GATCO vs Lansky - Economical Guided Sharpening Systems

[EpicHam]

Now I'm sure EVERYONE has heard of Lansky.
Pretty sure that's the first name people came about when they search sharpening system, but a few hours ago I just founded a company called.
GATCO - Great American Tool Company
Now I've seen people doing individual reviews of their systems but never a side by side comparison of the two.

Now I have next to no experience with sharpening knives , still trying to figure out how to freehand with my mom's cheap silicon carbide and I think I need to start using something more efficient and precise...... I'll learn freehand later I guess..

Back to the point.

GATCO or Lansky?


Opinions seemed to be quite divided among the YouTube community.
[video=youtube;A-Qxj0meecM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-Qxj0meecM[/video]
So what about the REAL GURUS?
What do they have to say?

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

To me, the most significant difference is in the Lansky clamp's ability to work with smaller blades, such as a pen blade on a traditional pocketknife. I haven't been able to do this with either the Gatco or DMT Aligner clamps. The milled 'notch' in the end of the Lansky clamp's jaws works pretty well at holding these smaller blades. The Gatco's clamp is also notched, but I've never been able to get it to hold such a small blade securely. DMT's clamp won't handle blades like this at all, without some sort of shimming/rigging at least. Even then, the smallest blade I've been able to sharpen in DMT's clamp is a main spear on a SAK (see pics below; I shimmed the clamp with a zip-tie, to position the blade edge further out from the clamp's front edge). The small (narrow) hone size of the Lansky set can also afford some more nimble control on small blades; larger hones on other systems can get a little awkward in honing small blades. The narrower Lansky hones will also better fit recurved edges.

Lansky clamp, holding small stockman's pen blade:


DMT Aligner clamp, shimmed w/zip-tie:


The Gatco system is fine overall. I think it's 'reach' is a little longer than with the Lansky, which may help with larger blades. Gatco's hones are also larger, a plus with larger/heavier grinding tasks. With larger blades, I'd likely choose either the Gatco or the DMT Aligner/Magna-Guide systems. I think DMT has the edge in it's hones, as their diamond seems to be much more uniform, and the Dia-Folds used with the Magna-Guide are available in grits from XC thru EEF.

I have all three systems (and 2 of the Lansky sets). I use the Lansky for smaller blades, and the DMT system for larger ones. I actually haven't used my Gatco in quite some time, though I don't necessarily have any major gripes with it. The DMT system has essentially supplanted it, for the reasons mentioned above (I have the Magna-Guide setup, with Dia-Folds in C/F and EF/EEF).


David

 

[EpicHam]

I see... so with the GATCO it has 2 main advantage.
Reach and stone size.
Lansky works better with smaller blades but that's about it.
While the DMT has an edge over the other system by having more uniform diamond hones as oppose to the other's silicone carbide hones....

I see.....
So basically Lansky is the worst of all 3 in terms of performance huh.

 

[bodog]

Lansky sharpener did fine by me, I could get very sharp edges. The only real complaint I had was constantly having to mess with the rods. That got old. I really could get super sharp edges.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I see... so with the GATCO it has 2 main advantage.
Reach and stone size.
Lansky works better with smaller blades but that's about it.
While the DMT has an edge over the other system by having more uniform diamond hones as oppose to the other's silicone carbide hones....

I see.....
So basically Lansky is the worst of all 3 in terms of performance huh.

NO.

What I'm saying is, the Lansky has it's own distinct advantages, and each of the Gatco and DMT systems have theirs. I haven't seen only one, universally better system yet, which is why I've tried & used all three. Each one can & will work well, depending on what types of knives you'll sharpen with them.

One thing I forgot to include, about the Lansky, is it's ceramic finishing hones are very good. Neither the Gatco or DMT will finish to as near-mirror a finish, as will the Lansky system with it's 600 and 1000 stones (both ceramics). Here's an example of one of my knives re-bevelled and taken to near-mirror with my Lansky system. The knife is an A.G. Russell in ATS-34:


David

 

[EpicHam]

Lansky sharpener did fine by me, I could get very sharp edges. The only real complaint I had was constantly having to mess with the rods. That got old. I really could get super sharp edges.

