Sharpmaker saves the (Turkey) Day!

[dj moonbat]

Preparing today's mashed potatoes, my wrist was starting to ache from pushing a dull peeler through the first three potatoes. Naturally, it was time to test whether those Sharpmaker rods could actually put a better edge on the sucker.

It was hard to get the triangle's corner through the back of the blade, per the instructions, because there was a plastic arch across the back, but I could swivel it to get almost enough clearance. A few swipes across the inside, then a real light deburring pass across the front, and the peeler was slicing off skins with zero trouble.

I'm still skeptical the Sharpmaker can sharpen everything, but the potato peeler bit is totally true.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[Reno Sepulveda]

Mrs. Sepulveda maybe understands this Spyderco infatuation after spending some time with my ZDP189 Stretch. She made the comment, "I wish these guys made everything!"

Onion Pie with green onion garnish

[npueppke]

I dissected a pomegranate with my Dragonfly last night, a bit small for the job but managed just fine anyways.

[jackthedog]

I've been tuning up my parent's kitchen knives and put a scary sharp edge on a pocketknife with the Sharpmaker today. It's a great sharpener, I wish I hadn't waited so long to get it.

Happy Turkey Day!!

[chiknives23]

ok just one question everybody seems to like the sharpmaker, is it worth it when i buy it i am going to get it next week to get the ultra fine rods and/or the diamond rods for just everyday sharpening and some possible resharpening on very dull kitchen knives

[dj moonbat]

ok just one question everybody seems to like the sharpmaker, is it worth it when i buy it i am going to get it next week to get the ultra fine rods and/or the diamond rods for just everyday sharpening and some possible resharpening on very dull kitchen knives

Do you already have a sharpening system that works for you? Then the Sharpmaker would be a relatively cheap experiment to find out whether you can improve on something that's already working. So maybe worth it, maybe not.

But it sounds like you DON't already have a sharpening set-up. If that's the case, then the Sharpmaker is certainly worth it. Postpone the diamond and/or ultrafine rods until you've had a chance to see what it can do.

[chiknives23]

i do have a sharpening system i have the lansky crock sticks a cheap but very well used system but i have always wanted to get the sharpmaker just from the good things that i have heard about it. Also i can't sharpen any of my serrated knifes on the crock sticks would there be a major improvement on using the ultrafine ceramic stone that spyderco offers and what main purpose would the diamond rod offer vs just the regular rods?

[dj moonbat]

would there be a major improvement on using the ultrafine ceramic stone that spyderco offers and what main purpose would the diamond rod offer vs just the regular rods?

The ultrafines do put a finer polish on the edge, for sure. Whether you need that much, I couldn't say. If your purpose is to get your knives sharp enough to pass various hair-popping/hair-whittling/toilet paper slicing tests, you will need those rods, and probably more. If, however, you just want noticeably sharp knives, the standard set of medium/fine rods will be fine.

The diamond rods really only come into play when you're really hogging off material -- such as when reprofiling a blade -- or when you're working a very difficult steel. If you've got a bunch of knives that need sharpening, and intend to set a new back bevel on all of them as Sal demonstrates in the instructional video, the diamond stones might be a good idea. But you might find that you can do all the heavy work on the medium stones, and that the diamonds were superfluous.

[chiknives23]

ok thanks for all the help and i honestly don't think that i will need the ultrafine because my cutting tasks for my knives don't call for that razor edge even though i am sure that i can get a very good edge with just the medium/fine stones thanks for the help again much appreciated

[donutsrule]

I dissected a pomegranate with my Dragonfly last night, a bit small for the job but managed just fine anyways.

I always use one of our Dodos to take pomegranates apart: the tooth at the end of the blade can be angled to a precise depth to cut the skin quickly and you just pull it apart without cutting up the "berries" inside. :)