Sharpmaker update idea

[PaloArt]

Hi all,

I am using my beat up Sharpmaker for 17 years almost daily and absolutely loving it. Few months ago I bought gauntlet premium with CBN rods to my friends as a gift to their new home and had a chance to play with it, WOW love that shape of rods and their length. So a little idea popped in my mind - would Spyderco consider Sharpmaker style box/stone holder with cat eye shaped rods like on gauntlet? Perhaps using potentially longer base for one more additional angle option, say 17 degrees? I have to say I enjoyed as well CBN and white stones combination, using similar set up on my Sharpmaker - Diamond and fine rods, quite like edges this combination produces.

I am planning to replace my Sharpmaker with new unit but if one day in future there might be updated version or something in line with what I suggest, I will definitely buy that unit as well.

Massive thanks @sal for creating such a fantastic tool to go with beloved Spyderco knives.

[Aladinsane]

Sounds good to me, especially if it incorporates all the ingredients of the old Sharpmaker, too!

[Coastal]

Great idea. The reason I don't already own a Gauntlet is its lack of a 15 degree slot. 15 degrees is the highest angle I sharpen at, so the 20-only is a non-starter for me. Give me 15 and 13, and I'd like it even more.

[JARHEAD]

Great idea I’m in

[BeggarSo]

Use a digital angle cube and prop one side up to get the degrees you want this is an old trick that works.

[zhyla]

I know the Sharpmaker is intended to be kind of fool proof but if they were to revise it I would make it fully variable angle.

[PaloArt]

Thanks to those who support the idea. I do understand point about variable angles on more premium version of Spyderco in house sharpener but I do think there might be more people like me, for example those who replied positively on that idea, who are ok with system as it is but with this update. Honestly I do have Worksharp PA (don't use it anymore), I tried TS Prof, Hapstone, KMFS but I still prefer whetstones (Shapton Kuromaku, Spyderco CBN) and my trusty Sharpmaker - you can pack it and throw it into the backpack and set it up anywhere, it sharpens all types of tools including scissors and I just love how simple yet effective it is.

Loved Sal's post about his use of Galley V 10 degrees DPS followed by 15 DPS on Sharpmaker finished with 20 DPS on Gauntlet, creating kind of apple seed edge (if I got the name correctly). I love idea of doing all these steps and different experiments with just one tool made by Spyderco.

I do respect request for more variable sharpening and premium set up, but older I get more I simplify and honestly Sharpmaker\Gauntlet rods hybrid might be dream coming true for those of us enjoying original set up.

[elena86]

I would be more interested in a 10 degrees ps option. A pair of CBN or diamond rods for the Galley V or additional 10 degrees ps setting for a premium Sharpmaker.

[Brock O Lee]

I really like the Gauntlet's cat eye fine stones. They are longer than the Sharpmaker's, and the edge "rides the contour of the stone", even when you hold the knife at a slight angle off perpendicular to the base. So that makes the setup more forgiving than the Sharpmaker in my experience.

I would certainly buy a base with more angles. 12.5, 15, 17.5 and 20 degree slots would be ideal. I would also buy medium "brown" ceramic stones, and fine (similar to DMT fine 600 grit) diamond or CBN stones if they were available.

[Evil D]

I just want a fully adjustable base. I have some simple ideas for how this can be made and I think eventually I'm going to get into 3D printing and make myself one.

[BeggarSo]

I just want a fully adjustable base. I have some simple ideas for how this can be made and I think eventually I'm going to get into 3D printing and make myself one.

Let me know I will buy one from you.

[abbazaba]

There's a 3D model out there for the SM stones that has every angle between 10-22 degrees in 2 degree increments.

[Evil D]

There's a 3D model out there for the SM stones that has every angle between 10-22 degrees in 2 degree increments.

This is all I want, something with maybe a simple wing nut you can loosen and adjust either side to whatever angle you like, preferably the mold also has a protractor/angles molded into it, set the wing nut and you're good to go. If this also makes it so it can fold up for storage then even better.

Spyderco have made a folding sharpener in the past, was called the Fold-A-Vee but it folded out into a set angle. I just want to be able to adjust both rods to whatever angle I want, then you could match the bevel angles exactly to what they are. This would be especially awesome with serrations.

[dullmaker]

I think the gauntlet's stone shape is excellent. Much more forgiving than the triangle. I would gladly purchase separate bases for the ability to do 15ds and 20dps if they can't be combined in one base like the sharpmaker. Maybe somebody would do a poll asking who would want a gauntlet with 15dps and 20dps slots.

