Looking for suggestions on sharpening systems, stone sets, etc…
I have not used a good stone set since my dad died in 2008. I have used diamond ezlap stick for years and have had decent success at achieving a good working edge. My benchmade has proven to be difficult to sharpen. I know that it has a harder than usual steel blade. I am about to give up and send it back to benchmade for a factory edge. However, I don’t want to send it back every time the edge needs maintenance. How do I work this blade? My current technique and tool for this one particular knife is failing. Suggestions?
How much do you want to spend. Factory edges are garbage and are generally done with belts or wheels. These create inconsistencies in bevel and edge (yes benchmade has garbage factory edges). I recommend the wicked edge, edge pro is good too, but I recommend grabbing some 6" dmt stones and some spyderco stones plus a strop and learn to freehand. Good skill to have.
I like to have a perfect bevel and will spend the time needed with a Lansky to get it. I have the diamond set with a sapphire polisher. It gets a razor edge and its highly polished and that means less microscopic bumps and jagged edges. I have found people are polarized on lanskys for some reason. You love it or hate it.
I suppose every subject has a learning curve. For what I believed would be a simple concept of getting an edge sharp is more complex as you two have eluded to. I need to educate myself. And this is after spending a lifetime of hunting and preparing animals. Wow…
I have been using the KME system for about a year. I like it a lot. Not much of a learning curve involved in using it. It is like an upgraded Lansky set.
I have an Edgepro Apex but they’re kind of pricey (it was a gift). It took some practice and watching a few videos to actually get the hang of doing a nice job, but it works great. That KME system looks like it would work pretty well and be a little easier because of the clamp. Whatever you go with, I’ll give you a tip. When setting the angle, take a sharpie and color in part of the edge of the blade, then use your finest stone to set the angle, adjusting until it takes pretty much all of the sharpie off the edge in one pass. You’ll save A LOT of time not accidentally reprofiling edges that way.
All of the systems have some sacrifices- lansky’s are not very precise due to the nature of the rod sliding in a loose hole. Edge pro requires you to hold the knife in place and only allows one side at a time - same with lansky and kme, these can lead to precision issues. The wicked edge is very expensive (I did the sport pack and simply added stones) and there are limitations to knife size.
I recommend the free hand due to simple knowledge base and you will quickly learn what works and what does not - this helps you decide what sacrifices you are willing to make. Get on YouTube and watch all of jdavis’ videos. He doesn’t die them anymore, but he covers all of this in great detail with examples.
In the event you have never seen a wicked edge’s edge, when I say I can whittle on a hair it is not an exaggeration
I agree with you on learning how to free hand but I will have to disagree on the lansky not being precise…to some extent. I use the regular stones from a lansky with the clamp from my DMT aligner. the lansky clamp only has 4 holes for only 4 angles. The DMT has 7 angles of adjustment. The key to consistency is how you set up the stones. I lay the stone flat with the guide bar inserted on a flat level table. When it’s level I tighten the screw down. That’s the key.
To the OP, Learning freehand will teach you what to look for. Feel, sound all that comes into play. what types of material you cut on a day to day basis will tell you, you may need a steeper angle or a toothier edge depending on what materials you are cutting. My suggestion is to have at least two knives kept sharp. That way you can keep them in rotation for when one goes dull and you either don’t have time or in my case just to lazy. Good luck and just keep practicing.
First, watch this to understand pros and cons of the top 2 sharpening systems on the market. These are the reference standard. https://youtu.be/SGo3pKhp6L8
The reason the lansky cannot compare (dmt aligner suffers the same issue) is the holes the rods ride in allow for so much play it is neither repetitive nor precise. I understand you may think it is a good system, but you simply do not know what you do not know. I will put my money where my mouth is, if you’d care to compare. The lansky is fine if you simply want a comparable sharpness to what you get with a wheel or belt, but put your edge under a microscope (I do with every knife I sharpen).
Like all things we talk about in this forum - you get what you pay for, and the lansky is the bushmaster and the wicked edge/ edge pro are the colts and bcms. Will they both go bang? Yep, but if you need to do work you gonna grab that bushmaster?
No oil. Some non, most just water. You have to be careful with diamond though, until you “break them in” they will be very coarse. Sharpen a couple beater knives first
Sorry but that’s a horrible comparison. Bushmaster, colt? Most knives I have are less than $100 and they are used daily. I’m sure a lot of users here carry less expensive knives than that. I don’t see the need to spend $400-$700 on a sharpening system. Id rather buy some good stones and do it freehand. I can put a good edge with my “bushmaster” on my $50 knife. Once you understand edge geometry and for the materials your cutting it’s easy to get the edge one needs. Thanks but I know what I know because I have been sharpening my knives before the days of YouTube and lots of practice.
I guess our main difference is I have a side business of sharpening knives, and I spent less than $200 on the wicked edge field kit. The comparison is very valid. You can find $399 ARs that will go bang, but I’m not wasting my money. Freehand is the way to start, but if you want repeatable EXACT angles, you will not get them with a lansky, no matter how much you think it will or want it too. I have seen the edc section in this forum, and there are a lot more $200+ knives than sub $100 knives.
In the event you aren’t using a knife with a decent steel, why bother use anything except an Arkansas stone? The steel isn’t going to hold an edge as long as it will take to put one on it.
The lansky system costs about the same as a 6" dia sharp, dual side 6" dmt and a strop, and the dmt stone and strop will serve you better.
By the way the YouTube quote…well I see access to more knowledge and better technology that makes the job easier and improves results. As with all things I’m willing to embrace new ideas and see if they are truly better (prove it to me and I’m sold).
Knife steel is constantly evolving as are the methods of maintenance. The wicked edge is worth saving for if you love super sharp super steel, have a ton of knives or you simply prefer to have the best tools you can afford.
Having slept on this discussion I feel compelled to relearn free hand. Build a skill and avoid spending a gob of $. Any vendors out there for good diamond plates? What selection of abrasives do I need?
My recommendation is that you get the course fine DMT duo sharp stone and a spyderco UF ceramic, and a bat strop. These are where I began about 8 years ago and then started adding stones for more refined mirror polished edges.