I am considering buying the Spyderco sharpmaker. But is there any better product?
Also what is the purpose of a strop ? and where can I get one?
Whats the best Sharpening product? Also where can I buy a Strop to get a razors edge?
Depends on what your definition of best is. As far as I'm concerned it's the best system in the way of ease-of-use cost and versatility but there are many other systems out there cheaper and more expensive. A strop is used to refine the edge after sharpening to make sure that every bit of the burr is removed.
We would rather be the knife in your pocket, because is "works" better, than the knife in your showcase, because it "looks" better.
sal
sal
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rjowen0984
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jackknifeh
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IceCold wrote:I am considering buying the Spyderco sharpmaker. But is there any better product?
As far as quality, no there is no better. As far as capability, yes there are a few that I know of that are more versitile as far as reprofiling capabilities and angle selection. Before you look into a couple of these however you should multiply the cost of a Sharpmaker by 4. I use an Edge Pro and am VERY happy with it. The other sharpener I'm aware of that is just as capable is the Wicked Edge. I've never used one. The sharpmaker is a great tool for keeping a reasonably sharp knife sharp but when you have a VERY dull or damaged edge you will need at least the diamond rods for it. There are lots of people who can give better opinions of the Sharpmaker since I've never used one of those either.
Another type of system are the clamp systems like Lansky and the DMT aligner. These are good but have some limitations. They have more angle capabilities than the Sharpmaker but not as versitile as an EP or WE.
The first thing to determine is how much you want to spend. The Lansky, aligner, sharpmaker are around the same price ($40 - $70). With additional accessories they can get close to $100. For a decent set of the EP or WE systems you should start thinking about $200 and up. You can get a basic starter EP kit for around $165 but you will need additional stones later. Well, you probably will want more but you wouldn't absolutely NEED them.
Also what is the purpose of a strop ? and where can I get one?
Strops will take about any edge to another level of sharpness and/or polished bevel. They are almost essential for ultimate edges IMO. Again, these are not essential for getting VERY sharp edges but they are very useful. There is a nice strop to start with on Knives Plus called the strop block. I think it is $20 or $25. You never need additional compound for it. Just use a few drops of olive oil to "rejuvinate" the leather surface. I have had one and it does a very good job. Later you may want to try different pastes, sprays, strop surfaces, etc. the the strop block is a great inexpensive start. Unless you decide to strive for the edges that you really don't need but want the strop block will be all you ever need.
I hope this helps. These are my opinions based on my experience which is limited compared to a lot of people here. I'm sure you will get other opinions and suggestions.
Jack
Two great sharpening books
For a beginner there are 2 great books on sharpening that I highly recommend. One is the "Razor Edge Book Of Sharpening" by John Juranitch ( who is the owner of Razor Edge Systems out of Ely Minnesota).
Also there is another book that is more comprehensive book on sharpening and covers a wider array of edged tools and how to sharpen them. The book is called "The Complete Guide to Sharpening" by Leonard Lee.
Those 2 books helped me out greatly. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that Spyderco would soon put out their own book on sharpening. And a video on some of the newer sharpening equipment like the Goldenstone.
There are a lot of good strops out there. One place you can get a lot of information on strops is another forum I visit occasionally called "StraightRazorPlace.com">> they have a lot of great discussions on sharpening equipment and strops.
Also check out "bladeforums.com" because they also have a lot of good discussions on the subject of sharpening.
Also there is another book that is more comprehensive book on sharpening and covers a wider array of edged tools and how to sharpen them. The book is called "The Complete Guide to Sharpening" by Leonard Lee.
Those 2 books helped me out greatly. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that Spyderco would soon put out their own book on sharpening. And a video on some of the newer sharpening equipment like the Goldenstone.
There are a lot of good strops out there. One place you can get a lot of information on strops is another forum I visit occasionally called "StraightRazorPlace.com">> they have a lot of great discussions on sharpening equipment and strops.
Also check out "bladeforums.com" because they also have a lot of good discussions on the subject of sharpening.
Long Live the SPYDEREDGE Spyderco Hawkbills RULE!!
