Sharpmaker for a beginner sharpener...

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PARATOM
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Sharpmaker for a beginner sharpener...

#1

Post by PARATOM »

I am starting to notice how some of my spydie collection is getting "dull" and i need to put a sharp edge back on. I've never really sharpened a knife before but after seeing the videos on the sharpmaker, it looks pretty easy and basic and does a great job.

I want to get one sharpener that will last a while and is easy to use and maintain. Is the sharpmaker worth the price for me? I will prob buy one tonight if i get a favorable response here...

Thanks in advance everyone!
-Thomas
[LEFT]Para 2 digi cam/DLC | Tenacious PE | Sage 1 | Delica 4 FFG | Manix 2 | Dragonfly 2 H1 | Yojimbo 2 | SmallFly digi cam R | Citadel DLC R[/LEFT]
There are two kinds of people in this world, you're either somebody or nobody...
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chuck_roxas45
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#2

Post by chuck_roxas45 »

If you don't have anything to sharpen with yet, I'd say get a sharpmaker.
.357 mag
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#3

Post by .357 mag »

Yes, its worth the money. Sharpening for me is like.an addiction. Buying the sharpmaker might hold you off for now. Next you will need the ultra fine stones. Then the diamond stones. Next a strop. Its doesn't stop ever.
sir_mike
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#4

Post by sir_mike »

Yeah, I havent used my Sharpmaker yet but on advice from others I too picked the Ultra fine and Diamond stones as well as the strop!

I actually have two Sharpmakers also.... :)
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dbcad
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#5

Post by dbcad »

The SM is what I started off with. It's great for keeping things sharp and fixing minor imperfections in the edge. It started me into this crazy obsesive sharp infatuation :o I also recomend it because it is freehand and forces me at least to think about what I are doing to the edge.

How dull or not dull are your edges? Knowing about edge geometry and what you're trying to do to the edge is just as important as having a good tool :) magnification helps :o

Get the SM. It helped me get pretty decent edges pretty much from the start :) Then the descent or ascent :confused: into edge nuttiness began ;) The SM is a very worthwhile investment, the only maintenance is cleaning the stones with some comet and a scrubby when they get dirty.
Charlie

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PARATOM
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#6

Post by PARATOM »

thanks for the quick responses

yes, this will be my first sharpener, i have nothing to sharpen knives with

and is $59 shipped a good price?
[LEFT]Para 2 digi cam/DLC | Tenacious PE | Sage 1 | Delica 4 FFG | Manix 2 | Dragonfly 2 H1 | Yojimbo 2 | SmallFly digi cam R | Citadel DLC R[/LEFT]
There are two kinds of people in this world, you're either somebody or nobody...
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vaisforlovers
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#7

Post by vaisforlovers »

You can easily keep you blades hair-shaving, paper-ribboning sharp with a Sharpmaker. Read the recent posts about avoiding blunting the tips. It will save retouching them up.

And $59 shipped is +/- $5 of the prices I found online during a quick search. Cutlery Shopper has always provided me great service. Happy sharpening!
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defenestrate
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#8

Post by defenestrate »

Just wanted to add a "me too" - you can easily maintain the edge on pretty much any knife with the sharpmaker. I still rely on it for my knives.
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#9

Post by monster08 »

deff get the sharpmaker! its really easy to use. and i would deff recomend getting the ultra fine stones w it, u'll get yur edge waayyyy sharper and get a pretty decent mirror edge after enough strokes. i found that the sharpie trick helped me alot when first starting to use the sharpmaker.
rg02
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#10

Post by rg02 »

I heart my SM :D . Get the UF and diamonds and u r set. With also a loupe and strop of course lol

SM finished product:
Image
-Ryan

-Techno, cruwear Mule, Dragonfly 2 FRN, Assist, Endura FRN ATS-55 SE, Endura SS aus-6 PE, Persistence(Wife's)
-Wicked Edge
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chuck_roxas45
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#11

Post by chuck_roxas45 »

rg02 wrote:I heart my SM :D . Get the UF and diamonds and u r set. With also a loupe and strop of course lol

SM finished product:
Image
How long did it take you to do that rg02? And what steps did you do?
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#12

Post by mongatu »

I have many expensive and excellent water stones and yet I still frequently use the Sharpmaker for touching up my folders and for setting the initial bevel angle (with the optional diamond rods). It is a great value and (along with the optional extra rods and a strop) is really all you need. The whole set up cost less than one of my 10k stones. Even a beginner can pretty easily produce excellent results with it. So I highly recommend it.
Peter - My :spyder:'s:
Caly~3.5 (VG-10 & S. Blue); Para2~(20CP~M390~S30v); Military~(M390~S30v); Endura & Delica~4~FFG; Native~(S30v); Caly~Jr.~(ZDP); Manix~2~(M4); Ladybug~3~(VG-10. SE); Mules~(M390).
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chuck_roxas45
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#13

