OUTDOORS55 Hi Alex, thank for a great review. I'm new to pocket knives and sharpening them. After watching your review, I actually cancelled my whetstone Amazon order and ordered the lansky rod kit instead. I have a new Buck Vantage Select Small pocket knife, 420HC steel (BOS treated) and I can't get a razor edge on it no matter what I do. I copied your method of using it and finished with a strope but it still struggles cutting through paper or shaving hair. Is it my knife or me? I have the same experience with my Victorinox Santuko knife, it struggles cutting tomatoes still.
I was just getting ready to click off the video at the moment of unboxing when I witnessed what is possibly the greatest unboxing in the history of UA-cam. Glad to find someone like myself who just cannot watch someone open a box and remove a product. Oh yea, great review as well.
If you like this, check out AvE. He literally unboxed a kitchen aid mixer with a circular saw! He's also used an ax, a milling machine, and a torch iirc.
Knife legend AG Russell always talks about these. They are his favorite sharpening tool. I own a set and find them incredibly useful for recurve blades.
The biggest problem with this sort of system is that if your blade bevels don't match the 20 or 25 degree Lansky angles then you're looking at a re-profile job. If you do a blade on the lansky it's best to always do it on the Lansky. I use the 20 degree side for sharpening and the 25 degree side for micro-bevels. I have the diamond rods and they're pretty good imho. Cuts faster and makes a toothier edge but fine enough that it can be smoothed out easily with the ceramics. They last a long time but will get smoother over time. The ceramics won't wear out but they can chip so try to not beat them up. When they load up with steel they clean up easily with a scotch bright pad and dish detergent.
Yes I agree. Re-profiling would be a pain on this system. Technically it still sharpens even if your angles don't match exactly. You'll just be putting a sharp micro bevel on it. It would be nice a have a coarser stone for it as well. I guess thats where the diamond stones help.
I grudgingly use it for kitchen knifes because it is so easy and foolproof but most of my knifes I want 15-17 degrees. Have both sets, the diamond rods work fine if your knife is a little past touchup stage, then go to the ceramics. Maybe someday I will shake the lazies and drill some new holes.
I have two of these although the version with the diamond rods. One stays in the kitchen for quick blade touch ups and one in my truck for use on my knives when away from home. I also have the Lansky diamond controlled angle sharpening system. I use it for reprofiling to 17* primary and 20* microbevel. Then use the turn box and a strop for touch ups. Pretty much covers everything I need to do although I’m planning to drill new holes at 17* this weekend so I can also rework the primary without the controlled angle system if needed. One other thing worth mentioning for those considering one of these... The round rods concentrate the force you apply to a very small area on the edge. So, avoid using the same amount of pressure that you might on a flat stone that spreads that pressure over a much larger area. A light touch is best as too much pressure can cause edge chips. This isn’t an issue. It works great but just doesn’t require as much pressure to do the same amount of work.
Fantastic video! I have tons of experience sharpening knives and I have lots of respect for you, your channel, and your technique. I bought this system before watching this video and I was equally impressed with its performance. When I bought it over the more expensive diamond one, I got a nasty look from the cashier but I was strapped for cash and I knew my technique would get me my moneys worth. I highly recommend this system as well for anyone on a very tight budget!
Slight hack for anyone wanting to have other stone options for this Lansky system...with parts from another. I like the system since the angle is fixed and I find it easier to "aim" with this setup than a flat stone but I also wanted different grits. So I bought a set of Lansky's HRSET Curved Blade stones because they are rounded and have grits of coarse, medium, fine and Ultra Fine. They were designed for curved blades like Karambits but I thought they would work and they are. I have a couple recurves as well and these curved stones work just like the ones that come with the Lansky system you feature. I attached the HRSET stone I wanted to use to one of the ceramic stones of the Lansky system (the stones of the HRSET set are Alumina oxide - coarse and medium and Silica Carbide for the other two) using elastic bands and set the Lansky stone back into the system with the new stone available as the sharpening surface. It isn't a perfect solution since you need to keep the stone from moving with one hand while sharpening with the other, and you have to take the stone out of one hole and put it in the other hole to deal with the other side of the blade so it takes a bit longer, but it does seem to work and my knives are all sharp enough for me. After using the HRSET stones I then use the fine ceramic and a strop to finish things off and it still is less expensive and just as effective - if not as efficient - as far more expensive options.
Agreed, A Norton 2"x8" combination bench stone followed by the Lansky crocks has become my favorite way to quickly bring a knife to life. I had and sold an edge-pro because i hated dragging all that crap out and setting it up. I always finished on the crock sticks anyways because the consistently great result.
I bought that for like 12 bucks. Works great. I prefer bench stones for my longer kitchen/chef knives but this helps me with smaller pocket style knives.
Why don't you dill holes at those angles in your wooden edge of your strop. All in one system. You could also dill length ways as storage compartments.
What do you think about fixed angle sharpening systems? Like Ruixin pro etc. Would love to see video about talking about pros and cons using sharpening system versus free handed.
I've never used fixed angle systems. I'll probably get one eventually. Freehand has its advantages though if your skilled enough. It's definitely faster to freehand sharpen. And you can get just as good results. It takes practice though.
Good to know. :) If you are buying one i would recommend Ruixin Pro. Since it's cheapest. Like $20 with 4 stones. And with Iversonfr1985's modifications it's very comfortable to use.
Interesting. It's hard to have an opinion without having used one. Some of the fixed blade systems are super expensive as well. Another thing that has kept me away. I'd love to try one out though 😀
I really think that you do a great job with your delivery, your videos are well done and provide viewers information in real life situations,you know ,stuff we can use.
Alex I do like and enjoy your passion for knives . You do a very good job at showing and demonstrating the proper technique for overall knife performance. Keep it up young man. Thank you so much. Sensei G. S. Gibbs.
