> 
> 
> 
> Jeff I have a Worksharp 3000 but never did like it. I tried it out on chisels but never knives. So you do like it with knives?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> they make one specifically for knives and scissors its like a 4 in or so 3/4 to one inch wide belt driven system! does broad heads axes i only use it for knives and works well. the belts are pricey but heck you could prob make them from the looks of them!!
Click to expand...


----------



## HomeBody

I bought a Lansky kit in about 1980 and have used it ever since. I've never come across a knife that I coudn't put a razor edge on. Works for me anyway. Like you said, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Gary

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Molokai

I found this one and it looks better than other systems i have seen, it can rotate and more.


----------



## Kevin

I bought a spyderco sharpmaker and I like it. But like all sharpening systems it has weaknesses too. The one you show is the best of that type it looks like to me, because of some of the innovative features it has. But its weakness is the inability to alternate a single pass on each side for the final phase of each grit efficiently (quickly). Sure you can do it, but not efficiently even with the quick-spin-over feature (which I really like). 

I think an ideal setup would be having a sharpmaker for keeping knives touched up, and having a KME for those really dull knives and then take them to the sharpmaker for getting the scary sharp edge on them. IMO you cannot get a knife scary sharp unless you finish it off with alternating single strokes because _the motion shown_ with the KME would be impossible to get a straight uniform edge down the length of the blade. It's a great looking system though, the best I've seen of that type but at $150 I doubt I will get one. 

If you get it I will be interested to read your review.


----------



## robert flynt

Mike1950 said:


> I learned with an oilstone on knifes my Gramps made from old planer blades.
> I have re-learned using waterstones. 800-2000-4000 and 8000. Have a medium grit large size diamond for heavy work and a fine diamond for hand tune-up of tools as I work. A strop as well when I really want an edge. I like the waterstones better then oil. sandpaper and glass works well also but might not work so well on knifes.[/u]


 Mike, If you have an old oil stone thats loaded up and dosn,t work so well try degreasing it then put in a zip lock bag with Simple Green. The Simple green will serve as a lubricant when you use it and by keeping it in the bag with this it will stay clean. Also if you have a buffing wheel for your bench grinder put some green rouge on it, make a couple on it with the edge of the blade down this will remove any feather, then strop it. Makes for a very sharp blade.
Robert


----------



## healeydays

I have a Worksharp 2000 that is ok for chisels but nowadays I use it more for thinning out coins to cast in pens and such. 

Mike B


----------



## Molokai

Here is the latest from work sharp, the sharpener which i will probably buy.

http://www.worksharptools.com/knife...ener/work-sharp-knife-and-tool-sharpener.html


----------



## barry richardson

I don't use a knife much any more, but I used to always just sharpen with a couple of stones. My dad taught me as well, he was an avid coon hunter when I was young, and skinning requires a very keen edge. He could resharpen a knife in the field to a very sharp edge in a couple of minutes with just a pocket stone. This was back when coon hides were worth something, sad now, the bottom fell out of the fur trade, now coons are overpopulated in most areas and considered pest... but I digress. I have a lansky system that appears to have never been used that I bought at a garage sale, and I have never used it either. I would trade it for a nice piece of wood. I will start a trade thread if there is any interest...


----------



## Molokai

barry richardson said:


> I don't use a knife much any more, but I used to always just sharpen with a couple of stones. My dad taught me as well, he was an avid coon hunter when I was young, and skinning requires a very keen edge. He could resharpen a knife in the field to a very sharp edge in a couple of minutes with just a pocket stone. This was back when coon hides were worth something, sad now, the bottom fell out of the fur trade, now coons are overpopulated in most areas and considered pest... but I digress. I have a lansky system that appears to have never been used that I bought at a garage sale, and I have never used it either. I would trade it for a nice piece of wood. I will start a trade thread if there is any interest...


i am interested
dont know the dimensions of that so i dont know how much will shipping cost me.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## barry richardson

Molokai said:


> i am interested
> dont know the dimensions of that so i dont know how much will shipping cost me.


I will see if I can find it. That's getting to be a real problem these days.. It is a pretty compact case, might fit in a package with some other things

Reactions: Like 1


----------

