Sharpmaker Elite Edition

[Windward]

id honestly rather just see in "deluxe" sort of kit. the sharpmaker as is, works really well for me how i use it, but would be cool if when buying there was a kit that included a diamond/cbn and the ultrafine rods, maybe even some others.

[Naperville]

You must not have experienced any fixed sharpening systems yet, to relate the Sharpmaker to a Hilux hahaha.

I don’t get it Spell it out for me man

I’ve got a KME and a Worksharp Precision Adjust. The former gets used weekly when I bulk sharpen, and the latter gathers dust in a cupboard. I find them fiddly and temperamental at the best of times, and downright irritating at worst. If they were a vehicle they’d be some sort of Alfa Romeo or possibly a Ducati - look nice but bits keep falling off at inconvenient moments.

Ducatis are fiddly or temperamental? Parts are falling off?

Never heard that one before.

[mikestp]

I.M.O. the Sharpmaker is only for applying a micro bevel. To do this all it needs is the 40 degree setting (or 30 preferred if the edge is <15dps).
The aim of the sharpmaker isn't to match the existing edge exactly or reprofiling. I see the sharpmaker as a compliment to a fixed angle sharpener not a replacement.

[JoviAl]

You must not have experienced any fixed sharpening systems yet, to relate the Sharpmaker to a Hilux hahaha.

I don’t get it Spell it out for me man

I’ve got a KME and a Worksharp Precision Adjust. The former gets used weekly when I bulk sharpen, and the latter gathers dust in a cupboard. I find them fiddly and temperamental at the best of times, and downright irritating at worst. If they were a vehicle they’d be some sort of Alfa Romeo or possibly a Ducati - look nice but bits keep falling off at inconvenient moments.

Ducatis are fiddly or temperamental? Parts are falling off?

Never heard that one before.

Maybe it’s just the combination of persistent wet weather and high humidity but my experience of Ducatis in both the UK and Singapore has been a litany of constant repairs, corrosion issues and wiring coming loose. My mate’s 916 made even my KTM look like a paragon of civilised reliability (it wasn’t!). I ride a BMW R1200GSA now, which is still enough to make me laugh and has the load carrying capacity of small van (I deliver chainsaws on it). I admit I haven’t tried any of Ducati’s most modern generation of bikes (and they are beautiful), mainly off of the back of my less favourable previous experiences.

[JoviAl]

Well, this thread turned into a bit of science! Totally blew my hypothesis out of the water

[JoviAl]

I should maybe add as a caveat - I’m using my Sharpmaker almost exclusively for SE blades. I don’t know what folk use as an alternative to it for SE, but feel free to chime in.

[Skywalker]

I should maybe add as a caveat - I’m using my Sharpmaker almost exclusively for SE blades. I don’t know what folk use as an alternative to it for SE, but feel free to chime in.

Per Bolster's survey early last year, there just aren't that many people using SE, even on this forum.

[Striple765Rider]

You must not have experienced any fixed sharpening systems yet, to relate the Sharpmaker to a Hilux hahaha.

I don’t get it Spell it out for me man

I’ve got a KME and a Worksharp Precision Adjust. The former gets used weekly when I bulk sharpen, and the latter gathers dust in a cupboard. I find them fiddly and temperamental at the best of times, and downright irritating at worst. If they were a vehicle they’d be some sort of Alfa Romeo or possibly a Ducati - look nice but bits keep falling off at inconvenient moments.

You should look into the Edge Pro apex. It's a nice higher end guided system that uses the nice 6" stones or plates but it's much less hassle than the clamp systems. You can sharpen pretty much any size knife you want on it easily. I love mone and I came from a work sharp precision adjust.

Also for everybody saying they wish they had more grits to choose from and harder cutting stones you do know you can buy Moldmaster 1/2"x6" triangle stones from congress tools and they drop right in the slots in the base. They're the same size as the factory stones, they like $7 each, silicon carbide so they'll cut pretty much any steel and you can get them in grits from 80 to 600 and many in between grits.
https://www.congresstools.com/catalog/c ... ory/?id=27

I made the move the otherway around. I find the work sharp precision adjust way better and less of a hassle then the edge pro. You always need to sharpen wet with the edge pro that not only makes a mess it also scratches your blades badly if you do not tape them up. And the clamp of the precision adjust keeps your blade way more stable then you holding it yourself in the edge pro.