Dont worry it wasnt too much. It's little things like that which separate you from other youtubers. Great video. I've never sharpened before, I'm trying to learn so i might buy this to start :)
It a good sharpener as far as I can tell. Been playing around with it some more and still getting good results. And it should last a long time if you keep the stones clean. For the money you really can't go wrong. the unboxing was kind of a play on the 10 minute long unboxing videos that never really go anywhere lol. Thanks my friend 😀
Hi Alex, I have a Ken Onion Worksharp, which I stopped using because it is really easy to mess up your edge angle very quickly with the machine even at slow speeds. The machine is not perfect and there is a lot left to chance because the guides don't go the entire edge of the blade and you wind ip basically holding your knife freehand on a belt for the last third of the knife. It's also easy to put an unintentional recurve on your blade quite quickly, and to take the tips off your blades if you are not paying attention to stopping with the tip on the belt. Again, you are basically freehand sharpening the tip against a belt because the guides run out close to the belt as you slide the full length of the blade through. I've had better luck with the small bench top worksharp guided sharpening system which basically includes rough angle guides as you start, in order to help you maintain an edge angle when using the diamond plates. It's still up to the user though. I am pretty terrible at maintaining an edge angle freehand with flat stones alone. Does using a rod type system such as the Lansky shown in your video (or spyderco sharpmaker) put a convex bevel on your blade or a flat-v bevel such as with flat stones? Is your aim to get a bur and work it back and forth as with freehand stone sharpening to get your edge? It seems like there is a lot left up to chance to get an even bevel with this system unless you hold your knife very consistently straight up and down. It's almost like using a chef's knife steel rod freehand. Is it "idiot proof" as long as you remotely don't change the way you hold the blade? Do you get factory-like even bevels with this or do they become wider as you slide the knife down towards the tip? How does this system do with sharpening all the way to/and including the tip, or at the ricasso if there is no sharpening choil as with most Spydercos? It seems great but more of a less-consistent quick and dirty system that you would use if you were not paying particular attention to the tip or edge closest to the ricasso and plunge grind if there is no sharpening choil (when compared to expensive clamp systems, where there is very little left to user error) ... I really hate to mess up new expensive benchmades or spydercos freehand or with a belt type system. I barely use my knives because of this. If I had that consistent touch I would have no fear of making all of my knives "users" instead of safe-queens. I was looking at a KME system (with a base at additional cost) or an Edge Pro Apex but both are around $200 for basic models. I don't do anything outrageous with my knives, I never pry (abuse), I am careful not to hit anything like rocks, screws or staples to ding my edges-- I would basically only be maintaining and touching up my edges with no need to regrind or reprofile, that would be a job to send back to the manufacturer. I need a user friendly option with not much left to chance or skill in maintaining the perfect angle. I realize there are a lot of questions here, I've been trying to practice freehand with stones but I am too inconsistent with my results. My bevels never seem to get that "factory even look" and I have trouble with getting a shaving apex and sharpening my tips. Your demos and tutorials are supremely helpful to me, but it's mind-boggling that you are able to seemingly effortlessly get good-looking factory consistent results by freehand alone. I know the principles and techniques, but I am just not good at maintaining a constant angle and it never seems to improve. Yes I can sharpen, but my edges don't *look* consistent or good. Any advice would be helpful. Sorry for the ramble, this is more of a Private Message series of questions but you can't do that on here anymore. - Mike in Pennsylvania.
the best sharpener for me is regular sandpaper. you just put it on a flat surface and sharpen your knife like with a regular stone. it is the cheapest and the easiest way and you can easely buy different grits and they are wery compact.
I like using sand paper as well. I always seem to be out of it though😉 One nice thing about using sand paper is you never have to worry about flattening your stones.
I have the ceramic and the diamond versions. I have other sharpening options (KOWS, stones, etc.) but I always use the Lansky first. OTOH, I don't let my knifes get too dull....mostly touch up work.
Thanks a lot for this video! I'm completly new to knife sharperning, this really helps me a lot. I was afraid to buy a wet stone, because I suck at holding an angle I'd probably misshape the blade with it. But this really seems to be a easy and good thing!
It's a great easy system. I would highly suggest buying a strop along with this system. A strop will take the edges to the next level. It's still great by itself though. Thanks for the comment my friend 😀👍
OUTDOORS55 Thanks. And thanks for the respond, didn't even think you's see my comment! Yes, I understood that the strop is a key element to sharpening and it seems that I can't do a lot wrong with it. You make your videos quite comfortable to watch and to learn from it! Keep it up!
I think you should read the instructions. My Lansky says to use the gray rods in the 25⁰ holes first. Then use the white rods in the 20⁰ holes to put the finish edge on. I'm not good with a flat stone, never could keep the angle right. This setup works very well for me.
I have a serpentine blade pocket knife I use for a letter opener. This sharpener is what I used to sharpen it up. Ive truly no idea how else you could sharpen a serpentine blade.
On the rod sharpener you use the darker rods on the more narrow angle, to thin the sides of the blade, then finish up with the finer white rods in the slightly wider angle to finish it up. The rods have held up well, they just require an occasional scour with comet, then a good rinse under hot water.
I find it much easier to keep my knife vertical than to keep it at say 20 degrees from the horizontal, so this looks like an interesting and cheap option. One question: Why do you think the two 25 degree holes are closer together than the two 20 degree holes?
Hi, I just bought another budget knife and am starting to get into sharpening my own knives. I've looked at your past videos on beginner sharpening tools: the Lansky controlled angle system, and this one. Which one do you think is better, or should I get a set of whetstones? Also, where can I buy a quality strop?
I'm not really worried about money so if I like get a 4000 grit norton whetstone and have a shitty little blade and just use your tips like the angle tip and apex and whatnot and I can change it from a blade that cant even cut paper into one that can at least cut plastic and medium ropes?
Great review I've always loved that type of sharpener. They are not as common in stores these days as they used to be. Just takes practice holding blade straight.
"It could not be more simple and easy" - just bought the kit and would like to be able to say that after 45 minutes, the knife is sharper than when I started, but I'm not sure... I tried to keep the 90° angle, tried various pressure levels, medium/fine grit rods - still blunt as a butter-knife. If you're beginner grinder as me, don't believe it's impossible to fail at this rod system :)
I just saw a new type sharpener on the same principal but the V will move as sharping the knife. Here is the name of it "Bavarian Edge kitchen knife sharpener". Maybe you would be interested on doing a review. I enjoy watching all your videos keep up the good work.
I know pull through sharpeners are frowned upon but I suck at keeping a consistent angle so I've been rounding over my edge, would you reccomend the lansky blade medic, it has ceramic bars in it still.
lansky makes a great product. i use the stone system with guides.. works great.. runs about 70$ can also buy the guided strop.. try out the smiths guided system.. its got one 600grit diamond and a 1000 Arkansas stone for right around 20$ its a good one too with the guides it kind of forces you to stay on the angle. great vid as always bro!
