Question about 204 Sharpmaker.....

[Tom Puderbaugh]

Hi gang,



I'm thinking about buying a 204 Sharpmaker but I have a question or two.



In looking at the current Spyderco dealer catalog, I see where the ceramic stones are tri-angle shaped. I can see where you use the flat surface for sharpening plain edges, but what about serrated edges?



The catalog says to use the corners for sharpening the serrations but I don't see how this would work very well because of the two different sizes of serration on Spyderco knives.



Looks like the corner edge would work OK for the (2)small serrations in the Spyderco pattern, but what about the large serration? Doesn't look to me like it would fit very well (the contour on the ceramic stone looks way too small to sharpen the large serration effectively).



Also, my friend has a small pocket ceramic stone called a Crock Stick made by Lansky that is specifically made for Spyderco knives. It has two different radius edges on it's tri-angle design, one for the small serrations, and one for the large.



Is this how the 204 is set up as well?



Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Tom Puderbaugh

[yog]

Hi Tom.
Don't worry it works just fine. Don't think of an up and down movement, think of drawing the knife along at right angles to the ceramics.
There's even a video that comes with the Sharpmaker that shows how to sharpen serrations as well as many other types of blade.

[The Stare]

The TriSeps short ceramic rod, which won Blade's Accessory of the Year, has 3 different sized corners, and does well on the Spyderco serrations. It has an advantage over the Lansky products which is several angles cut into the end of the dog bone shape. These angles allow the stick to be held at angles so that the blade may be drawn down, perpendicular to the surface on which the end rests. In other words, it works just like the Sharpmaker.

I've been attempting to get by with the Gatco TriSeps until the diamond rods are added to the Sharpmaker. I don't really use my knives an awful lot, and the stick does a good job at maintaining and touching up already fairly sharp edges. As soon as the diamonds are added -- this fall, I believe Sal said -- then my first purchase will be the 204.

The Gatco stick is under $10. I assume the Lansky products are similarly priced. Shows what a good deal the Sharpmaker is with 4 ceramic rods, the base, the manual, and the video for just over $40.

Stare

[ftkinney]

i got the 204 and it works wonders i could never use a stone very well but the 204 is easy Yog is right you draw just the edge of the serrations acrossed the courner of the sharping stick and you will get an fantastic edge.