I have the Sharpmaker and love it. The only reason I bought one is because of the double angle choice. I've had the Original Spyderco ceramic sharpener for 20 years but it has only a single sharpening angle. It was a gift from my wifes father. Spyderco claims that the rods will not develop any wear spots like regular stones will and I can attest that the original rods are in the same shape as the day I received it 2 decades ago! Easy cleaning with hot water, a green pad and some powder cleanser is all that is necessary! I also carry the Spyderco Double Stuff ceramic stone in my backpacks. It has the same two "grits" as the Sharpmaker and stores in a leather pouch embossed with the Bug Logo.
Skallagrim, how can you consistently put out video's regarding topics I was interested in but never figured out? Seriously, every time you upload I'm like: 'Ah sweet, now I won't have to research it myself!' Good job mate!
Would you mind if we embedded this video of your onto our webshop as an instructional video for the Sharpmaker? The official Spyderco video (series) is just a tad too much for the modern online shopper to chew on, yours is just perfect in length and info content!
It's important to note that you shouldn't put much pressure on the stones. If you put too much pressure on the stone, you'll fold your edge left and right with each stroke, but if you let the stone do the work, it will be a nice centered edge.
I'm really pleased with this! It works like a charm ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxDcr-y2Pf6xdnrFHrSP7dl9kpKaCozcSQ Takes less time than my old electric sharpener because it can take more off the knife faster, and then it smooths out nicely with the finer grit polisher. I don't know how long it will last before the grit wears away, but I wouldn't mind having to replace it every once in a while.
im sure it sbeen said, but for traditional freehand sharpening you actually turn it over and there are 2 slots on the bottom of it that you put the stones into and it can be used that way.
Wow I need to get one of these. I refuse to use carbide on my nicer knives and this looks a lot simpler than soaking stones for 24 hrs and worrying about my angles on every stroke.
Ironically I just ordered a Sharpmaker for myself. You can use the flats for sharpening too. As you have it now it should be perfect for sharpening my recurve Cold Steel knives.
I bought the original Sharpmaker about 30 years ago, which came in a heavy-duty vinyl sleeve with Zip-Lok closure. I really need to upgrade to this newer model!
i love this sharpener i use mine all the time especially for my filet knives and it does a great job. there are also a few other uses that can be done with this system too. go to spyderco's website and watch there informative video on it. i used to sharpen other peoples knives until they told me i got the knives scary sharp(30 degree is all i use except for old utilitarian knives then i use 40). overall i agree its great for the beginner and helps teach the muscle memory needed for future sharpening.
I use the Sharpmaker for my highest carbon steel blades since I struggle to hold consistent angle when applying the extra force required to sharpen these blades on a flat wet stone. Another benefit is that the thin edge of the triangle can be used to sharpen serrated edges.
Oh that looks nice. I have this old knife which used to be hair-shaving sharp, but now it's a dull piece of crap. I've recently been looking for a sharpening kit to give it back it's edge...
I am new to your videos, and I really enjoy them. I've been using a wetstone to sharpen the crappy knives my wife buys. It is the most delicate process I have encountered. Improving the basic sharpness isn't too hard, but getting a razor sharp blade can be frustrating. My opinion is that sharpening a blade to perfection requires skill and experience. Also, I have heard that if you are going to have surgery you should pay someone to sharpen the surgeon's blades before the operation. It is supposed to reduce healing time. Not sure if this is true or not.
Best presentation I've seen on this. Thank you. Two questions, can you use the flat sides as well on the vertical? And if the knife isn't that dull, can you just use the ceramic?
I hear alot of complaints about this system not being able to set a new bevel or shave enough steel etc. There is a fix for that. Spyderco sells rods that have diamonds embedded. I believe the diamond rods also come with ceramic rods (which can hone your steels alot more than the ceramic rods that came with the sharpener set). This is all available information that was included in the booklet (which comes with the sharpener).
nice, all the years i've seen videos on these on youtube i never watched one, and i never knew they were so easy to use, lol, by the way i saw you recent subs amount, man its going wild, that is great though, by next month you'll easily be on the 15,000 + mark
for new starter to understand angles, unstable tool as upwards angle is not pre-setup. according history n experience, better was is to learn how sharp knifes with stones, then learn what does negative rolling of edge, then how to move rolling to opposite side, then how to move that rolling back to place, and finally u 've been understood of how to get high end edge for knife.
