Hi all, apology for the long post. I'm after your recommendation what sharpening systems or stones I should buy (little to no real world freehand experience).
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Should I look at getting the Spyderco Medium and Fine ceramic bench stones, a large DMT Diamond Stone, or a sharpening system like the KME, or Wicked Edge Pro (I feel this one is rather expensive for someone who sharpens a blade or two every other week like myself) that will do the same job but more reliably?
A great, honest question that I've had too! Not an expert but can talk about things I've tried, which might help. As you implied, Sharpmaker seems OK but limiting. I found it very slow to sharpen things. As you see in the signature, also tried an Edge Pro Apex with diamond stones, a good step up from Sharpmaker, but selling mine after a few months. It offered one thing better than pure hand sharpening, which is very consistent edge bevels. It works pretty well and I can get knives extremely sharp. But also very slow to sharpen things because of the little stones. Add-on things like stones are much more expensive than regular bench stones, and there's a curve that's so high, you might as well spend the same time to learn to sharpen by hand. It's very easy to get bevels that are not precise because the knife is not held or clamped, even with available add-ons like the magnet. It's a system that is popular and can get great results if you put in the time to learn. But I found it slow, expensive, and still not precise and repeatable enough, considering the cost.
If you want really precise edges that are repeatable and professional-type results, I'd look at a system with a more advanced design that clamps the knife, like Wicked Edge. As some here say, that is a system that definitely gets results and seems like the gold standard of guided manual sharpeners. But wow is it costly! I'm looking at one for those knives that just have to have a picture-perfect edge, but can't quite part with the cash. Have to decide if you want pretty edges bad enough to spend $1000 or more. If you sharpen a lot, maybe that's worth it, I may break down and get one.
What I've come back to for most ordinary sharpening is where I started: sharpen by hand on small stones or bench stones. It seems like sharpening by hand is not trivial but also not rocket science. Everyone who uses a knife could learn basic knife sharpening if we just invest a little practice, it's not that hard to get a decent edge. You just accept ahead of time it won't be as picture-perfect as a Wicked Edge! But you can get a few things to help, like inexpensive angle guides that you can rubber-band to your stone.
For your stones I think it's true what others said, get a couple diamond stones with grits going from coarse to fine. I like the DMT stones, at bare minimum get something coarse, and something fine, to start. With those and maybe add a strop, you can sharpen anything.
My vote is to get a decent set of bench stones and a wicked edge. I've got both and use both.
