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Review on πŸ”ͺ Enhanced Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker with Safety Rods, Instructional DVD, Two Sets of Premium Alumina Ceramic Stones for Blade Repair and Professional-Grade Finishing - 204MF by Andrea Gleason

Revainrating 5 out of 5

After months of research. I arrived!

Product overview at the end In recent years I have become more aware of everything (some) things to do with knives. One thing I've always focused on is their sharpening. I was so nervous I couldn't bring myself to buy a sharpener! I didn't want to waste my money and there are so many options and different price ranges. I didn't want to make a wrong decision. So I didn't do that at all for a while, I just assembled a new knife every time it got a little duller. It was ok for a while but after 3 or 4 knives you have to stop and find out. So I did. I'm sure someone else will be where I was in the future, so I'll just go through my thoughts on each one. The sharpeners I thought of and eventually gave up were sharp sharpened, sharp sharpened, Lansky stone system, irregular edge system, and DMT diamond stones (and other regular flat stone sharpeners). It was easy for me to say no. I love the idea and maybe I'll get one if I have a lot of expendable income, but my main grinder should be one so I don't have to keep changing things like belts. Also, I don't want to rely on electricity to sharpen my knife. 2) Evil edge. I like this one but too expensive. End. Pros: Allows you to work on both sides of the blade at the same time. Something the Spyderco Sharpmaker does too. 3) Edge per tip. Also too expensive. I know of coasters that you can buy and then replace cheap rocks with real rocks from the Edge Pro, but even then it was a bit pricey. I didn't like the idea of putting an expensive system together. I liked that it was very easy to get an even edge but only sharpened one side at a time. Ultimately it was too much money for its value. 4) Lansky stones. Similar to Edge Pro Apex, only significantly cheaper. I can't comment on the quality, but I've read reviews from people who needed a bit of work to get their system in good shape. $40 versus $60 with Spyderco, it was hard to justify NOT spending the extra $20-30. 5) DMT diamond stones (and other flat stones). They were also expensive, as it turned out. I didn't want to buy cheap stones. I wanted quality tools. A set of 2 or 3 stones suited me much like this one and I also needed to develop the ability to sharpen on a flat stone. I've tried it, it's doable, but it takes practice and patience. In addition, the cost is similar to the Sharpmaker. For these reasons I have decided on a scarf maker. I heard it was quick to grab, it gave me the ability to maintain a constant angle fairly easily. I was able to adjust the angle, maybe not as much as I first thought I would like. Bonus Nachos: They come in wonderful sizes. Probably the size of the box a new phone comes in, albeit a little longer. Additional stones were available if I wanted a thinner edge. How did it all turn out? -------- SHARPMAKER REVIEW ------------ I am very happy with it. As soon as I found it in the mail, I opened it up and started sharpening it with one of my cheaper knives (just in case). I was able to get this knife pretty sharp, so on to a nicer one that I really didn't want to screw up, my Endura 4 Wave. After my 5-10 minute session with the first knife, I was able to get my Endura even sharper than the first in less time. For the third knife. Similar results. For the 4th knife. Similar results. This is just to illustrate how easy and quick it is. You don't need any prior knowledge to master this system. How sharp do your knives get? There are some ultra-thin stones that people say you "need" to achieve what they call "the ultimate advantage." to hell with them! Let her be tactful. I bought ultra thin stones, do they sharpen my knife better? Yes. Did they cost $20? no The edge you get from thin stone in this system is very sharp, sharp enough to cut through paper with ease. Ultrafine simply make it easier for them. I will add a small amount. If you don't buy superfine stones and I meet you on the street and ask you if you did, you can show me your knife and lie about the purchase and I will believe you. You are the only person who understands the difference. The thickness of the knife is literally more important than ultra-thin stones. But it's your money, do what you want with it.

Pros
  • MUST HAVE ESSENTIALS - Manual and DVD. Aluminum safety rods, 2 fine and 2 medium grit alumina ceramic sharpening stones for aggressive sharpening and professional finishing.
Cons
  • Expensive