New to the Sharpmaker-Question?

[K1500]

My Sharpmaker just arrived and I am excited to try it out. I will watch the DVD but was curious what angle setting I should use if I want to preserve the factory bevel on the Endura and Delica FFG knives. I suppose a sharpie test would be in order but I figured I would ask those that have experience first. Thanks!

[sal]

Hi K1500,

Watch the video carefully, Begin with a small cheap knife and go through the 4 steps at 40 degrees. I would suggest getting a magnifying loupe, about 10X - 12X so you can "watch the edge grow". You will be able to watch the "scratch pattern grow. Use the corner of the brown stone until the edge will catch you finger nail. The corners of the brown stone will eventually wear some and that's when they will work the best at removing metal.

sal

[K1500]

Thanks for the tip!

[Cambertree]

Hi K1500,

Welcome to the forum!

So I haven’t measured a whole heap of Delicas and Enduras, but in general, the ones I’ve sharpened seem to be around the 17 dps range. They vary a bit, but generally they’re not more acute than 15 dps, or more obtuse than about 18 dps.

So if you want to sharpen as Sal instructs on the Sharpmaker video, using the 20 dps setting will give quick results and potentially some apex refinement.

And continuing to do a set of 15 dps passes each time you sharpen, will progressively knock down the shoulders of the edge bevel, until you have close to a 15 dps edge bevel.

I’d suggest having some practice with the techniques in the video, then if you want to start learning some new techniques for sharpening, there’s a wealth of material to research on this forum.

I wouldn’t worry too much about matching the exact factory angle.

A lot of the folks here prefer to use edges which are more acute than the original factory angles.

[Wartstein]

Welcome to the forum! :)

- Sals advice to get a loupe is worth its weight in gold: I took it from him either and it helped a ton to develop my skils.
Here viewtopic.php?f=2&t=82628 is a thread I started about what loupe to get, perhaps it helps!

- Doing a bit of practice on a cheap knife is also a great idea, but keep in mind: Many cheap knives are made of very soft steels, so don´t expect a Spyderco to get sharp as quick as many cheapos do! Depending on the particular steel, a high quality steel Spydie will take a bit more work (time)

- As Cambertree said: I think each Spyderco I received so far would get sharp pretty quick with the 20 degree setting, cause their factory angle was lower than that (so 20 would apply a microbevel more or less very fast).
For matching the 15 degree perhaps some "reprofiling" might be necessary, easier done with CBN or diamond rods. You´ll probably get one of those eventually anyway, so I´d recommend doing so right now

- Use LIGHT pressure! Lighter than you might think at first, especially on the finishing strokes!

[thebard42]

This is a great question and set of responses. As a newer member, it would be cool if there was a sticky about sharpening, I could even see its own sub forum. I am sure you all get tired of the same questions. Thanks for all the info.

[K1500]

Thanks for all the tips. I will get a loupe and start with a cheaper knife of similar size and grind.

[Evil D]

Chances are your bevel won't exactly match either 30 or 40 setting. If you have diamond or CBN rods I'd suggest going with the 30 setting even if it means you end up doing a little reprofiling, because at least then you start out with even bevels and from there you can micro bevel on the 40 slots which is quick and easy.

[K1500]

Another question, which rods are better for reprofiling, CBN or diamond? I don’t have any yet so I can purchase either. I have used diamond bench stones but never CBN.

[Cambertree]

This is a great question and set of responses. As a newer member, it would be cool if there was a sticky about sharpening, I could even see its own sub forum. I am sure you all get tired of the same questions. Thanks for all the info.

I agree about a sticky for sharpening tips. In the meantime, you might find this thread useful:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=84678

[Wartstein]

Another question, which rods are better for reprofiling, CBN or diamond? I don’t have any yet so I can purchase either. I have used diamond bench stones but never CBN.

I never had the diamond rods, but have the CBNs, and they work just fine, but obviously I can´t compare the two.
For ONLY reprofling / removing metal real fast both could even be coarser I guess.

Your question has been asked several times here, and just from what I read people who own both often can´t tell a real difference between diamonds and CBN when it comes to cutting ability. Perhaps (again, just statistically from what I recall reading!!) that the diamonds cut a tiny tad more aggressively, but the CBNs are a bit more durable and robust (so it is not THAT much of an issue if one uses too much pressure on CBNs, though STILL of course a light touch is the way to go)

This is a post from Sal from 2018 (viewtopic.php?t=78443#p1219379) on the matter, it might help.
(Here is the whole (short) thread, but there are more if you search viewtopic.php?t=78443)

[Zive]

Not so new to the sharpmaker (have owned one for 11 years now), but had a question regarding stone longevity.