I would start with the Sharpmaker if you really want a good sharp knife in a hurry. If you have a lot of time and patience, get some Japanese wet stones or something.
I love the Sharpmaker. Best $60 I ever spent, because it keeps my $300 knives sharp. What's the point of owning high end knives if they are dull?! Go out and get a sharpmaker guys! Get the diamond stones and ultra fine stones. you'll go from butter knife to mirror hair whittling edge in under an hour.
Where did u get this sharpener I would like to get one. Where is the best place to get this thanks bud for the help. And as always great video, I always enjoy watching your videos!!
What knife is being used in the video? I've had the Sharpmaker for nearly 2 years now and it's been very adequate. The only problem I have with it is the notch that the rods fit into gets a bit worn after time and allows the rods to wobble when sharpening, effectively not sharpening at all. I can't use my 30 degree side anymore, only the 40. Probably time to spend another $60 and get a new one. Love the Sharpmaker. Love your videos Skall.
Thank you for the nice clip. How would you compare this to the victorinox sharpener (5x cheaper), assuming one is using both correctly, of course :) thank you
Hi. I just got the sharp maker and have had decent success( as a beginner lol). Anyway it doesn't seam to work on a used Spyderco Cricket I bought on Ebay. Just wonder if it maybe the previous owner used a different system and the edge angle is completely different than on the sharpmaker?? What would you recommend I do? Simply keep at per the instructions with a straight down motion? ( with the hopeful result that it will eventually get sharp). I have seen on line that some folks slightly adjust the down motion so the blade is tilted slightly to the left as they do the down stroke. I would rather be totally consistent with my sharpening on the few knives i own and for future purchases. Thanks.
Best, schmest, who can tell. But this is a terrific sharpening system, and very easy to use. Not great for knives that are really blunt, because it takes a long time to get them back. I have it, and love it. You can still do blunt knives, just be prepared to puts lots of time into it.
I have another set of Spyderco rods that are, if I remember right, embedded with diamond and are very course. They are intended I think to re-bevel a knife, but a light hand and you can use them as the first step with a very dull knife while still retaining the factory bevel. Then you progress to the two grits as shown here.
Informative video, I'm really lazy when it comes to sharpening knives, I just use one of those crappy kitchen knife sharpeners. This looks like an easy method though, I might have to buy one.
I've had a CKRT EDC since 2013, it held a hair shaving edge for a long time but now it's dull. I was looking into this system because my previous experience is just on cheap machetes using a file and I don't want to damage the blade. A friend told me that I need to retemper the blade before, do you think this is true? Thanks for your videos, I enjoy them very much.
I once heard from someone when sharpening the knife on a stone the metal filings from the sharpening processes are actually the reason why the blade is being sharpened not the stone itself, do you by any chance know if that is true ?
***** The metal grains coming off the blade on a traditional whetstone may indeed have an effect on shaping/polishing the knife, however I believe the majority of the work being done is by the stone.
1mill subs! Jeezus that’s impressive, going to have to check a few more to see why. This video was for absolute beginners, no tips here beyond Sals and many others on how to best use the Sharpmaker. Hell you couldn’t even cut paper after the sharpening.
Smaller angles result in thinner edges. They will be sharper, however, they will also dull faster, and be more liable to get bent or, more likely, chipped off if you try to use it to pry something or it gets stuck and you have to fight with it, whatever. By and large, the trade off is not worth it; being slightly sharper doesn't matter so much. Unless you are like me, and just like the idea of having a razor sharp knife, so I use a 15 degree angle. But I'm crazy, don't be like me. Oh, and also, if you are just using a regular whetstone, it can be, well, not harder, just more annoying to try and get narrower angle.
I can see how someone who struggles to keep a consistent angle using stones would also have the same problem keeping the blade perpendicular for its whole travel down the stone. For a beginner I think the Lansky system is better, and guarantees the angle.
Good timing, I've been looking for a replacement for my "Lansky sharpening system". I've been (ab)using it for well over a decade now, it's getting pretty worn out. This one doesn't seem like it would be quite as foolproof for scandi grinds, but what can you do.
