Lansky Knife Sharpening System

Ran into an occasional problem where the knife just didn't sharpen as fast as other times and always put it off to being impatient. Owned the first system I bought since around 1985 and a co-worker gave me his with a few stones I didn't have.
Real nice gesture but he hated the system because it didn't sharpen his knives and working free hand with stones was better for him.

Was bored a month ago and figured I would at long last look up the instructions on how to use the system right from the manufacturer. Have to give me credit I held out reading the instructions for 31 years

Today while sharpening a knife something was a little off, checked the rods in the stone holder and low and behold only three out of four on my original system were straight and four out of four were bent from the donated system.
Using a black marker I confirmed that each stone was riding in a different position on the cutting edge. I swear that the black marker is my most used tool when it comes to making knives.

Correctly set rod in stone holder:


blackened edge


Edge after testing out the stone alignment

 

I had to tweak every rod that came with mine to get good results. They are pretty flimsy and can bend even from pulling them out of the holder. I now use an Edge Pro Apex which is awesome, its basically like a giant lansky

 

Saw a used ad for one of them, typical full price plus 10% that people do around here. Figure if he still has it from a four month old ad I may pick it up.

 

I had to tape last knife I sharpened all along the clamp area. Seemed to help a tiny bit, if you have a rounded back then you have to clamp further in

 

I've been using my Lansky for years, but my biggest gripe is the teeny little clamping area. It makes doing a kitchen knife a pain in the ass.

 

I've been looking into the Lansky system and I watched a few vids on YouTube. They always seem to be sharpening or re-sharpening the knife. I mean, there is already an edge on the knife and they are sharpening it. Is a system like the Lansky used to put the "initial" edge on the blade? If so, they have one with 3 stones and the deluxe model with 5 stones. Witch one would you guys recommend.

 

I use Lansky with 5 stones to put an "initial" edge and then sharpen it. Works fine.

I also came across this problem with bent rods and my solution is that I use just one rod. Since I keep them in a box, I still have to take rods off stones every time I'm done with sharpening. So, I just use one stone, clean it, remove the rod and install it on the next stone. Works just perfectly.

What I like about this system - it is compact, lightweight and still can do very good job.
What I don't like - made cheaply, my superfine stone has a dent on it, and, off course, it is not for big blades.

 

I had been using a Lanksky system for years... in fact I just bought a second basic set as I broke a couple of stones at the threaded brass part and I needed them to get a commission finished.

Don't know that i'll use it again after trying a Ruxin Pro.... It's a chinese knock off of an Apex Edge Pro and wow is it SO much easier to use.... added bonus? It'll do a 10" blade no problem.

 

https://www.amazon.ca/RioRand-Profe..._UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=TQEAM0G007PT1MS367M8

Just in case anyone else was interested.

The 120 grit stone works really well but seems to wear pretty fast too. If anyone finds a source for individual stones especially in the lower grits let me know. I'd love to get another couple 120's and possibly even a 60 or 70 grit if they make it.

They seem to cut a lot better with way less effort than the Lansky stones. I reprofiled four large kitchen knives last night that the edges were just done on... I don't know what the other people do to knives in my house, but it's not friendly whatever it is

 

I should have piped up sooner...

I went out and picked up an Extra Coarse diamond stone, I think it was around $25 when I picked it up. It should work just fine for getting the initial edge on a blade that's been heat treated with the initial bevels done. I'll know for sure and will pass on the info later this summer I hope. Given my schedule at the bar, and the recent round of vet bills to keep one of my g/f's old cats going (and subsequently her mental health in good order) are really putting a crimp on available funds to get my portable knifemaking setup going. I was going to get the 1x30 and spend a few bucks on ordering some of the high-zoot belts from the US, but it's looking more and more like if I actually want to get a knife or two started this year that I should start working with files.

 

The Extra Course Diamond stone works pretty well for starting a bevel on hardened 1084 for sure... I've done about 7 knives on it so far.

 

I did find a canadian source for the Apex Edge Pro stones, but they run $25 each...

Really the only one that seemed to wear really quickly was the 120 grit which you can't seem to buy on amazon outside of the kits. So if I have to pay $25 once in a while to get a new 120 I'd be fine with that. The other 3 stones seemed to be fine,no noticeable wear after going through 4 large kitchen knives.


Also, why break the originals off the plastic backs? I'm pretty sure you could do steel or aluminum ones pretty easily with what we all have at our disposal

 

Something that I find works good. I have the Ruixin. I cut a piece of 1/4" steel that is about 1-1/4" x 6". It has a slight chamfer on the ends. You can wrap ANY sandpaper around it and clamp it in the Ruixin/Apex. One sheet of wet/dry goes a LONG way.

Dan

 

I have also used a granite or glass plate with paper stuck to it. works like a charm for sharpening or flattening a surface.

If you find an old 3,4,5 block? thing machinists use with holes in it. these work as well and I got a small one for a couple bucks at a yard sale