Maybe with certain stones. But that’s any system. I use their brand diamond matrix and just rub a thin film of water/soap on them so it’s hardly wet by any means. And you can use them dry if you want but I think they have better feel with just a thin film of water on them. If you’re using any stone other than a diamond plate you honestly want a splash of water on it.

[JoviAl]

I should maybe add as a caveat - I’m using my Sharpmaker almost exclusively for SE blades. I don’t know what folk use as an alternative to it for SE, but feel free to chime in.

Per Bolster's survey early last year, there just aren't that many people using SE, even on this forum.

Ah, that brings the data more into focus then. I completely get why people would opt for a fixed system if they only owned/used PE blades. I should have been more explanatory in my initial post about why I think it’s so good, which is mainly because I can sharpen SE blades super quickly AND it does a passable job on PE when I’m travelling.

[Bolster]

I think a few more, or maybe just different, angles on the Sharpmaker is a good idea. However, I use my Sharpmaker like Sharp Guy, Tko, Skywalker, and Vivi, for quick touchups / microbevels only, usually on medium or softer steels, and once in awhile for serrated kitchen knives. As steels get harder, I tend to use the Sharpmaker less. Definitely not for any sort of reprofiling of the edge, no way. Mostly I use a Hapstone R2 for serious work. When I use the Sharpmaker it’s almost always at 15 dps. I would also like a setting at the “Spyderco Factory Average” of around 17 dps, for knives I keep a little more obtuse.

So instead of the current “30” and “40” settings I would prefer “30” and “35.”

BTW, the Hapstone accepts triangular stones/rods, too, so it works fine for serrations.

You should look into the Edge Pro apex. It's a nice higher end guided system that uses the nice 6" stones or plates but it's much less hassle than the clamp systems.

De gustibus. I owned an Edge Pro Apex and really disliked it, particularly the difficulty it had with smaller blades, even after I added magnets. Too easy for the blade to move while sharpening IMO. Sold it. Much prefer a clamp system so switched to the Hapstone R2, which is the clampiest clamping device that ever clamped. Once that blade is locked into place with its “double-double” clamp system (two clamps, and each has two screws, one ‘binding’ against the other), there is no way it’s moving about.

[JoviAl]

BTW, the Hapstone accepts triangular stones/rods, too, so it works fine for serrations.

C K What now?! I didn’t know it did serrated knives. Now you have my interest.

[Bolster]

BTW, the Hapstone accepts triangular stones/rods, too, so it works fine for serrations.

C K What now?! I didn’t know it did serrated knives. Now you have my interest.

Sure. The Hapstone accepts a wide variety of stones, even triangular. There is also the "make your own stone" option if you buy the aluminum blanks and epoxy on the stone of your choice, be it half round, triangular, square, what have you.

However...fair warning...I don't think the Hapstone would be able to accommodate an entire coffee mug, if that's what you are thinking about doing...since I know you like to sharpen your knives with a coffee mug.

[JoviAl]

BTW, the Hapstone accepts triangular stones/rods, too, so it works fine for serrations.

C K What now?! I didn’t know it did serrated knives. Now you have my interest.

Sure. The Hapstone accepts a wide variety of stones, even triangular. There is also the "make your own stone" option if you buy the aluminum blanks and epoxy on the stone of your choice, be it half round, triangular, square, what have you.

However...fair warning...I don't think the Hapstone would be able to accommodate an entire coffee mug, if that's what you are thinking about doing...since I know you like to sharpen your knives with a coffee mug.

Bug*#ry and damnation! Well if it won’t even accommodate a mug why did you bring it up Bolster? You know my mug sharpening proclivities preclude me from any other form of inferior sharpening system. Also, *tea mug* my dear fellow - I’m English, not a barbarian

[Fastidiotus]

I do think the Sharpmaker is genius for touching up serrated blades especially with the easier to sharpen steels like H1, lc200n, and vg-10. I personally don't use it on any plain edges anymore. I must be mentally deficient but it's much easier for me to free hand P.E. on stones than it is to try and keep the blade perfectly vertical to maintain the proper angle on the Sharpmaker.