I just got a Spyderco Sharpmaker and your video sure helped. I couldn't help but notice that you are cutting up a page from the Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
Skallagrim. Have you tried the Minosharp Plus 3 ? If yes, whats your opinion about it ? Is it better to put my money on the spyderco Sharpmaker ? Hade bra.
Brother, sorry for the ignorant question, but why does one need to use the same stone both on the edge and then on the flat side? Btw, everybody - feel free to answer, too... :)
You can, but I have found that for Spyderco's spyderedge serrations the edge of these "rods" is too fine for the wider serrations. Spyderco makes another product I think called "profile rods" that are shaped for that, but I haven't used them. For touch ups, these work, but my Endura and Matriarch both need a lot of work on their serrations and there will be no getting around the labor part.
Dumb ass comments. Does this product work for chisel grind blades, would one just sharpen the one side, also how does this work on serrations. I haven't seen anyone sharpen serrations on this product. Very informative. Paper is Paper.
I've been told how to use a kitchen sharpener, you know the bar with a handle, don't know how to call that. It worked well just using that, and I see everywhere that what I did wasn't good , that I needed to have a real stone and learn how to sharpen my knives at the right angle etc etc...never got why. Could you explain? I mean what you do in 10 minute in this video I do in 1 minute maximum with the kitchenthingy, and the result is the same (at least I think ? maybe I'm removing too much metal ? maybe I'm hurting my poor knives? ). PS : you should have used another sheet of paper at the end of the video, looks like some people don't like that you cut it XD
+Guss De Blöd I heard the guys over at America's Test Kitchen say that the sharpening rod, (I guess that's what you are describing) does not remove metal. It only straightens the edge. It's good for maintaining or re-tuning (i guess?) the edge to a straight line, when the edge goes wavy after a some use. I use the sharpening rods too. I also have a kitchen sharpener with two hardened steel pieces held in a V shape. Every few weeks or so I pass my knives through the v slot 5-6 times, and it works perfectly. I asked my friend, who is a knife collector, why he always uses a set of stones. His response was, my kitchen sharpener doesn't remove metal, only straightens the edge. That's actually not true, because after a period of time I do see metal powder collect at the bottom of the V. My friend's stones does get the edge razor sharp. I do mean RAZOR sharp. But I don't use my chef's knife for shaving lol. I'm happy to spend a minute every few weeks to get it sharp for my purposes....
+Guss De Blöd Is the thing your using a pull through sharpener? as in you set the knife in a slot and pull the blade through? If thats what your using then the reason that you shouldent use those is that they are very bad for your knife, assuming that it has a tungsten carbide (metal) V shape in it. That will wreck your knife because the way it works is by ripping chips out of the blade and basically turning your knife into a hacksaw. This results in your knife feeling sharp because of all the jagged teeth cut into it. This makes the knife weaker because of the chunks cut out of the blade weaken its structure and those jagged teeth will roll over and make the knife feel dull again fast. If it has a ceramic V in it then thats not as bad but unless you can remove those ittle ceramic rods its going to lose effectiveness fast as the ceramic rods load up with metal and stop sharpening the blade. The sharpmaker and other sharpeners like it are good because they remove metal much more evenly (and gently) than tungsten carbide will. So the tungsten carbide will be faster but thats because its removing more metal faster, and leaving a hacksaw like edge on your knife instead of a smooth cutting edge. here is a link showing the difference between using a carbide sharpener vs less abusive sharpening tools. www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/683180-Long-term-carbide-scraper-use
9 років тому
test18258 No I'm actually using a sharpening rod as cultclassic described. cultclassic999 thanks for the tips, but still, I used the same sharpening rod on the same knives for the last 6 years and they all cut fine, when I start to have difficulty cutting through whatever I'm cutting, I just use the rod for 1 or 2 minutes and it's good again. So really maybe they're not "as sharpen as can be", but still enough for me. And I don't know about all sharpening rod, but mine seems to remove a little tiny bit of metal, if I pass my finger on it after using it, I have some residues on my hand.
A little residue on your hands after sharpening is fine, thats what your sharpening off. If you have chips and flakes of metal coming off then you might be using something thats a little too agressive. And if it works for you and your satisfied with the results then thats all that matters.
actually it is exactly for the person who doesn't want to invest the time or money on better, but also more expensive options but that have a longer learning curve... which is most people.