From reading the posts above it is clear that diamond and CBN rods have a finite lifespan, and it also seems that the coarse rods benefit from some breaking-in.

After 11 years of using my coarse and fine rods, and 5 or so years of using UF rods I’m wondering if I may start to see decreased performance from the rods. My technique has improved significantly over the time I’ve owned my SM, but so too has the grade of steel I’m working with. I can my older knives in S30V, 440C, and similar, older alloys quite sharp but it seems to take longer than I remember.

Can anyone comment on whether the coarse, fine, UF rods require replacement after years of use? To be clear I habitually clean the rods with BKF to remove residual material.

Thanks!

[K1500]

I’m glad you bumped this. I (obviously) cannot comment on the longevity of the stones yet, but I can give an update on my endura. I sharpened it using the 30 degree setting. Initially it wasn’t hitting the apex. A loupe and sharpie helped with this. Once I got to the apex on 30 degrees it was ‘sharp’ and would slice paper easily and shave. I then went to the flats of the brown and white with the 40 degree setting. I will buy the diamond or CBN stones, as I am sure it would have sped up hitting the apex on the 30 degree setting, especially with a knife that needs a bit more work. I also noticed that switching sides and keeping the stones clean with BKF helped to keep them cutting.

[Wartstein]

I’m glad you bumped this. I (obviously) cannot comment on the longevity of the stones yet, but I can give an update on my endura. I sharpened it using the 30 degree setting. Initially it wasn’t hitting the apex. A loupe and sharpie helped with this. Once I got to the apex on 30 degrees it was ‘sharp’ and would slice paper easily and shave. I then went to the flats of the brown and white with the 40 degree setting. I will buy the diamond or CBN stones, as I am sure it would have sped up hitting the apex on the 30 degree setting, especially with a knife that needs a bit more work. I also noticed that switching sides and keeping the stones clean with BKF helped to keep them cutting.

Yes, lupe AND sharpie in my experience help a lot, especially if one is not that experienced yet.
Of course the lupe is way more important, but the sharpie makes it even easier to see what one is doing.
Furthermore, a Sharpie is really not an investment that will break the bank, most people will have some anyway...

[James Y]

I also recommend when you sharpen, don’t run the tip of the blade off the rod. That will result in rounding off the tip. When you get to the tip, stop the stroke with the tip still on the (preferably) flat surface of the rods.

Jim

[K1500]

That’s a good tip that is hard for me to do when using the corners, much easier on the flats.

[Cambertree]

That’s a good tip that is hard for me to do when using the corners, much easier on the flats.

I prefer the flat surfaces of the rods to do jobs like what you’re describing, K1500. They work quicker due to the larger contact area of abrasive.

Zive, all the rods will wear and get what amounts to a finer surface finish over time.

The wear on the white rods is so minimal though, that they’d probably last a lifetime or more.

Some people have mentioned replacing the brown rods after about the same time you’ve had yours - that depends on how much you use them of course.

I recently got a new set of brown rods and they both cut steel more efficiently than my old ones and feel a little coarser, with more bite. I do use the Sharpmaker quite a lot though.

[Zive]

Thanks Cambertree. I was considering purchasing the CBN rods, but will replace my brown rods first and see if they give me the cutting performance I’m looking for.

[sal]

The corner of the brown rods are the coarsest of the ceramic, once they have a little wear on them. To crack the surface. I always recommend rubbing two corners of the brown rods together to crack the surface. That's when they cut the best. ( It's in the video ). I usually use the corner opposite the groove for the first cracking of the surface. They will wear down and eventually will no longer cut as quickly. They get wide and no longer have that thin single point contact. That's when I crack the surface of the second corner.

It is my opinion, but I don't think I would pay too much attention to staying on the stone, especially when beginning. I never do and I found that a slightly rounded corner that is also sharp does everything a pointy point does and doesn't break off as easily as a pointy point.

sal

[Salty Dog]

Welcome, my advice is to buy the seperate diamond rods now, so you have them ready to go.
Im fairly new to the sharp maker too, the rods it comes with are great for touching up a blade but to reprofile or sharpen a really dull blade, the diamond rods make it a breeze.