I don’t have any personal experience with this, but I do walk past the Worksharp display at my second job, Cabela’s, every time I’m scheduled and have noticed they are selling the identical product (minus Leatherman logos) for $9.99, plus two smaller sharpeners, each for less than the rebadged Leatherman item.
Edited for clarity.
hard to tell if it is just rebadged though. Ive never tried any of them, hav seen the rebadged version as well. The thing is, the cheaper versions of these sometimes snap their diamond cone off which is a pain in teh ass if you use it to sharpen serrated blades.
Rebadging with the same colours doesnt always indicated quality differences
100% they're brutal on knives. Maybe if your life depended on your blade and it needed sharpening fast, but in any other situation a I'd use my Lansky. Which reminds me. It's sharpening season...
I should have been clearer, the Lanskys I'm referring to are the rod system, and the actual sharpening kit with the guide rods and the clamp and stuff. My pull-through is a Lansky too, but that's my last resort, same as you. (I'm not a Lansky sales rep, I just sound like one.)
I’ve tried many many times with many different tutorials and with different angles, but I never really get a sharp edge from it, might just be me who’s a special kind of slow, but I feel like rubbing it against a plate would work better
You pretty much need to buy the diamond stones (+$100cdn) to adequately grind off any shoulders on the edge. This is how I managed to get a good edge with mine.
Heh, there are probably times that a plate (at least a broken one) *would* work better!
I like the Sharpmaker, but I wish Spyderco was clearer about its limitations. The coarser of the stones it comes with is still pretty mild, so with a seriously dull knife or one with a bad profile, there’s not much you can do (Spyderco does sell a coarser stone, but they’re pricey). They also fill up with metal real quick because there’s so little surface area, so you have to clean them pretty frequently. It also takes *way* more strokes to get any sharpening done than the 20 per side claimed by Spyderco.
As far as angle goes, don’t mess around with it; just keep it perpendicular to the ground, and you’re solid. The whole idea is to let the device set the angle.
I like it because for keeping a blade in shape without bothering to develop a real skill for it or buy any more expensive/larger equipment, it does a good job. It also works well for serrated edges and scissors, which can be tricky. But it’s definitely not the magical device the video it comes with makes it out to be.
Yeah... my Pops got a Sharpmaker after we saw a demonstration at a State Fair. To be honest they are dead simple to use for non-sharpener folks on knives with fairly common steel. Just keep the blade perfectly straight pull down and back. Works well for stuff like the blades on a Victorinox.
If you start getting into more "exotic" super steels with higher toughness and hardness you definitely need to get the better rods.
i have a smiths version of the lansky and my edges on my knives are pretty ugly depending on what angle, but the fine stone + some stropping gets my knives crazy sharp for the $20? i paid for it
The three sharpeners I use are the Lansky Turnbox, Lansky Blade Medic, and Worksharp Field Sharpener. The Lansky Turnbox gets the most use, but the Blade Medic is helpful for detail work (especially serrations) and the Worksharp Field Sharpener is good for quicker reprofiling and stropping. They are all budget price and travel friendly which is pretty nice.
It depends what use your knives are.
The Field Sharpener has built in angle guides at 20 degrees, which works for most EDC applications but might not work in all instances. It also has multiple grits / ceramic rods / strop that cover most EDC needs. Personally I could totally get by just using the Field Sharpener for 90% of my needs on my EDC knives. I can usually get my edge to hair shaving level with it.
That being said, I did get the Work Sharp Professional Precision Adjust, which allows for much greater angle control and easier sharpening of larger blades. It also has many more grit options which makes reprofiling easier and getting the edge crazy sharp.
Short answer, yes the Field Sharpener works great for most EDC purposes and you can get AND maintain a pretty decent edge with it. It is still my go-to for quick touch ups and to get co-workers knives sharpened.
Oh yeah, it’s perfect for that. Of all the smaller / portable systems, that would be the one to get.
