Recommendation? Decent Angle Guide for Diamond / Whetstone??

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Mar 13, 2012
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Are there any decent angle guides for using on a diamond / whetstone ... I was watching a few videos that show ones like this one don't work that well due to the different height in blade

I also don't quite get how they don't leave residue on a decent on fairly expensive whetstone (not sure what the bit that makes contact is made with).

There are also these


Which seem like a good idea to at least give a guide but the reviews aren't great.

If i can't find anything else I'll get some of these although I'd rather I'd something that can hold an edge rather than just a starting guide

If anybody knows of anything decent .... irrespective of knife size and can share would be greatly appreciated.
 
I just set a diamond stone on a homemade ramp that has a set angle, such as 15 degrees.

Then I just have to hold the knife blade horizontal and the edge will be 15 dps. Real easy. It's like a Sharpmaker, but you hold the blade horizontal rather than vertical. You can set the ramp to any angle.

2v2a7cc4TxAWtWs.jpg
 
My home made jig is like Twindog’s except it’s vertical rather than horizontal. So I point the edge at the center of the earth instead of the horizon. 1 side is 15* off vertical; the other 20*. The angles are adjustable using the turnbuckles.IMG_4455.png
 
So, your angle is always going to be in reverence to the central plane of the blade rather than its grind angles, so anything that uses the side of full flat ground knives will inherently be off by however many degrees per side the grind is. Spine clamps don't have this issue, but are difficult or impossible to use on some knives, particularly very narrow or small ones, and the clamps themselves and the blade size/shape can prevent proper contact. Instead the handle is the best way to universally "clamp" the blade, and so a horizontal or vertical reference surface the angle is built on makes the most sense, like Twindog and Tiguy posted. I have plans for a stone cradle that would be adjustable for either orientation with a full angle display, but who knows if and when I'll get to having them available as something you can buy, so if you're a handy fellah then you'll be best off DIY'ing something along those lines. There's a million ways to do it--find one that works for you!
 
Twindog said:
I just set a diamond stone on a homemade ramp that has a set angle, such as 15 degrees.

Then I just have to hold the knife blade horizontal and the edge will be 15 dps. Real easy. It's like a Sharpmaker, but you hold the blade horizontal rather than vertical. You can set the ramp to any angle.

2v2a7cc4TxAWtWs.jpg
Click to expand...
Yeah🔥
 
Twindog said:
I just set a diamond stone on a homemade ramp that has a set angle, such as 15 degrees.

Then I just have to hold the knife blade horizontal and the edge will be 15 dps. Real easy. It's like a Sharpmaker, but you hold the blade horizontal rather than vertical. You can set the ramp to any angle.

2v2a7cc4TxAWtWs.jpg
Click to expand...

Brilliant .... and so simple, thank you for that :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 
I'd
FortyTwoBlades said:
So, your angle is always going to be in reverence to the central plane of the blade rather than its grind angles, so anything that uses the side of full flat ground knives will inherently be off by however many degrees per side the grind is. Spine clamps don't have this issue, but are difficult or impossible to use on some knives, particularly very narrow or small ones, and the clamps themselves and the blade size/shape can prevent proper contact. Instead the handle is the best way to universally "clamp" the blade, and so a horizontal or vertical reference surface the angle is built on makes the most sense, like Twindog and Tiguy posted. I have plans for a stone cradle that would be adjustable for either orientation with a full angle display, but who knows if and when I'll get to having them available as something you can buy, so if you're a handy fellah then you'll be best off DIY'ing something along those lines. There's a million ways to do it--find one that works for you!
Click to expand...
Id probably buy It...... I use a few of Your bench stones Alot. Like them.

I'm pretty handy and should look into making something myself... I just freeball it, so my bevels are wavey and Wonky.
I've asked a few people, and they keep saying to do what I'm doing, not change it. They seem to like my edges, but I want to continue to improve.
 
Crag the Brewer said:
They seem to like my edges, but I want to continue to improve.
Click to expand...
I don't know how to say, but you need to decide.
There is freehand sharpening on bench stones and there is sharpening on guided systems.
My opinion is - or you buy guided sharpening system or you do some more exercise and learn how to get the angle on those stones with you hands and eyes. You will get the feeling as I did. Practice+practice+practice=nice secondary bevel.
If you can't get the feeling just buy guided system.
Just my opinion.
 
TheOne45 said:
I don't know how to say, but you need to decide.
There is freehand sharpening on bench stones and there is sharpening on guided systems.
My opinion is - or you buy guided sharpening system or you do some more exercise and learn how to get the angle on those stones with you hands and eyes. You will get the feeling as I did. Practice+practice+practice=nice secondary bevel.
If you can't get the feeling just buy guided system.
Just my opinion.
Click to expand...
getting told that my edges are the best they have seen, tells me to keep doing what I've been doing.