Looks like a decent little inexpensive alternative to the Spyderco Sharpmaker. By the way, I'm sure you've heard this before but your voice is uncannily similar to that of James Woods. Thanks for uploading this concise, sensible review. Cheers.
OUTDOORS55 It came in today, and I've sharpened 3 knives..it works pretty good! And hey guess what, My name is also Alex! Well my middle name, and can you give any tips on how to get the best results with this sharpener?
Nice! I'm still learning it myself. I'll keep using it and experimenting to find the best methods. I still think maintaining your angle is the most important part. Alex is a good name😉👍
I just got one of these. It takes a little technique but puts a razor sharp edge on a knife pretty quick. Strop it afterwards and it’s extremely impressive considering how fast and inexpensive the block is.
For $30-$35 bucks the Lansky deluxe 5 stone kit is a great system, with multiple angles. For an additional $10 bucks they have a leather strop block as well.
I saw that as well when I bought this one. It tempted me.😉 Though I'd give the cheaper one a go first. I didn't know it came with a strop as well. Sounds like good deal.
OUTDOORS55 leather strop is sold separate but worth it! www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Lansky-Stropping-Hone-P452.aspx?gclid=CjwKCAjw9O3NBRB3EiwAK6wPT75BiraShxQ-h8rxMzt4ghP6fygYF1XW_FpH9NyTFqHpEjJEanXJ9hoCHRMQAvD_BwE
I Hate! Watching you Dull Knives! I know it's for demo only, but 😱. I've used the Lansky Angel guided Stone's system for 25+ years, and after stropping you can make Air scream, but I don't like the setup time for just doing a quick touch up, I'll need to get one of those. Great Review, keep 'em coming.
I hate it too! I can't dull them fast enough through regular use though haha. The guided system sounds like it would be awesome. No worries about angles. I've had my eye one then for a long time but never pulled the trigger. One day I'll end up with one. Thanks my friend 😀
Ceramic sharpeners are pretty reliable/effective for what they are. Only two things to remember when using them: 1. Don't drop it, as it can shatter. 2. If it gets clogged, some Barkeeper's Friend and a 3M green scrubby with a little effort will get it like new again.
Yeah I dropped a king stone years ago, and it is no more. I actually talked about how to clean the stones but ended up cutting it out as the video was starting to ramble on. I usually use Brillo pads with soap. I've also tried the 3m scrubbys both work very well. Thanks for the tips! 😀👍
@@OUTDOORS55 and don't let your wife loan them out to a workman to sharpen his machete. Everybody walks away unhappy. At least he only screwed up one side of my Arkansas medium before he saw the error of his ways.
in order to sharpen small pocket knife.. what system it is the best for me? i got some opinel .. some victorinox and a Gerber LST for EDC.. what will i should use? lansky with ceramic rod or something basic!?thanks
Great video, good review. The only thing that I didn't really agree with was about higher end knives (better steel) being easier to sharpen. Easier to sharpen would mean the metal is softer and while that makes it easier to sharpen it also makes it easier to dull. Obviously there are different levels of steel quality but I think edge retention vs ease of sharpening is a preference that any knife buyer/owner should understand and make for themselves. That's just my opinion though, I'm no expert. Keep up the good work!
I would tend to agree. Although there’s a lot more that goes into knife steel then just, hard steel is hard to sharpen, and soft steel is easy. Some steels take finer edges easier than others. Especially with a good heat treatment. A badly heat treated blade can be very hard to get a super fine edge regardless of steel quality. Largely due to grain growth and other factors during heat treating. Cheap stainless blades are the worst. Most of the time they are very soft and it can be an exercise of delicacy trying to put any kind of sharp edge on them. It all comes down to the manufacturers quality control on their heat treating process. Just a couple things to keep in mind. Thanks for watching my friend!
Great review! I will definitely give these a look. The stones I'm using are pretty small and it's difficult to sharpen larger blades with them… This system looks like it would work on just about any size knife.
It works fine with the spartan. I haven't tried it in anything larger though. I should probably try it with say, a kitchen knife. I think very large blades it would have trouble with but I'm sure you could "find a way". I say it's worth it for the price. It doesn't give you the versatility of actual stones (removing chips, Reprofiling etc) but it does sharpen quite nice.
I've been able to keep my knives shaving sharp with a coffee mug and an old leather belt and some polishing compound. Once a knife is sharp, stropping it after every few uses will keep it razor sharp as long as you're not splitting rocks with it.
Yeah I find a good strop pretty useful. I hear a lot of anti-stroppers saying strops are useless or only for straight razors, which is silly to me unless you're using a progression of waterstones all the way from coarse up to something like 10,000 grit then yeah you probably don't need a strop. I think it's easy to maintain an edge with a strop, I usually use green compound but 1 micron diamond gives it some bite.
I just bought the version that includes the diamond rods for the rough sharpening. For the fine sharpening it includes the same ceramic rods as this one. Why are you moving the blade downwards along the rod instead of upwards? The downward movement pushes the blade apex into the rod whereas the upward movement pulls the blade apex away from the rod. Not sure if that's a good way of explaining it but I'm guessing you know what I am trying to say. Is there a reason why pushing downwards is inherently better than pulling upwards?
I bought yhis system from your website . Quick question i tried sharpening a case knife and an opinel and saw little resukts only with the opinel. The case knife was dull and stayed dull. How long do i have to shave ed metal or stroke the bkade against the rod until i see some results
I use a fair amount of pressure when I use it. I also clamp it down. I have an updated video (very recent video can't provide a link at this time) on how I use it. Check my videos it will be a very recant video and won't be hard to find. Im sure it will help.
@@OUTDOORS55 thanks. Since i have the box for ceramic rod . Do you think lansky offers a diamon rod medium grit ( sold separately)to mount to the box. Lanksy only offers the fine diamond rod separetly.
If a knife is really really dull I start it on regular stones and then finish them on this. thrift store finds are often that dull. Seems a lot of folks use a knife until it is hopeless and then give it away
I am struggling to get my Kershaw blades sharp, I am new to collecting and sharpening. mu budget isn't high so that's why I like the Kershaw knives, I have a smith stone and also a smith 2in1 diamond field type sharpener. should this get the job done for me?I love your videos and I hope to be so confident the I can dull my blades like you lol.