I wouldn't sharpen the way he did at the end, with the stones lying flat on the TOP of the SharpMaker. If you turn it over, there are a couple of slots in the base designed for that exact purpose. I guess he didn't know that when he made the video.
It would be hard to keep the 90 degree angle to the flat surface of your table with this sharpening system, definitely would take a lot of practice. You are definitely not keeping the 90 degrees, I notice it especially on the finishing stone. Your blade is almost flat on the stone about midway to end on the stone, especially on your right stone. Defeats the purpose.... I use the Lansky sharpening system and worry about the angles but the system keeps you marginally within a couple of degrees of the correct angle.
I have the Sharpmaker and love it. The only reason I bought one is because of the double angle choice.
I've had the Original Spyderco ceramic sharpener for 20 years but it has only a single sharpening angle. It was a gift from my wifes father. Spyderco claims that the rods will not develop any wear spots like regular stones will and I can attest that the original rods are in the same shape as the day I received it 2 decades ago!
Easy cleaning with hot water, a green pad and some powder cleanser is all that is necessary!
I also carry the Spyderco Double Stuff ceramic stone in my backpacks. It has the same two "grits" as the Sharpmaker and stores in a leather pouch embossed with the Bug Logo.
Skallagrim, how can you consistently put out video's regarding topics I was interested in but never figured out? Seriously, every time you upload I'm like: 'Ah sweet, now I won't have to research it myself!' Good job mate!
Would you mind if we embedded this video of your onto our webshop as an instructional video for the Sharpmaker? The official Spyderco video (series) is just a tad too much for the modern online shopper to chew on, yours is just perfect in length and info content!
Didn’t expect to see Varusteleka asking Skallagrim to use his videos!
LOL I love how you can make an under 8 minute video explaining this but SPydercos own video is like an hour long.
thanks.
to be fair they give a lot more information about the product and demonstrate many different types of knifes/blades
It's important to note that you shouldn't put much pressure on the stones. If you put too much pressure on the stone, you'll fold your edge left and right with each stroke, but if you let the stone do the work, it will be a nice centered edge.
STIG is it really you!!! SOMEONE CALL JEREMY CLARKSON THE STIG HAS ESCAPED ITS CARBON CAGE!
A vintage skall video! I just got one of these because its quicker to set up than my sharpmaker. Thanks for the instruction!
And you're using a page out of the Book of Mormon to test your knife on... Fantastic
Knife Nut Lmao wot?
The Baker-Fancher emigrant wagon train sure did
😂😂😂😂👍👍👍👍
Dude good eye how did you catch that
I hope it was the page where it states that Jesus ams satan are brothers!
there's something oddly relaxing when he's not talking and is just sharpening
+Matticuss StormBlade I always feel peaceful when sharpening my knife. No idea why either.
+Matticuss StormBlade look up "ASMR"
I'm really pleased with this! It works like a charm ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxDcr-y2Pf6xdnrFHrSP7dl9kpKaCozcSQ Takes less time than my old electric sharpener because it can take more off the knife faster, and then it smooths out nicely with the finer grit polisher. I don't know how long it will last before the grit wears away, but I wouldn't mind having to replace it every once in a while.
im sure it sbeen said, but for traditional freehand sharpening you actually turn it over and there are 2 slots on the bottom of it that you put the stones into and it can be used that way.
These are the best sharpener I have ever used.
The white stones are the best for maintaining a knife only use the brown ones when your knife is damaged
Wow I need to get one of these. I refuse to use carbide on my nicer knives and this looks a lot simpler than soaking stones for 24 hrs and worrying about my angles on every stroke.
that was the exact reason for buying this one. Just hold it vertical and the angle is kept.
The sound of knife sharpening.. So soothing..
This looks so calming.
Ironically I just ordered a Sharpmaker for myself. You can use the flats for sharpening too. As you have it now it should be perfect for sharpening my recurve Cold Steel knives.
I bought the original Sharpmaker about 30 years ago, which came in a heavy-duty vinyl sleeve with Zip-Lok closure.
