How to simply and accurately set verifiable hone angles with the Lansky Sharpener using an online angle calculator. CRK Sebenza set-up and first sharpening.
Being in the Engineering profession myself , I must congratulate you on bringing this to our ( BLKS ) Brotherhood of Lansky Knife Sharpeners' 🔪 attention ! Very simple to understand and well presented... But......I was just wondering if all of this would really matter when we accidently slice our finger down to the bone....?!! But seriously , thankyou for the tutorial which I will definitely use.
I commented and you asked a question. I deleted my comment, because I (after further research) have realized I was talking out my hind end. You have made great points here and I will use this video as reference in the future. Thank you. Good work.
Brilliant. Been using my lansky for a while now to sharpen just about anything that I can. Still very useful even 4 years from when you made it. Thank you!
Wow, this was just the video I was looking for regarding the Lansky. Most videos do not even come close to explaining this just as you did. Thank you so much, I will be saving this video for future reference.
Really good video! I actually haven't used my Lansky in a long time because I was having a problem getting consistent results. I don't remember the exact number but in the directions for the one I have it gives you the distance you are supposed to have for how much of the knife blade you are supposed to leave sticking out from the edge of the clamp. I use a ruler to make sure each knife is sticking out the same distance but I wasn't taking in account the knife thickness so now I see my angles were being affected. Thank you.
Thanks a lot, you are great!!! Some mesurements if you want a precise angle (using yor Lansky system measurements): For a blade of 0.100" you can put the blade 0.781" from the holder and using the 25° hole you will obtain a 20° angle, and a 25° angle can be obtained at a distance of 0.513" by using the 30° hole. For a blade of 0.125", 20°, distance 0.815" using the 25° hole, and 25°, 0.540" using the 30° hole. 😉
I ordered a digital angle meter to assist in this process. I do look forward to testing it against the math. Excellent method of operation and presentation. Great video, thanks
Hi Tony, First of all, you are correct. The angles marked on the clamp are way off. I did my own experiment with an angle cube and also verified it with the clinometer app on my phone .I used a gerber air ranger knife protruding out 5/8" from the end of the clamp. My results were very, very close to yours I was very anal in making sure everything was zeroed out, clamping halves parallel and made sure the stone rods were straight as could be. It amazes me that Lansky marked the angles on their clamp like they do. Whether you sharpen resting the rod on the top or bottom of the hole only makes 1/2 degree difference. I have several different knife sharpening systems and knowing the " True" angles of the Lansky clamp is a big help. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
great info that the angle difference from the top to the bottom of each hole is only 1/2 a degree!!! I can forget to use the akward index finger technique to keep the rod fixed. I havent yet got my Lansky, but im already an expert :-)
I had just bought a lansky and upon further inspection I realized what your mentioning about the angles and so forth, then I ran into this video and a laughed at the coincidence. Good video, unfortunate to see some of the low IQ comments.
Yep, it is the internet! It's actually with great sadness that some comments are critical of the video... &... They are plain wrong! Trolls will be haters...🤔
Excellent video, really helps in understanding how to setup the Lansky. I haven't read all the comments, but when measuring the distance to the rod hole wouldn't it be more accurate to measure to the top of the hole, less the thickness of the rod? When you put pressure on the stone when sharpening wouldn't the rod be forced to the top of the hole? Thank you for this video, best video on the Lansky I have seen.
Great video. Just one question. Does how you hold the rod at the L bracket, ie pushed up to the top or push down change the angle much. There is some slop in the unit. I ordered the system and it’s sitting at the post office, so I haven’t been able to check into it
Bottom vs top of hole only changes the angle 1/2 degree according to my angle cube. The clamp markings are still way off. I agree that consistency is what counts, but knowing the angle also matters as to what you are using the knife for.
Any idea why one edge of a knife blade is 17 deg and the other side of the same knife blade is 30? I have a few different knives where the angles are not the same
AloeVera84 - the kit comes with honing oil to use with the standard stones. The diamond stones are meant to be used dry. I use a little soapy water on the ceramic stones.
A lot of the measurements in the section around 5 minutes aren't set with the handle touching the top of the hole. If you adjust this you'd arrive at 17, no?