Post by chuck_roxas45 »

rg02 wrote:I heart my SM :D . Get the UF and diamonds and u r set. With also a loupe and strop of course lol
chuck_roxas45 wrote:How long did it take you to do that rg02? And what steps did you do?
I hope to get an answer to that someday rg02.
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PARATOM
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#14

Post by PARATOM »

i ended up pulling the trigger on one last night, should be at my door March 1. Thanks for all the input and i will update the thread once i use it for the first time to give some feedback for any other first time sharpeners out there!

bump for the steps to get that mirror edge from rg02. I have the DLC pm2 which is the knife that needs the most sharpening (its my primary EDC) and to get that edge in contrast with the DLC would be soooooooo sick

Thanks again for everyones input, i will most likely be getting the others stones and a strop due to all the recommendations
[LEFT]Para 2 digi cam/DLC | Tenacious PE | Sage 1 | Delica 4 FFG | Manix 2 | Dragonfly 2 H1 | Yojimbo 2 | SmallFly digi cam R | Citadel DLC R[/LEFT]
There are two kinds of people in this world, you're either somebody or nobody...
mongatu
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#15

Post by mongatu »

You only need the diamond rods when you have to remove a lot of material, for reprofiling or repairing a chip, which usually isn't very often. But when you do have a need for them, it's very nice to have them. On the other hand, I use the UF rods all the time.
Peter - My :spyder:'s:
Caly~3.5 (VG-10 & S. Blue); Para2~(20CP~M390~S30v); Military~(M390~S30v); Endura & Delica~4~FFG; Native~(S30v); Caly~Jr.~(ZDP); Manix~2~(M4); Ladybug~3~(VG-10. SE); Mules~(M390).
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#16

Post by hawaiihunter »

wow, thats a polished edge, edgepro quality i'd say
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rg02
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#17

Post by rg02 »

chuck_roxas45 wrote:I hope to get an answer to that someday rg02.
Here ya go Chuck :D . I posted this in the "show your edges" thread a few days ago :)
chuck_roxas45 wrote:How long does it take you to polish bevels on the sharpmaker? Are you using diamond rods to reprofile?
I have only done polished bevels on my PM2, Sage 3, Ambitious, and old school Aus8 Endura. I start reprofiling the back bevel to 30 inclusive with the diamonds and then progress through medium, fine, and ultra fine. For the micro bevel i do 40 inclusinve with medium, fine, ultra fine, and end with my strop. i could just stop with the medium stones if i want a more "working edge" on the micro bevel but I keep going through the UF.

I take my time when sharpening so it takes probably 90 minutes to do a polish on a knife for me if I go up through the UF stone for the micro bevel. I dont do stroke counts for my bevels, i just use my sharpie and use corners of stone until sharpie is completely gone and then i sharpie again and then use the flats of the stone until it is gone then i switch to the next stone and do the same thing. I usually clean the stones when i switch from the back bevel to my micro bevel as well.
-Ryan

-Techno, cruwear Mule, Dragonfly 2 FRN, Assist, Endura FRN ATS-55 SE, Endura SS aus-6 PE, Persistence(Wife's)
-Wicked Edge
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chuck_roxas45
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#18

Post by chuck_roxas45 »

rg02 wrote:Here ya go Chuck :D . I posted this in the "show your edges" thread a few days ago :)



I have only done polished bevels on my PM2, Sage 3, Ambitious, and old school Aus8 Endura. I start reprofiling the back bevel to 30 inclusive with the diamonds and then progress through medium, fine, and ultra fine. For the micro bevel i do 40 inclusinve with medium, fine, ultra fine, and end with my strop. i could just stop with the medium stones if i want a more "working edge" on the micro bevel but I keep going through the UF.

I take my time when sharpening so it takes probably 90 minutes to do a polish on a knife for me if I go up through the UF stone for the micro bevel. I dont do stroke counts for my bevels, i just use my sharpie and use corners of stone until sharpie is completely gone and then i sharpie again and then use the flats of the stone until it is gone then i switch to the next stone and do the same thing. I usually clean the stones when i switch from the back bevel to my micro bevel as well.
Thanks rg02, I musta missed your reply in the other thread. 90 minutes is pretty dang good for rebeveling on the sharpmaker.
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