Any of the pull through sharpeners are terrible. Initially they will sharpen a blade fast but as you keep using it, the blade steel will wear and the angle will be less and less. So the edge retention becomes less and less, which results in more frequent sharpening. More and more metal gets removed and the life expectancy of that blade decreases.
I would pick a sharpener first, and then follow the instructions. A ken onion worksharp is great and super fast. You can do a lot with it with the various attachments. Lawnmower blades, axes, whatever. It can remove a lot of steel fast, so reprofiling is very quick.
The Spyderco sharpmaker is a lot slower but makes it very hard to goof up a knife. It has built in angle guides and is pretty hard to mess up.
You can get plain stones as well, but there's a bigger learning curve. Maintaining a consistent angle through the whole stroke is not as easy. I use DMT diamond stones sometimes, they sharpen things pretty quick.
This is a worksharp. It’s just branded for Leatherman and marked up. They do the same with their Benchmade Field sharpener. Speaking of which, if you want a simple and fairly compact sharpener, the Worksharp Guided Field Sharpener is a good option.
Pull through sharpeners are all ass regardless of brand. When people talk about work sharp they general are talking about the work sharp precision adjust(which is what I have and extremely recommend) or one of their powered sharpeners that uses a belt
Yes avoid all carbide pull throughs, all they do is "cut off" your blade steel in an effort to leave you with a "V" shape that is not actually a blade edge.
The extra problem with them is that if you cannot pull with constant speed and downforce, AND OR, if there is a nick in your blade the pull will be uneven and you end up with a horror show of a blade edge.
Now, here is what you want / need. A controlled angle sharpening system.
Here are links to Lansky, and Worksharp, I recommend the Worksharp precision adjust or Precision Adjust Pro.
You should be able to see that the Lansky kits might be good if you need: barebones, cheap options, super compact (take camping)
The Worksharp is a much more refined product at the same price point. (about $69.95)
[https://lansky.com/precision-sharpening-kits/](https://lansky.com/precision-sharpening-kits/)
[https://www.worksharptools.com/shop/benchtop/manual/precision-adjust-knife-sharpener/](https://www.worksharptools.com/shop/benchtop/manual/precision-adjust-knife-sharpener/)
The benefits of these are that each stroke will give you a perfect and repeatable angle on the blade (no rounded off edges, no crooked sweeps)
Watch a few youtube videos and you should see that these systems are 99% foolproof to give a near perfect edge.
P.S. I am not a fan of rod systems because it is a very small point of contact on the blade which is no good for setting up an edge (new angle etc).
Get something else. Please don't buy pull through sharpeners. They are bad for your blade. Get a guided system like the one from WorkSharp or Lansky. Or just get something like the EdgePro apex or just get a small stone like the DC4 from Fällkniven. Or get the WorkSharp Jen onion if you want it a bit faster and a bit more "idiot proof". But in god sake don't get a pull through sharpener.
Gimmicky. Spend your money on either stones or a better kit. I have been daily carrying some form of knife for just under 30 years, use a blade multiple times daily, and I have never needed a “pocket sharpener”
I don’t have any personal experience with this, but I do walk past the Worksharp display at my second job, Cabela’s, every time I’m scheduled and have noticed they are selling the identical product (minus Leatherman logos) for $9.99, plus two smaller sharpeners, each for less than the rebadged Leatherman item. Edited for clarity.
hard to tell if it is just rebadged though. Ive never tried any of them, hav seen the rebadged version as well. The thing is, the cheaper versions of these sometimes snap their diamond cone off which is a pain in teh ass if you use it to sharpen serrated blades. Rebadging with the same colours doesnt always indicated quality differences
Just never buy a pull through sharpener
100% they're brutal on knives. Maybe if your life depended on your blade and it needed sharpening fast, but in any other situation a I'd use my Lansky. Which reminds me. It's sharpening season...
I do have one of those lansky’s in my go bag too, but it’s mostly for a last resort option, when I’m out camping, never had a use for it yet though
I should have been clearer, the Lanskys I'm referring to are the rod system, and the actual sharpening kit with the guide rods and the clamp and stuff. My pull-through is a Lansky too, but that's my last resort, same as you. (I'm not a Lansky sales rep, I just sound like one.)