@@GLOCKCOPG23 You're right, I did. I thought it was neat that this was a functional display of those skills and knowledge. People use it everyday and never know what it is called.
final honing questions. if you clamp the rod to the stone by putting both on a table so the edge of the stone and bottom of the rod are matched, then put in a 1500 or 3000 stone, but had the rod extend down a bit, the stone angle would favor the edge, so the honing with the highest grades would favor the cutting edge more than the fill side of the grind. I find I spend more time honing the whole face much more because of how slow the really high number stones are.
When using the Lanskey system I put my finger behind the slot where the guide ride goes through so the rod rides at the top of slot not the bottom, this gives it a few more degrees i'm guessing. Your demo shows the guide rod riding on the bottom of the slot. Can you see that would make it closer to what the actual degree marks say they are.
I find about 1/2 degree variance between the top and bottom of the slot (greater angle on top, lesser angle on bottom). This variance is helpful to ensure the entire cutting edge gets honed & polished so I hone the angle flat and consistent using the bottom of the guide and then polish or strop the edge using the first the bottom of the guide and the finishing with the top of the guide slot. You can also use this variance to create a 1/2 degree convex edge.
I wonder when they started making all of the stuff in China? Also, I don't find anything about a warranty. Other then those two items I'm enjoying my kit. Thank for the video.
Very good. I have their LKC03 kit and had the same issues. Following their directions, leaving a 1/2" of the blade exposed from the edge of the clamp, the angles are all wrong. They seriously need to revisit the machining and enclosed literature.
The exact angle is not really important. The important part when sharpening a knife is CONSISTENCY. The lansky is very good at sharpening with a consistent angle.
I have just ordered a Lansky system kit and will be going through every knife I possess over the coming weeks. I think I am going to have to re-establish the edge of every one of these knives as I have never used a consistent system of sharpening, and some of my camping knives are a bit beaten up. What I will need to do is to determine what is going to be the ideal angle to sharpen each knife to. Some video tutorials just recommend a uniform angle and approach and claim that this works well. Others, like this one, go into high detail. Any suggestions would be welcome. For the record, I am not super technical by nature, all I want is a consistent and effective sharpening system that will keep my knives sharp and tidy.
Steve Koschella - Lansky will serve you well. Be consistent with how you mount the knife in the guide then just spend some time with it. It’s easy to get a very sharp edge with the Lansky system. Good Luck..
What do you call the tool used to measure the angle. I'm referring to the metal gauge with the meter and measurement settings etc.... Thank you very much.
Great video which verifies my concerns after just buying the Lansky Deluxe 5 stone system which I'll be using to sharpen kitchen and outdoors knives. The angles will change across any blade with angle change proportional to blade length. Assuming the Lansky is centred in the middle of the blade, the centre of the blade will be most obtuse and the base/tip will be most acute. This makes the tip and base of the blades sharper but more susceptible to chipping. Some examples For a 3" blade with the blade distance 4" from the Lansky and using the 20 hole, the angle in the middle will be 17.74 degrees. At the base and tip, the distance from the Lansky changes to 4.27", making the angle around 16.81 degrees. This isn't a massive difference. However, the same calculations for a standard 6" chefs knife (same hole, blade thickness and blade distance) the blade/tip angles change to around 14 degrees. I've considred the following options: 1) Change Lansky hole as you go up the blade, meaning a stepped sharpen (not a good plan) 2) Move the Lansky up the blade as you sharpen - meaning a variable wavy (but more consistent) angle all the way up the blade 3) Modify the Lansky to laterally extend the holes to the same length as the blade), allowing the hone to maintain angle all the way up the blade. I realise I'm getting seriously OCD on this, but I'd really welcome comments
Yes the hone angle decreases as distance increases. As you stated, for small knives it's no issue but for large knives it's problematic. To solve this issue, I've purchased extra Lansky clamps off EBay. Rather than centering one clamp, I place clamps on the blade so I maintain a reasonable constant hone angle (within 1/2 degree). I've also replaced the Lansky base with a small hobby vise which can hold up to three clamps. Even on my 4" pocket knives, I use a second clamp to maintain a more constant angle which really improves the angle grind at the tip of the knife. Even after buying extra clamps and a vise the Lansky system is way less expensive than other systems and does the best job of sharpening I've found.
