Sharpening your Spydies

[smcfalls13]

This is one of the few polls I've seen where there is actually a very clear majority

[JD Spydo]

Personally I think it should be mandatory for any serious knife user to develop sharpening skills. Because if you read my signature and think about it for a moment you will realize that a dull knife is pretty useless.

When I first got serious about knives back in the early to mid 90s my first mission was to learn all about sharpening that I could. Sharpening is not Quantum Physics or Gene Splicing > but it is a skill that any reasonably intelligent person can master over time.

The "Razor Edge Book Of Sharpening" by John Juranitch along with all the information that comes with the 204 Sharpmaker that our esteemed Mr. Glesser has made available to us will get anyone off to a great start. There is now tons of information about the subject available that wasn't out there when I began. There is an ocean of info on the web as well. If you join Bladeforums and frequent the TOOLSHED section you can learn a great deal right there on that Forum.

Knife ownership should require sharpening just as much as a new driver should have the driver's manual memorized. Again my signature says it all. Not to mention there is so much great equipment available at this time. Stay Sharp :cool: I sure wish Sal Glesser would write his own book on sharpening >> Hint Hint :D

[Jeff2112]

204 SM unless I need to reprofile or backbevel. I no longer strope unless of corse it has a true convex grind.

[Fred Sanford]

I thought this was a good thread and wanted to bump it for the newer guys. It's nice to see what people sharpen with.

Besides, my answer has changed. I used to use a Lansky, and now I use the Spyderco 701 profile stones exclusively. If I need to really readjust the edge bevel or relief bevel I use a Coarse DMT Whetstone.

:D

[rocketbomb]

Freehand sharpen my PE knives myself with a fine Spyderco bench stone. Used a sharpmaker before that, and still use it on the rare occasion I sharpen any of my SE knives. May pick up a coarser DMT stone sometime for reprofiling and very dull blades. I have a dia-fold that works well, but is really too small to work very efficiently.

[Jazz]

I sharpen freehand with a course and fine stone ( or just fine, if that's all it needs ), steel it to straighten the edge, go a little steeper to get rid of the wire edge ( though I leave it on all kitchen knives ), and strop it a bit, and finally I steel it again. I steel once in a while to keep the edge straight. For carving knives, I go to a ceramic rod ( or bottom of a ceramic dish ) and strop thoroughly so it's polished and hair-flinging sharp.

- best wishes, Jazz.

[A.P.F.]

I keep my knives sharp by free handing a fine Arkansas stone.

[Manix Guy 2]

I sharpened myself if small job is needed , give big jobs to friend who has a Tormec . MG2

[sixfoot7]

What is your preference in sharpening your Spydies?

When I started buying quality knives (approx 1 year and 34 knives ago), I asked the owner of the knife store if he knew any good knife sharpeners locally. He gave me a name and an address, and a few months later I went to get 3 knives sharpened. When I picked them up, I tested the sharpness of the edges, and bought a Sharpmaker about 45 minutes later. Now I have all 4 sets of rods (I think there are only 4), plus a strop with green Veritas compound. It took me 2-3 days to get them sharper than the "professional" who did my knives, and about 2 weeks to figure out how to get "hair-popping" sharp. I wish I had the time and patience to learn how to sharpen freehand, but I don't, and the sharpmaker plus the strop gives me an edge I'm very happy with.

[Blackhair]

You should take your knives into that professional sharpener again just to blow their mind and show them what a sharp blade really is! :p :D

[Mr Blonde]

I couldn't stand the idea of someone else sharpening my knives, except for Jurphaas but that hasn't been necessary yet. I only use my Sharpmaker. With my rotation schedule I only need to sharpen the odd knife once a month or so.

Wouter

[Left Hand Path]

For SE I use the 701 Profiles and the Sharpmaker ultra fine rods. On edges that are really wrecked (like friends' knives that they let get really dull) I use DMT serrated sharpeners in coarse and fine to restore the edge.

For PE, I re-bevel using DMT x-coarse, coarse, and fine diamond stones, then sharpen using the Sharpmaker.

[uhiforgot]

GREAT GOOGLY-MOOGLY! :eek: I didn't even remember that this thread existed, but it's back and the poll is more one-sided than ever!!! :D :cool:

Interesting to get to read new stories, though :)

[malice4you]

I use the grinder on the back of the can opener.... :D

I've used one of those little V shaped sharpener things when I was young, and it sorta worked on the cheap crap I had then.

I later started experimenting with whetstones, sharpening rods (think kitchen knives), and eventually got a craftsman-branded DMT-like medium grit pocket sharpener. I used that right up until I got my sharpmaker, which now has the ultrafine rods as well. I also own the 400F set and 701MF set, and am looking at the duckfoot and/or diamond sones for the sharpmaker.

I've been shapening my own knives since I was at least 13 or 14, probably younger than that even...

I do have 7 knives I would like to send in to Spyderco to be fixed up - they are a bit too far gone for me to put any additional time or effort into them.

[bluemist]

NO "pros", no buffers, no grinders, been there, done that, one guy ground a nice groove into my Cento FRN.

[bladese97]

:spyder: :spyder: :cool: :spyder: :spyder: prefer to sharpen my Spyders by myself, and do good at it :cool: I still am howning my SE sharpening skills, but things got alot better when I got my 701 diamand stones :)