What are your Supersharps?

[dbcad]

I originally got into Spyderco 4+ years ago because of the out of the box sharpness and quality build for the price.

After almost 4 years of belonging and contributing/inquiring on this forum I'm finding that I can achieve most any edge I want on my own with pretty simple and affordable tools, the DMT aligner with 5 stones, Sharpmaker, and a 2u loaded strop.

Has anyone else had the same journey? Post a pic of your sharpening success........

For those who are still challenged as I once was, stick with the forum and get the right tools for you. There is a great satisfaction in making your knives sharp :D

[xceptnl]

I too followed a similar progression because of this forum.
My sharpening systems were as follows:
Gatco Guided Sharpener (with 5 grits and honing oil)
DMT Aligner (5 stones originally and now 7 stones)
Spyderco 701 profile stones (my first real experience with free-handing)
Stropman loaded strops (black and green compounds)
Spydeco 302 Benchstones (polishing my freehand skills and learning more each day)

future..... Possible Apex EP possibly.

[Evil D]

I started out with a $20 Smith's sharpening system from Walmart. Started getting pretty decent edges with that, so after a while I jumped up to the Lansky diamond kit with a few extra high grit stones added in. After really learning the ins and outs of sharpening with that system, I took the plunge and got an Edge Pro and haven't looked back. I've spent a ridiculous amount of money on several stones for it, but have found that my favorite edge finish is a simple 400-600 grit 30 degree inclusive, then lightly micro beveled with a 16k stone. This gives a nice clean toothy edge that will push cut phone book paper and slices aggressively.

[Cheddarnut]

1-Smiths cheapo
2-traded a buddy his gatco 5 stone kit for a minigrip. Added a coarse diamond and ultra fine ceramic.
3-standard 2" mounted leather strop from lee valley with green compound.
Never actually tried the SM, but my gf just got a serrated df so i might bite the bullet. I tend to resharpen the entire bevel as opposed to micro beveling so i dont see much point in the SM, but who knows...maybe id like the convenience...

[.357 mag]

Ok.. :)

Started with pen sized diamond rod knowing nothin about sharpening. Then when to a warthog sharpening system. Also sucks. Maybe could get my knife sharp enough to get 2 hairs off my arm. Then went to the Edge Pro a Apex 4. Great system! Did the polishing edge thing. Whatever.. Bought a UF Spyderco stone. Great stone! Sold it :) . Decided about 6 months ago to try convexing. Glued some mousepad to some wood and banded some sand paper to it and when to work and haven't looked back.

[bh49]

Sharpmaker was my first Spyderco. I also got UF stones along with a base set.
After spenting couple hundreds dollars for various inexpensive reprofiling methods, I bought WE Sport & Field. Happy at this moment, especially after reprofiling my Forum Native.

[Brock O Lee]

I started out with a Lansky guided system, but I got so frustrated with it that I bought an Edge Pro Apex a few years ago. It works great for reprofiling, or resetting a bevel, but I find its a bit fiddly for routine touch-ups. For those jobs I added a Sharpmaker, which works really well for quick and easy touch-ups.

I have some other kit ( DMT diasharps, diafolds, profiles, strops etc) which I rarely use.

I find I normally set a bevel on the EP, and add a 30' micro bevel with the SM, and maintain that edge for a long time with the SM. Quick and easy.

In terms of sharp edges, my sharpest are Superblue or M4.

[razorsharp]

I started freehand, and still freehand. I've tried an edge pro and waterstones, but I still use sandpaper and diamond paste on paper, with sharp make medium rids for microbevels.



















Sorry about the bomb lol. All pics are sandpaper then diamond paste on paper :)

[MadRookie]

Your freehand edges are magnificent!

:)

[Bigwill857]

Sometimes I wonder if the mirror finish is just for looks? I'd take ugly that cuts than Purdy. But I use mine to cut materials.

[chuck_roxas45]

Sometimes I wonder if the mirror finish is just for looks? I'd take ugly that cuts than Purdy. But I use mine to cut materials.

If you can't produce pretty edges that perform, why trash those who can?

[VashHash]

I've been freehand sharpening since i was 10 or so. I've always gotten my edges shaving sharp. I used to use those carbide destroyer sharpeners and finish with a ceramic gas choke my father got from offshore. I sharpened with strictly ceramic for about 11 years and finally went with diamonds. I've bought some of the clamp systems but only to get the stones. I mainly use a 4-5 yr old dmt blue stone and it's worn to the point of producing a near mirror finish. It was only in the past 3-4 years that i really started changing edge angles. This produces a different kind of shaving sharp. My sharpest knife would be my ZDP-189 CF stretch which i have used several times to shave my face. I will never use a clamp system. I don't own a sharp maker and i only bought the lansky crock stick box to use the sticks on curved blades. FREE hand for life.

[Blerv]

In general aren't mirror edges ideal for push cutting too?

[Pockets]

I sharpen freehand on DMT stones. The ones I use are a bit small, though, so I'm going to get one or two of the large bench stones.

[MadRookie]

People, don't confuse a mirror bevel with sharpness.

In most case (technically correct), the mirror bevel is actually a relief bevel, with an actual mocro bevel on TEOTE (the edge of the edge), of whatever grit to your fancy - the micro bevel is the actual contact making cutting surface with the item to be cut.

That means that the relief/back bevel serves as thinning the blade for a better cutting performance - the micro bevel adds edge strength & durability.

In my case the actual cutting edge (micro bevel) is finished at 500# Shapton Glass stone, which is just an amazing slicer/cutter.

Just to clarify any misconceptions.....


:)

[Holland]

I started off the the sharpmaker and then bought a wicked edge sharpening system and I love it. I had a phase of trying to put a mirror edge on all my blades, but now I have started to stay around 400-600 grit bevel with a 1000 grit micro bevel. Love the aggressiveness of the toothy edge. I find the easiest steels to get super sharp are M4 and SuperBlue

[dbcad]

Beautiful edges :D

Everybody is different in their edge preferences :) The process of learning through the forum with Spyderco knives is what has been most rewarding for me :) The understanding of what you're doing is the most important :) Edge independence is the most enjoyable thing for me No one has to sharpen the knives for you, rather, I sharpen their knives courtesy of Spyderco indirectly

[toomzz]

Well, after almost 20 years sharpening knives freehand on those (still) wonderful ceramic rods I made up my mind for a step further.
I considered a couple of guided systems and finally chose Wicked Edge. I was always able produce supersharp edges but this is really frightning, how sharp you can sharpen your edges. Really fixating a knife in a good vise is whole different sharpening experience.....highly recommended, although I still sharpen convex edges freehand....

[senorsquare]

I did this one using the stock edge pro 1000 grit stone.


Native 5 S110V by senorsquare, on Flickr

[Jazz]

It took years of practice to freehand properly, but that's the only way for me. Working in a kitchen with a big ol' stone gives you practice. Lots of it. I actually am in the minority here - I hate sharpening. I can do it well, but just don't like it.

I prefer a fine edge with a light pass at a higher angle to remove the wire edge, then a bit of a strop. Mirror edges are useless to me, except on my wood carving knives. Try sliding one of those across a rope - good luck with that, unless there're some micro teeth still on it.

I think my ZDP's are the ones that take the best edge, but I make them all sharp, or they're useless.