Great geometry class ... but the guides flop around inside the holes, thereby altering the angle ... And does it really matter .002 degrees when preparing to cut the cheese ?
Place you index finger of the hand not on the stone (I wrap mine in blue tape) at the back of the sharpener holding the rod up the whole time. (Not my idea, I cant take credit). It really does help.
East Bay - I have actually stopped using tape, my hands are dirty all the time anyways, but just like someone else said it's all about consistancy and you'll get a razor sharp knife. I am thinking of trying to resharpen a utility blade (stanley), not that it isn't cheaper to just buy them, but for my own skills. Lol
4:00 FALSE INFORMATION - I am not having a go at the author but I think it's really important to point out that this information here about the honing angle changing is false. The angle between the stone and the bottom length changes BUT the actual HONING ANGLE does not change.
Every review I can find of this Lansky system is only sharpening pocket knives .... what about chefs knives - does it work on 8 or 10" blades and bigger ... or is it not suitable for such sizes
Rick Hughes - The Lansky System can sharpen larger knives too. The trick to a consistent angle across a longer blades is to have more than one clamp and apply multiple clamps every 6” or so (or move the single clamp to multiple locations). I use two clamps for all my knives up to 13”, an additional clamp cost about $10bucks so if you pay $100 for the diamond system, $10 for an extra clamp, $10 for a leather strop, you’re good to go for life. I also use a 4” hobby vise to hold the clamps instead of the Lansky Base, that cost about $20..
I understand being accurate in everything, but for me angle doesn't matter as much as long as I use the lansky system and proper placement of my blade every time for repeated accuracy
i like using a marker on the blade and adjusting tool until it takes the mark off. So easy and I can change angle of edge if I don't like it. Good vid though.
Good stuff ! Lansky needs to make a clamp with adjustable angle hole, only one hole, that slides in a track and marked increments for different angles / ie blade edge distance from end of the clamp / or the distance to the 90° back vertical front edge of the clamp !
14:53: On a completely straight blade, the sharpening-angle change as distance increases away from where the blade is clamped has nothing to do with the distance from the pivot point to the blade. It is completely due to Lansky's notch through which the rod glides. Provide me with the dimensions of that notch, and I'll happily do the math for you. This sharpening-angle change does not happen on a true-pivot system such as the TSPROF. Both systems are subject to a sharpening-angle change on blades that curve relative to where the blade is clamped, however.
Lol interesting but I've had no problems producing a very sharp edge using the lansky it took a few minutes to get used to it but it's a great cheap system that produces razor sharp edge with no hassle this is all great info but seems over done. I just hit the 20 degrees slot which is probably closer to 17 and get a consistent hair popping sharp edge with minimal effort . Granted I'm not sharpening a sebenza lol I don't know that I could bring myself to put such a nice blade in that bit it does great for my manix 2 and benchmades as well as other cheapos.
Had my lansky system for 4 years now and been thinking about those angles, thanks for very good video, I nerded the heck out and putting the perfect edge on a vintage microtech m-socom :) thanks for very good content, oh yeah and subbed btw. Got a knife and outdoors channel myself, check it out if curious ;)
4:00 This is actually FALSE. As you move from side to side, the blade is no longer parallel ie the blade is straight. IF you moved the fulcrum up to that portion of the blade, the sharpening angle will be exactly the same. IE, IF the blade angle was at a greater distance and stilll normal (perpendicular) to the fulcrum, the honing angle would change BUT the blade is straight and the angle of interest is the honing angle NOT the angle between the bottom distance and the stone.
where can I get that spreadsheet? I was going to create one myself. I was thinking of having a spreadsheet where you can look up or select the width of the blade.
Very interesting and informative information BUT Your information is slightly flawed if you read the directions it clearly states angles are derived from the blade protruding 5/8 of an inch from the device You were taking your angles from the edge of the device BUT I still enjoyed the video and I've learned a few things from it I've been using Lansky sharpeners for 30 years on my 3rd one
Ok, now how to compensate for the difference in distance to the base in the middle and on the tip of the blade? For a long knife you get sufficiently smaller angle at the tip which sucks because the blade itself is usually thicker there and you have to remove excessive amount of material making a tip more fragile and ugly.
ewqiupg - I use multiple clamps (usually two) depending on the length of the blade. I measure to ensure the distance side to side remains relatively constant. I also mount my clamps in a hobby vise instead of the Lansky base to provide better consistency. I bought the extra clamps on e-bay for about $10 each and the hobby vise was about $25 so with the price of the Lansky diamond stones I'm still under $100 for the set-up I use. Lastly I bought a Harbor Freight 1x30 belt sander and run a leather belt with .5 micron diamond spray as a power strop. I'm very happy with the results..
