Spyderman91 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 18, 2018 3:01 pm
Hello folks,
A random question for your sharpening masters, if you are skilled at freehand do you ever use a guided system?
Would you recommend someone newer to sharpening to go guided, or suck it up and use stones. I've used a wet stone on my tenacious
and got it back to a descent edge... but I also dulled the crap out of my Cudeman mt5 which already came a little dull as is. The later all comes down to technique and practice makes perfect... But I keep eyeballing the Wicked Edge because across the board it seems to be the best system...
I'm just waiting to bite the bullet, or assess other options.
I decided I won't buy a new knife, until I buy descent sharpening equipment to maintain them all properly.
There is no right or wrong answer, no matter what anyone says. Probably the most ideal answer is to learn to free hand effectively. This opens up a lot more possibilities in both stone variety (and cost) and angles and convenience and so on. However, that doesn't mean it is the best answer or the best answer for you.
There is absolutely no shame and zero wrong with choosing to use a guided system. I know there are a minority of free handers in the knife world who look down their noses at people using guided systems and that is unfortunate. I'm just thrilled when knife folks decide they want to keep their knives sharp. What you use to get there matters a whole less to me than the fact that you want to get there. Yes, free handing can be special in its own right, but not everyone wants to go there. And some have physical conditions that may make it nigh impossible.
I've had a KME for many years and it has sharpened many knives. It is an excellent system and I've never once regretted the purchase. There is a lot more regret in not sharpening at all.
These days I almost exclusively free hand (back to where I started all those years ago) but I think any person who wants to maintain their own knives, especially in recognizing this desire over another knife purchase is awesome! You might also find that a guided system helps you learn how to free hand and gives you the confidence to start exploring it. You'll know you always have your system there while learning to help fix things if needed.
I would just recommend doing your research and buying what works for you. There's pros and cons to the various systems but for me, the KME was the best balance of all factors.
If you love your Spyderco knives now, you'll kick into an entire next level when you are using it with your own edge.
Let us know what you decide!