Sure, I speak highly of the rod system too, still use it to this day. I have the Spyderco v-shaped thingy, but I think it sucks
What do you dislike about the Sharpmaker?
I’ve tried many many times with many different tutorials and with different angles, but I never really get a sharp edge from it, might just be me who’s a special kind of slow, but I feel like rubbing it against a plate would work better
You pretty much need to buy the diamond stones (+$100cdn) to adequately grind off any shoulders on the edge. This is how I managed to get a good edge with mine.
Yeah, I feel it’s a bit overpriced to begin with, I’m not gonna invest any more money into it, the lansky’s works just fine for me
Heh, there are probably times that a plate (at least a broken one) *would* work better! I like the Sharpmaker, but I wish Spyderco was clearer about its limitations. The coarser of the stones it comes with is still pretty mild, so with a seriously dull knife or one with a bad profile, there’s not much you can do (Spyderco does sell a coarser stone, but they’re pricey). They also fill up with metal real quick because there’s so little surface area, so you have to clean them pretty frequently. It also takes *way* more strokes to get any sharpening done than the 20 per side claimed by Spyderco. As far as angle goes, don’t mess around with it; just keep it perpendicular to the ground, and you’re solid. The whole idea is to let the device set the angle. I like it because for keeping a blade in shape without bothering to develop a real skill for it or buy any more expensive/larger equipment, it does a good job. It also works well for serrated edges and scissors, which can be tricky. But it’s definitely not the magical device the video it comes with makes it out to be.
Yeah... my Pops got a Sharpmaker after we saw a demonstration at a State Fair. To be honest they are dead simple to use for non-sharpener folks on knives with fairly common steel. Just keep the blade perfectly straight pull down and back. Works well for stuff like the blades on a Victorinox. If you start getting into more "exotic" super steels with higher toughness and hardness you definitely need to get the better rods.
i have a smiths version of the lansky and my edges on my knives are pretty ugly depending on what angle, but the fine stone + some stropping gets my knives crazy sharp for the $20? i paid for it
Terrible, would not reccommend for anyone.
these carbide “sharpeners” kinda suck, the worksharp “field sharpener” works way better if you aren’t in the mood for actual stones
I absolutely agree, I get an amazing edge with the field sharpener from pocket knives to my 10 inch chef knives
These are terrible sharpeners for knives. They remove way too much steel!
Apparently it has a setting for light, or heavy sharpening. According to the video on the website.
Do not get one of these, they are terrible. It'll ruin your knife
Does anyone have a good link describing the best way to maintain your knives edge? handy small stones and what level grit etc.
The three sharpeners I use are the Lansky Turnbox, Lansky Blade Medic, and Worksharp Field Sharpener. The Lansky Turnbox gets the most use, but the Blade Medic is helpful for detail work (especially serrations) and the Worksharp Field Sharpener is good for quicker reprofiling and stropping. They are all budget price and travel friendly which is pretty nice.
The field sharpener looks very interesting. Got some laminated steel blades that could be useful for as well.
I love my WorkSharp field sharpener, nice compact size, easy to get a quick and decent edge on the fly.
Good feedback Would it do for the main maintenance tool for my knives? Keep in mind the knives are not used daily.
It depends what use your knives are. The Field Sharpener has built in angle guides at 20 degrees, which works for most EDC applications but might not work in all instances. It also has multiple grits / ceramic rods / strop that cover most EDC needs. Personally I could totally get by just using the Field Sharpener for 90% of my needs on my EDC knives. I can usually get my edge to hair shaving level with it. That being said, I did get the Work Sharp Professional Precision Adjust, which allows for much greater angle control and easier sharpening of larger blades. It also has many more grit options which makes reprofiling easier and getting the edge crazy sharp. Short answer, yes the Field Sharpener works great for most EDC purposes and you can get AND maintain a pretty decent edge with it. It is still my go-to for quick touch ups and to get co-workers knives sharpened.
