Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Recommended starter sharpener/sharpening system??

I'm looking for a good, starter sharpening stone or sharpening system for a new guy to REAL sharpening. My dad showed me how to use a small whetstone years ago but I never could get an edge worth a darn and after seeing how knives are REALLY sharpened...I see he had kind of been doing it wrong. So whatever you guys suggest, needs to be fairly user friendly to learning from the beginning.

I've looked at the Lansky website and someone mentioned the Spyderco Triangle Sharpmaker.

My fiance's dad told her how much he wants to spend on me for Christmas this year and I'm thinking a sharpening setup would be a great gift. Looking in the range of $30-50. The Lansky's can be had for that range, the Deluxe kits. The Spyderco can be also purchased for that amount on eBay.

I appreciate all the help and suggestions.

I use an old Norton oil bath three stone set up. Never could get used to the new high tech stuff.

Something like this?


Three Stone Sharpening kit

Google "Norton Three Stone Oil Bath Sharpening Stones"

not that cheap imitation stuff.

Lansky.

I've had really good luck with the Sharpmaker

Wow, that Norton 3 stone set (if its the one I found) is like $200!!

I may be in the market for one of those later down the road but right now I'm looking in the $40-50 range. The Lansky Deluxe and the Spyderco Sharpmaker are looking really nice for that price.

Lansky. Trust me. Lansky.

The Lansky just flat kicks ass, once you learn how to use it. And that, ain't that hard.

I looked at the Maxx stone set. In my opinion, those Arkansas stones are about useless for the harder knife steels.

I would go with the Lansky. Smith also makes a sharpener with an angle guide, using diamond for the abrasive. I looked at them at Lowes a few minutes ago and they were $24.95.

If you are looking for a large stone, I would go with diamond grit for the hard steels.

Thanks fellas. I'm just looking for a good starter setup to get me goin' and put a nice edge on the knives I currently own as well as the ones I'm going to start making soon. (Kit knives to start with).

Considering how rarely numbers and I agree (and when we do, it's normally on knives), think about this. You could (and likely would) do far worse.

Thanks. Would the Deluxe kit be the one to go with? There are several to choose from standard, deluxe, professional(I think, or its commercial), and even one with Arkansas stones.

Standard will get you there. Deluxe is neat, but the extra coarse is a bit overkill, and the ultra-fine (for field knives) seems to be gilding a lily. The Professional, is just one more redundant stone.

FWIW, I have the Deluxe, and could EASILY get by with just the Standard.

Thanks again, I'll double check the pricing between the two and see what her dad wants to do.

Just get the Standard. If you want/need more later (and you won't), get the optional hones.

Cool, thanks again.

"Considering how rarely numbers and I agree (and when we do, it's normally on knives), think about this. You could (and likely would) do far worse."

As of 2 weeks ago, most of the stress I was under has gone away.

I always liked the Gatco hones and jig combo better than the Lansky. The hones seem to be better quality and are wider. The attachment rods aren't ever in the way of the hones or blades and don't break as sometimes happens with the plastic area of the Lansky. A tip if you've never used a clamping jig set-up like the Gatco/Lansky, if you care about how the knife looks place a strip of masking tape on the spine of the blade where the clamp is going on so as not to mar the blade. Honestly except for reprofiling damaged edges, I prefer the Sharpmaker.

Thanks for the tip and your suggestion as well.

That (and I won't ask publicly how or why) is fine news. A reduction in stress level is never a bad thing.