Best sharpener for curved blades?

[jtroutt19]

Nice forum you fellas got here. Just added the spyderco reverse fixed blade to my collection. Its the first curved edge blade ive owned. Usually i would just use flat stone to sharpen and polish my blades. Cannot use my stones on this blade. So I am in the market for a new sharpener. I need one that will polish. I like mirror edges on my blades. So what do you guys recommend? Thanks!

[dplafoll]

The Spyderco Sharpmaker is designed to be able to sharpen just about anything, including curved, recurved, and serrated edges. I'd get on Youtube and search for Spyderco Triangle Sharpmaker Instructional DVD and that will give you an idea of how it works before you buy it.

[farnorthdan]

Welcome to the forum jtroutt19, +1 on the SharpMaker, works wonders on curved blades.

[jtroutt19]

Yeah ive been looking at the sharpmaker. Looks nice and i am prolly going to get it. My one concern with it was will it polish the edge to a mirror finish?

[Fallen]

I think with the UF rods (+ strop?) should do it.

[spyderHS08]

Stock rods haven't polished any of my edges but that is fine with me, but like others said I believe the ultra fine rods (purchased seperate) plus some stropping should do it! And yes the sharpmaker is the best there is. :cool:

[jtroutt19]

Awesome then! Sold i will purchase it friday! Thanks guys! Ive been coming to these forums for alot of years just never actually signed up and posted anything. I had a nice collection of spyderco knives about 7 years ago that got stolen from me 16 knives in total. Hadnt bought one since until about a week ago. The salt finally washed away and i am going to start collecting again. I almost forgot why i enjoy spyderco so much! Glad to be back!

[Surfingringo]

Welcome to the forum jtroutt. The sharpmaker is an exceptional tool and is the best device on the market for sharpening curved blades...you will enjoy it. It is not the greatest for polishing edges (especially on curved blades) but I suppose it will get you there if you put in enough time. Wrapping the rods in sandpaper will also work. Enjoy the SM!

[SpyderNut]

Welcome aboard, jtroutt19. :) You honestly can't go wrong with the Sharpmaker, especially for the price. Mine has held up well for the past 14 years with minimal amount of wear and tear.

Welcome!

-Michael

[dplafoll]

One thing: The Sharpmaker isn't really going to polish the edge unless you get the ultrafine rods. However, unless that's just super important to you, I'd get the Diamond or Cubic Boron Nitride rods first. These are super coarse, and allow you to re-profile edges, set a bevel, or put on a basic edge on a knife that's real-deal dull.

[jtroutt19]

Awesome thanks for all the advice.

[JAfromMN]

701 profile

[MacLaren]

I had no trouble getting this thing sharp with my SharpMaker - the only curved blade I have.

[ZrowsN1s]

Awesome thanks for all the advice.

KME sharp system, with the dimaond tri hone jewel stick. I use a piece of leather belt with a little jewelry polish on it to strop, I fold it in half and hold it by the pinched end it to make the belt form a rigid rounded surface that i then (carefully) strop across the blade (you could also wrap leather around a wooden dowel to strop, anything to make it a curved as opposed to flat surface). this is how i sharpen my many karambits, hawkbills, and recurves.

[DrtyHarry]

I use Lansky curved stones....

[Akcir]

I've used a piece of broom handle with thin leather glued to it to make a round strop.
It will put a good polish on a recurve or hawkbill.
.

[DrtyHarry]

I had no trouble getting this thing sharp with my SharpMaker - the only curved blade I have.

Nice! I use the Lansy curved ones on my Brous Enforcer...yup, I put a wave on it and moved the clip. Are you able to use the spine as a wave easily? Does it always catch? A lot of people told me that the spine/wave like feature doesn't always work. I really want to get one...but I worked so hard on mine, not sure if it's worth it. Would love to hear your opinion and how the wave works...if it works. Thanks!!

Harry

[MacLaren]

I had no trouble getting this thing sharp with my SharpMaker - the only curved blade I have.