Yeah but is it better than the GATCO or the DMT tho?
Lansky is quite a bit more expensive by around $10-20 .
Now I'm not being cheap ,just want to make the best of my dough.

NO.

What I'm saying is, the Lansky has it's own distinct advantages, and each of the Gatco and DMT systems have theirs. I haven't seen only one, universally better system yet, which is why I've tried & used all three. Each one can & will work well, depending on what types of knives you'll sharpen with them.

One thing I forgot to include, about the Lansky, is it's ceramic finishing hones are very good. Neither the Gatco or DMT will finish to as near-mirror a finish, as will the Lansky system with it's 600 and 1000 stones (both ceramics). Here's an example of one of my knives re-bevelled and taken to near-mirror with my Lansky system. The knife is an A.G. Russell in ATS-34:

David

Well that's one of the reason why I initially thought of buying the lansky at first , it has so many more different grit selections as opposed to the GATCO's vague coarse and fine labels , but I heard Lansky's stones does need some evening out after a while as they are a tad on the small size , is that a major problem?

 

[bpeezer]

Now I'm not being cheap ,just want to make the best of my dough.

Best use of your dough is to continue learning on your mom's SiC stone

 

[Bob6794]

Lansky has one with diamond hones, not sure if GATCO does I haven't looked into it. DMT has the advantage that you can easier freehand with the stones with either the normal Aligner or Magna-Guide version, which is the reason I got my Aligner over the other systems when I was looking for a sharpening setup. Lansky also has a lot more options in terms of what stones you can buy for it to my knowledge and people even make aftermarket strops for it that they sale. With the DMT Aligner, the one that uses the 4in duosharp stones if you ever felt the need to upgrade to a different sharpening system you could get the KME and use the same set of stones on that as well.

Though out of all 3 I argue that the DMT would be the one I get if you plan to freehand in the future. The stones make that an easier option and to me the difference between my freehand vs using my DMT Aligner in terms of feel is that it just feels like I am cheating by using a device to make my angles feel more consistent but it feels very similar to my freehand sharpening. Though hopefully chime in and give their advice on the other 2 concerning this as I have never used the other 2 systems.

In short there are strengths and weaknesses in all 3 systems, try to find out what you think will work for you the best and practice with it till you master the system. They should all be capable of giving you great results, just don't get discouraged if the results are less than desired when you are first learning. And if you go Lansky and you pick up their normal kit, it might not be too bad of an idea to pick up a diamond hone for the initial reprofile it should make life a lot easier.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Yeah but is it better than the GATCO or the DMT tho?
Lansky is quite a bit more expensive by around $10-20 .
Now I'm not being cheap ,just want to make the best of my dough.



Well that's one of the reason why I initially thought of buying the lansky at first , it has so many more different grit selections as opposed to the GATCO's vague coarse and fine labels , but I heard Lansky's stones does need some evening out after a while as they are a tad on the small size , is that a major problem?

That brings up another point. If going for the Lansky, get the diamond set, and then supplement it with the ceramic finishing stones I mentioned (600 'Fine' and 1000 'Ultra-Fine'). The 'standard' hones from Lansky are actually aluminum oxide or corundum, which is the 'natural' form of aluminum oxide; not silicon carbide (I wish). These standard stones can wear significantly if used on very high-wear steels like S30V. I wore out two of mine in my first Lansky set doing just that. If you get the diamond set and the ceramics, there'll be no need for evening/flattening. BTW, Gatco does have a set in diamond; it's what I've got. Theirs includes one non-diamond finishing stone, likely aluminum oxide. I've supplemented that set with a white ceramic finishing stone, also from Gatco.


David

 

[Bob6794]

Best use of your dough is to continue learning on your mom's SiC stone

If you want cheap, I agree with bpeezer and just continue using that stone. I would just pick up the DMT Aligner clamp and use that to help teach you about consistency. You can actually use it on a benchstone if you want, it's not ideal but it's quite possible.