The problem with this is it assumes there is no knife. You could not have the angle so acute with a knife in place. When you put a knife in the jaws the stone will rise causing the angle to increase
I'd buy the diamond hones, they are more expensive but they cut harder steels more easily and they'll last a lifetime. I finish with the fine diamond, then the ceramic 2000 grit and then strop.
Does the actual angle actually even matter??...as long as they are consistent it seems that the actual angle doesnt matter...maybe because certain angles stay sharper longer?...I have no clue
I guess this is great for everyone who owns micrometers and vernier calipers. I found the presentation rather mind-boggling and I am not convinced it takes all this to sharpen a knife. It would have been nice if the information were condensed and easier to understand. I will take a few more goes at trying to follow this. Right now I will stay with my stones. Ain't got no problem in using stones.
I don't understand why what you mean by "right angle calculation", you say it a couple of times. When I went to school 50 yrs ago a right angle was always 90 degrees.
The further the cutting edge is from the RIGHT ANGLE of the Lansky sharpener, the point where the stone actually contacts the blade edge, the SHALLOWER the blade angle becomes. You can calculate that using an online angle calculator. If you measure from the right angle of the bracket to the actual knife edge, you can calculate, with high accuracy, the EXACT angle of your knife's cutting edge. That's all ynotif is saying. So, it's important how far you have the blade clamped into or out of the jaws of the clamp. If the cutting edge of the knife is held further out from the bracket, the cutting edge will become shallower. Here's the punch line: Always be CONSISTENT with how far a SPECIFIC KNIFE is held into or out of the Lansky bracket. If you're like me, you'll write down the measurements for each specific knife so that you can replicate how far the blade is sticking out of the bracket so you're consistent every time.
Хобби
amazing. in a world of youtube sets and purple neon lights, I appreciate greatly this era of instruction through youtube, thank you
AGREED!
Purple gets a really bad wrap! LOL
It's not the colour that's the problem...!
Being in the Engineering profession myself , I must congratulate you on bringing this to our ( BLKS ) Brotherhood of Lansky Knife Sharpeners' 🔪 attention ! Very simple to understand and well presented...
But......I was just wondering if all of this would really matter when we accidently slice our finger down to the bone....?!!
But seriously , thankyou for the tutorial which I will definitely use.
I commented and you asked a question. I deleted my comment, because I (after further research) have realized I was talking out my hind end.
You have made great points here and I will use this video as reference in the future.
Thank you. Good work.
Brilliant. Been using my lansky for a while now to sharpen just about anything that I can. Still very useful even 4 years from when you made it. Thank you!
an excellent instructional video. Practical metrology! Well done
I'm jealous of your old lansky. Looks like it will literally last forever.
Best video ever. Congratulations. My third grade trigonometry would be proud of me.
You read my mind, only 11 years before i tought about this!😂 Excellent video.
Just bought a Lansky kit and have been tweaking it up. This is exactly what I needed. Thanks.
You must be an engineer! Great video, nice job explaining, thanks!
You just helped Lansky sell another unit! Thank you very very much for posting this analysis!
Wow, this was just the video I was looking for regarding the Lansky. Most videos do not even come close to explaining this just as you did. Thank you so much, I will be saving this video for future reference.
Really good video! I actually haven't used my Lansky in a long time because I was having a problem getting consistent results. I don't remember the exact number but in the directions for the one I have it gives you the distance you are supposed to have for how much of the knife blade you are supposed to leave sticking out from the edge of the clamp. I use a ruler to make sure each knife is sticking out the same distance but I wasn't taking in account the knife thickness so now I see my angles were being affected. Thank you.
This was a ton of useful information, thank you for taking the time to make this video.
Wonderfully detailed video! I really appreciate your spending the time. This will allow me to better use my Lansky system.
Thanks a lot, you are great!!!