Hmm.. I don't have any experience with the smith stones..so it's hard to say what results you can expect. Technically you can pretty much sharpen on anything that will dull a knife. Proper technique is key with anything. Knife blade steel also plays a part. Cheap steel can be impossible to sharpen. I have a couple cheap knives I can't sharpen due to the steel being unable to support a very fine edge. I will say you will spent around $20 on this sharpener and I think it worth it. I would also look into getting a strop. A strop is a wonderful tool for sharpening. An old leather belt can also be used. Being able to sharpen well, will completely change the way you use your knives! Hope this helps 😀
I don't know much about diamond stones but from what I've heard from some other knife youtubers they wear out fast, as there are only one "layer" of diamonds on a mounting surface. One the diamonds are gone, they are gone. Unlike a water stone where there's a constant new "layer " of stone being exposed as the stone wears down. I have also heard the diamonds can imbed in certain steels. That's pretty much all I know about them lol. Again that's just what I've heard through the grapevine😀
First of all, Alex, how’s it going I think your channels pretty great. I do believe that I have watched enough of them to comfortably say, “Very nice job, sir and thank you.” I’m going to get to the point now, I think it was this video where you mentioned never having really used diamond sharpening plates. About a year ago I bought a Smith’s travel stone set, it’s a double sided thing with a case that flips around it becomes a handle... It’s labeled course and fin respectively. Anyway, I have fiddled with it unsuccessfully two or three times and probably won’t ever again. If you want it it’s yours, you can make a video with it just use it or not I mean, I can’t think of anyone else on the planet that could possibly get some use out of it. Anyway if you want it it’s yours. If you respond back to this I can get you my email address or phone number and we can exchange information and I’ll ship it to you. If you want to work some kind of trade I have a Spyderco tenacious that I worksharped out of shape when I was first messing with my new toy. If you want to reprofile it in trade I’d be happy with that. Let me know, when you can. Time isn’t a major factor. Regardless, thanks again for the hard work and solid teachings. Collin St Phillip < searching my name on fb will get the job done. Or not, I’m willing to bet you get at least a few nut jobs messaging you, can’t be too careful. No sweat. Later
This wouldn’t be a great system for scandi knives. It would sharpen them but it would be difficult and wouldn’t produce the best results. A regular flat stone will produce better results. Hope this helps 😀
Here's the link to the lansky sharpening system 😀
amzn.to/2fGbHKn
THIS IS AN AMAZON AFFILIATE LINK
OUTDOORS55
Hi Alex, thank for a great review. I'm new to pocket knives and sharpening them.
After watching your review, I actually cancelled my whetstone Amazon order and ordered the lansky rod kit instead.
I have a new Buck Vantage Select Small pocket knife, 420HC steel (BOS treated) and I can't get a razor edge on it no matter what I do. I copied your method of using it and finished with a strope but it still struggles cutting through paper or shaving hair. Is it my knife or me?
I have the same experience with my Victorinox Santuko knife, it struggles cutting tomatoes still.
Will this work for my victorinox meat cutting knives
I was just getting ready to click off the video at the moment of unboxing when I witnessed what is possibly the greatest unboxing in the history of UA-cam. Glad to find someone like myself who just cannot watch someone open a box and remove a product. Oh yea, great review as well.
You mean taking a product out of a box isn't a exciting?? That's news to me...😉 Thanks for watching man!
If you like this, check out AvE. He literally unboxed a kitchen aid mixer with a circular saw! He's also used an ax, a milling machine, and a torch iirc.
DrivenByDiamond you over sold it. But the pixies approve!
Knife legend AG Russell always talks about these. They are his favorite sharpening tool. I own a set and find them incredibly useful for recurve blades.
That was an epic unboxing intro!!! And hilarious! Do that stuff more often!!! Please! More unboxings!
Haha thanks man! Just poking fun at some of the uber boring unboxing vids lol. Thanks for the comment 👍
I agree. Twas pretty awesome
The biggest problem with this sort of system is that if your blade bevels don't match the 20 or 25 degree Lansky angles then you're looking at a re-profile job. If you do a blade on the lansky it's best to always do it on the Lansky. I use the 20 degree side for sharpening and the 25 degree side for micro-bevels.
I have the diamond rods and they're pretty good imho. Cuts faster and makes a toothier edge but fine enough that it can be smoothed out easily with the ceramics. They last a long time but will get smoother over time. The ceramics won't wear out but they can chip so try to not beat them up. When they load up with steel they clean up easily with a scotch bright pad and dish detergent.
Yes I agree. Re-profiling would be a pain on this system. Technically it still sharpens even if your angles don't match exactly. You'll just be putting a sharp micro bevel on it. It would be nice a have a coarser stone for it as well. I guess thats where the diamond stones help.
I grudgingly use it for kitchen knifes because it is so easy and foolproof but most of my knifes I want 15-17 degrees. Have both sets, the diamond rods work fine if your knife is a little past touchup stage, then go to the ceramics. Maybe someday I will shake the lazies and drill some new holes.
I have two of these although the version with the diamond rods. One stays in the kitchen for quick blade touch ups and one in my truck for use on my knives when away from home. I also have the Lansky diamond controlled angle sharpening system. I use it for reprofiling to 17* primary and 20* microbevel. Then use the turn box and a strop for touch ups. Pretty much covers everything I need to do although I’m planning to drill new holes at 17* this weekend so I can also rework the primary without the controlled angle system if needed.
One other thing worth mentioning for those considering one of these... The round rods concentrate the force you apply to a very small area on the edge. So, avoid using the same amount of pressure that you might on a flat stone that spreads that pressure over a much larger area. A light touch is best as too much pressure can cause edge chips. This isn’t an issue. It works great but just doesn’t require as much pressure to do the same amount of work.
Fantastic video! I have tons of experience sharpening knives and I have lots of respect for you, your channel, and your technique. I bought this system before watching this video and I was equally impressed with its performance. When I bought it over the more expensive diamond one, I got a nasty look from the cashier but I was strapped for cash and I knew my technique would get me my moneys worth. I highly recommend this system as well for anyone on a very tight budget!
BTW... Every time you dull your knives, a part of me dies inside! It's worse than nails on a chalkboard!