[BeggarSo]

Well I have had all 3 for years, "I remember when" the Guantlet was all hush hush, what could it be.

Well it was a giant lousy stinking dissapointment, I thought for sure after all these years and all the innovations going on with sharpening the darned thing would be truly adjustable with multiple angels.

Instead we got a cheap hunk of plastic stuck at 20 degrees. Just what were they thinking anyhow?

Well knowing Sal Designs in the dark and he is often right to my dismay I bought a Gauntlet. Not because of what it looked like but because of the man and my trust in his integrity.

Well it turns out there ain't no substitute for the Sharpmaker, and the Gauntlet was a welcome surprise and addition, the cats eye rods work fantastic and the CBN rods are perfect, wish there were some brown rods too.

Due to this I also bought the Galley V long wonderful sharpening rods and yes they are interchangeable.

Ya know none of them have much in the way of adjustment. Don't seem to need it either.

Maybe just Maybe Sal has thought a little bit more about this in 50 years of this being his buisness.

Small wonder all 3 work.

I'd still be a sucker for buying one with more adjustments snd angles though.

[sal]

Hi BeggarSo,

The Triangle Sharpmaker was designed and upgrades are made for the knife afi. We're working on the 205 and have been for a while.

The Gauntlet was designed for a different market. the non knife Afi, that still wants to be able to safely and quickly sharpen a knife.

We are also still working on the next Gauntlet.

sal

[Bill1170]

I’m a fan of the Galley V, and I bought a set of CBN cat eye rods for the Gauntlet, which fit in the Galley V base.

[BeggarSo]

Hi BeggarSo,

The Triangle Sharpmaker was designed and upgrades are made for the knife afi. We're working on the 205 and have been for a while.

The Gauntlet was designed for a different market. the non knife Afi, that still wants to be able to safely and quickly sharpen a knife.

We are also still working on the next Gauntlet.

sal

Thanks for the info Sal there is a market that will easily sustain a sub $300.00 base model of the 205 without a doubt.

I have bought too many systems over the years so I do have an idea of what works.

The 204 with the triangle rods is a wonderful device but like others I too have often wished the rods could be adjusted to different degrees, I mean sure with a protractor or a digital angle finder, heck a phone even you can properly it up one side or the other and jury rig it.

The other is longer Abrasives, sure you can make any knife work but when using the Galley V for example I love the freedom the longer rods provide they are the perfect length.

The cats eye rods are great but you will never get the best out of your Spydie edges with it, I recently conducted a days long test and the winner is the Triangle Rods hand down.

Speaking of Triangle stones I woul like to see them the length of the Galley V but twice there current width.

More Grit option and refined diamond or CBN you nailed it on the Gauntlet CBN BTW.

I would not mind the unit being larger most of the good ones are and the 204P more than takes the portability slot for a win.

I have seen the aftermarket inserts for the 204P might have to see about getting some I however fear starting down the 3D printing rabbithole.

If spyderco would sell them I would have bought them years ago.

Anyway fwiw these are my thoughts, lookung foreward to the 205P hopefully it comes out soon. New Gauntlet sure why not I will buy one if those too.

Thanks again Sal appreciate knowing there is something that makes things sharp still coming.

Afterthought 50th Anniversary would be a killer time to release the 205P even if it takes a bit longer to ship, count me in on a preorder.

[Evil D]

It may not sell in high volumes but if I'm willing to invest money and time into learning to 3D print just so I can make an adjustable base, I bet others would at least be willing to pay less than that to buy one. I may even look into a company/person that I can just pay to do it for me, but there's added bonus to getting into printing myself since I could make other things. But the point is I think there's a market for it.

[TimButterfield]

I just want a fully adjustable base. I have some simple ideas for how this can be made and I think eventually I'm going to get into 3D printing and make myself one.

I've had a similar idea noodling around the back of my brain. In my version, it would only need to use one side of the base as the angles are variable. Described simply: a pivot point just above the current base height would allow the rods to change angle (same shape rod holder as now). Between the base of both pivots, the outer edge of a knurled knob would come just above the base surface. Inside the base, that knurled knob would move a screw with opposing threads connected to the lower part of the rod holders below the pivots on both sides. That should allow the single knob to adjust both sides at the same time. Optionally, one side of the threads could also move an indicator of angle visible through a 'window' cutout on one side of the base. The basics seem simple, though a tricky bit would be getting the angles of both rods and the indicator to all be accurate and synchronized.