Some mesurements if you want a precise angle (using yor Lansky system measurements):
For a blade of 0.100" you can put the blade 0.781" from the holder and using the 25° hole you will obtain a 20° angle, and a 25° angle can be obtained at a distance of 0.513" by using the 30° hole.
For a blade of 0.125", 20°, distance 0.815" using the 25° hole, and 25°, 0.540" using the 30° hole.
😉
Wonderfully detailed video!
Bravo!
I ordered a digital angle meter to assist in this process. I do look forward to testing it against the math. Excellent method of operation and presentation. Great video, thanks
Thanks for doing all the hard work... Is this very indepth...
Thank you for sharing this information. It’s been a great help. Top$
Great effort, a clear point of view, good results
Thanks for the excellent video Sir! Very useful.
wow very cool! i knew the 17 degree angle seemed very acute. good to know! Definitely will change how i decide which hole to pick. thank you
Thanks for your time and effort in this video. It is very informative.
Thank you for all your knowledge
I'm from Enumclaw Washington great video
Very very good job, man!!! Thank you!
Yeah, but your supposed to have the edge half an inch from the end of the clamp.
Hi Tony, First of all, you are correct. The angles marked on the clamp are way off. I did my own experiment with an angle cube and also verified it with the clinometer app on my phone .I used a gerber air ranger knife protruding out 5/8" from the end of the clamp. My results were very, very close to yours I was very anal in making sure everything was zeroed out, clamping halves parallel and made sure the stone rods were straight as could be. It amazes me that Lansky marked the angles on their clamp like they do. Whether you sharpen resting the rod on the top or bottom of the hole only makes 1/2 degree difference. I have several different knife sharpening systems and knowing the " True" angles of the Lansky clamp is a big help. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
great info that the angle difference from the top to the bottom of each hole is only 1/2 a degree!!! I can forget to use the akward index finger technique to keep the rod fixed. I havent yet got my Lansky, but im already an expert :-)
what a find! thank you so very much...blessings
Enjoyed your video I had to listen between the lines but I got it thanks.
Thank you, very interesting !
Thank you very much for the info👍
Thanks for the video and good info
Good work!
Great video!! thx. im subscribed
Very great job!
thanks a lot for that.
my best regards
Brilliant video. Cleared up a lot of confusion. And here I thought 17° was actually 17° . Thank you. What kind of clamp is that?
I had just bought a lansky and upon further inspection I realized what your mentioning about the angles and so forth, then I ran into this video and a laughed at the coincidence. Good video, unfortunate to see some of the low IQ comments.
Yep, it is the internet! It's actually with great sadness that some comments are critical of the video... &... They are plain wrong!
Trolls will be haters...🤔
Nice catch!
this guy is a perfect example of where the term over engineered comes from
Venom5260 - it’s a pretty old video. Today I just use an angle cube..
Excellent video, really helps in understanding how to setup the Lansky. I haven't read all the comments, but when measuring the distance to the rod hole wouldn't it be more accurate to measure to the top of the hole, less the thickness of the rod? When you put pressure on the stone when sharpening wouldn't the rod be forced to the top of the hole? Thank you for this video, best video on the Lansky I have seen.
Great video. Just one question. Does how you hold the rod at the L bracket, ie pushed up to the top or push down change the angle much. There is some slop in the unit. I ordered the system and it’s sitting at the post office, so I haven’t been able to check into it
Bottom vs top of hole only changes the angle 1/2 degree according to my angle cube. The clamp markings are still way off. I agree that consistency is what counts, but knowing the angle also matters as to what you are using the knife for.
Any idea why one edge of a knife blade is 17 deg and the other side of the same knife blade is 30? I have a few different knives where the angles are not the same
Very interesting video! Thank you for sharing it.
I have a question. Can you wet these stones with water? haven't bought it yet
AloeVera84 - the kit comes with honing oil to use with the standard stones. The diamond stones are meant to be used dry. I use a little soapy water on the ceramic stones.
A lot of the measurements in the section around 5 minutes aren't set with the handle touching the top of the hole. If you adjust this you'd arrive at 17, no?
Sine, cosine and tangent.. super basic math people! I use it daily for a myriad of uses, this being one of them. Great video sir.
You also took algebra 2? Wow 🙄
@@GLOCKCOPG23 You're right, I did. I thought it was neat that this was a functional display of those skills and knowledge. People use it everyday and never know what it is called.