Nice! I use the Lansy curved ones on my Brous Enforcer...yup, I put a wave on it and moved the clip. Are you able to use the spine as a wave easily? Does it always catch? A lot of people told me that the spine/wave like feature doesn't always work. I really want to get one...but I worked so hard on mine, not sure if it's worth it. Would love to hear your opinion and how the wave works...if it works. Thanks!!

Harry

Thanx man...
Ya know, it's been money for me man. Ya pull it out like ya mean it, she'll catch every time. Now depending what your wearing of course, sometimes you have to concentrate a little. But for the very vast majority of the time it catches every time.....I cannot tell you how darn much I love this thing man.....its executed so well!
This thing imo is in a league of its own.
Titanium frame lock flipper....man its nice.
But.....you have yours modded. And if it works well I wouldnt worry about it. Or you could just get one in which I guarantee youll love it....I was at first a little apprehensive about getting it. But its prolly been the most fullfilling knife purchase Ive ever made. I like that well...

[JD Spydo]

Welcome to the forum jtroutt. The sharpmaker is an exceptional tool and is the best device on the market for sharpening curved blades...you will enjoy it. It is not the greatest for polishing edges (especially on curved blades) but I suppose it will get you there if you put in enough time. Wrapping the rods in sandpaper will also work. Enjoy the SM!

I agree with everything that SURF just told you and I would add that to do the unit justice also get the Ultra-Fine rods and the Diamond rods as well. I've personally not yet got to try out the newer CBN rods but I've heard good stuff about them as well. But if you've got a 204 Sharpmaker with the extra UF and Diamond rods you should be able to sharpen about any recurve, Hawkbill or Reverse S type blades that you would use.

Surf's also right about the sandpaper trick because it can sure remove a lot of stock off of a really beat up blade a lot quicker than the 204 rods can in the same length of time. I just wish at some point Spyderco would add a coarse or extra coarse diamond rod for the 204 Sharpmaker for rapid stock removal.

[DrtyHarry]

Thanx man...
Ya know, it's been money for me man. Ya pull it out like ya mean it, she'll catch every time. Now depending what your wearing of course, sometimes you have to concentrate a little. But for the very vast majority of the time it catches every time.....I cannot tell you how darn much I love this thing man.....its executed so well!
This thing imo is in a league of its own.
Titanium frame lock flipper....man its nice.
But.....you have yours modded. And if it works well I wouldnt worry about it. Or you could just get one in which I guarantee youll love it....I was at first a little apprehensive about getting it. But its prolly been the most fullfilling knife purchase Ive ever made. I like that well...

Thanks man! I am a HUGE fan of the Karambite, I ALWAYS ALWAYS have one on me. I must have taken about 4 years worth of lessons with Silat. The Brous version is by far the best one on the market. The older version, the one I have....had it's faults. The clip being on the wrong side, the lack of the wave, etc. But as said, I corrected all that and the blade now has a wave and the clip is on the correct side.

I agree the framelock is a better knife...however, with a Karambit...you are more or less slashing than you are thrusting. So as long as you get a solid and fairly strong lock up, I feel comfortable with what I have. I was going to get the Elite but when I read a few of my fellow Karambit friends say that the "wave feature" doesn't work all the time...I didn't want to drop $400+ on a guess knowing I all ready have something identical that works exactly the way I want it to. I also pride myself on the fact that I was able to modify and fix it to my liking. It fires EVERY single time....and with those ball bearings, it's butter smooth. Emerson and all the other Kbits don't use bearings. Brous does. But above all, the fact that the blade is 90 degrees from the handle, makes it perfect for trapping and hooking. VERY VERY few folding Kbits are even close to 90 degrees. I am in no way a fan of Brous....but his Kbit is on the money. D2 steel with an amazingly sharp factory edge is evil. The ring is big enough and robust so that you can use it as a blunt striking object. I can go on and on. I have been keeping my eyes open for one on the secondary market....I always wanted a black stonewash, but because I had to cut the blade, I had to go with satin otherwise it would have looked horrible after I cut it.

90 degrees!!!