I use my Aligner as a learning aid while I try to improve my freehand skill. Every now and than I pull out the Aligner and give it a shot and try to apply what I have learned from freehanding to the Aligner and I typically get far better results as the Aligner will give me better consistency while sharpening. I also use it to test out different techniques occasionally to see what works and what doesn't work for me. And I am known to use it to reprofile my practice knife every now and than so I have a perfect bevel again to practice with.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

If you want cheap, I agree with bpeezer and just continue using that stone. I would just pick up the DMT Aligner clamp and use that to help teach you about consistency. You can actually use it on a benchstone if you want, it's not ideal but it's quite possible.

I use my Aligner as a learning aid while I try to improve my freehand skill. Every now and than I pull out the Aligner and give it a shot and try to apply what I have learned from freehanding to the Aligner and I typically get far better results as the Aligner will give me better consistency while sharpening. I also use it to test out different techniques occasionally to see what works and what doesn't work for me. And I am known to use it to reprofile my practice knife every now and than so I have a perfect bevel again to practice with.

:thumbup:
That's very good advice. Assuming DMT's clamp will hold whatever blades need sharpening, I think it's actually at it's best when used with bench stones. I've used my DMT clamp with my 8" Duo-Sharp C/F bench hone, and it worked great. DMT has several videos on their site demonstrating the clamp as used in this fashion.


David

 

[Kai Winters]

You buy "cheap" stuff you get stuff that generally does not work as well as hoped nor last as long.
Spend a few extra bucks now and get a system that works for you and lasts a long time.

I can't recommend based on comparisons as I only have the Lansky system. I have watched all the major systems being used on YouTube, which helped me make my decision. Also looking at the systems at stores...take them out of the box and get a feel for how they might work and the quality of the materials and build...that's what I did.

I like the Lansky system quite a bit. I too can get a hair shaving, near mirror finish.

I too recommend spending a bit more to get what you "need" rather than what anyone offers.
I prefer the diamond hones. They cut fast making reprofiling fairly easy. They are a bit more costly but again you get what you pay for. The same is true for the ceramic hones. I started with the basic stone kit but found it did not work as well or as easily on the harder steels. I bought the medium and find diamond hones. Then added the yellow and sapphire ceramic hones...though they are more of a polishing hone than sharpening and aren't necessarily "needed" to sharpen a knife and can always be added later if you want.

There are a few cons IMO:
1: The guide rods/wires are a royal pain in the butt to change...takes a bit to make sure they are on the same plane as the hone surface. I solved this problem by buying extra rods. They are $2.00 for 4 rods...shipping is more expensive. I also, as seen on a YouTube video, did not like the wing screw used to hold the rod...too long. I bought some set screws of the same thread at Home Depot for a couple of bucks and used a small amount of blue thread lock to hold the whole shebang together. They won't fit in the little case Lansky sells but I've not used that for ages. I have a nice tackle box that is repurposed to hold my sharpening kit including the hones and rods...I removed the walls? of the top tray making one large compartment.

2: The base is not that stable...speaks for itself. It is alright but I prefer a more stable platform. I mounted the metal base on a piece of scrap 1x oak shelving I had laying around using four wood screws. Now it's a great base.

Watch some YouTube videos and do some pricing but remember "buy cheap, get cheap and spend more in the long run"...

It would also help if you told us what you are sharpening. Some knives are a bit large for many of this type of sharpener. I've not tried anything larger than my BK16...which was a breeze. I usually sharpen 3" and a bit larger folders up to the 16...no experience with larger. It also works well on my ZT350.

 

[EpicHam]

You buy "cheap" stuff you get stuff that generally does not work as well as hoped nor last as long.
Spend a few extra bucks now and get a system that works for you and lasts a long time.

I can't recommend based on comparisons as I only have the Lansky system. I have watched all the major systems being used on YouTube, which helped me make my decision. Also looking at the systems at stores...take them out of the box and get a feel for how they might work and the quality of the materials and build...that's what I did.

I like the Lansky system quite a bit. I too can get a hair shaving, near mirror finish.

