Reddit reviews Lansky 4-Stone Deluxe Diamond System | Precision Knife Sharpening Kit

I ended up moving to a Lansky Sharpening System and like the versatility a lot more. It takes a bit longer but I get a better edge from it. I do still keep my Sharpmaker in my knife bag though, I can quickly put a decent edge on a knife in a very short time with it.

you can get the same system on Amazon for 64.36 with no shipping charge. Which makes it cheaper. Massdrop sux's.
https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-4-Stone-Deluxe-Diamond-Sharpening/dp/B000B8L6LS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1549748732&sr=8-3&keywords=Lansky+Deluxe+4-Stone+Diamond+Sharpening+System

As far as EDC knived that can take a beating, I'd recommend the following

Spyderco Shaman: https://www.bladehq.com/item--Spyderco-Shaman-Compression-Lock--71268

ZT0562CF: https://www.bladehq.com/item--Zero-Tolerance-0562CF-Carbon-Fiber--21521

Lost of popular knives can be found for 10-20% off the retail price in like new condition over on r/knife_swap so you might take a look there when you decide on a model you like

This will be your best bet for sharpening, especially if you don't have much experience sharpening freehand: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000B8L6LS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1527252561&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=lansky+diamond+sharpening+system&dpPl=1&dpID=51hP8Or62TL&ref=plSrch

Care to give any gear recommendations? I've been in the market for a decent sharpening kit for a while. Have any recommendations? Years ago I used a controlled angle system like this with great results, but I'm not sure if it'll be up to the task of a chefs knife.

I have a good old fashioned Lansky diamond stone set. Works like a charm, and I dare say it will be around long after I'm gone. I don't make so many knives that I would ever need a faster sharpening system though, I can see how you'd need to upgrade pretty quick if you were trying to do anything quickly or in bulk.
 
Amazon

Buy the Lansky diamond knife sharpening system

Lansky 4-Stone Deluxe Diamond System | Precision Knife Sharpening Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000B8L6LS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_46VmDb8H8MGTB

Other sharpeners that I’ve seen recommended are the Lansky system and the spyderco sharpmaker . I haven’t tried either system personally, I use a KME as well, but they get recommended quite regularly from what I’ve seen.

Okay, where to begin?

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Sharpening a knife is actually a very simple process. The overall goal is for you to maintain an angle throughout the sharpening process while sharpening from course to fine grits (Course = smaller #s and Fine = Higher #s). Often people use cheap knives and sharpeners and learn good habits (maintaining angles) before upgrading to higher tier stones. The issue you have is the you are dealing with a premium steel knife which is much harder, holds an edge longer( needs sharpen less often) and takes more time to sharpen with a majority of sharpening materials. If you are dealing with Elmax steel I would recommend that what ever sharpener you get it should have diamond and ceramic stones as these are harder than the knife material and can cut it efficiently unless you are using some belt or grinder system. Since you are a beginner I would recommend that you use a knife sharpening system as you could have more accidents sharpening the knife free hand. Believe me it sucks when you screw up a knife edge while sharpening and you have to spend way too much time fixing your mistakes so the knife can actually cut. In short I would use a test knife in any sharpener to see how it works properly and after you are more confident use the system you choose. Also some of these might be excessive especially if you only have a few knives. Some of the higher end sharpener are what professionals use in their shop (who knows if you get good enough you can make some money).

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1. The Lansky Diamond system ($67) is a great place to start as it has 70/120/280/600 grits but you also have to purchase the C clamp stand ($15 and you do need it as you will get tired holding the thing) and higher grit (1000) ceramic stone ($13) and 2000 grit stone ($12). Leather strops with compound if you want an absolute finish. The only complaint I would have about this system is that the stones are not of the highest quality and stop working as the diamonds fall off. The sharpening guides also are fixed and you have to use a angle measure (your iphone can use its compass app) or some math (trig) to find the position to get an accurate angle throughout the blade. There is a work around stone holder ($60 )That can use Edgepro stones and is longer (better strokes). So with everything but the strop and the 3rd party holder you are looking around $120. $200 with the upgraded stone holder.
   
2. The KME sharpener is very similar concept except that the angle guide is moveable but I must still stress that the angle needs to verified again. Shabazz also explains this in his review. It also has a nicer case. I think you still need to buy the base for this one as well. Like you said it runs around $300 with every thing.
   
3. at $350-575 there is the wicked edge . Hear great things and it will get the job done faster but it is expensive! You can get a Tormek at that price now.
   
4. If you do not want to spend a ton of time sharpening and don't mind belt grinding the Ken Onion Sharpener ($126) is great. Note: it will create a convex edge and if that is something you want great! Video
   
5. Going off the deeper end we have the Tormek T4 ($400-550 or $700 for the full size) which is essentially a wheel grinder made for edge knives and tools. Considered by many to be the best you can get
   
6. There is also the TSprof ($700) which is essentially a bigger top tier KME sharpener. Video
   
7. If you want a simple top tier diamond system DMT Course Set and Fine Set =$200 total. Note that although expensive. These can be used pretty much for decades provided that you take care of them (use diamond abrasive fluid). You can also use water stones but there are so many out there I do not know which brands and how much you could expect to spend with those.
   
