Tool/knife sharpener

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Been looking/wanting a pretty decent tool and knife sharpener for a while. I currently have a Lansky sharpening system. It worked decent until the aluminum clamp thread stripped out.

I have been thinking about a Tormek especially for the tool side of it(sharpening chisels, hand planer blades, etc). Anyone have any experience with one? Is it worth the money? Can I sharpen kitchen knives and pocket knives on one or should I stick with the lansky or something similar? I have seen the wicked edge sharpeners. They look a lot better made than the lanskys.

Any help would be appreciated. And also I would love to learn how to use a stone but I have no time.
 
Tormek is hella expensive. WEN has one for about half.

You might be well served by a piece of marble and some sandpaper. Check out lapping film.


You can get grits up to 30,000 grit.
 
Thrill hill has a table top of some kind that works very well
 
I have a Tormek, I don’t use it, might sell it.

most often use the edge pro for knives.

bought some powered belt system a year or two ago, it sits on the shelf.

for plane irons I do use lapping film on thick glass.
 
Tormek (or that style machine) is a good tool to have in the toolbox, but there are cheaper ways to assemble the same set up and still have the same results.

I say it's a tool in the toolbox, because there is not a machine or jig system in existence that will "do it all".

The Ken Onion Work Sharp is an electric sharpener that does a fairly good job as well. Especially if you get the attachment for axes and whatnot.

But, if you absolutely aren't interested in free-handing, on stones, strops, sandpaper, etc., one electric system and one jig system would help you do probably 90% of what you might wanna sharpen.

On the jig side, the Lansky is a good place to start/learn, but pretty much everything out there is an upgrade from their system. Not knocking it, it is where a lot of us learned about jig systems.

The Wicked Edge system is awesome. But depending on which package you get it can also be very expensive. But you can throw $2,000 at a nice package and tons of accessories and it still won't "do it all". There's no such thing.

I like the KME Sharpening System as an "in-between" choice for the jigs. It does a lot for $200. And as mentioned above, you can use lapping films as well with the KME.

Same thing with the Edge Pro. It's a good tool.

In my experience, no matter how much money you throw at any of these, once you get around the $150 on up price range, they all do their job well. And all of them have little quirks where the KME does some things better than the Wicked Edge and vice versa.

All the jig systems have plusses and minuses.
 
idahone fine ceramic sharpening rod 12

Paste the text above into Amazon

The BEST sharpener this old fat man has EVER used! It won't fix big nicks, but will make it shave ready easily!
 
I tried using stones and got ok with them. But not exceptional and really butchered a machete. Guess I am not good an angles. So I bought a Spyderco Sharpmaker. Think is was $50 or so. Works well for my needs. But I’m not typically skinning critters or taking down gators.
 
Buy a bastard file, carbide stone, Arkansas stone, and make a strop. Use a Sharpie to determine what bevel you want on the edge and learn what angle you need to hold it at to remove it from the blade.

Harbor Freight square belt sander works fine, but practice on some cheapos first. It's a bit fast, so it can eat a blade tip if you ain't careful.
 
This one above has 2 levels of stone grits. They are set at different angles. I have had many cheaper sets of croc sticks. The angles and grits here are what make it useful. It's about $47.00 and worth it. I am no rookie to knives! The beauty is 12" sticks and no thought requiRed. Just hold the blade vertical.
 
I like a nice set of diamond stones like diasharp for most things. I also use two strops with varying levels of compound. Sometimes I use a sharp maker but mostly just for quick touch up followed by the strop.

I find value in building technique free hand as opposed to relying on a “system” that has consumables and may not always be around d. Good stones aren’t cheap, but they last a long time and are still cheaper than most systems..

No problem getting knives hair whittling sharp.
 
Really though, I encourage everybody to learn freehand sharpening in addition to a jig. I watched my papaw, a damn fine sharpener, touch up his blade on the edge of a rolled down car window, sharpen entirely on the exposed ceramic on the bottom of a coffee mug, and routinely strop on the palm of his hand. He taught me all of this when I was a child and it really isn't difficult, it's just about finding your own sort of rhythm.

As far as tools, a vice and a correctly used bastard file will trump any guided system. You can knock the burr down with one of those hockey puck stones and a piece of 600 grit sand paper glued to an old yard stick in the opposite direction that you filed.
 
premise said:
Tap it for slightly bigger thread. ;)
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I was planning to. But it still is the problem that it’s aluminum and an 1/8” thick. I’ve sharpened maybe 5-6 knives on it. It’s going to strip again and the clamp has never really held a blade very good.
 
thrillhill said:
But, if you absolutely aren't interested in free-handing, on stones, strops, sandpaper, etc., one electric system and one jig system would help you do probably 90% of what you might wanna sharpen.
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If I decide to try stones or sandpaper, what do you recommend? I know part of my problem with stones is that the ones I have or tried are cheap And small from Walmart.
 
Sherrie1956 said:
My husband uses this one and it works fantastic...really puts an edge on a knife...uses it for knives, machetes, gun parts, anything metal....the oil bath is a MUST....

