best sharpener?

[johnnybar]

As many have noted, angle is what it's all about when putting an edge on for certain purposes. The Lansky and Smith's angle systems are inexpensive ($30-$50) and allow a razor fine filet knife or a more durable edged work knife to be perfectly roughed in and finish honed in a couple minutes. I've had the Smith's EZ hone system for a few decades and it's foolproof. Their new version eliminates having to rotate the angle guide to each side of the blade, making it even more convenient.

[Griz44mag]

I opted for the Lansky 5 ceramic stone set. The guide keeps you on track for a consistent angle and the stones are very good quality. If you pay attention to the angles used for different tools and tacks, you can keep good edges on everything from tomahawks to straight razors with the kit. It's a big plus that the kit is not expensive and replacement stones are readily available and also inexpensive. For what replacement rods on one of the designer sets cost, you could buy a whole new kit from Lansky. And the knife doesn't know if it's been sharpened with a 250.00 kit or a 40.00 kit, it's just sharp.

[StrawHat]

For the Tormek owners, any recomendations for where to purchase?

Also, I believe JET is making a knock off of the Tormek for less money.

[PbHurler]

For the Tormek owners, any recomendations for where to purchase?

I purchased mine at Woodcraft. They had the full line of jigs, grading stones, compound etc. A search shows one in Dallas & one in Ft. Worth.

Here's a list of the Texas retailers, that the Tormek website says, carry their products:

http://www.tormek.com/en/distributors/us_retail.php

[Rick Hodges]

I believe the best edge for the price is a man who knows what he is doing with a good set of Arkansas Stones. That being said I use a Lansky system. I will touch up with a small diamond hone but about every three times is goes back on the Lansky to clean it up.

[country gent]

This was a skill we learned as kids my Dad and grandfather taught me and there was a section in our boy scout hand books. I have always used a whet stone ( weather arkansass or diamond have many of each) a piece of flat ground copper, I use a little fine polishing compound ( shimichrome, flitz, diamond paste) on then a leather strop. Normally a few passes on the strop tunes the edge right up. I bought 2 butchers steels at an auction saturday for in the kitchen. A few passes and a kitchen knife will fillet tomatoes like nothing else. Nice thing is the Butchers steels really dont remove metal just iron it back to where it needs to be. I have used the laskey and now there is a little belt sander with belts of diffrent grits and a guide to hold the angles out there. I still perfer hand honed and a strop. I still have a strop in my bathroom for the straight razor to.

[freebullet]

Standard gatco stone set with the addition of the fine diamond & fine ceramic. Razor sharp.

[Vindicated]

My favorite is the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker with the Ultra Fine diamond stone. Next up would be an Arkansas stone and soapy water.

[johnh57]

I use an Edge Pro Apex.

http://www.edgeproinc.com/cart.php?m...vel_categories

[PTS]

I don’t really understand the theory of sharpening but I did inherit nice stones from my father and if I maintain consistent angle I get good results. I did inherit my fathers “strop” also, but I don’t know why, what, when, or how to use it. Same with a steel. I use it to take the “burrs” off, or at least I think thats what I’m doing. Any and all advice is appreciated.

[DougGuy]

OP asks what's the best sharpener for the money..

The small orange dbl sided "butterfly" made by Smith's = $4.00 at Lowe's stores. After using that one, I can safely throw away all the other pull-thru sharpeners except for the larger black long one also made by Smith's and sold at Target for about $19.

I picked up a "Frontier Forge" butcher knife for $5 at a flea market, Japan made in the early 1960s, steel so good it turned gray and never rusted even being out in the rain at the flea market. That thing nearly ripped the carbide out of a pull thru sharpener. It wouldn't hardly touch it. Lansky only for that blade. Damn that is some GOOD steel! It will carry that edge through 2-3 deer when the 440 stainless custom knives I own have dulled, it's still lethally sharp.

[jmort]

Don't know if was mentioned but Speed Sharp for $10.00 is the best for the $$$ and the best all around sharpener period. Last forever.
http://www.speedysharp.com/

[Texantothecore]

I see a lot about knives on this thread so I assume this is the right place to ask this question. Forgive me if this has been asked in the past I have looked back several pages to see if it has with no luck. What sharpener works the best for the money to sharpen mainly knives, I want a quality sharpener. If I can sharpen scissors and such as well that is a plus but not a necessity. Thanks all.

I don't know what brand it is but I use a diamond sharpener. No oil to carry around, just spit and it really works well. I normally sharpen to a smaller angle than usual and my knives are extremely sharp. I don't think the brand matters, mine comes in a wooden box and it is a flat piece of aluminum with diamonds embedded in it. Best sharpener I have ever had and it was not too expensive.

I think I got it at WalMart...

[Dutchninja]

Agree with johnh57, Edge Pro Apex. Check out Nutnfancy's review on Youtube for good info on it. After watching that video I was sold. It is expensive, but I don't regret it at all. I think i sharpened everything in the house when I first got it.