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   Note that I only mentioned the higher end sharpening systems under the assumption that money is no objection and you wanted it to sharpen you knife efficiently but I wanted for you to see what types of systems are available are certain price ranges. If not mentioned above you might need a strop and fine compound to get a mirror edge.
   
   Okay now here are some cheaper systems that are similar to some of those above but cheaper.
   
   
8. 5 gen Sharpener (ebay) ($40). This is like the KME Sharpener but cheaper and you can get 3rd party Diamond Plates set (140/400/1000) cheap ($25)
   
9. Edge Pro clone - cheaper end copy of the Edge pro. I think you can also use the diamond plates as it is around the same size.
   
10. Lulu sharpener ($90) if you can find one... it is a copy of the Wicked Edge. Looks like it also uses the Diamond plates mentioned earlier.
    
    ALSO: get a ceramic honing rod ($20). Often times knives just need honing to get back that razor sharp edge and maintaining it with a rod will prolong your edge and mean you sharpen less.
    
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    Hopefully this has helped you somewhat and sorry it took so long to respond, it just takes time to type all of this out(2hrs! where does the time go?) and cite the products. Personally for me, knives for me a fun hobby and it tends to have a meditative effect on me when I sharpen them. I also hope that you come to enjoy sharpening your knives just as much.
    
    ​
    
    And welcome to sharpening!

I have this lansky kit. Its pretty foolproof if you read the directions and watch a youtube video.

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Diamond-Deluxe-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8L6LS

Still diamond stones, but you lose the ceramic hone and from what I've heard this system is overall a little worse, but many people love it and it'll probably serve you well.

Yes, that kit is the one I have. The UK Amazon might save you some money over the link you shared.

I have the arkansas hone in addition to that kit, but I'm now finding that I prefer the toothier edge of the 600 grit finish. I also use a leather belt to strop.

I have no experience with or knowledge of ceramic sharpening implements. Sorry.

Having tried several methods sharpening pocket and kitchen knives the product i have enjoyed using the most is this one https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Deluxe-5-Stone-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8IEA4 or this one https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-LKDMD-4-Stone-Precision-Sharpening/dp/B000B8L6LS I think I have the set with 4 stones.

It removes the guess work for the angle and evenly shaves off metal across the entire length of the blade.

Which "super-fine" Lansky hone should I get to accompany the Deluxe Diamond Set that I purchased, seen here:

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Diamond-Deluxe-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8L6LS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1452449613&sr=8-3&keywords=lansky

I feel that I would like to get a sharper edge than what I can achieve with this basic set. I was considering between the Ultra fine here:

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Ultra-Sharpening-Yellow-Holder/dp/B000B8L6MC/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1452449613&sr=8-11&keywords=lansky

or the Super Sapphie polishing hone

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Super-Sapphire-Polishing-Hone/dp/B000B8IEB8/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1452449613&sr=8-5&keywords=lansky

Both of which have been recommended, however I do think the ultra fine is better for sharpening, rather than polishing, no?

I personally use a KME and a Strop. But I'd recommend getting one of those Lansky Sharpeners with the Deluxe Diamond stones. It's similar enough to a KME; with limited angle choice but 30 25 20 and 17 are good enough IMHO. It runs for only $56 on amazon compared to the KME $180.

I'd also recommend grabbing the Ultra Fine hone on amazon for an extra $9 so you can put a nicer finish on your edges.

Lastly you'll need a strop. You can find one around on the internet or on /r/KnifeSwap occasionally, which is where I found mine. There's a user there that actually makes them by hand and includes compounds with the strop if you're ever lucky enough to grab one from there. But the best alternative is (again on amazon) the Knives Plus Strop Block. It comes preloaded with compound, and a lot of compound, and I've heard nice things about it. It's only $29, or you can go on the Knives Plus website and grab it for $23, but I think its worth the extra six bucks to get free/fast shipping, and have it all come in on the same day/in the same box as everything else.

Hope this helped! :)

Lansky diamond hone deluxe kit puts ( for me ) stupid sharp edges on my knives I bought the ceramic stones to go with it and I get a mirror polish everytime...I'll probably upgrade to the KME in the distant future but for now my lansky does just fine and you're not spending $500+ dollars more like $80 - $100 .

• this is the one I have with the 1000grit ceramic and the blue sapphire hone I think it's 2000+ I have this one

> My problem is, the restaurants I have cooked for have all had a knife sharpener come in once a week and sharpen all the knives, so I never learned how!

Get one of these and you will want to learn how to use it. It's actually incredibly simple, and your knives stay razor sharp.