I too recommend spending a bit more to get what you "need" rather than what anyone offers.
I prefer the diamond hones. They cut fast making reprofiling fairly easy. They are a bit more costly but again you get what you pay for. The same is true for the ceramic hones. I started with the basic stone kit but found it did not work as well or as easily on the harder steels. I bought the medium and find diamond hones. Then added the yellow and sapphire ceramic hones...though they are more of a polishing hone than sharpening and aren't necessarily "needed" to sharpen a knife and can always be added later if you want.

There are a few cons IMO:
1: The guide rods/wires are a royal pain in the butt to change...takes a bit to make sure they are on the same plane as the hone surface. I solved this problem by buying extra rods. They are $2.00 for 4 rods...shipping is more expensive. I also, as seen on a YouTube video, did not like the wing screw used to hold the rod...too long. I bought some set screws of the same thread at Home Depot for a couple of bucks and used a small amount of blue thread lock to hold the whole shebang together. They won't fit in the little case Lansky sells but I've not used that for ages. I have a nice tackle box that is repurposed to hold my sharpening kit including the hones and rods...I removed the walls? of the top tray making one large compartment.

2: The base is not that stable...speaks for itself. It is alright but I prefer a more stable platform. I mounted the metal base on a piece of scrap 1x oak shelving I had laying around using four wood screws. Now it's a great base.

Watch some YouTube videos and do some pricing but remember "buy cheap, get cheap and spend more in the long run"...

It would also help if you told us what you are sharpening. Some knives are a bit large for many of this type of sharpener. I've not tried anything larger than my BK16...which was a breeze. I usually sharpen 3" and a bit larger folders up to the 16...no experience with larger. It also works well on my ZT350.

well... nothing particularly small I'll imagine cos folders are illegal here.
Anything from a KA-BAR TDI large to a full blown Katana I guess...

 

[Kai Winters]

I'd not try to sharpen a Katana on a Lansky or any other system. You can reposition the knife in the Lansky holder if the blade is too long but you have to be careful to make sure the blade is in the same position, or as close as possible, to keep the angle consistent.

 

[jkulysses]

To me, the most significant difference is in the Lansky clamp's ability to work with smaller blades, such as a pen blade on a traditional pocketknife. I haven't been able to do this with either the Gatco or DMT Aligner clamps. The milled 'notch' in the end of the Lansky clamp's jaws works pretty well at holding these smaller blades. The Gatco's clamp is also notched, but I've never been able to get it to hold such a small blade securely. DMT's clamp won't handle blades like this at all, without some sort of shimming/rigging at least. Even then, the smallest blade I've been able to sharpen in DMT's clamp is a main spear on a SAK (see pics below; I shimmed the clamp with a zip-tie, to position the blade edge further out from the clamp's front edge). The small (narrow) hone size of the Lansky set can also afford some more nimble control on small blades; larger hones on other systems can get a little awkward in honing small blades. The narrower Lansky hones will also better fit recurved edges.

Lansky clamp, holding small stockman's pen blade:

DMT Aligner clamp, shimmed w/zip-tie:

The Gatco system is fine overall. I think it's 'reach' is a little longer than with the Lansky, which may help with larger blades. Gatco's hones are also larger, a plus with larger/heavier grinding tasks. With larger blades, I'd likely choose either the Gatco or the DMT Aligner/Magna-Guide systems. I think DMT has the edge in it's hones, as their diamond seems to be much more uniform, and the Dia-Folds used with the Magna-Guide are available in grits from XC thru EEF.

I have all three systems (and 2 of the Lansky sets). I use the Lansky for smaller blades, and the DMT system for larger ones. I actually haven't used my Gatco in quite some time, though I don't necessarily have any major gripes with it. The DMT system has essentially supplanted it, for the reasons mentioned above (I have the Magna-Guide setup, with Dia-Folds in C/F and EF/EEF).


David

How old is your Lansky setup? In reading reviews on Amazon there are quite a few people claiming the clamp has changed from a nice milled aluminum to cast aluminum & the new version is missing the "notches" where it clamps onto the blade so now it will no longer clamp small blades like little pen blades etc into place without them moving around & falling out. Do you have any issues with that happening to you?