I really need to upgrade to this newer model!
i love this sharpener i use mine all the time especially for my filet knives and it does a great job. there are also a few other uses that can be done with this system too. go to spyderco's website and watch there informative video on it. i used to sharpen other peoples knives until they told me i got the knives scary sharp(30 degree is all i use except for old utilitarian knives then i use 40). overall i agree its great for the beginner and helps teach the muscle memory needed for future sharpening.
I use the Sharpmaker for my highest carbon steel blades since I struggle to hold consistent angle when applying the extra force required to sharpen these blades on a flat wet stone. Another benefit is that the thin edge of the triangle can be used to sharpen serrated edges.
Oh that looks nice. I have this old knife which used to be hair-shaving sharp, but now it's a dull piece of crap. I've recently been looking for a sharpening kit to give it back it's edge...
Thank you for the lesson! Happy New Year!
I love the sound of the blade scraping on the stones... Wonder if that's just me.
Nope, me too! I love that sound, I could sit and listen to it for hours.
Me too :D
Im from the future, so both of you probably already discovered ASMR by now, however should that not be the case look up ASMR Surge on youtube.
Nice. I'm probably going to have to get one of those. Now if only there was something like this for swords...
Good video, thanks. And nice choice of demo paper.
I am useless at knife sharpening maybe this will help me? I have a old Walther blacktac with 440 steel could it even get that like a razor?
I didn’t realize I was watching one of skalls videos until half way in
I am new to your videos, and I really enjoy them.
I've been using a wetstone to sharpen the crappy knives my wife buys. It is the most delicate process I have encountered. Improving the basic sharpness isn't too hard, but getting a razor sharp blade can be frustrating.
My opinion is that sharpening a blade to perfection requires skill and experience.
Also, I have heard that if you are going to have surgery you should pay someone to sharpen the surgeon's blades before the operation. It is supposed to reduce healing time. Not sure if this is true or not.
I'm pretty sure surgeons keep their tools pretty sharp, no extra sharpening needed.
just put my super heavily used leatherman charge TTi through one of these and its back to hair popping sharp love it
Best presentation I've seen on this. Thank you. Two questions, can you use the flat sides as well on the vertical? And if the knife isn't that dull, can you just use the ceramic?
Been looking at this sharpener and with your great vid, I now will proceed with the purchase! Thanks!
This was great, thank you!
I hear alot of complaints about this system not being able to set a new bevel or shave enough steel etc. There is a fix for that. Spyderco sells rods that have diamonds embedded. I believe the diamond rods also come with ceramic rods (which can hone your steels alot more than the ceramic rods that came with the sharpener set).
This is all available information that was included in the booklet (which comes with the sharpener).
Nice job Skall. Good explanation.
nice, all the years i've seen videos on these on youtube i never watched one, and i never knew they were so easy to use, lol,
by the way i saw you recent subs amount, man its going wild, that is great though, by next month you'll easily be on the 15,000 + mark
Thank you for making this video
excellent review. I have an older Sharpmaker and will try it out on a Becker BK15 that needs a "tuneup"
That scratching sound is so relaxing for my ears.
i like going slow! i get and enjoy the zen sharpening my knifes this way,and it always works as well,no slip up's,thanks.
This looks like a great tool.. but its very expensive. Do you have any suggestions for a sharpener for a beginner with a budget?
Andrew Webb It's under $50 on Amazon. That should be a few hours at work to earn.
I left an unkind comment which I have deleted, which I can only apologise for. Thank you for taking the time to make and post this video :)
Can you make more sharpening videos please! Very curious about your favorite methods!
You can clean it up a tic more with about 3-4 swipes per side on a leather strop. My favorite strops are from strop man strops.
for new starter to understand angles, unstable tool as upwards angle is not pre-setup.
according history n experience, better was is to learn how sharp knifes with stones, then learn what does negative rolling of edge, then how to move rolling to opposite side, then how to move that rolling back to place, and finally u 've been understood of how to get high end edge for knife.
What should I do, practice with wet stones or buy this expansive but beginner friendly sharpening system ?
I would start with the Sharpmaker if you really want a good sharp knife in a hurry. If you have a lot of time and patience, get some Japanese wet stones or something.
Thanks for your answer, I'll try sharpmaker.