@@garrity5 I never meant that sh:tty. I was just trying to say how I hated taking that crap in class but now I use it sometimes too. Lol
Lansky states to use the TOP of the hole for use. That would make your measurement closer to Lansky's index.
No it wouldn't. There's not THAT much play in the holes.
@@squatch545 enough for a degree or two I'd bet.
But how would you compensate for the distance lost in the removement of material?
final honing questions. if you clamp the rod to the stone by putting both on a table so the edge of the stone and bottom of the rod are matched, then put in a 1500 or 3000 stone, but had the rod extend down a bit, the stone angle would favor the edge, so the honing with the highest grades would favor the cutting edge more than the fill side of the grind. I find I spend more time honing the whole face much more because of how slow the really high number stones are.
the best and accute video about check the angle on a knife sharpener. good job!
When using the Lanskey system I put my finger behind the slot where the guide ride goes through so the rod rides at the top of slot not the bottom, this gives it a few more degrees i'm guessing. Your demo shows the guide rod riding on the bottom of the slot. Can you see that would make it closer to what the actual degree marks say they are.
I find about 1/2 degree variance between the top and bottom of the slot (greater angle on top, lesser angle on bottom). This variance is helpful to ensure the entire cutting edge gets honed & polished so I hone the angle flat and consistent using the bottom of the guide and then polish or strop the edge using the first the bottom of the guide and the finishing with the top of the guide slot. You can also use this variance to create a 1/2 degree convex edge.
I wonder when they started making all of the stuff in China? Also, I don't find anything about a warranty. Other then those two items I'm enjoying my kit. Thank for the video.
According to Lansky, the blade edge should be 5/8 of an inch from the edge of the holder.
Very good. I have their LKC03 kit and had the same issues. Following their directions, leaving a 1/2" of the blade exposed from the edge of the clamp, the angles are all wrong. They seriously need to revisit the machining and enclosed literature.
In layman's terms what do I need to do to make them angle correct.
i liked the vid. Should of stayed awake in math class lol. But seems easy enough. I think ill get the work sharp
You also should " have" stayed awake in English class mate ;)
@@leth9320 😂😂😂
The exact angle is not really important. The important part when sharpening a knife is CONSISTENCY. The lansky is very good at sharpening with a consistent angle.
ye for most of the users 17 - 25 wil be fine. i just pick the one what is closest to the current angle on the knife to save time
Exactly, Please read my comment about using a knife for a living and not needing any of this garbage.
I have just ordered a Lansky system kit and will be going through every knife I possess over the coming weeks. I think I am going to have to re-establish the edge of every one of these knives as I have never used a consistent system of sharpening, and some of my camping knives are a bit beaten up.
What I will need to do is to determine what is going to be the ideal angle to sharpen each knife to. Some video tutorials just recommend a uniform angle and approach and claim that this works well. Others, like this one, go into high detail.
Any suggestions would be welcome. For the record, I am not super technical by nature, all I want is a consistent and effective sharpening system that will keep my knives sharp and tidy.
Steve Koschella - Lansky will serve you well. Be consistent with how you mount the knife in the guide then just spend some time with it. It’s easy to get a very sharp edge with the Lansky system. Good Luck..
¡Master!
What do you call the tool used to measure the angle. I'm referring to the metal gauge with the meter and measurement settings etc.... Thank you very much.
Lonnie Clemens Vernier Caliper
@@9tachikomas Or jokingly referred t as VERYNEAR GUAGE 😄
VERY INFORMATIVE VIDEO! THANKS!!
Well done :)
Wow too much info 👍
Great video which verifies my concerns after just buying the Lansky Deluxe 5 stone system which I'll be using to sharpen kitchen and outdoors knives.
The angles will change across any blade with angle change proportional to blade length. Assuming the Lansky is centred in the middle of the blade, the centre of the blade will be most obtuse and the base/tip will be most acute. This makes the tip and base of the blades sharper but more susceptible to chipping.
Some examples
For a 3" blade with the blade distance 4" from the Lansky and using the 20 hole, the angle in the middle will be 17.74 degrees. At the base and tip, the distance from the Lansky changes to 4.27", making the angle around 16.81 degrees. This isn't a massive difference.
