Spyderco Sharpmaker

[Mat]

I've wanted a Sharpmaker for a while and after it was ignored off my Crimbo list by family ( ) I finally treated myself last month (£45 from eBay). They really are a great bit of kit. You can achieve a very sharp edge very quickly and with little effort. They'll sharpen lots of things, inc scissors and chisels, and everything packs away into a neat container.

Anyway, what really prompted me to post this is that I've now used it to put a razors edge on my Woody. I'm reasonably good at sharpening my knife using waterstones, stropping etc but I've never quite managed to get it shave sharp. This morning though, I was fiddling around with the Sharpmaker (when really I should have been looking after the kids ) and I used the white Sharpmaker rods to put a final edge on my Woody. 10 very light stokes either side of the blade on the white rods and (literally) 30 secs later I had a shave-sharp Woody and a bald left forearm!

I think I'll stick one of the white rods in my pack when I'm out and about so that I can touch up the blade if it dulls. What do you think?

Mat

 

[Ogri the trog]

Hey Mat,
Fully agree with all that you've said, but if you think the white rods are good, you ought to try the Ultrafine ones.

Ogri the trog

 

[Mat]

Reckon I'll have to re-mortgage the house to buy those!

Do they fit in the box along with the white rods, or do you simply replace them?

 

[andyn]

I've heard a lot of good things about the sharpmaker, but i though that the preset angles meant that they weren't all that suitable to single bevel/flat ground blades, as it would just put a secondary bevel on them?

 

[Mat]

I think you're right Andy.

I sharpened my knife as normal (3 grades of waterstones, followed by as much stropping as you can bear before getting bored) but just added a few light strokes along the white Sharpmaker rods at the end.

It seems to give the edge that last extra 'bite'

 

[Andy]

IIRC a woodlore is sharpened at about 20degrees per side so a sharpmaker is about right

I do a few passes (maybe 3 or 4 each side) to bring backa bi of bite after most sharpening. I prefer waterstones for my scand knives (and oddly my spyderco knives). The ultrafine rods are only about $9 each but th diamond ones cost a arm and a leg

 

[jamesraykenney]

I've heard a lot of good things about the sharpmaker, but i though that the preset angles meant that they weren't all that suitable to single bevel/flat ground blades, as it would just put a secondary bevel on them?

Sorry to reply to this so late, but the sharpmaker can be set up as a benchstone... There are two groves in the case that you put the stones edge down in, and they form a flat surface that you can use to sharpen scandi edges...

 

[JonnyP]

I've heard a lot of good things about the sharpmaker, but i though that the preset angles meant that they weren't all that suitable to single bevel/flat ground blades, as it would just put a secondary bevel on them?

I have got to ask....What is wrong in putting a secondary bevel on a flat ground blade..? Is it just because it would be dificult to sharpen unless you have the sharpmaker with you, or is there another reason. I cannot think of one, but then I am no knife expert. I would of thought that the secondary bevel would strengthen the edge if anything..??
Could someone please explain...

 

[Andy]

If you put a secondary edge on a scandi grind knife you will increase the edge angle and this means that the wood has to move more in order for it to be cut. You can drive a thin wedge into something much easier then a thick wedge

though you can set the sharpmaker up as a benchstone it wobbles and isn't as good, I'm lucky in that I have both and can use both well so it's no big deal but I wouldn't get a sharpmaker if you only sharpen scandi ground knives.

You should still have on for your kitchen knives though