Haha I feel ya! Thanks for the comment my friend! I really appreciate you taking the time to watch😀
Slight hack for anyone wanting to have other stone options for this Lansky system...with parts from another. I like the system since the angle is fixed and I find it easier to "aim" with this setup than a flat stone but I also wanted different grits. So I bought a set of Lansky's HRSET Curved Blade stones because they are rounded and have grits of coarse, medium, fine and Ultra Fine. They were designed for curved blades like Karambits but I thought they would work and they are. I have a couple recurves as well and these curved stones work just like the ones that come with the Lansky system you feature. I attached the HRSET stone I wanted to use to one of the ceramic stones of the Lansky system (the stones of the HRSET set are Alumina oxide - coarse and medium and Silica Carbide for the other two) using elastic bands and set the Lansky stone back into the system with the new stone available as the sharpening surface. It isn't a perfect solution since you need to keep the stone from moving with one hand while sharpening with the other, and you have to take the stone out of one hole and put it in the other hole to deal with the other side of the blade so it takes a bit longer, but it does seem to work and my knives are all sharp enough for me. After using the HRSET stones I then use the fine ceramic and a strop to finish things off and it still is less expensive and just as effective - if not as efficient - as far more expensive options.
This is a great sharpening system for beginners.. I use it to sharpen my fox karambit collection.. highly recommended for any karambit enthusiasts
Agreed, A Norton 2"x8" combination bench stone followed by the Lansky crocks has become my favorite way to quickly bring a knife to life. I had and sold an edge-pro because i hated dragging all that crap out and setting it up. I always finished on the crock sticks anyways because the consistently great result.
I got tired of the edgw pro and went back to my old Arkasas medium and hard!
This was hands down the best unboxing on youtube!
I bought that for like 12 bucks. Works great. I prefer bench stones for my longer kitchen/chef knives but this helps me with smaller pocket style knives.
They are great if you only sharpen once and a while👍
I am a big fan of your videos , after watching this video I picked up this sharpener and I love it. Keep up the good work
Thanks man! Glad it works for you👍
6:13 Did that hurt anyone else?
Oh hell yeah! I own a cold steel spartan
Why don't you dill holes at those angles in your wooden edge of your strop. All in one system. You could also dill length ways as storage compartments.
What do you think about fixed angle sharpening systems? Like Ruixin pro etc. Would love to see video about talking about pros and cons using sharpening system versus free handed.
I've never used fixed angle systems. I'll probably get one eventually. Freehand has its advantages though if your skilled enough. It's definitely faster to freehand sharpen. And you can get just as good results. It takes practice though.
Good to know. :) If you are buying one i would recommend Ruixin Pro. Since it's cheapest. Like $20 with 4 stones. And with Iversonfr1985's modifications it's very comfortable to use.
Thanks for the recommendation. 😀
Interesting. It's hard to have an opinion without having used one. Some of the fixed blade systems are super expensive as well. Another thing that has kept me away. I'd love to try one out though 😀
RUIXIN PRO 3 from aliexpress looks very good tbh, all stainless steel
It's a beast alright! Simple design yet effective! Excellent video!🙂👍👍👍
5:22 "It's definitely sharp" proceeds to test it right on his vein haha. Accident waiting to happen.
Jeffrey levouski that made me cringe
@Nelson Lee no he almost did. Lol
I really think that you do a great job with your delivery, your videos are well done and provide viewers information in real life situations,you know ,stuff we can use.
Thanks a lot! It's nice to get feed back. I try and keep stuff simple and not ramble on too much😉 Thanks for the comment 👍
I got a eight dollar sharpening stone and it sharpens way better and also the knife in the result turns out way more sharp
Am I the only one wondering how the saw horses were made?
that was the most dramatic unboxing i've ever seen. in a good way.
Alex I do like and enjoy your passion for knives .
You do a very good job at showing and demonstrating the proper technique for overall knife performance.
Keep it up young man.
Thank you so much.
Sensei G. S. Gibbs.
Thanks for the kind words my friend! It really means a lot! I appreciate the support thanks 👍😀
Best dramatic unbox ever :) Good demo of the product, thank you.
Thanks for watching my friend😀
Dont worry it wasnt too much. It's little things like that which separate you from other youtubers. Great video. I've never sharpened before, I'm trying to learn so i might buy this to start :)
It a good sharpener as far as I can tell. Been playing around with it some more and still getting good results. And it should last a long time if you keep the stones clean. For the money you really can't go wrong. the unboxing was kind of a play on the 10 minute long unboxing videos that never really go anywhere lol. Thanks my friend 😀
That unboxing was actually beautiful
My apology for being a poor listener. I missed your remarks about diamond stones. Sorry, and keep making helpful videos. THX
Hi Alex, I have a Ken Onion Worksharp, which I stopped using because it is really easy to mess up your edge angle very quickly with the machine even at slow speeds. The machine is not perfect and there is a lot left to chance because the guides don't go the entire edge of the blade and you wind ip basically holding your knife freehand on a belt for the last third of the knife. It's also easy to put an unintentional recurve on your blade quite quickly, and to take the tips off your blades if you are not paying attention to stopping with the tip on the belt. Again, you are basically freehand sharpening the tip against a belt because the guides run out close to the belt as you slide the full length of the blade through.
I've had better luck with the small bench top worksharp guided sharpening system which basically includes rough angle guides as you start, in order to help you maintain an edge angle when using the diamond plates. It's still up to the user though. I am pretty terrible at maintaining an edge angle freehand with flat stones alone.
Does using a rod type system such as the Lansky shown in your video (or spyderco sharpmaker) put a convex bevel on your blade or a flat-v bevel such as with flat stones? Is your aim to get a bur and work it back and forth as with freehand stone sharpening to get your edge? It seems like there is a lot left up to chance to get an even bevel with this system unless you hold your knife very consistently straight up and down. It's almost like using a chef's knife steel rod freehand. Is it "idiot proof" as long as you remotely don't change the way you hold the blade? Do you get factory-like even bevels with this or do they become wider as you slide the knife down towards the tip? How does this system do with sharpening all the way to/and including the tip, or at the ricasso if there is no sharpening choil as with most Spydercos? It seems great but more of a less-consistent quick and dirty system that you would use if you were not paying particular attention to the tip or edge closest to the ricasso and plunge grind if there is no sharpening choil (when compared to expensive clamp systems, where there is very little left to user error) ...
