Tips for using the sharpmaker

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Frozy

Joined
Apr 3, 2010
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Ive been using the sharpmaker for more than a year on a regular basis, but my techniques are still wrong. No matter what knife it is, i'll always end up with a different angle on each bevel even though i try my best to keep my wrist straight. Another problem i have always encountered is burr- the burr keeps appearing on opposite sides (if i use the stone on the left, burring occurs on my knife's right). I've bought the UF stones and it does not help.
My edge is almost mirror and it can shave hair well, but the burr i can't make clean cuts on paper with burrs. I'm getting crazy spending hours daily practicing the sharpmaker, so i decided that i need help.
So, any tips for me?
 
First, for burr removal, clean the stones often and switch to new corners/sides frequently. Keeping a clean cutting surface minimizes burr formation. Also, you should deburr after each step in the Sharpmaker. Do this by holding the knife against the opposite stone to gauge the angle, then make LIGHT strokes on the other stone. To deburr the right side of the edge, hold the blade against the left stone, then use that position to do a (1) LIGHT stroke on the right stone. You are essentially doubling the bevel angle. Make alternating passes like this one (1) or two (2) per side, no more. Then go back to the normal angle and make 5 or 10 more alternating passes per side.

To keep the knife vertical, you can try a couple of things. Whichever hand you hold the knife with, keep that eye open and close the other, right hand, right eye, left hand, left eye. Start on that side stone: right side, right eye, right stone. Most people can line up their hands and eyes on the same side. When moving from one side to the other, keep your hand and eye in the same position, and take a step or just shift your body so it's over the opposite stone. This will slow you down a bit, but you'll finish sooner because each pass is more accurate. I use this to get hair whittling edges on my Delica and Griptillian off the stock white stones.

You can also try clamping the base to the table and holding the knife with both hands. This helps even things out, and is a little faster than above.

To give you an idea of how light your finishing and deburring passes need to be, set the base on a smooth table and don't hold it. Your passes should be light enough that the base doesn't slide, even with nothing holding it.
 
Thanks for the tips!
But i noticed that if i use the left stone, burrs will form on the right side and vice versa. How come?
 
Frozy said:
Thanks for the tips!
But i noticed that if i use the left stone, burrs will form on the right side and vice versa. How come?
Click to expand...

That just means that you are hitting the edge. Time to go the burr removal techniques which have been mentioned in a previous post.
 
singularity35 said:
That just means that you are hitting the edge. Time to go the burr removal techniques which have been mentioned in a previous post.
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Yep. Sounds like if you knock off that burr, the Sharpmaker will be working perfect. I knock mine off with a few swipes at a more obtuse angle so I can't feel or see any burr on the edge. Just take a deep breath and examine your edge, and you should be good to go. Good luck!
 
I have best results with the sharpmaker when standing above it while sharpening.
 
Be sure to use lighter pressure too. Standing up works best for me when using the Sharpmaker.
 
Frozy said:
Thanks for the tips!
But i noticed that if i use the left stone, burrs will form on the right side and vice versa. How come?
Click to expand...

Thats how it always works if you're actually touching the edge. The stone both pushes the steel away and abrades it. When the edge is abraded enough, its so thin that it gets pushed away, like trying to sharpen aluminum foil, but just at the very edge. Thats why I recommended doubling the angle to remove the burr. If the angle is not high enough you'll just push the burr back to the other side. Then you do the follow up passes to sneak back up on the sharp edge. Light passes and clean stones will cut off the burr and not form another one.
 
skyhorse said:
I have best results with the sharpmaker when standing above it while sharpening.
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Absolutely. This was one of my downfalls when I first got the Sharpmaker. It sucks that you can't be ultra lazy, but it really does give better results. :D
 
Pressure was a big issue when i first started using the sharpmaker. You don't need much, especially on the fine/ultra fine stone. Light pressure is the key. Let the stone do the work.
 
yeah, i sharpen while standing up. Yes, the burr does disappear when i use more obtuse angle but i wonder it that will spoil the consistency of the edge?
 
I've followed the tips given and most of the burrs are gone. It's still present, but mostly on the upper half of the knife. My edge is convexed somehow LOL
 
Taonari said:
Be sure to use lighter pressure too. Standing up works best for me when using the Sharpmaker.
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A very good point,let the stones do the work.You shouldn't need more than 2 pounds pressure against the stone.Even when cutting heavey steel with a chop saw,use just enough pressure to cut and let the tool do the cutting.
 
I'm so frustrated with my Sharpmaker. I've been working on a Delica and it's just not getting sharp. I can't even get it paper cutting sharp, much less hair shaving (or splitting) sharp.

Last night I watched the full Sharpmaker video and followed it precisely. The time before the knife was depressingly dull. I got it to almost (but not quite) paper cutting sharp last night. So it's progress, but not much.

The worst part is I don't really see where my technique is off. I used the stones in the order suggested in the video and for at least as many strokes as suggested. I kept the blade vertical. I used very light pressure. I did NOT roll off the tip (save a couple strokes in error).

I don't see any burrs with the naked eye. Sal says it takes 4-5 knives to get the technique down. I've done four. I hope I turn the corner on this very soon. I can get decent utility blade results with a wetstone.
 
Mud Shrimp Moe said:
I'm so frustrated with my Sharpmaker. I've been working on a Delica and it's just not getting sharp. I can't even get it paper cutting sharp, much less hair shaving (or splitting) sharp.

Last night I watched the full Sharpmaker video and followed it precisely. The time before the knife was depressingly dull. I got it to almost (but not quite) paper cutting sharp last night. So it's progress, but not much.

The worst part is I don't really see where my technique is off. I used the stones in the order suggested in the video and for at least as many strokes as suggested. I kept the blade vertical. I used very light pressure. I did NOT roll off the tip (save a couple strokes in error).

I don't see any burrs with the naked eye. Sal says it takes 4-5 knives to get the technique down. I've done four. I hope I turn the corner on this very soon. I can get decent utility blade results with a wetstone.
Click to expand...

I don't understand my mistake too. My knives appear to be exactly 90 degress perpendicular to the table, and i'm sure i never used more than 1 pound of pressure. However the end results for all my knives are the same: Left edge have a much wider angle while the right side has a close to stock edge's angle. And there's the burr of course. All my knives can shave well, but it tears paper.
 
pwet said:
have you seen one during the process ?

if not that's the problem. don't leave the medium rods until you have one.
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No. And I'm not sure I even know what a burr looks like. I've never been conscious of a "burr" on a wetstone either. I don't own a loupe yet, but plan on getting one. I want to get this right.

So, do you have any pics of a burr? And if I'm not making one, does this mean I should increase the pressure slightly?
 
All tbis sounds like the classic problem with the sharpmaker. Very few knives match th settings on the sharpmaker. Color the edge of the knife with a permanent marker. Then take a few strokes. The color will be removed where the dtone is actually touching the steel. If the marker is not removed from the whole face of the bevel or just a narrow strip along the very edge, the bevel angle is higher than the sharp maker setting. You will have to cut a new bevel. This will take a long time with the sharpmaker regardless of the steel used.
 
I agree,,,,the edge is most likely not being fully contacted along the sharpmaker. Keep at it w/the course stones until the bevel is cut away, and the knife edge will eventually begin to make contact.
 
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