I am just beginning sharpening as well and bought the books mentioned by LD Spydo and found them invaluable as well. I purchased the wicked edge system plus the 800/1000 diamonds and strops set. That all cost $370 in Australia so it is probably cheaper in US. Still waiting on the strops but just going from 100 through to 1000 diamond grit I got it papercutting good on first attempt. There helpful vids on youtube about it. It does have some flaws but they can all be fixed. They are bringing out news arms but the are a further $120 and have aball joint so are smoother and takes away the slop I am encountering. This can be fixed though with a small washer and putting straws on the arms. There is heaps of useful info on the fixes if you google it and helpful youtube vids. With the smaller width blades I have found you cannot go lower than 18 degrees but will go to 15 degrees with bigger ones. It is the best system in my opinion for replicating the same secondary bevel every single time which means you can just restrop perfectly when necessary. It's expensive but worth it as you can keep everything identical every single time, I love it. Check out the you tube vids and not just the ones of the guy who makes it. Good luck!
Hello
Concerning abrasive compound loaded strop you should try balsa wood, its really effective, versatile and inexpensive.
If you plan to use bare leather as final step, the leather must be processed and cased properly to make sure its firm enough and to bring natural abrasives to the surface.
You can also use some types of paper to give that final touch, glossy paper from magazines are coated with clay, newspaper ink contains very fine abrasive toner and there are paper types with titanium dioxide to make them white.
Stropping is all about trial and error and there are endless possibilities with regular household products.
Concerning abrasive compound loaded strop you should try balsa wood, its really effective, versatile and inexpensive.
If you plan to use bare leather as final step, the leather must be processed and cased properly to make sure its firm enough and to bring natural abrasives to the surface.
You can also use some types of paper to give that final touch, glossy paper from magazines are coated with clay, newspaper ink contains very fine abrasive toner and there are paper types with titanium dioxide to make them white.
Stropping is all about trial and error and there are endless possibilities with regular household products.
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phillipsted
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+1 on the KnivesPlus StropBlock (http://www.knivesplus.com/KP-STROP8-STROPBLOCK.html). They are relatively inexpensive, well built, and do a great job.grg wrote:The strop I use is from Knivesplus, I got it last week ,and used it on my wildlife hatchet to finish the edge.It worked great for the final edge.
TedP
+2 They are inexpensive, well-built and do the job.phillipsted wrote:+1 on the KnivesPlus StropBlock (http://www.knivesplus.com/KP-STROP8-STROPBLOCK.html). They are relatively inexpensive, well built, and do a great job.
TedP
If you want Edge Pro products here is a great source:
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/edgepro.html
There is a lot of additional stones and strops as well.
My vote goes to Edge Pro.
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/edgepro.html
There is a lot of additional stones and strops as well.
My vote goes to Edge Pro.
Mad is bad. - Sal :)
Hi IceCold,
Sharpening is an skill that is connected to knives, but has its own world of discovery. I would recommend the Sharpmaker for an intro tool as it will help give you a better understanding about sharpening and allow you to achieve success, then I would also recommend exploration of many systems and tools, if the interest is there.
sal
Sharpening is an skill that is connected to knives, but has its own world of discovery. I would recommend the Sharpmaker for an intro tool as it will help give you a better understanding about sharpening and allow you to achieve success, then I would also recommend exploration of many systems and tools, if the interest is there.
sal
IceCold,
You didn't sayexactly what you want to achieve.
If you want to take sharpening to an art, the systems Sal mentions will get you there.
If you just want to keep your knives VERY sharp, the Sharpmaker is probably what you're looking for.
Adding the Diamond and Ultra Fine stones will take it even further.
You didn't sayexactly what you want to achieve.
If you want to take sharpening to an art, the systems Sal mentions will get you there.
If you just want to keep your knives VERY sharp, the Sharpmaker is probably what you're looking for.
Adding the Diamond and Ultra Fine stones will take it even further.
Ladybug, Delica x 2, Endura x 2, Military Black, Manix 2 XL, Civilian, Harpy, Caly 3.5 CF ZDP-189, Sage 1