I really hate to mess up new expensive benchmades or spydercos freehand or with a belt type system. I barely use my knives because of this. If I had that consistent touch I would have no fear of making all of my knives "users" instead of safe-queens. I was looking at a KME system (with a base at additional cost) or an Edge Pro Apex but both are around $200 for basic models. I don't do anything outrageous with my knives, I never pry (abuse), I am careful not to hit anything like rocks, screws or staples to ding my edges-- I would basically only be maintaining and touching up my edges with no need to regrind or reprofile, that would be a job to send back to the manufacturer. I need a user friendly option with not much left to chance or skill in maintaining the perfect angle.
I realize there are a lot of questions here, I've been trying to practice freehand with stones but I am too inconsistent with my results. My bevels never seem to get that "factory even look" and I have trouble with getting a shaving apex and sharpening my tips. Your demos and tutorials are supremely helpful to me, but it's mind-boggling that you are able to seemingly effortlessly get good-looking factory consistent results by freehand alone. I know the principles and techniques, but I am just not good at maintaining a constant angle and it never seems to improve. Yes I can sharpen, but my edges don't *look* consistent or good. Any advice would be helpful. Sorry for the ramble, this is more of a Private Message series of questions but you can't do that on here anymore. - Mike in Pennsylvania.
Thank you, nice job Straight forward no bull it works and that's what
You showed. Stroping is also very beneficial
Thanks! I was pleasantly surprised how well it works for the "oddly" shaped blades. I'm glad I bought it now😀
the best sharpener for me is regular sandpaper. you just put it on a flat surface and sharpen your knife like with a regular stone. it is the cheapest and the easiest way and you can easely buy different grits and they are wery compact.
I like using sand paper as well. I always seem to be out of it though😉 One nice thing about using sand paper is you never have to worry about flattening your stones.
Was ready to leave until, the most dramatic unboxing ever happend. you sir have a subscriber. Well done.
Haha! Thanks for sticking around!😀 I really appreciate it!
is this fast enough to make it worth it to sharpen my longsword with, I want to keep my sword sharp
Catsinelixe Holloway you don't want a sword this sharp. A channel on UA-cam is skalligim explains
@@grahammoore5801
He actually endorses sharp swords
I have the ceramic and the diamond versions. I have other sharpening options (KOWS, stones, etc.) but I always use the Lansky first. OTOH, I don't let my knifes get too dull....mostly touch up work.
Thanks a lot for this video!
I'm completly new to knife sharperning, this really helps me a lot.
I was afraid to buy a wet stone, because I suck at holding an angle I'd probably misshape the blade with it.
But this really seems to be a easy and good thing!
It's a great easy system. I would highly suggest buying a strop along with this system. A strop will take the edges to the next level. It's still great by itself though. Thanks for the comment my friend 😀👍
OUTDOORS55 Thanks. And thanks for the respond, didn't even think you's see my comment!
Yes, I understood that the strop is a key element to sharpening and it seems that I can't do a lot wrong with it.
You make your videos quite comfortable to watch and to learn from it!
Keep it up!
I read all the comments and try to respond to as many as I can. Again thanks for the kind words and I'll do my best😀
OUTDOORS55 Great attitude! I'll stay tuned.
You get my like for the unboxing alone, epic keep up this videos
I think you should read the instructions. My Lansky says to use the gray rods in the 25⁰ holes first. Then use the white rods in the 20⁰ holes to put the finish edge on.
I'm not good with a flat stone, never could keep the angle right. This setup works very well for me.
Nope, that would be wrong. If doing 25 first the 20 wouldn't even touch the apex.
@@OUTDOORS55 I think you have it backwards. 20 is a steeper angle than 25.
No i have it correct. 20 degrees is a steeper angle. The angle is measured from the centerline of the knife when held vertically on this sharpener.
Do you have any advice on which ange is best to sharpen your knife on?? The 20 or 25 degree??
I have a serpentine blade pocket knife I use for a letter opener. This sharpener is what I used to sharpen it up. Ive truly no idea how else you could sharpen a serpentine blade.
that was some epic unboxing :D nice video :)
Haha! That's what I was going for😉 Thanks!
What about gluing leather to the side of the Lansky box as a built in strop?
I have heard some people do that. Haven't tried it myself but there's no reason it wouldn't work.
When you sharpen knives, what matter is your grit and determination.
Haha very true👍
I have always held a belief that unboxing videos are not very entertaining for me. But you changed that. Subbed as fuck.
Haha thanks for the sub!
On the rod sharpener you use the darker rods on the more narrow angle, to thin the sides of the blade, then finish up with the finer white rods in the slightly wider angle to finish it up. The rods have held up well, they just require an occasional scour with comet, then a good rinse under hot water.
I find it much easier to keep my knife vertical than to keep it at say 20 degrees from the horizontal, so this looks like an interesting and cheap option.
One question: Why do you think the two 25 degree holes are closer together than the two 20 degree holes?
Ah! Is this finally the answer for me for sharpening my Karambit?!
Hi, I just bought another budget knife and am starting to get into sharpening my own knives. I've looked at your past videos on beginner sharpening tools: the Lansky controlled angle system, and this one. Which one do you think is better, or should I get a set of whetstones? Also, where can I buy a quality strop?
I'm not really worried about money so if I like get a 4000 grit norton whetstone and have a shitty little blade and just use your tips like the angle tip and apex and whatnot and I can change it from a blade that cant even cut paper into one that can at least cut plastic and medium ropes?
thx for the video, do you recommend this over the spyderco tri-angle sharpener?
Great review I've always loved that type of sharpener. They are not as common in stores these days as they used to be. Just takes practice holding blade straight.
Yeah everything is pull through or powered haha. I think it worked great for $20.
Those fold up saw horses are pretty sweet
"It could not be more simple and easy" - just bought the kit and would like to be able to say that after 45 minutes, the knife is sharper than when I started, but I'm not sure... I tried to keep the 90° angle, tried various pressure levels, medium/fine grit rods - still blunt as a butter-knife.
If you're beginner grinder as me, don't believe it's impossible to fail at this rod system :)
Don't know if it will help, but I cannot sharpen knives sitting down. I have to stand up and have the workbench at the proper height.
