Sharpening super steel with the sharpmaker?

[Loki.88]

I have been sharpening my knives with the standard :spyder: sharpmaker since the beginning of the 90's. Added a leather strop with compound later. I never had any issues with sharpening my knives. I recently bought a UKPK in S110V and after reading the comments am fearfull that i won't be able to sharpen it mysef without diamond rods or some fancy expensive sharpening system. What's :spyder: take on this issue? Is it possible to sharpen S110V on the standard sharpmaker brown and white rods? Or should i send it in every time it's dull?

[brett1081]

I think it has been proven that you will get the best results on vanadium rich steels with medium and fine grit diamond stones followed by a ceramic stone or strop. I am not sure what the sharpmaker has but for small folders I have been impressed with the capability of the new Worksharp Precision Adjust. It has a three way block with two diamond and one ceramic stone, and for $50 is a really good value for what you get.

[Evil D]

Diamonds or CBN are always recommended in my opinion. You can go the budget route and wrap sandpaper around the rods, I reprofiled a Maxamet Native this way just to see if I could.

[z1r]

I don't own any S110V but do own an S90V which hasn't needed any sharpening yet. I did sharpen my K390 Endela after a day spent cutting up cardboard boxes and was surprised that maybe a dozen strokes per side on the brown rods was all that was required to bring the edge back to shaving sharp. I was expecting it to be much more difficult.

[Evil D]

I should also point out, there's a massive difference between sharpening and reprofiling.

[S-3 ranch]

I should also point out, there's a massive difference between sharpening and reprofiling.

Yes for sure
I can renew my buddy’s S110v back with a SAK 600 diamond steel and strop with 1 micron diamond spray, but forget s110v unless you have a belt or wheel

[Loki.88]

Thank you for the info. I never reprofile my blades. I don't need a lightsaber grind. I like a utility profile.

[z1r]

I should also point out, there's a massive difference between sharpening and reprofiling.

Yes, I think touch up are easily accomplished with the brown rods, while restoring a well used blade or reprofiling would require or at least be sped up using more aggressive rods.

[kodai78]

I use my Sharpmaker on S110 and S90, it seems to work well. I’m not trying to reprofile or polish or achieve a mirror edge though. I do strop afterwards as well and I can tell that the blade is sharper afterwards. Whether it’s as good as some more skilled and patient gurus could achieve I don’t know.

[Loki.88]

Thx Kodai78. I think i'm in the same ballpark. Never get my knives so dull that they really need to get sharpened and i don't have enough knowledge or the right tools to fiddle with edge geometry.
Thx to the rest for all the replies!

[Paraguy]

“The Sharp-Maker is more of a Sharp-Keeper”
- Nick Shabezz

[Evil D]

I should also point out, there's a massive difference between sharpening and reprofiling.

Yes, I think touch up are easily accomplished with the brown rods, while restoring a well used blade or reprofiling would require or at least be sped up using more aggressive rods.

Fixing chips and getting a bevel that's steeper than 20 degrees per side are the main uses. After a while every bevel needs thinned out, I guess it just depends on how much you use a knife. If you're ok with going a long time between sharpening and you're gentle with the edge you probably won't need the heavier grits for a while, but for $55 they're well worth skipping a knife purchase if you don't have diamond or CBN rods.

[sal]

hi Brett,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[Albertaboyscott]

I had a heck of a time sharpening and reprofiling s110v and maxamet until I bought diamond stones. There is nothing I can't handle now and really enjoy being able to reprofile to my liking. It's actually easy now. I think theyre worth investing in if you want to get into the "super steels". So much time and effort saved.