_But naturally I want more. Continuous improvement, and all that....hahah

Thanks! :D
 
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Crag the Brewer said:
getting told that my edges are the best they have seen, tells me to keep doing what I've been doing.

_But naturally I want more. Continuous improvement, and all that....hahah

Thanks! :D
Click to expand...
I understand completely, I freehand sharpen mostly, and get nice results, but it can be inconsistent, somedays crisp edges come easily, other times I must have off days and get frustrated trying to get them how I want.
Right now I am trying my hand with a water stone and getting disappointed with the results and feedback, it’s just such a different feeling than what I’m used to and feels like I’m running the edge into the stone. But I’m sure if I stick with it I will get the hang of it in time, just undecided if I want to invest the effort or just keep doing what I have always done that works.

I find angle guides very useful on my off days, but they have drawbacks that sometimes make the job more frustrating than it needs to be. Depends on the knife and the day for me.

Even on my off days, the average person would think it’s the sharpest knife they have ever used, but I know better and those times bother me. OCD about edges to a degree I seem to have. They don’t have to be mirror polished beauties or perfect, I just like them when they tug hair above the skin well, bite sharply and easily into my fingernail from both sides equally, and when they lightly fillet skin off my palm without force. Those are my standards.
 
My thoughts about the three angle guides from post #1:
The first one won't help. As you said, different blade heights, spine thicknesses will result in different angles.

I don't know the second one. But the third one. I unterstand that you are looking for an angle guide that helps you to control and hold the angle during the entire sharpening process. Those pyramids are nice to get a feel for the angle. But nothing more.

As you made your own angle guide out of cardboard this little plastic device won't help you much.
Freehand sharpening means practise. You will never hit the angle perfectly all the time. So you won't on Lansky's Turn Box (your strokes won't be 100% perpendicular).
I don't know a device that fits your demands apart a (DIY) guided system / angle controlled system you could use in combination with your diamond plate.
 
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DMT's Aligner clamp works pretty well for most medium-sized folders & large knives, like kitchen knives - basically anything with a blade width of ~ 3/4" or wider. It uses adjustable legs to set the sharpening angle. Those legs also slide on the table/benchtop alongside a bench stone. Used that way, the guide itself is never contacting the stone and therefore won't affect the set angle or wear by abrasion on the stone. Because it's not on the stone, it also doesn't restrict how much of the stone's full length you can use in the sharpening passes. It also works fairly well as a training aid for getting the feel for freehand sharpening on bench stones, as the motion used with the clamp closely emulates freehand sharpening. It's also inexpensive, at something less than $20 or maybe down to $15 or so, depending on where you buy it.

Devices like these can be a little awkward setting them up to hold some blades tightly. But, for the money spent, there's not so much risk in trying it out. I initially used one for setting brand new bevels on knives, after which I relied on using the new flat bevels for feel in freehand sharpening. The good thing about using such a device this way is, for most knives, it only needs to be used once to set good sharpening geometry, after which the geometry itself makes follow-up maintenance sharpening much easier by freehand. Those clean, flat & wide bevels make a difference in what you feel for flush contact.
 
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TheOne45 said:
How about something like this:
Click to expand...
He has some clever designs on his website. There was a "professional" version of the system in this video, which came with clamps as well as the magnetic holder, but it doesn't seem to be listed right now. I suspect he's working on a second iteration. I did an extensive review of that system, but apparently I'm not allowed to link to it here.
 
Blade Lab said:
There was a "professional"
Click to expand...
Slightly off-topic but anyone here would be so kind to give me a definition of ''professional'' word when used in sharpening system.
Are those sharpening systems made for professional sharpeners?
 
Finished my 1st iteration / version of T Twindog 's suggestion today ... has transformed my knife sharpening, tomorrow will do a bigger version for my normal / larger size stones.

I've posted a couple of pics, I don't have a chop saw but my circular does angles so used that for the upright.
I also wanted an easy way to switch from one side of the stone / the different grits on each side so I ordered some sticky back magnetic sheets to hold the stone in place which seem to work well.
I used the raised / wider block as it wouldn't have been stable with such a narrow stone but also to make sure there was enought height for the handle without it catching on anything and didn't want the bottom too close to any surface I was using it on.

Hopefully helpful to anyone looking for an easy DIY project.


Hmmmm ... was going to attach pics but can't see how, can you only do it via a dropbox / photobucket link or something?

Further Edit ... Have tried including a link but waiting moderator approval so not sure if it'll work or not.

​

 
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TheOne45 said:
Slightly off-topic but anyone here would be so kind to give me a definition of ''professional'' word when used in sharpening system.
Are those sharpening systems made for professional sharpeners?
Click to expand...
"Professional" is used in the name of the many things in many industries to indicate a more expensive version of something, or just a marketing term to indicate quality.
 
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