I love the Sharpmaker. Best $60 I ever spent, because it keeps my $300 knives sharp. What's the point of owning high end knives if they are dull?! Go out and get a sharpmaker guys! Get the diamond stones and ultra fine stones. you'll go from butter knife to mirror hair whittling edge in under an hour.
Do you have a leather strop with polishing compound as well, or would that be a good *final* step after using the ceramics?
Where did u get this sharpener I would like to get one. Where is the best place to get this thanks bud for the help. And as always great video, I always enjoy watching your videos!!
What knife is being used in the video?
I've had the Sharpmaker for nearly 2 years now and it's been very adequate.
The only problem I have with it is the notch that the rods fit into gets a bit worn after time and allows the rods to wobble when sharpening, effectively not sharpening at all.
I can't use my 30 degree side anymore, only the 40. Probably time to spend another $60 and get a new one. Love the Sharpmaker. Love your videos Skall.
That's a nice simple knife.
great tutorial, just what i needed, thanks!
Thank you for a really good video. I now have the confidence.
Thank you for the nice clip. How would you compare this to the victorinox sharpener (5x cheaper), assuming one is using both correctly, of course :) thank you
Hi. I just got the sharp maker and have had decent success( as a beginner lol). Anyway it doesn't seam to work on a used Spyderco Cricket I bought on Ebay. Just wonder if it maybe the previous owner used a different system and the edge angle is completely different than on the sharpmaker?? What would you recommend I do? Simply keep at per the instructions with a straight down motion? ( with the hopeful result that it will eventually get sharp). I have seen on line that some folks slightly adjust the down motion so the blade is tilted slightly to the left as they do the down stroke. I would rather be totally consistent with my sharpening on the few knives i own and for future purchases. Thanks.
Check out the Sharpmaker videos on my channel. I address the problem you're having.
Very informative stuff, I might actually get one of these tools from Amazon, thanks for the video !
so 3 years on would you still recommend this? in terms of price/quality/ease of use balance would you still say this is best?
If your on the fence about this sharpener just get it, well worth it.
Best, schmest, who can tell. But this is a terrific sharpening system, and very easy to use. Not great for knives that are really blunt, because it takes a long time to get them back. I have it, and love it. You can still do blunt knives, just be prepared to puts lots of time into it.
I have another set of Spyderco rods that are, if I remember right, embedded with diamond and are very course. They are intended I think to re-bevel a knife, but a light hand and you can use them as the first step with a very dull knife while still retaining the factory bevel. Then you progress to the two grits as shown here.
thanks for this great video!
You don't have to do a review on this, but how effective would the Assassin's Creed's Hidden blade be in actual combat (scenarios they throw you in)?
Informative video, I'm really lazy when it comes to sharpening knives, I just use one of those crappy kitchen knife sharpeners. This looks like an easy method though, I might have to buy one.
*****
I know, I need to get sharpening ;)
I've had a CKRT EDC since 2013, it held a hair shaving edge for a long time but now it's dull. I was looking into this system because my previous experience is just on cheap machetes using a file and I don't want to damage the blade. A friend told me that I need to retemper the blade before, do you think this is true? Thanks for your videos, I enjoy them very much.
Chris Reeve recommends this sharpener .
I once heard from someone when sharpening the knife on a stone the metal filings from the sharpening processes are actually the reason why the blade is being sharpened not the stone itself, do you by any chance know if that is true ?
If metal filings are being created then the stone must be harder, hence whomever said that is wrong.
***** The metal grains coming off the blade on a traditional whetstone may indeed have an effect on shaping/polishing the knife, however I believe the majority of the work being done is by the stone.
1mill subs! Jeezus that’s impressive, going to have to check a few more to see why. This video was for absolute beginners, no tips here beyond Sals and many others on how to best use the Sharpmaker. Hell you couldn’t even cut paper after the sharpening.
Very useful tool !
I have a similar sharpening system, one of the things that bugs me about them is it seems very hard to sharpen all the way down to the tip.
Very neat. Might just pick one up since I'm rather bad at sharpening knifes properly.
This is a very soothing video... especially since I'm pretty faded.
Would this also work for a sword? I've never sharpened a sword before and am a bit scared of proper stones.
Can you show us how it's done with the stones that come with most knives as a bonus?