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/de...MI4OXK762S7AIVZOyGCh1iwQ4YEAQYByABEgLA1_D_BwE
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I mean no offense, but that's waaaaay too much for three coarse stones. And yes, 320 grit, their 'fine' stone, is a coarse stone. That's where a lot of people start their sharpening.

Since he's already bought it, I won't dissuade him from using it. But here's some finer (grit) stones, if he wants to go to and put a sharper edge on his blades.
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Water-Stones-C4.aspx
Note : oilstones, like your husband uses, can use water for lubrication. And waterstones can use oil for lubrication. But don't switch after you start, pick one and stay with it.
 
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pinkbunny said:
I mean no offense, but that's waaaaay too much for three coarse stones. And yes, 320 grit, their 'fine' stone, is a coarse stone. That's where a lot of people start their sharpening.

Since he's already bought it, I won't dissuade him from using it. But here's some finer (grit) stones, if he wants to go to and put a sharper edge on his blades.
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Water-Stones-C4.aspx
Note : oilstones, like your husband uses, can use water for lubrication. And waterstones can use oil for lubrication. But don't switch after you start, pick one and stay with it.
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That was just an example (always shop around). This is one is closer to the one we have but older model.
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Norton-3-Stone-IM313-System-P48.aspx?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsJ2si7WS7AIVU-WGCh347A8-EAQYASABEgKAEfD_BwE

We didn't pay that price...got it at an auction for less than $20....
 
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I'mYourHuckleberry said:
If I decide to try stones or sandpaper, what do you recommend? I know part of my problem with stones is that the ones I have or tried are cheap And small from Walmart.
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Stones are finicky, at least water stones are. To do fine sharpening you have to true the stones between uses. That means taking two stones and rubbing them together to take out the microscopic dishes the knives made on the surface.
 
I use a Spyderco sharpmaker for quick touch up
A belt sander for large tools
A wicked edge for knives (warning this system is awesome but takes quite of bit of time and effort to learn and use)
 
I'mYourHuckleberry said:
I was planning to. But it still is the problem that it’s aluminum and an 1/8” thick. I’ve sharpened maybe 5-6 knives on it. It’s going to strip again and the clamp has never really held a blade very good.
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Longer screw and a nut on the back side. Don't over tighten. I have one I got 30 years ago and it never stripped out.

I'mYourHuckleberry said:
If I decide to try stones or sandpaper, what do you recommend? I know part of my problem with stones is that the ones I have or tried are cheap And small from Walmart.
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Depends on your budget. You can get good stones fairly cheap but really good ones cost . Sandpaper and a flat surface is ok but won't get you to razor sharp unless you go something like 2000 grit. Cheapest way is sandpaper on a ceramic tile or a plate of glass and a strop. Strops are easy enuff to make.
 
+1 on the Ken Onion Worksharp. A small learning curve to using it properly. It will sharpen most knives and tools quickly and safely if used correctly. Very happy with the results using mine.
 
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Tailhunter said:
https://www.harborfreight.com/1-in-x-30-in-belt-sander-61728.html?cid=paid_google|||61728&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImKauurql7AIVFY3ICh0brwV-EAQYDCABEgKeAPD_BwE

With different grit belts and finally the leather belt, you’ll shave the hair off your arm, peel the skin and debone it in a matter of seconds.
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I use something similar for knife making and some sharpening. A 2*72 Coote belt grinder.

It's great for sure, but if you make a mistake it's usually a big one!
 
pinkbunny said:
Harbor Freight 1x30 belt sander.
Belt from 120, 240, 400, 800, 1200, leather belt, jewelers rouge.
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Tailhunter said:
https://www.harborfreight.com/1-in-x-30-in-belt-sander-61728.html

With different grit belts and finally the leather belt, you’ll shave the hair off your arm, peel the skin and debone it in a matter of seconds.
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Rather than start a new thread, I’d like to ask a question in this one...since it’s directly related to the two posts above. I’ve been wanting to buy one of these for a couple years and start sharpening my carry knives and my wife’s good kitchen knives. I think I’m ready to go ahead and do it.

If you’re starting with existing knives with a decent edge, as opposed to making a knife and starting with a bare blade...how low of a grit do you need to start with?

I know I need a strop and some rouge to finish it, but what grits do I need? I’m looking at assorted packages and see:
600/800/1000
120/220/320/800/1000

...and lots of other options. Is the higher grit package enough? Or is there a need to start at <400?
 
@BigWaylon
If the edge is fine, fully formed, just dulled - around 400-600

If a small knick/chip, and you can keep the profile - 320 or so

If a decent chip, that requires you to directly on the edge and reprofile, 120-220
 
What was said above.
I can do any knife I have with 600-800-1000- leather.

I would imagine a good place to start with relatively no edge would be 80-120
 
Tailhunter said:
ps .. my wife laughs at me. My right arm is hairy as heck but my left arm is bald.

I enjoy a sharp knife.
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My left arm is bald for the same reason. I’m eventually gonna get a kme system. But I have learned to sharpen and strop my carry and deer knives by hand and eye and have gotten pretty good at it. I made a lot of mistakes learning how over the years and one day something clicked I guess. Nothing like sharpening one yourself and then watching hair pop. For the most part I actually use lansky stones that I have several grits of without the guide.
 
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