Sharpmaker question
Sharpmaker question
For those who have the additional Ultra Fine Stone triangle, did you purchase 2 or do you use one and flip it to hone blades? I guess I’m asking is it worth getting two or can you make do with one? Can you make do without it, or was it a worthy purchase that makes the blade that much sharper?
Thanks
Thanks
Re: Sharpmaker question
I bought 2, and haven't used them for a couple years. I like the larger grits better.
Re: Sharpmaker question
I have two UF as well but rarely use them too. I don't even use the fine stones anymore. Usually always the mediums.
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Re: Sharpmaker question
I haven't bought them or the diamond stone yet but they're on my list for when I need them
- WilliamMunny
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Re: Sharpmaker question
I think you need two. Even if you flipped it, it would be that much harder to hold your knife angle.
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Re: Sharpmaker question
You can make do with just one, but it is so much easier & more convenient to use two at the same time. Time is money, as they say, and I think if you add up all the time you will save instead of wasting time repeatedly flipping a single UF rod over years of use (if you do alternating passes), it will be worth it.Brant wrote: ↑Fri Sep 08, 2023 2:39 pmFor those who have the additional Ultra Fine Stone triangle, did you purchase 2 or do you use one and flip it to hone blades? I guess I’m asking is it worth getting two or can you make do with one? Can you make do without it, or was it a worthy purchase that makes the blade that much sharper?
As for the benefits of the UF rods themselves... that's really up to your use case. I don't think you need them if all you're after is a perfectly functional working edge. The Medium & Fine rods will work just fine for that. I've been able to get hair-whittling edges on my kitchen knives using just the Fine rods. I use the UF rods primarily as part of a progression towards a more polished edge on simpler ingot steels (e.g., 154CM, 14C28N, VG10, Nitro-V, 9Cr18MoV, etc.), mostly just for looks (I don't see much functional improvement, and I sometimes overpolish the edges & take some of the "bite" out of them). It's a fairly specific & limited use case, if I'm being honest.
If you're looking to buy extra rods for your Sharpmaker, a more versatile addition might be the CBN rods or the Diamond rods. They make reprofiling/repairing a knife using the Sharpmaker a more practical option, and they are also the best sharpening tool I've found for use on serrated blades in vanadium carbide-rich "super steels" like S30V, S35VN, Cru-Wear, and K390.
Re: Sharpmaker question
I never use the ultra-fine rods on my Sharpmaker, and only use the fine rods on the few knives where I want a polished edge. CBN/diamond plus medium rods do 95% of my maintenance needs.
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Re: Sharpmaker question
Medium and fine then a strop is plenty for a user.
If I need something more aggressive I smear some diamond lapping paste on the medium rods - works a treat and much cheaper than the CBN rods
If I need something more aggressive I smear some diamond lapping paste on the medium rods - works a treat and much cheaper than the CBN rods
Re: Sharpmaker question
Thanks for the answers. It sounds like the original kit will probably be all I’d need!
- cabfrank
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Re: Sharpmaker question
zuludelta wrote: ↑Fri Sep 08, 2023 9:32 pmThis is great info, kind of what I was expecting to hear. I should get a set, I'm just not sure which. I'm leaning CBN.Brant wrote: ↑Fri Sep 08, 2023 2:39 pm
If you're looking to buy extra rods for your Sharpmaker, a more versatile addition might be the CBN rods or the Diamond rods. They make reprofiling/repairing a knife using the Sharpmaker a more practical option, and they are also the best sharpening tool I've found for use on serrated blades in vanadium carbide-rich "super steels" like S30V, S35VN, Cru-Wear, and K390.
Re: Sharpmaker question
I just use the brown stones anymore. You can get a pretty refined edge with the F and UF, but I get clean phonebook paper slicing from the brown stones, so I stop there.