$15: [Kershaw Shuffle II] (https://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-8750TBLKBW-Shuffle-Folding-BlackWash/dp/B00TUCPWZM)

$40: [Kershaw Leek] (https://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-Leek-Knife/dp/B00P2LAQ4W)

$65: [Spyderco Delica] (https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica4-Lightweight-Ground-PlainEdge/dp/B0052HQPWS)

The knives I linked are all folding locking knives. The shuffle would be harder to sharpen because of the tanto style blade.

For sharpening, most people either get the [Spyderco Sharpmaker] (https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tri-Angle-Sharpmaker/dp/B004HIZKHE) or the [Lansky Diamond Stone System] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000B8L6LS/ref=sxts2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483915806&sr=2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65). If you get the Lansky system, get the pedestal to go with it else your hands will be cramping.

Honestly I suggest getting a knife under $100. Once you get over $100 you start getting into supersteels. Supersteels are hard to sharpen for beginners and if you don't know what you're doing, you're likely to ruin the edge.

You don't need a serrated edge. Most folks here would recommend against it even if you did want to cut rope.

For cleaning and caring, I just put a drop of gun oil on the blade and mechanism. You don't really need to do this though. Unless you see rust or your knife is having trouble opening, you could skip it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000B8L6LS/

You might try a lansky knife sharpening system. I have been sharpening my knives for years with the same (relatively) inexpensive set. Or a slightly more expensive diamond set. You can reprofile a knife with these, so, for just regular sharpening make sure you use only the finer stones.

...For a axe / hatchet you do want a sharpening puck. And if you carry an axe or hatchet -- do yourself a favor and sharpen it regularly.

And get yourself a strop, too.

People who are a lot more technical about it use water stones, and more expensive knife sharpening rigs. But for me, the lansky is totally sufficient (and I do appreciate a honed blade)

edit: grammar

For knives under 6" you can't beat this for a CONSISTENT super sharp razors edge.

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Diamond-Deluxe-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8L6LS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1333493117&sr=8-2

Once you fall in love with it you will want this:

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Super-Sapphire-Polishing-Hone/dp/B000B8IEB8/ref=pd_bxgy_sg_img_b

Which will help you achieve that uber fine polished edge.

It may seem crazy, but it's cheap and couldn't be easier to use. Really, a monkey could put a razors edge on anything with this system with very little training.

Don't cut yourself (but I know you will anyway!)

Sure! Here is what I originally started with. It works great once I have an edge, but setting the edge took a lot of time on really dull knives so I bought this extra coarse diamond hone. I love it, it sets my bevel in minutes so I can go back and finish the edge with the fine stones. For a few extra bucks, you can buy the whole diamond set. I would also recommend getting the mount so you can safely attach it to a workspace.

And finally, I learned how to use the system from Aaron Gough in his video here

Lansky.

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Diamond-Deluxe-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8L6LS/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1291941363&sr=8-5

Or - if you want the pinnacle of sharpening systems - but this is all "hand work" - you need to know what you are doing. the Tri-hone bath system:

http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Norton-3-Stone-IM313CIS-Arkansas-System-P317C25.aspx

154cm is pretty good steel, should hold an edge for a while. It's not a supersteel, but pretty close..

Take a look at Lansky's sharpening system. It's pretty inexpensive, but I've used mine for years without any problems. With 154cm you might want to go with the diamond stones. You'll have a complete sharpening kit for around $75

The first sharpener I got was a Natural Stones Lansky system which was fine. It doesn't require much skill and it got my knives sharp enough to shave hairs off. If you opt for a Lanksy though, I would recommend the Diamond Stones because they cut faster and are easier to clean.

When I started freehand sharpening, I got a Smith's Tri-hone which worked nicely. It was cheap and I was bad at freehanding, but with a good bit of practice, trial and error, and some instructional videos I was able to produce hair shaving edges consistently. And eventually, I decided I favored freehand sharpening over fixed angle sharpeners.

However, I gave away my Lansky and Smith's Tri-hone. Right now, I use DMT continuous sharpening stones. They cut very fast and I like them a lot. I'm a broke college student, so all I have is the Coarse, Fine, and Extra Fine stones which I can consistently get a toothy edge that will still shave hairs.

I'd say I'm still pretty bad at freehand sharpening. I don't always hold consistent angles and sometimes I fuck up a knife pretty bad, but I usually know what I did wrong and try to improve the next time I sharpen a knife. So whatever you get, meter your expectations. The first few knives you sharpen probably won't come out the best, but with enough practice, and especially patience, at the very least you'll get your knife sharp again.

Yeesh! Cool as hell, but I can't afford that! Reminds my of my old Lansky

This is what I use. Lansky 4-Stone Deluxe Diamond System | Precision Knife Sharpening Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000B8L6LS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_fspsDbRP0ZQQR