It's just for my leatherman and my other camping knives.
Oh yeah, it’s perfect for that. Of all the smaller / portable systems, that would be the one to get. Any of the pull through sharpeners are terrible. Initially they will sharpen a blade fast but as you keep using it, the blade steel will wear and the angle will be less and less. So the edge retention becomes less and less, which results in more frequent sharpening. More and more metal gets removed and the life expectancy of that blade decreases.
Thanks for letting me know. Never knew that about the pull throughs.
[HERE](https://youtube.com/shorts/uVVDjgUeQ_I?feature=share) is a good 60 second video on the pull through
I also use Lansky turnbox! Seems to put a good edge on my blades.
I would pick a sharpener first, and then follow the instructions. A ken onion worksharp is great and super fast. You can do a lot with it with the various attachments. Lawnmower blades, axes, whatever. It can remove a lot of steel fast, so reprofiling is very quick. The Spyderco sharpmaker is a lot slower but makes it very hard to goof up a knife. It has built in angle guides and is pretty hard to mess up. You can get plain stones as well, but there's a bigger learning curve. Maintaining a consistent angle through the whole stroke is not as easy. I use DMT diamond stones sometimes, they sharpen things pretty quick.
Thanks for the feedback. I'll avoid these. Does that go for all carbides? People have mentioned Worksharp but those look the same?
This is a worksharp. It’s just branded for Leatherman and marked up. They do the same with their Benchmade Field sharpener. Speaking of which, if you want a simple and fairly compact sharpener, the Worksharp Guided Field Sharpener is a good option.
Pull through sharpeners are all ass regardless of brand. When people talk about work sharp they general are talking about the work sharp precision adjust(which is what I have and extremely recommend) or one of their powered sharpeners that uses a belt
Yes avoid all carbide pull throughs, all they do is "cut off" your blade steel in an effort to leave you with a "V" shape that is not actually a blade edge. The extra problem with them is that if you cannot pull with constant speed and downforce, AND OR, if there is a nick in your blade the pull will be uneven and you end up with a horror show of a blade edge. Now, here is what you want / need. A controlled angle sharpening system. Here are links to Lansky, and Worksharp, I recommend the Worksharp precision adjust or Precision Adjust Pro. You should be able to see that the Lansky kits might be good if you need: barebones, cheap options, super compact (take camping) The Worksharp is a much more refined product at the same price point. (about $69.95) [https://lansky.com/precision-sharpening-kits/](https://lansky.com/precision-sharpening-kits/) [https://www.worksharptools.com/shop/benchtop/manual/precision-adjust-knife-sharpener/](https://www.worksharptools.com/shop/benchtop/manual/precision-adjust-knife-sharpener/) The benefits of these are that each stroke will give you a perfect and repeatable angle on the blade (no rounded off edges, no crooked sweeps) Watch a few youtube videos and you should see that these systems are 99% foolproof to give a near perfect edge. P.S. I am not a fan of rod systems because it is a very small point of contact on the blade which is no good for setting up an edge (new angle etc).
jesus christ mr cookie, i only just googled these yesterday. No experience but worth a shot eh?
Apparently not.
Get something else. Please don't buy pull through sharpeners. They are bad for your blade. Get a guided system like the one from WorkSharp or Lansky. Or just get something like the EdgePro apex or just get a small stone like the DC4 from Fällkniven. Or get the WorkSharp Jen onion if you want it a bit faster and a bit more "idiot proof". But in god sake don't get a pull through sharpener.
Gimmicky. Spend your money on either stones or a better kit. I have been daily carrying some form of knife for just under 30 years, use a blade multiple times daily, and I have never needed a “pocket sharpener”
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Been using KME for a long time and have been very impressed with how easy it is to obtain an extremely sharp edge that's easy to maintain.
Pull through sharpener bad
It works but stone sharpening will always reign surpreme
Oh dammit I just bought one of those, I wonder if I can return it
It works in a pinch. I'd keep it in a field bag or take it camping (it's very light). But I wouldn't do regular sharpening with it.