In what situations it's better to use the 30 deg. and in what 40 degree angles? I'm total newbie in this so thanks for your respones :D
Smaller angles result in thinner edges. They will be sharper, however, they will also dull faster, and be more liable to get bent or, more likely, chipped off if you try to use it to pry something or it gets stuck and you have to fight with it, whatever. By and large, the trade off is not worth it; being slightly sharper doesn't matter so much. Unless you are like me, and just like the idea of having a razor sharp knife, so I use a 15 degree angle. But I'm crazy, don't be like me. Oh, and also, if you are just using a regular whetstone, it can be, well, not harder, just more annoying to try and get narrower angle.
Doing this way can you still make the tip sharp?
I can see how someone who struggles to keep a consistent angle using stones would also have the same problem keeping the blade perpendicular for its whole travel down the stone. For a beginner I think the Lansky system is better, and guarantees the angle.
I regret buying the sharp maker. Everyone said it's fool proof. I can't get my entire blade sharp with it. I don't understand what I'm doing wrong
I have a similar sharpener from Chicago Cutlery called a Crock Stick. They work well.
Good timing, I've been looking for a replacement for my "Lansky sharpening system". I've been (ab)using it for well over a decade now, it's getting pretty worn out.
This one doesn't seem like it would be quite as foolproof for scandi grinds, but what can you do.
You can use the rods flat too, as shown at the end of the video. That should make sharpening a scandi easy.
*****
True.
Hi Skallagrim, do you know something about sharpening replic Japanese Katana blades?
I just got a Spyderco Sharpmaker and your video sure helped. I couldn't help but notice that you are cutting up a page from the Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
Nice to see that there still are people out there who stay themselves even if they get popular.
Is no oil or water required for these triangle "stones" ? Old school stones I have used in the past required water or oil.
Hey I have a quick question, can you sharpen a Native 5 Lightweight S35VN on this? Thanks so much
Skallagrim. Have you tried the Minosharp Plus 3 ? If yes, whats your opinion about it ? Is it better to put my money on the spyderco Sharpmaker ?
Hade bra.
Brother, sorry for the ignorant question, but why does one need to use the same stone both on the edge and then on the flat side? Btw, everybody - feel free to answer, too... :)
Thank you for the video, very helpful and informative
Can you 50/50 blade edge with this? (serrated and plain)
Bastien Sauve Yes, you can sharpen serrated edges with this too. It would be best to sharpen the plain and the serrated edge separately.
You can, but I have found that for Spyderco's spyderedge serrations the edge of these "rods" is too fine for the wider serrations. Spyderco makes another product I think called "profile rods" that are shaped for that, but I haven't used them.
For touch ups, these work, but my Endura and Matriarch both need a lot of work on their serrations and there will be no getting around the labor part.
What is the benefit of sharpening with the triangle edge first and then switching to the flat of the stones.
Great video and it's fun saying 'hair shaving sharp' say it a lot :3
Skall what do you think of electric sharpeners?
+Anonymus Ignis
Most of the ones I've seen do more harm than good. But this is a great tool for sharpening: ua-cam.com/video/jfD1_gHpraw/v-deo.html
I might send you a picture of my uncle's grinder that he uses,and the results are just amazing.
Was that a page from the bible or Book of Mormon that you cut up ?
Dumb ass comments. Does this product work for chisel grind blades, would one just sharpen the one side, also how does this work on serrations. I haven't seen anyone sharpen serrations on this product. Very informative. Paper is Paper.
Excellent Review
I've been told how to use a kitchen sharpener, you know the bar with a handle, don't know how to call that. It worked well just using that, and I see everywhere that what I did wasn't good , that I needed to have a real stone and learn how to sharpen my knives at the right angle etc etc...never got why. Could you explain? I mean what you do in 10 minute in this video I do in 1 minute maximum with the kitchenthingy, and the result is the same (at least I think ? maybe I'm removing too much metal ? maybe I'm hurting my poor knives? ).
PS : you should have used another sheet of paper at the end of the video, looks like some people don't like that you cut it XD
+Guss De Blöd I heard the guys over at America's Test Kitchen say that the sharpening rod, (I guess that's what you are describing) does not remove metal. It only straightens the edge. It's good for maintaining or re-tuning (i guess?) the edge to a straight line, when the edge goes wavy after a some use.