However, the same calculations for a standard 6" chefs knife (same hole, blade thickness and blade distance) the blade/tip angles change to around 14 degrees.
I've considred the following options:
1) Change Lansky hole as you go up the blade, meaning a stepped sharpen (not a good plan)
2) Move the Lansky up the blade as you sharpen - meaning a variable wavy (but more consistent) angle all the way up the blade
3) Modify the Lansky to laterally extend the holes to the same length as the blade), allowing the hone to maintain angle all the way up the blade.
I realise I'm getting seriously OCD on this, but I'd really welcome comments
Yes the hone angle decreases as distance increases. As you stated, for small knives it's no issue but for large knives it's problematic.
To solve this issue, I've purchased extra Lansky clamps off EBay. Rather than centering one clamp, I place clamps on the blade so I maintain a reasonable constant hone angle (within 1/2 degree). I've also replaced the Lansky base with a small hobby vise which can hold up to three clamps. Even on my 4" pocket knives, I use a second clamp to maintain a more constant angle which really improves the angle grind at the tip of the knife.
Even after buying extra clamps and a vise the Lansky system is way less expensive than other systems and does the best job of sharpening I've found.
Many Thanks - sounds like you have come up with a great solution. I may well go this way myself.
Cheers again for the video and response.
Great geometry class ... but the guides flop around inside the holes, thereby altering the angle ... And does it really matter .002 degrees when preparing to cut the cheese ?
Place you index finger of the hand not on the stone (I wrap mine in blue tape) at the back of the sharpener holding the rod up the whole time. (Not my idea, I cant take credit).
It really does help.
@@philamburgey lol funny that his comment was posted two years ago but you said exactly what I came down here to say. And only two days ago.
East Bay - I have actually stopped using tape, my hands are dirty all the time anyways, but just like someone else said it's all about consistancy and you'll get a razor sharp knife.
I am thinking of trying to resharpen a utility blade (stanley), not that it isn't cheaper to just buy them, but for my own skills. Lol
Can we have please your angle chart, with the real lansky holes angle? Thank you
Good job with the video but that Sebenza is nice love my large #21
hi from england, thank you for the information. i have one of these and i knew it was way off.
4:00 FALSE INFORMATION - I am not having a go at the author but I think it's really important to point out that this information here about the honing angle changing is false. The angle between the stone and the bottom length changes BUT the actual HONING ANGLE does not change.
I think you are wrong. He is correct. Unless I misunderstood your post.
Jake from Canadian cutting edge goes into detail about this.
Every review I can find of this Lansky system is only sharpening pocket
knives .... what about chefs knives - does it work on 8 or 10" blades
and bigger ... or is it not suitable for such sizes
Rick Hughes - The Lansky System can sharpen larger knives too. The trick to a consistent angle across a longer blades is to have more than one clamp and apply multiple clamps every 6” or so (or move the single clamp to multiple locations). I use two clamps for all my knives up to 13”, an additional clamp cost about $10bucks so if you pay $100 for the diamond system, $10 for an extra clamp, $10 for a leather strop, you’re good to go for life. I also use a 4” hobby vise to hold the clamps instead of the Lansky Base, that cost about $20..
You might try to add another angle clamp and space them evenly over your kitchen knives.
U sound like math teacher. 😂Cool usefull vid
I understand being accurate in everything, but for me angle doesn't matter as much as long as I use the lansky system and proper placement of my blade every time for repeated accuracy
Yea I had the same issues. Ended up using a micrometer and wrote down each knife I sharpen
Lansky's angles are with the edge of the blade 5/8" from the edge of the clamp
for 12 inch knife i prefer a 25 to 30 degree. a 10 inch i prefer 20 to 17 . i use a very flexible 6 inch boning and prefer around 10
i like using a marker on the blade and adjusting tool until it takes the mark off. So easy and I can change angle of edge if I don't like it. Good vid though.
Good stuff ! Lansky needs to make a clamp with adjustable angle hole, only one hole, that slides in a track and marked increments for different angles / ie blade edge distance from end of the clamp / or the distance to the 90° back vertical front edge of the clamp !
Yeah more money then.
