$142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

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tps3443
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#21

Post by tps3443 »

I’m just ordering the Sharpmaker, and that really popular green strop from knives plus.
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#22

Post by Daveho »

Personally I prefer the lansky for a cheapie setup that does the job well,
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#23

Post by vivi »

bearfacedkiller wrote:
Wed Oct 10, 2018 1:39 pm
I consider the diamond/CBN mandatory if you don’t have the tools or ability to reprofile freehand and I consider the UF to be optional and somewhat of a novelty. You should be able to whittle hair with just the fine stones. The UF are cool with steels like VG10 and Super Blue but I personally wouldn’t bother using them with S110V.
Agreed.

Certain steels take a high polish better than others.

Either way, with proper technique, hair whittling sharpness is trivial to achieve with the brown medium sharpmaker rods.

The best setup, IMO, is a super aggressive diamond bench stone for reprofiling and repairing a damaged edge, plus the spyderco medium bench stone for the apex.

If you're not inclined towards free hand sharpening, then the sharpmaker + diamond or CBN rods is where it's at.

Use the brown rods for most knives, and the whites for blades you primarily use for push cutting.

If I were to do it over again I'd skip the UF rods and bench stone I bought, and probably my strop too. Fine is polished enough, and in fact is more polished than I want my EDC and other utility knives.

For most knives I prefer the toothier edge the brown rods leave. I have no issues getting any steel in my collection hair splitting sharp right off of them, no strop.

I think some people let themselves fall into a habit of relying on progressing to higher grits and / or stropping to remove the bur. Use a light touch and a consistent angle and you can get an edge free of a detectable burr with the naked eye using the brown rods.

Here's Cliff Stamp getting a nice edge from a brick, to drive the point home:

https://youtu.be/mSt2mCWGFII
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#24

Post by Sharp Guy »

tps3443 wrote:
Wed Oct 10, 2018 4:32 pm
I’m just ordering the Sharpmaker, and that really popular green strop from knives plus.
I bought one of those strops from KP. I tried it a few times....now it sits in a drawer.
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#25

Post by bearfacedkiller »

I strop my Japanese kitchen knives but not really any other knives.

Sharpening is as much art as it is science. You need both. I think the biggest trap is blaming the tools. Cliffs video illustrates that. I can get extremely sharp edges with the medium Spyderco stone. I have turned into a lazy sharpener in a way. I keep my folders very sharp but mostly do it with two stones. A diamond benchstones to set the bevel and the Spyderco medium stone to set the apex. It is quick, easy and effective.
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#26

Post by Bloke »

Vivi wrote:
Wed Oct 10, 2018 4:58 pm
For most knives I prefer the toothier edge the brown rods leave. I have no issues getting any steel in my collection hair splitting sharp right off of them, no strop.
This rings true for me also particularly after I saw a clip you posted using the SharpMaker sitting on a bench without holding or restraining it in any way.

I only use my SharpMaker for touch ups and since I adopted your unrestrained method my end results have improved markedly.

Vivi, I owe you! ;)
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#27

Post by ZrowsN1s »

I have that set up. Diamond or CBN are good as a time saver. Especially for S110V. I have the UF and use it often, and really like it... But it's not super important for s110V. For s110V I'd say 30degree diamond back bevel, 40 degree micro bevel with the fine rods. skip the brown rods, and the ultrafine for now. If you ever get a different steel, like H1 or M390 for example, the UF stones will really make a difference.
I'm also a big fan of strops. I have the KP strop, it works nice. Good for straightening the teeth of the edge after sharpening, use a light touch and a low angle. Although edge trailing strokes on the fine stones can do this as well.
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tps3443
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#28

Post by tps3443 »

Should I use a 30 Degree angle in the Sharpmaker for 15/15 degrees on my edge? I hear the Paramilitary 2 is robotically sharpened, so the edge from side to side is pretty consistent at 14-15 degrees each.
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#29

Post by vivi »

15 degrees would work just fine.

Bloke, glad you found that useful!
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#30

Post by npad69 »

i also have the ultimate SM setup, I'd say buy the diamonds/cbn.. you'll definitely use it. I didn't have much use for the UF stones though.. made me wish I should have bought a good strop and some diamond paste instead
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#31

Post by Sjucaveman »

SF Native wrote:
Wed Oct 10, 2018 1:14 pm
I don’t have the ultra fine. Many say they are not as useful. I’m fine without them.

My advice is get the regular sharpmaker. Don’t get the diamond or cbn rods yet. Plan on getting them later but you won’t need them for while. Save a little cost now. Maybe get those rods with a coupon or sale later.
But you're not ultra fine ;)
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tps3443
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#32

Post by tps3443 »

I find it funny, everyone says; I have the “Ultimate Sharpmaker setup too”

Even though I kinda threw in the word ultimate, it really is technically.

Spyderco should sell it all together at a lower cost. And call it;

The ultimate Sharpmaker! Haha

There has literally been several post, “Hey man I’ve got the Ultimate Sharpmaker setup” lol
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Microtech Dirac Delta CTS-204P Black DLC
^Wicked Edge guided system^
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#33

Post by abbazaba »

tps3443 wrote:
Wed Oct 10, 2018 4:32 pm
I’m just ordering the Sharpmaker, and that really popular green strop from knives plus.
You'll have fun and learn a lot about sharpening with this setup. Watch the DVD and use light pressure :)
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#34

Post by SF Native »

Sjucaveman wrote:
Wed Oct 10, 2018 7:35 pm
SF Native wrote:
Wed Oct 10, 2018 1:14 pm
I don’t have the ultra fine. Many say they are not as useful. I’m fine without them.

My advice is get the regular sharpmaker. Don’t get the diamond or cbn rods yet. Plan on getting them later but you won’t need them for while. Save a little cost now. Maybe get those rods with a coupon or sale later.
But you're not ultra fine ;)
You would be correct sir.
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Re: $142 Ultimate Sharpmaker setup worth it?

#35

Post by Bloke »

tps3443 wrote:
Wed Oct 10, 2018 7:36 pm
I find it funny, everyone says; I have the “Ultimate Sharpmaker setup too”

Even though I kinda threw in the word ultimate, it really is technically.

Spyderco should sell it all together at a lower cost. And call it;

The ultimate Sharpmaker! Haha

There has literally been several post, “Hey man I’ve got the Ultimate Sharpmaker setup” lol
That’s because ultimately we’re all Sharp Making Freaks. :eek:

I’d like to see a case, maybe red in colour that stores all the extra rods and clips to the bottom of the SharpMaker case. :)
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