DerMerchant
Member
I usually use a whetstone but have trouble holding angles, are there any good knife sharpeners out there that hold the knife at a fixed angle that use a whetstone?
Reccomend a knife sharpener
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sparkyv
Member
After you're done with the excellent FAQ, I'll highly recommend the Lansky system. Fairly simple, inexpensive, and provides excellent and repeatable results.
peterk1234
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Don't give up on the whetstones. I used an electric forever, recently went to whetstones. It's been a learning curve, but wow I am starting to get them super sharp. My biggest challenge is the tips of the blade, but I'm getting better at it. I use 400, 1000, 3000, and 8000 grit. I even have my meat cleaver sharp enough to shave paper.
Valkman
Member
I use a Wicked Edge and highly recommend it.
The Spyderco Sharpmaker is a decent system. Its design only requires that the user be able to hold the blade so that it is perpendicular to the surface that the sharpener is resting on. Most people can do that well enough to get very good results.
I used a sharpmaker for years and now have the newer model that superseded the sharpmaker. They both do a good job but more importantly, they’re idiot proof. I mounted mine to a bench. Much easier to use that way.
I have a benchmade 710 in D2 and getting a shaving edge isn’t hard to do.
I have a benchmade 710 in D2 and getting a shaving edge isn’t hard to do.
gotboostvr
Member
I've got one of these,
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/DMT-Single-Sided-Diafold-P128.aspx
The blue "coarse" does a surprisingly good job of quickly getting an edge to pop off arm hairs.
I've got a Lansky system for rescuing and rehabilitating beat up edges, or taking one to as fine an edge as possible.
I find the diamond stone handles 95% of what needs done though. I'd like to add a "fine/extra fine" double sided one though.
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/DMT-Single-Sided-Diafold-P128.aspx
The blue "coarse" does a surprisingly good job of quickly getting an edge to pop off arm hairs.
I've got a Lansky system for rescuing and rehabilitating beat up edges, or taking one to as fine an edge as possible.
I find the diamond stone handles 95% of what needs done though. I'd like to add a "fine/extra fine" double sided one though.
herrwalther
Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2013
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- 8,117
I have about a half dozen knife sharpeners from Smith and a few other brands I cannot remember. All cheap ones, less than $15 or so. I got a Lanksy sharpening kit from Amazon and it changed my attitude around. I believe I got the 3 stone kit and added my own stones after. I own a few D2 knives and grabbed a diamond stone or two. In any case, the Lanksy is the best one I have for sharpening a knife. There are a few things to be aware of that I learned:
Practice on some cheap knives first, you don't want to ruin an expensive or sentimental knife learning a new system.
It isn't fast. You have to set a knife up, clamp it down, and go slow. More of a setup for a workbench, not a field. Get some cheap knife sharpeners for when you need a semi-sharp edge right now, like if you go hunting or fishing.
https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Deluxe-5-Stone-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8IEA4
Practice on some cheap knives first, you don't want to ruin an expensive or sentimental knife learning a new system.
It isn't fast. You have to set a knife up, clamp it down, and go slow. More of a setup for a workbench, not a field. Get some cheap knife sharpeners for when you need a semi-sharp edge right now, like if you go hunting or fishing.
https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Deluxe-5-Stone-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8IEA4
greyling22
Member
I have a lansky and just don't get good results with it. It is likely my technique, but I couldn't even get a good edge on a cheap kitchen knife. I' been eyeballing the ruxin edgepro clones on amazon, and adding real edgepro stones.
If you're not getting good results with the Lansky, you need to deal with whatever is causing you problems before going on to another sharpener. Most of the guided sharpeners work pretty similarly and if one doesn't work for you, the same problem will likely be encountered with others.
Here are some possible issues.
1. Maintaining heavy pressure during the sharpening process. While heavy pressure can be used for the early sharpening steps of a very dull knife when using a coarse grit stone, as the process continues, pressure needs to get much lighter. During finishing steps and fine grit stones, the pressure should be very light. Pressing hard on a nearly finished edge will roll it over and ruin it. To be clear, when I mention that it's acceptable to use heavy pressure in the beginning of the sharpening process, I'm not saying that heavy pressure is ever really a good thing, just acknowledging that there are times when it's not a terribly bad thing.
2. Not completing the early steps when a coarse stone is used to grind in a proper edge bevel. The key to this step is feeling the "burr" along the edge. You can feel it with a fingernail on the OPPOSITE side of the edge from the side being sharpened. The burr should be present along the entire edge before turning the knife over to do the other bevel. Then, once the burr is present along the edge again from sharpening the other side, it's acceptable to progress to a finer grit stone and lighter pressure.
3. Ruined stones. If the sharpener uses diamond stones and they have been used with heavy pressure, the diamonds, which are very sharp, and very hard, but also very brittle, will be broken off quickly leaving a very fine grit which may be insufficient to sharpen a dull edge in a reasonable amount of time.
Here are some possible issues.
1. Maintaining heavy pressure during the sharpening process. While heavy pressure can be used for the early sharpening steps of a very dull knife when using a coarse grit stone, as the process continues, pressure needs to get much lighter. During finishing steps and fine grit stones, the pressure should be very light. Pressing hard on a nearly finished edge will roll it over and ruin it. To be clear, when I mention that it's acceptable to use heavy pressure in the beginning of the sharpening process, I'm not saying that heavy pressure is ever really a good thing, just acknowledging that there are times when it's not a terribly bad thing.
2. Not completing the early steps when a coarse stone is used to grind in a proper edge bevel. The key to this step is feeling the "burr" along the edge. You can feel it with a fingernail on the OPPOSITE side of the edge from the side being sharpened. The burr should be present along the entire edge before turning the knife over to do the other bevel. Then, once the burr is present along the edge again from sharpening the other side, it's acceptable to progress to a finer grit stone and lighter pressure.
3. Ruined stones. If the sharpener uses diamond stones and they have been used with heavy pressure, the diamonds, which are very sharp, and very hard, but also very brittle, will be broken off quickly leaving a very fine grit which may be insufficient to sharpen a dull edge in a reasonable amount of time.
I also use the wicked edge and I am fairly sure it is about as good as it gets. Any of their sharpeners keep a consistent angle on both sides of the edge within a fraction of a degree and can put at least a 2000 grit finish or basically a mirror polished edge.
dh1633pm
Contributing Member
I have a nice Arkansas stone. Works good. But then I got one of these:
https://warthogusa.com/product/classic-ii/
It flat out works.
https://warthogusa.com/product/classic-ii/
It flat out works.
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