[Brock O Lee]

I vote no. I’m hoping Spyderco will introduce a Gauntlet with the ability to do 15dps as well as having more cbn stones to choose from. To me the Gauntlet with the cbn cat's eye stones are superior to the sharpmaker’s triangle stones. The stones don’t wobble around in the base on the Gauntlet like they do with the Sharpmaker. I get much better results with the Gauntlet than I ever did with the Sharpmaker.
Bruce

I'm with Bruce. I like the Gauntlet's long and oval stones much more than the SM triangles. It's a pity the Gauntlet only does 20 dps. I'd buy a base with more angle options.

Like a few others mentioned, I also use the SM mostly for maintaining micro bevels and serrations.

For setting bevels I've been using the Edge Pro for many years. Diamond stones and a few other system tweaks improved that experience exponentially. I still dig the no-clamp concept.

I enjoyed your two-wheeled comments @JoviAl... I share your sentiments about bits falling off some brands at the most inconvenient times, having had experience with KTM before. Personally I'm in the Honda camp at the moment. Over the years I've come to the conclusion that I like my vehicles to be Japanese, boring but reliable.

[JoviAl]

I vote no. I’m hoping Spyderco will introduce a Gauntlet with the ability to do 15dps as well as having more cbn stones to choose from. To me the Gauntlet with the cbn cat's eye stones are superior to the sharpmaker’s triangle stones. The stones don’t wobble around in the base on the Gauntlet like they do with the Sharpmaker. I get much better results with the Gauntlet than I ever did with the Sharpmaker.
Bruce

I'm with Bruce. I like the Gauntlet's long and oval stones much more than the SM triangles. It's a pity the Gauntlet only does 20 dps. I'd buy a base with more angle options.

Like a few others mentioned, I also use the SM mostly for maintaining micro bevels and serrations.

For setting bevels I've been using the Edge Pro for many years. Diamond stones and a few other system tweaks improved that experience exponentially. I still dig the no-clamp concept.

I enjoyed your two-wheeled comments @JoviAl... I share your sentiments about bits falling off some brands at the most inconvenient times, having had experience with KTM before. Personally I'm in the Honda camp at the moment. Over the years I've come to the conclusion that I like my vehicles to be Japanese, boring but reliable.

Hey Hans,
I feel you there buddy! The Duke 690 I had was an absolute hooligan to ride until it decided to cut out (at random) or electrical parts just failed. My BMW is shaft drive, never goes wrong and if I drop it I’m more likely to damage to concrete than it. Maybe it’s just my advancing years (I’m 38), but I have little to no patience for seized chains from Scottoilers running dry or my daily ride just refusing to start because it doesn’t like the colour of the sky that morning.

As for sharpeners, I like Spyderco gear for my SE and my KME for PE. I have a deep appreciation for the portability of the Sharpmaker though, and that it doesn’t look like an AR15 on the x-Ray scanners when I take it through airports. There’s a lot to be said for not getting hassled on every family holiday you go on because you happen to want to sharpen the kitchen knives in your rental accommodation

[Michael Janich]

Dear mikestp:

Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.

Depending upon the condition of your edge, the abrasives you use, and the time you invest, the Sharpmaker can do much more.

Stay safe,

Mike

[Bolster]

Also, *tea mug* my dear fellow - I’m English, not a barbarian

You can imagine my embarrassment.

[JoviAl]

Also, *tea mug* my dear fellow - I’m English, not a barbarian

You can imagine my embarrassment.

Don’t worry, if I ever manage to master the SharpMug I’ll send you a special ambidextrous Tea AND Coffee variant. Just don’t tell my countrymen what I did, or I’ll be slapped with a lifetime ban from Betty’s Tea Rooms.

[kennethsime]

I’m in.

The fixed angle systems work, but I always manage to screw up my edges with them. The sharpmaker is a little slower, but steadier, and I get better results. I also feel like the skill translates better to freehand.

I’d love an adjustable base and a wider array of stones - specifically, a coarser Diamond or cbn stone.