knife sharpening help??

[lubbockdave]

OK, I have NO experience with sharpening knives and would LOVE to do this, but with all the freakin choices out there to sharpen a knife, I'm not sure which one is best to get--I'd like to make this a "one time purchase" and just learn how to get it right with what ever system I end up with. Having said that I am leaning towards a DMT diamond stone system-one coarse stone and another fine stone-but there are so many other choices, I am not sure of its quality and ability to put a good edge on a knife
I've looked at the Lanskey and other similar systems, but really like the simplicity of having just a stone.

So, am I way off base here?

Thanks

Dave

[Daveinthebush]

Trying to sharpen a knife on just a stone is best when you have something to guide the knife and maintain the exact same angle every time.  

After many years, too many, I finally settled on a Lansky knife sharpener with 4 stones.  I have three diamonds, rough, medium and fine.  The other is a fine, fine stone almost as smooth as glass.

The Lansky allows you to maintain a consistant angle every pass of the stone.  It is possible with this type of system to fillet the front page of a magazine.

A good oil on the stone is also necessay to clean the stone as you sharpen. Depending on the knife, I use 19-22 degrees for the blade angle.

You can even sharpen broadheads with the system.  The factory just does not cut it when it comes to sharpening.

[matt d]

I really like the lansky system, it gets em vary sharp and if you have some time and not too many large knives to sharpen, its great.  I heard that the Edge Pro system is better.  It is more expensive but a better quality and it is more versitile but I have never used it.  

I sharpen many knives for friends and family and also make them.  Although I have not been doing this for very long I am very confident in telling you that the best way to sharpen a knife is on a 1 x 30 verticle belt grinder that has the platen (medal belt backing) taken off.  You will end up with a convex edge that I really like.  You can get one of these grinders at www.harborfreight.com for 30 - 40 bucks.  I have a craftsman.  The belts you will need are 320 and 400 for reprofiling and 600, 800 and a leather belthttp://www.geocities.com/discount_abrasives/index.html.  The best leather belts I have found are from this site -http://www.handamerican.com/

You will be able to sharpen knives in no time flat.  You will get better results than with the lansky system at much less time.  You will need to do some practicing with some old knives first just to get used to holding the knives at the right angle and pressure.  The best way I know of is to hold your arms at a 90 degree angle and brace your elbows against your side.  The key factor to this method is the leather belt from Hand America.