I've seen the universal sharpening stone holder in a number of videos over the past year and it didn't really click with me that I might want one until I got my DMT plates. Since the DMT's are less than 1/2" thick, you have to elevate them off of the table with something. A stone holder seemed like a good idea. If you haven't seen what I'm talking about, there are two of them in this video. The one in the foreground is missing one of it's tension nuts, but I think you get the idea. Heavy rubber grips the stone and keeps it from moving; the rubber also grips the surface of the table it sits on and keeps it VERY stable.
I'm SUPER happy with the one I got. It clamps down on the stone with a minimum of force on the screws/nuts. Just finger tight is more than enough to keep you from being able to move the stone even when picking the whole thing up by the stone and shaking vigorously. The rubber is incredibly grippy on the surface of a table too. It isn't going *anywhere*, even with substantial force on the stone. It works very well with my DMT Diasharp 8x3 plates, but there's one small caveat: I have the little rubber feet that come with the plates stuck to the bottom of each plate as DMT expects you to. If you don't use the feet, the plate just barely clears the rubber surface. This might get in your way on a bigger knife. For me, it's perfect as is.
I don't know how to convey how useful this device is. It's so much better than trying to rig up something and keep it from sliding around!
I've found a few other novel uses for it in sharpening that I'm pretty excited about too:
1. You can clamp a Spyderco profile stone into it and use it like a bench stone. You've got to be careful to make it clear the rubber, but it's pretty easy. You can also use a spyderco sharpmaker rod the same way, with a flat side facing up. It stays locked in place perfectly for use as a flat stone.
2. If you twist the profile stone so that one of it's curved edges is facing up, you've got a really stable curved surface that's prefect for sharpening serrations. Either one at a time or sliding serration to serration like on the sharpmaker. Depending upon the angle you clamp it in at, you can fill small serrations, or large serrations.
3. Using the Sharpmaker with a long knife (6 - 9") I find it awkward and very hard to precisely control angle and pressure at the tip of the blade. I like to use two hands: One on the handle of the knife and one riding the side of the blade to guide it. It's much more stable. But if you do this on a counter top or table, the Sharpmaker slides side to side due to the blade pressure and the fact that no one is holding on to the sharpmaker base. Stone holder to the rescue. Clamp the sharpmaker long ways in the stone holder and Voila', it's going nowhere, even with substantial pressure. I discovered this right after buying a sliding clamp to clamp the sharpmaker to the table top. The stone holder works just as well!
I'm sure I've lost most of you by now, but this is an awesome accessory. ...and it's pretty inexpensive. Two thumbs up. I guess since I sound like an ad here I have to give the disclaimer: I have nothing to do with any company that makes or sells these holders. I'm just a very enthusiastic customer.
Brian.
I'm SUPER happy with the one I got. It clamps down on the stone with a minimum of force on the screws/nuts. Just finger tight is more than enough to keep you from being able to move the stone even when picking the whole thing up by the stone and shaking vigorously. The rubber is incredibly grippy on the surface of a table too. It isn't going *anywhere*, even with substantial force on the stone. It works very well with my DMT Diasharp 8x3 plates, but there's one small caveat: I have the little rubber feet that come with the plates stuck to the bottom of each plate as DMT expects you to. If you don't use the feet, the plate just barely clears the rubber surface. This might get in your way on a bigger knife. For me, it's perfect as is.
I don't know how to convey how useful this device is. It's so much better than trying to rig up something and keep it from sliding around!
I've found a few other novel uses for it in sharpening that I'm pretty excited about too:
1. You can clamp a Spyderco profile stone into it and use it like a bench stone. You've got to be careful to make it clear the rubber, but it's pretty easy. You can also use a spyderco sharpmaker rod the same way, with a flat side facing up. It stays locked in place perfectly for use as a flat stone.
2. If you twist the profile stone so that one of it's curved edges is facing up, you've got a really stable curved surface that's prefect for sharpening serrations. Either one at a time or sliding serration to serration like on the sharpmaker. Depending upon the angle you clamp it in at, you can fill small serrations, or large serrations.
3. Using the Sharpmaker with a long knife (6 - 9") I find it awkward and very hard to precisely control angle and pressure at the tip of the blade. I like to use two hands: One on the handle of the knife and one riding the side of the blade to guide it. It's much more stable. But if you do this on a counter top or table, the Sharpmaker slides side to side due to the blade pressure and the fact that no one is holding on to the sharpmaker base. Stone holder to the rescue. Clamp the sharpmaker long ways in the stone holder and Voila', it's going nowhere, even with substantial pressure. I discovered this right after buying a sliding clamp to clamp the sharpmaker to the table top. The stone holder works just as well!
I'm sure I've lost most of you by now, but this is an awesome accessory. ...and it's pretty inexpensive. Two thumbs up. I guess since I sound like an ad here I have to give the disclaimer: I have nothing to do with any company that makes or sells these holders. I'm just a very enthusiastic customer.
Brian.