4 blobs of blu-tak to hold it in place, and you're good to go,,, excellent product,,, thanks for the info,,
Ta da. Blu tac to the rescue.
I just saw a new type sharpener on the same principal but the V will move as sharping the knife. Here is the name of it "Bavarian Edge kitchen knife sharpener". Maybe you would be interested on doing a review. I enjoy watching all your videos keep up the good work.
Those are garbage. They destroy edges
I know pull through sharpeners are frowned upon but I suck at keeping a consistent angle so I've been rounding over my edge, would you reccomend the lansky blade medic, it has ceramic bars in it still.
lansky makes a great product. i use the stone system with guides.. works great.. runs about 70$ can also buy the guided strop.. try out the smiths guided system.. its got one 600grit diamond and a 1000 Arkansas stone for right around 20$ its a good one too with the guides it kind of forces you to stay on the angle. great vid as always bro!
Interesting I'll look into that!
Looks like a decent little inexpensive alternative to the Spyderco Sharpmaker. By the way, I'm sure you've heard this before but your voice is uncannily similar to that of James Woods. Thanks for uploading this concise, sensible review. Cheers.
Never used the sharpmake but heard a lot of good things about it. Haha never heard that before! I guess we do kinda sound similar. 😀
I bought this product because of your review. Nice content. Liked and subbed.
Cool! It works great for the price. Thanks for the sub!😀
OUTDOORS55 It came in today, and I've sharpened 3 knives..it works pretty good! And hey guess what, My name is also Alex! Well my middle name, and can you give any tips on how to get the best results with this sharpener?
Nice! I'm still learning it myself. I'll keep using it and experimenting to find the best methods. I still think maintaining your angle is the most important part. Alex is a good name😉👍
I feel like I have a good angle. Can you suggest what pressure I should be using? Thank you for answering me
Low to medium pressure. Leaning more toward low. What kind of stones are you using?
Can you do the Block Sharpener
I probably will at some point. 😀
I just got one of these. It takes a little technique but puts a razor sharp edge on a knife pretty quick. Strop it afterwards and it’s extremely impressive considering how fast and inexpensive the block is.
can you review the worksharp field sharpener
What compound do you use on your strop
Chromium oxide. I've also used a brand from Home Depot. They all seem to work to some degree
For $30-$35 bucks the Lansky deluxe 5 stone kit is a great system, with multiple angles. For an additional $10 bucks they have a leather strop block as well.
I saw that as well when I bought this one. It tempted me.😉 Though I'd give the cheaper one a go first. I didn't know it came with a strop as well. Sounds like good deal.
OUTDOORS55 leather strop is sold separate but worth it! www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Lansky-Stropping-Hone-P452.aspx?gclid=CjwKCAjw9O3NBRB3EiwAK6wPT75BiraShxQ-h8rxMzt4ghP6fygYF1XW_FpH9NyTFqHpEjJEanXJ9hoCHRMQAvD_BwE
Ahh... didn't see it thanks !
Would you recommend this over the controlled angle ?
What would you recommend to sharpen a karambit. I have a tiger claw it's only sharpen on one side and the other side it's flat.
You didn't show one of the neatest features -- the rods store in the base!
Haha, yeah I forgot. 👍
bro that unboxing is epic
Have or would you be interested in doing a video on what compounds to apply/use on a knife strop? Thanks for all the great info!
That was pleasantly surprising. I wondered just how good or bad the Lansky buget system would do.
It did a great job. I was surprised as well. It would be a great system for someone new to knives.
Watching these videos remind me of "the room".
oh hai mark
Just got mine in the mail sharpened my benchmade freek wicked quick, also nice editing
Thanks man! I'm happy with this thing so far. It does great for oddly shaped blades.
I Hate! Watching you Dull Knives! I know it's for demo only, but 😱. I've used the Lansky Angel guided Stone's system for 25+ years, and after stropping you can make Air scream, but I don't like the setup time for just doing a quick touch up, I'll need to get one of those. Great Review, keep 'em coming.
I hate it too! I can't dull them fast enough through regular use though haha. The guided system sounds like it would be awesome. No worries about angles. I've had my eye one then for a long time but never pulled the trigger. One day I'll end up with one. Thanks my friend 😀
Ceramic sharpeners are pretty reliable/effective for what they are. Only two things to remember when using them: 1. Don't drop it, as it can shatter. 2. If it gets clogged, some Barkeeper's Friend and a 3M green scrubby with a little effort will get it like new again.
Yeah I dropped a king stone years ago, and it is no more. I actually talked about how to clean the stones but ended up cutting it out as the video was starting to ramble on. I usually use Brillo pads with soap. I've also tried the 3m scrubbys both work very well. Thanks for the tips! 😀👍
@@OUTDOORS55 and don't let your wife loan them out to a workman to sharpen his machete. Everybody walks away unhappy. At least he only screwed up one side of my Arkansas medium before he saw the error of his ways.
How would you use this on tanto knives
I’m confused. Are you sharpening to two different angles? It looks like you are using a different angle on each edge?
in order to sharpen small pocket knife.. what system it is the best for me? i got some opinel .. some victorinox and a Gerber LST for EDC.. what will i should use? lansky with ceramic rod or something basic!?thanks
*BEST GOD DAM UNBOXING VIDEO OF ALL TIME*
Can you review the Wicked Edge sharpening system?
My first sharpening systeme was the legendary worksharp field sharpener.
Did you use the ceramic or diamond rods? Thanks
Great video, good review. The only thing that I didn't really agree with was about higher end knives (better steel) being easier to sharpen. Easier to sharpen would mean the metal is softer and while that makes it easier to sharpen it also makes it easier to dull. Obviously there are different levels of steel quality but I think edge retention vs ease of sharpening is a preference that any knife buyer/owner should understand and make for themselves. That's just my opinion though, I'm no expert. Keep up the good work!
I would tend to agree. Although there’s a lot more that goes into knife steel then just, hard steel is hard to sharpen, and soft steel is easy. Some steels take finer edges easier than others. Especially with a good heat treatment. A badly heat treated blade can be very hard to get a super fine edge regardless of steel quality. Largely due to grain growth and other factors during heat treating. Cheap stainless blades are the worst. Most of the time they are very soft and it can be an exercise of delicacy trying to put any kind of sharp edge on them. It all comes down to the manufacturers quality control on their heat treating process. Just a couple things to keep in mind. Thanks for watching my friend!