 

[bodog]

I had the old aluminum clamp, the only way to keep them from slipping around was to tape the sides where the clamp touched. Also protected the knife from scratching. Don't know about the new plastic clamp

 

[Bighaze51]

You gotta start somewhere, right? I started with the Lansky clamp set. My only gripe was the lack of it being to hold certain blades. And if you only needed a touch up, it was a pain to get everything set up the same everything. Then I got the lansky turnbox crock sticks. It takes just a little more skill but once you get the mechanics done, they are fantastic. From there, the sharp maker. My biggest problem with the turnbox and sharpmaker was the amount of time required to reprofile. Now I do everything freehand on all kinds of benchstones that I've aquired. I'm getting stupid sharp, mirror finishes on my knives completely freehand and its liberating to know I don't need a machine or guides to get the results. I would say watch as many videos on YouTube about freehand sharpening as you can and practice on cheap knives. Once you get it down, you'll never look back. Good luck!!

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

How old is your Lansky setup? In reading reviews on Amazon there are quite a few people claiming the clamp has changed from a nice milled aluminum to cast aluminum & the new version is missing the "notches" where it clamps onto the blade so now it will no longer clamp small blades like little pen blades etc into place without them moving around & falling out. Do you have any issues with that happening to you?

Ironic thing is, my older set (the 'Deluxe' with 5 standard hones; likely 20+ years old, purchased back in the early '90s) had the 'nice milled' clamp with a notch, and it didn't hold small blades very well at all. The 'nice' milling didn't extend to the quality of the machining for the notch; edges & inside corners were rounded, and the 'flat' surfaces weren't flat. All that meant it wouldn't stabilize the blade. I bought a diamond set about 4-5 years ago, with a cast clamp (seen in my earlier pic), and the notch worked much better at holding small blades. Seems almost like the casting's slightly rougher surface gets a better grip; the older milled clamp seemed almost too slick, in addition to the other issues mentioned.

No idea about newer clamps missing the notch; I haven't seen that myself.


David

 

[jkulysses]

After reading a bunch more reviews several people have said you can prevent the blade from moving around in the clamp by either putting a piece of blue painters tape on the blade before you clamp it or by cutting a thin strip of rubber like a bike tire inner tube to put over the blade before you clamp it and that will fix that issue completely. I'm really liking the fact that this system can do the small pen blades on traditional style knives because that is the only thing that has kept me from looking at most guided systems. Have you don't anything smaller than that Case Stockman like maybe the pen blade on a Peanut? Also can it sharpen down to the 20 degree mark without hitting the clamp?

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

After reading a bunch more reviews several people have said you can prevent the blade from moving around in the clamp by either putting a piece of blue painters tape on the blade before you clamp it or by cutting a thin strip of rubber like a bike tire inner tube to put over the blade before you clamp it and that will fix that issue completely. I'm really liking the fact that this system can do the small pen blades on traditional style knives because that is the only thing that has kept me from looking at most guided systems. Have you don't anything smaller than that Case Stockman like maybe the pen blade on a Peanut? Also can it sharpen down to the 20 degree mark without hitting the clamp?

The pen blade on the Case 5344 SS stockman seen in my pic was sharpened using the '20' setting on my clamp. I haven't tried a smaller blade, such as the Peanut's pen blade (Edit: see pic below, for size comparison of the two pen blades; not that different). The depth of the milled notch will begin to be a factor with very small, narrow blades, and they may sit too deep to allow access to the edge. The edges on blades like these are so small & thin anyway, it takes virtually nothing to re-bevel those using a scrubbing/circular motion on something like a DMT Fine 'credit card' hone. I've used this method with my Peanut, on both blades. I followed that by 'stropping' on mid-high grit wet/dry sandpaper (600+) and stropping on hard-backed paper strops with compound (any one or a sequence of black, white or green).

Here's a pic of the same Case 5344 SS stockman, alongside my 1970 Case Peanut (5220); note the similarity in size of the pen blades:



David