I use the sharpening rods too. I also have a kitchen sharpener with two hardened steel pieces held in a V shape. Every few weeks or so I pass my knives through the v slot 5-6 times, and it works perfectly.
I asked my friend, who is a knife collector, why he always uses a set of stones. His response was, my kitchen sharpener doesn't remove metal, only straightens the edge. That's actually not true, because after a period of time I do see metal powder collect at the bottom of the V.
My friend's stones does get the edge razor sharp. I do mean RAZOR sharp. But I don't use my chef's knife for shaving lol. I'm happy to spend a minute every few weeks to get it sharp for my purposes....
+Guss De Blöd Is the thing your using a pull through sharpener? as in you set the knife in a slot and pull the blade through?
If thats what your using then the reason that you shouldent use those is that they are very bad for your knife, assuming that it has a tungsten carbide (metal) V shape in it. That will wreck your knife because the way it works is by ripping chips out of the blade and basically turning your knife into a hacksaw.
This results in your knife feeling sharp because of all the jagged teeth cut into it. This makes the knife weaker because of the chunks cut out of the blade weaken its structure and those jagged teeth will roll over and make the knife feel dull again fast.
If it has a ceramic V in it then thats not as bad but unless you can remove those ittle ceramic rods its going to lose effectiveness fast as the ceramic rods load up with metal and stop sharpening the blade.
The sharpmaker and other sharpeners like it are good because they remove metal much more evenly (and gently) than tungsten carbide will.
So the tungsten carbide will be faster but thats because its removing more metal faster, and leaving a hacksaw like edge on your knife instead of a smooth cutting edge.
here is a link showing the difference between using a carbide sharpener vs less abusive sharpening tools.
www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/683180-Long-term-carbide-scraper-use
test18258
No I'm actually using a sharpening rod as cultclassic described.
cultclassic999 thanks for the tips, but still, I used the same sharpening rod on the same knives for the last 6 years and they all cut fine, when I start to have difficulty cutting through whatever I'm cutting, I just use the rod for 1 or 2 minutes and it's good again. So really maybe they're not "as sharpen as can be", but still enough for me. And I don't know about all sharpening rod, but mine seems to remove a little tiny bit of metal, if I pass my finger on it after using it, I have some residues on my hand.
A little residue on your hands after sharpening is fine, thats what your sharpening off. If you have chips and flakes of metal coming off then you might be using something thats a little too agressive.
And if it works for you and your satisfied with the results then thats all that matters.
I found this oddly therapeutic!
Pointed part of the rod is for serrated edge. Flat surface of the rod is for straight edge
do you recommend this for a absolute beginner?
actually it is exactly for the person who doesn't want to invest the time or money on better, but also more expensive options but that have a longer learning curve... which is most people.
hey skallagrim, where did you get that beautiful place mat from? =D
I wouldn't sharpen the way he did at the end, with the stones lying flat on the TOP of the SharpMaker. If you turn it over, there are a couple of slots in the base designed for that exact purpose. I guess he didn't know that when he made the video.
Would you be able to sharpen a cutlass with this?
Can you sharpen a blade with a convex grind (like fällkniven f1) with this without ruining the grind?
Belgianbadger Yes you can, while the knife has a convex grind, the secondary bevel is the same shape as any other knife so no problems there.
It would be hard to keep the 90 degree angle to the flat surface of your table with this sharpening system, definitely would take a lot of practice. You are definitely not keeping the 90 degrees, I notice it especially on the finishing stone. Your blade is almost flat on the stone about midway to end on the stone, especially on your right stone. Defeats the purpose....
I use the Lansky sharpening system and worry about the angles but the system keeps you marginally within a couple of degrees of the correct angle.
Hey Skall; can you do the opposite in your next video? Any good ways to dull out a blade? ex: a machete
Yeah, run the edge over the ceramic stone. It will completely flatten out the edge.
okay; i'm off to cut some rocks
Yeah that will dull a knife. Not sure why you'd want a dull knife though.
What kind of knife is that you sharpened?
What kind of knife were you using in the video?
To use the stones flat, you put both of them in the slots on the backside of the tool.