OUTDOORS55 great information, thanks for sharing!
Great review! I will definitely give these a look. The stones I'm using are pretty small and it's difficult to sharpen larger blades with them… This system looks like it would work on just about any size knife.
It works fine with the spartan. I haven't tried it in anything larger though. I should probably try it with say, a kitchen knife. I think very large blades it would have trouble with but I'm sure you could "find a way". I say it's worth it for the price. It doesn't give you the versatility of actual stones (removing chips, Reprofiling etc) but it does sharpen quite nice.
Works fine on my 2 inch Dragonfly
I've been able to keep my knives shaving sharp with a coffee mug and an old leather belt and some polishing compound. Once a knife is sharp, stropping it after every few uses will keep it razor sharp as long as you're not splitting rocks with it.
Yeah I find a good strop pretty useful. I hear a lot of anti-stroppers saying strops are useless or only for straight razors, which is silly to me unless you're using a progression of waterstones all the way from coarse up to something like 10,000 grit then yeah you probably don't need a strop. I think it's easy to maintain an edge with a strop, I usually use green compound but 1 micron diamond gives it some bite.
I just bought the version that includes the diamond rods for the rough sharpening. For the fine sharpening it includes the same ceramic rods as this one. Why are you moving the blade downwards along the rod instead of upwards? The downward movement pushes the blade apex into the rod whereas the upward movement pulls the blade apex away from the rod. Not sure if that's a good way of explaining it but I'm guessing you know what I am trying to say. Is there a reason why pushing downwards is inherently better than pulling upwards?
Gravity and control
Epic unboxing!
These are great, they work well and easy to use. Used on Minnesota fish filet knives for years.Clamp?
i glued a leather strap to mine, it's my go to outdoor sharpener
That's a great idea! I may do just that👍
Spyderco has a similar system
That's a unboxing lol love it! Good stuff and info.
Thanks Justin!😀
I bought yhis system from your website . Quick question i tried sharpening a case knife and an opinel and saw little resukts only with the opinel. The case knife was dull and stayed dull. How long do i have to shave ed metal or stroke the bkade against the rod until i see some results
I use a fair amount of pressure when I use it. I also clamp it down. I have an updated video (very recent video can't provide a link at this time) on how I use it. Check my videos it will be a very recant video and won't be hard to find. Im sure it will help.
@@OUTDOORS55 thanks. Since i have the box for ceramic rod . Do you think lansky offers a diamon rod medium grit ( sold separately)to mount to the box. Lanksy only offers the fine diamond rod separetly.
If a knife is really really dull I start it on regular stones and then finish them on this. thrift store finds are often that dull. Seems a lot of folks use a knife until it is hopeless and then give it away
I am struggling to get my Kershaw blades sharp, I am new to collecting and sharpening. mu budget isn't high so that's why I like the Kershaw knives, I have a smith stone and also a smith 2in1 diamond field type sharpener. should this get the job done for me?I love your videos and I hope to be so confident the I can dull my blades like you lol.
Hmm.. I don't have any experience with the smith stones..so it's hard to say what results you can expect. Technically you can pretty much sharpen on anything that will dull a knife. Proper technique is key with anything. Knife blade steel also plays a part. Cheap steel can be impossible to sharpen. I have a couple cheap knives I can't sharpen due to the steel being unable to support a very fine edge. I will say you will spent around $20 on this sharpener and I think it worth it. I would also look into getting a strop. A strop is a wonderful tool for sharpening. An old leather belt can also be used. Being able to sharpen well, will completely change the way you use your knives! Hope this helps 😀
1:58 I think the diamond blocks run out faster because there really only meant for ceramic knifes. Idk.
I don't know much about diamond stones but from what I've heard from some other knife youtubers they wear out fast, as there are only one "layer" of diamonds on a mounting surface. One the diamonds are gone, they are gone. Unlike a water stone where there's a constant new "layer " of stone being exposed as the stone wears down. I have also heard the diamonds can imbed in certain steels. That's pretty much all I know about them lol. Again that's just what I've heard through the grapevine😀
OUTDOORS55 yeah
OUTDOORS55 You deserve so much more subs😂
Haha thanks !😀
First of all, Alex, how’s it going I think your channels pretty great. I do believe that I have watched enough of them to comfortably say, “Very nice job, sir and thank you.” I’m going to get to the point now, I think it was this video where you mentioned never having really used diamond sharpening plates. About a year ago I bought a Smith’s travel stone set, it’s a double sided thing with a case that flips around it becomes a handle... It’s labeled course and fin respectively. Anyway, I have fiddled with it unsuccessfully two or three times and probably won’t ever again. If you want it it’s yours, you can make a video with it just use it or not I mean, I can’t think of anyone else on the planet that could possibly get some use out of it. Anyway if you want it it’s yours. If you respond back to this I can get you my email address or phone number and we can exchange information and I’ll ship it to you. If you want to work some kind of trade I have a Spyderco tenacious that I worksharped out of shape when I was first messing with my new toy. If you want to reprofile it in trade I’d be happy with that. Let me know, when you can. Time isn’t a major factor.
Regardless, thanks again for the hard work and solid teachings.
Collin St Phillip < searching my name on fb will get the job done. Or not, I’m willing to bet you get at least a few nut jobs messaging you, can’t be too careful. No sweat. Later
Love your videos. Keep it up.
Awesome! Glad you like them! Thanks for watching my friend 😀👍
Would this work on larger knives such as large bowie knives or kukris?
It would but wouldn't be ideal. you would have to work sections of the blade at a time.
This video (or unboxing, rather) led to my subscription to your channel. Nicely done
Thanks alot😀👍
LMFAO I Loved the unboxing! Classic!!
Great instructional vid. Thanks
Basically a Spyderco sharp maker. Wonder which came first?
Great video especially showing s30v sharpening. Do you prefer the ceramic or the diamond Lansky. Thanks
Would this work on something like a Scandi grind? I need something to sharpen my knives with a Scandi Grind. Thanks!!
This wouldn’t be a great system for scandi knives. It would sharpen them but it would be difficult and wouldn’t produce the best results. A regular flat stone will produce better results. Hope this helps 😀
OUTDOORS55 It sure does help! Thanks a lot!