[georgerkahn]

I am admittedly near the bottom of good knife sharpeners. For ME, I learned to keep far, far away from any grindstones, belt sanders, or the like. A metallurgist colleague very clearly illustrated to me how very little heat it takes to remove the temper from your edge, and he professes using power one is actually fighting him/her-self. E.g., when you get the edge with these methods, the temper is gone... (Hey -- I'm sure other adroit folks can sharpen with a belt or wheel... I cannot!) At a gunshow I saw a fellow using/purveying a device made in South Africa called the WartHog Sharpener. His gimmick was to let person sit down with their knife; if happy, you buy the sharpener. If not, he gives you a $5.00 bill for your time. I bought the sharpener! It is used just for knives; for my axes, lawnmower blades, etc. I use mill bastard files followed by a "puck" (described in a post, above). Best wishes! geo

[Wally]

I do much the same.....kind of an art using whetstones and honing a blade to a sharp, polished edge. The leather strop, with a bit of jewelers rouge hones the edge to an optimal sharpness. Once one masters the art, there is no need for any other devices.

I have used a Chicago Cutlery very fine carborundum "steel" followed up by an ultra fine ceramic "steel"...you then use the leather strop with polishing compound....however when I do, I feel as I cheated. However, this method is faster....

I used to make knives, and learned how to maintain consistent angles on both sides of the edge by feel using normal wet stones.
If the edge is really bad I start with a belt sander with around a 200-300 grit belt on it.
After that, I go to an orange and black, Norton two-tone India stone, but I never use the black side. I use dark cutting oil as a lube.
Next, I go to a Wa****a Arkansas stone and use baby oil as a lubricant.
Next I go to a translucent hard Arkansas stone (spoken of in hushed and reverent tones).
Finally, I finish with a soft, vegitible tanned leather strop, glued to a piece of marble, and impregnated with fine buffing compound.
This produces the finest edge on the planet, depending on the guy making the strokes.
Like C. I. Scofield, rightly dividing the truth, left from right LOL!

If I wanted a quick way to get a usable edge, and I did not have the training that I have, I would definitely go with a Lansky sharpening system, followed by a leather strop. Most folks would consider that "an amazing edge" that will shave hair.

[doulos]

I have used and owned ,a Edge Pro, KME and Lansky rod sharpeners. I have also used and owned belt sanders, Work Sharps, paper wheels , japanese water stones,diamond stones. They all work. All have a learning curve. The shortest learning curve and most versatile is the Edge Pro. I think its superior to any clamp system for long blades like chef knives.. however for shorter blades a clamp system like a Wicked edge is just as good. They might even be superior for quick touch ups. I have a Edge Pro Professional that was very expensive because I do a lot of chef knives. I think the regular Edge Pro Apex is worth the money. You'll have it forever. That being said the greatest satisfaction Ive ever had sharpening is when I sharpened a dull knife to razor hair shaving sharp freehand on a waterstone. It just takes practice. Some guys are phenomenal with waters stones.

[KCSO]

For long tem use IF you can learn to use it and I you can take care of them Arkansas stones will be the best overall. I have a three stone set that is over 30 years old and still flat, and still sharpening perfectly. Mine are 10" stones as I have to sharpen longer blades on occassion and I sharpen my chisels with a guide.

[AlaskanGuy]

Well, call me old fashioned, but in my line of work, i need razor sharp knives, wether it is filleting salmon for paying customers, or stripping and repairing commercial gill nets...

I do it the old way, using a stone when necessary, and a steel... It is much like casting boolits or anything else, it is a learned skill... Yes there are shortcuts out there and most of them will do fine and make sharp knives, but just like making good boolits, if you invest the time and learn how to use a stone and a steel, you will never need any of those shortcuts again... I want to encourage to learn this skill... It really comes in handy and you will use it for the rest of your life.... There is a shortcut to learning though, and that is to take a magic marker and draw it down the edge of your knife, actually cutting the tip of the marker... This leaves a small mark on the edge of your knife... With that mark, you can practice the way you hold the knife and the angle at which you hold the knife... The proof that you are doing correctly will be easily verified buy close examination..

Learn this, and it will serve you for the rest of your life. I use a sharpening stone that has a course grit on one side, and a very fine grit on the other... And the stone will last you for years... I have been using the same stone for about 8 years, and durring the season, i sharpen knives sometimes a dozen times a day..

AG

[CastingFool]

I have always used a hand held stone, sometimes with water, sometimes dry. The stone will cut faster with water, as the water washes off the bits of metal the stone removes. If the knife is very dull, I start out with the coarse side, until I get an adequate bevel and the edge feels sharp, although rough (sawthoothed), then I switch over to the fine side, and continue the process. Maintain the same angle is key. If the angle is wide, it should hold the edge better, but it's harder to push through the mat'l you want to cut. If the angle is sharper, it will cut much easier , but typically won't hold the sharp edge as long. There is a recommended angle, but I can't remember. Sometimes, I follow all that with an India stone. It has a very fine grit, and hardly takes anything off the knife, but basically smooths out the "sawmarks" the other stones leave behind. (Sorta using coarse sandpaper, and progressively using finer and finer grit to achieve a smooth surface) You know you have a sharp knife when you cut yourself and you're not aware of it, until you see the blood running.