Sharpmaker Rods

[Reeper22]

I just order a Sharpmaker system that comes with the 2 sets of ceramic rods. The steels I have are vg-10, s30v, h1, 1095, aus 8, and 154cm. Do you think I will need to pick up the ultra fine rods or diamond rods? I don't really use my s30v knife very often.

[CanisMajor]

Diamond Rods make sharpening go faster, they take off a lot more metal. I only have the Medium and Fine rods and I get by really well. I don't let my knives get dull and I touch them up every once in a while, I mainly use VG-10. I've read/heard that Ultra Fine will get the knife ridiculously sharp, eventually I may pick some up. People have even wrapped sandpaper on the rods as a substitute for the diamond rods, I don't know how or what type of sandpaper. You should be fine with what comes with the kit, eventually you may pic up the other rods.

Canis

[Reeper22]

Diamond Rods make sharpening go faster, they take off a lot more metal. I only have the Medium and Fine rods and I get by really well. I don't let my knives get dull and I touch them up every once in a while, I mainly use VG-10. I've read/heard that Ultra Fine will get the knife ridiculously sharp, eventually I may pick some up. People have even wrapped sandpaper on the rods as a substitute for the diamond rods, I don't know how or what type of sandpaper. You should be fine with what comes with the kit, eventually you may pic up the other rods.

Canis

When you touch up do you go straight to the fine rods, or course then fine?

[CanisMajor]

When you touch up do you go straight to the fine rods, or course then fine?

Usually, I just use the corners of the fine, then the flats of the fine. There are ways to test the blade to see which step you need to do. All is explained in the DVD that comes with the kit. It's fantastic system, when I got mine I sharpened at least 7 knives the first day, works really well.

Canis

[Reeper22]

Ok, I guess my only question now is whether or not to get the ultra fine rods. I found them for $18 on knifeworks. Are they worth it?

[jzmtl]

I take knife to strop after so I don't bother with ultrafine. It's likely $18 for one rod so for $36 I wouldn't.

As for which rod to start sharpening, even when the knife is still decently sharp I found one or two swipes on brown rod makes sharpening go a lot faster.

[jezabel]

I've been itching for the 701 profiles to get the Diamond treatment lately, for days when my 440v Se Millie get really punished.
On the other hand I've managed to maintain the razor sharp factory edge of my newly acquired VG10 C83 Persian with only stropping for the past few weeks, I'm really trying hard to keep that hair popping toothy factory edge. So far it's working really well, I'm just being a lot more attentive with my stopping methods.

Jez

[bh49]

I just order a Sharpmaker system that comes with the 2 sets of ceramic rods. The steels I have are vg-10, s30v, h1, 1095, aus 8, and 154cm. Do you think I will need to pick up the ultra fine rods or diamond rods? I don't really use my s30v knife very often.

You can sharpen any of your knives just using basic set. These extra stone will make your sharpening experience more enjoyable. You do not need to buy them right away, just learn to use Sharpmaker as is. Watch DVD couple time, sharpen knives, search threads about sharpening here, on BF and learn.
Diamond rods are coarse and you do not need them to sharpen your knives. You need them to repair damaged edge or reprofile. You can use medium stones instead for these jobs, but it can take days, depends on job. With diamond rods or any coarse stones (if you feel that diamond rods are too expensive you can get flat 6" DMT diamond stone or any other coarse stone and clamp it to the flat of medium rod with binder clip) that will be few times faster.
UF rods can help you better polish you edge, so the knife will cut easier, if you like this kind of edge. I always use flats of UF rods on VG10 and never on S30V. (By the way, they are less expensive at pharmacy)
But much more important to learn about sharpening to understand what you doing and develop good technique. Probably you will need 10X eye loupe (to examine the edge) and magic marker (to determine edge angle) much sooner than any additional stones. But it is not bad idea to get them all occasionally. I use my UF every time I sharpen my VG10 knives and I have about dozen of coarse stones, some of them coarse that diamond.

[ChapmanPreferred]

Sharpmaker 204D diamond rods are well worth thje investment to me. They are great for the first time you sharpen any knife on the Sharpmaker to help set up your angles.

[skatenut]

Sharpmaker 204D diamond rods are well worth thje investment to me. They are great for the first time you sharpen any knife on the Sharpmaker to help set up your angles.

+1

they also save a lot of time and elbow grease

[JD Spydo]

I just order a Sharpmaker system that comes with the 2 sets of ceramic rods. The steels I have are vg-10, s30v, h1, 1095, aus 8, and 154cm. Do you think I will need to pick up the ultra fine rods or diamond rods? I don't really use my s30v knife very often.

YES ABSOLUTELY!!! The 204 Sharpmaker kit is really superb with the UF and diamond rods you can buy extra. I even made a special case to take a complete 204 kit and the 2 sets of extra stones in my travel pack. That kit is even more versatile with those extra tools added to it.

You can't go wrong with any of Spyderco's great sharpening tools. JD

[unit]

Are the UF rods worth it?

I have changed my mind on this one. I got them and immediately disliked them as they seemed like a tiny step finer than the regular white fine rods.

As I have become more of a sharpening nut I have come full circle and I have even allowed my strop to go unused for a long time (I get hair whittling results with the uf rod).

I like the Sharpmaker and it will make a knife really really sharp (stock set). If you want to get really carried away, get the uf rods. If simply having a knife sharp enough to shave with is good enough, pass on the uf rods.

[EnduringEagle]

You can sharpen any of your knives just using basic set. These extra stone will make your sharpening experience more enjoyable. You do not need to buy them right away, just learn to use Sharpmaker as is. Watch DVD couple time, sharpen knives, search threads about sharpening here, on BF and learn.
Diamond rods are coarse and you do not need them to sharpen your knives. You need them to repair damaged edge or reprofile. You can use medium stones instead for these jobs, but it can take days, depends on job. With diamond rods or any coarse stones (if you feel that diamond rods are too expensive you can get flat 6" DMT diamond stone or any other coarse stone and clamp it to the flat of medium rod with binder clip) that will be few times faster.
UF rods can help you better polish you edge, so the knife will cut easier, if you like this kind of edge. I always use flats of UF rods on VG10 and never on S30V. (By the way, they are less expensive at pharmacy)
But much more important to learn about sharpening to understand what you doing and develop good technique. Probably you will need 10X eye loupe (to examine the edge) and magic marker (to determine edge angle) much sooner than any additional stones. But it is not bad idea to get them all occasionally. I use my UF every time I sharpen my VG10 knives and I have about dozen of coarse stones, some of them coarse that diamond.

This is outstanding advice and exactly what I was looking for. Many thanks!!

[EnduringEagle]

Question I have is this: Is it better to use the UF rods or leather strop?

[gull wing]

If I didn't have the Edge Pro to re-profile my DULL(& i DO GET THEM DULL) I would get the diamonds. When you are out of profile, using the Sharpmaker will not get the job done.

I don't re-profile often!

[marcus1]

Best advise I have gotten on here... watch the DVD SEVERAL times... then watch it again after a week or so, then again when needed to remind yourself :)

As for other rods... I think the best investment is the Diamond ones IF you have some old very dull knives that need to be re-profiled.

Otherwise, just keep your knives sharp... use the corners of the fine then the flats if you want. I find touching up on the corners is sufficient for most of my knives.

The UF rods I don't find do much (perhaps I haven't mastered the Fine ones enough yet). So hold off on those is my suggestion.