Spyderco Sharpmaker

[ToXicFrOgXx]

Hi guys. Im new to the forum and tryin to figure out how to do all this cool stuff. :spyder: I have started gettin some spyderco knives for collection and use (more for use because they are kinda expensive). I have a Cricket, Delica 4, Manix 2, and a Sage 1. Since I am going to be using them alot I am going to need to sharpen them. Is the Sharpmaker worth the money?? Will it sharpen my Sage 1 with the S30V steel blade with me not haveing much sharpening expierence?? Also will it sharpen the spyder edge?? My Cricket has a fully serrated blade and my Delica is combo edge. Im sure you guys can help me out. :) Thanks!!

[Tsujigiri]

Yes, yes, and yes. The Sharpmaker is the best sharpener you can get anywhere near that price, for any knife. I use it for all my knives to get them shaving sharp. But for Spyderco's, it's even better, since the factory edge matches the 30 inclusive preset. It's much easier to use than freehand, and it will sharpen serrations and recurves.

[ToXicFrOgXx]

Thanks dude. That helps alot. :)

[mongatu]

Plus the Sharpmaker comes with good instructions as well as an instructional DVD that is very helpful if you are just starting out. A very good tool and good value, imo.

[ToXicFrOgXx]

Do the stones ever run out or anything like that?? Or how long does it last?? :)

[mongatu]

They can eventually wear out but they last a pretty long time as in years, not months. I can't tell you exactly how long because I haven't worn any out yet. It also depends on how much you sharpen with it. You can buy replacement rods for the original medium and fine rods, plus they also sell coarse diamond rods and ultra fine ceramic rods for it, but you can get by very nicely with just the medium and fine rods that come with the kit. The replacement rods are reasonably priced.

[justinl]

the medium rods will eventually wear down over years but the fine (white) rods should last far longer. Optional ultrafine rods even longer. For the best performance clean them once in a while with comet and a 3M green scrub pad.

[manixSA]

The sharpmaker can work wonders with just the fine and medium rods. It is not robotic so you will need some practice. This is normal because in the video Sal, who makes it look easy, has been using the sharpmaker for ever. The video is basically an infomercial that doesn't lie, but the technique takes practice. Buy a permanent marker, the technique is is widely discussed. For some great hints visit some posts by Joe Talamudge (sorry if I slaughtered the name) he writes some good stuff on sharpening that is easy to understand. He takes it step by step regardless of the manufacturer. Patience is the most critical step to sharpening, trying to teach patience is like trying to teach fiscal responsibility, I learned by making my Mini Grip unique :) .

Good luck and patience.

[cckw]

when you get it watch the DVD that comes with it. After you want the DVD you have a good starting point. Some people don't get better then that, but if you use your eyes and brain you can do much better over time

[Michael Cook]

:spyder: I feel cleaning the rods very often makes a noticeable difference. I clean them after every use and I can feel the differance after 40-50 strokes. A very light touch also helps dramatically. :spyder:

[jackknifeh]

I've never even seen a sharpmaker and would recommend it because:

a. Coming from Spyderco you know it will be made of quality materials.

b. It comes pre-set to the most popular edge angles according to many people including professional sharpeners.

c. Since the angles are pre-set and you are required to hold the blade virtical when sharpening to get those angles that means you can vary the angle a little by holding the blade at slightly off-vertical to get a micro-bevel for example. This will take just a little practice but will give you great control over your edge. Some sharpeners that offer more angle selections "lock" the angles every 3 or 5 degrees or something which may limit your options. IMO the only perfect angle setting option is one that gives you 100% control by not having "locks" or "grooves" to set the angles with. But those sysems are a lot more expensive.

d. The stones sit in the base to be used as a bench stone I believe. Another example of versatility.

e. With a little extra investment you can get a wide variety of rods for the sharpmaker.

f. It packs up for storage or travel or possible field use very nicely.

g. It is well worth the money. If you shop around you will find several good sharpening systems and any decent one will be at least this expensive. If you spend less than what a Sharpmaker costs I believe you will have wasted your money because you will not be happy with the product and end up getting a Sharpmaker later anyway.

This is my opinion of the Sharpmaker based only on whatever experience I have with sharpening and what I've heard people say about it (mainly on this forum). Like I said, I've never used one but if I ever do I may like it more than I think I would.

Jack

After thought edit: Since I've never used a Sharpmaker I know I'm not qualified to make the above statements as a first hand user. So if I'm wrong about anything someone please correct me.

[The Mentaculous]

:spyder: I feel cleaning the rods very often makes a noticeable difference. I clean them after every use and I can feel the differance after 40-50 strokes. A very light touch also helps dramatically. :spyder:

What do you use to/how do you clean them? I've tried Comet and a sponge and also a brillo pad, and with both it seemed like I was still leaving a lot of steel filings on it.


As for the OP, I highly recommend getting it! I got mine after about 4-5 spydies, and I was tempted to just buy a new knife, but I told myself, 5 sharp knives are more useful than even 100 dull ones. I'd recommend watching the DVD that's included with it, and also reading up on sharpening in general on the forums. You shouldn't have much trouble. And the Sharpmaker is probably the only sharpener out there that works as well on SE as PE knives. In less than a minute, I can get me SE Ladybug Salt to push cut through paper with ease. I'd say buy it ASAP, if you look around for a good deal you can get it for like $35-40

[Michael Cook]

What do you use to/how do you clean them? I've tried Comet and a sponge and also a brillo pad, and with both it seemed like I was still leaving a lot of steel filings on it.

:spyder: Comet and a green scotch brite pad, comes right off. :spyder:

[ToXicFrOgXx]

Thanks for all the help guys. I will definatly start looking for a sharpmaker to pick up. My knives are still sharp for the time being but will need some touch ups soon. Thanks. :)

[mongatu]

I like to freehand sharpen on DMT bench stones and Japanese waterstones and probably have spent about as much money on fancy stones as I have on my folders, or maybe more. They are really great for my J. kitchen knives and other long knives.

That said, I still love the Sharpmaker for my folders, especially for quick touch ups when I don't want to hassle with setting up my stones. Once you know what you are doing with the Sharpmaker, it's really easy to set up and take a few quick strokes on the medium, fine, (and UF rods if you have them) and restore a merely sharp edge to razor sharpness. I find, generally, it's a lot easier and faster if you don't wait until the knife gets really dull before touching up with the Sharpmaker.

Another thing is that when I freehand sharpen, I can only approximate an angle, which is fine for most things. If I try for 30 degrees, I might end up anywhere between about 25 and 35 degrees. And inevitably there is some amount of "slop" with freehand, depending on how good one is at it, so my freehand bevels usually end up being slightly convex, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but on my folders, I really like to have the bevels be as perfect as possible since I tend to look at them more. With the Sharpmaker, it's easy to be more accurate and keep the knife looking almost "new."

So for me, even though I freehand a lot, the Sharpmaker is still really useful, especially for quick touch ups, and also for traveling.

[justinl]

jon: FWIW, when I use comet/scrub pad, I don't get the rods as clean as when I first bought em ...but do they really need to be? I get 95 percent off and that gets performance back to what it was when it was new. I don't sweat the really faint grey lines.

edit: not all scrubby pad are created equal. I started with a no name brand and it sucked. With a 3M pad, the difference was huge.