14:53: On a completely straight blade, the sharpening-angle change as distance increases away from where the blade is clamped has nothing to do with the distance from the pivot point to the blade. It is completely due to Lansky's notch through which the rod glides. Provide me with the dimensions of that notch, and I'll happily do the math for you. This sharpening-angle change does not happen on a true-pivot system such as the TSPROF. Both systems are subject to a sharpening-angle change on blades that curve relative to where the blade is clamped, however.
Lol interesting but I've had no problems producing a very sharp edge using the lansky it took a few minutes to get used to it but it's a great cheap system that produces razor sharp edge with no hassle this is all great info but seems over done. I just hit the 20 degrees slot which is probably closer to 17 and get a consistent hair popping sharp edge with minimal effort . Granted I'm not sharpening a sebenza lol I don't know that I could bring myself to put such a nice blade in that bit it does great for my manix 2 and benchmades as well as other cheapos.
Had my lansky system for 4 years now and been thinking about those angles, thanks for very good video, I nerded the heck out and putting the perfect edge on a vintage microtech m-socom :) thanks for very good content, oh yeah and subbed btw. Got a knife and outdoors channel myself, check it out if curious ;)
I was wondering why my knifes were not sharpening, and actually dulling
Bro this is too much! I don't even wanna buy it anymore hahaha
Hone angle will change at the tip as distance changes.
4:00 This is actually FALSE. As you move from side to side, the blade is no longer parallel ie the blade is straight. IF you moved the fulcrum up to that portion of the blade, the sharpening angle will be exactly the same.
IE, IF the blade angle was at a greater distance and stilll normal (perpendicular) to the fulcrum, the honing angle would change BUT the blade is straight and the angle of interest is the honing angle NOT the angle between the bottom distance and the stone.
👍
Wow, talk about precision! Makes perfect sense though.
where can I get that spreadsheet? I was going to create one myself. I was thinking of having a spreadsheet where you can look up or select the width of the blade.
Very interesting and informative information
BUT
Your information is slightly flawed if you read the directions it clearly states angles are derived from the blade protruding 5/8 of an inch from the device
You were taking your angles from the edge of the device
BUT
I still enjoyed the video and I've learned a few things from it I've been using Lansky sharpeners for 30 years on my 3rd one
Ok, now how to compensate for the difference in distance to the base in the middle and on the tip of the blade? For a long knife you get sufficiently smaller angle at the tip which sucks because the blade itself is usually thicker there and you have to remove excessive amount of material making a tip more fragile and ugly.
ewqiupg - I use multiple clamps (usually two) depending on the length of the blade. I measure to ensure the distance side to side remains relatively constant. I also mount my clamps in a hobby vise instead of the Lansky base to provide better consistency. I bought the extra clamps on e-bay for about $10 each and the hobby vise was about $25 so with the price of the Lansky diamond stones I'm still under $100 for the set-up I use. Lastly I bought a Harbor Freight 1x30 belt sander and run a leather belt with .5 micron diamond spray as a power strop. I'm very happy with the results..
Thank you for your answer, this might be the way to go indeed. Makes this set even more clumsy than it is though.
@@ynotjf
You can mount a leather belt on a belt sander?!
I haven't thought of a POWERED strop.
Any specifics on the leather belt?
I'll search Amazon.
@@IamDoogy pro sharpening supplies makes leather belts, it comes with white compound they make sanding belts also.
Lansky instruction and free Pythagoras class.
Great info put whey to fussy for me
J J - it’s an old video, just buy an Angle Cube in today’s world..
its so easy to get the right angle with basic math, correct? so why would they get it wrong? they had to intentionally mess it up or your wrong
The problem with this is it assumes there is no knife. You could not have the angle so acute with a knife in place. When you put a knife in the jaws the stone will rise causing the angle to increase
OMG!!
Thinking about getting a lansky. Should I get a diamond or non diamond version?
I'd buy the diamond hones, they are more expensive but they cut harder steels more easily and they'll last a lifetime. I finish with the fine diamond, then the ceramic 2000 grit and then strop.
also no need for oil (a real hassle) with diamond ?
You really really would want to buy the diamond version!
Damn it
Does the actual angle actually even matter??...as long as they are consistent it seems that the actual angle doesnt matter...maybe because certain angles stay sharper longer?...I have no clue
Aging video. Use an angle cube! Yes, the angle is equal to blade steel in importance!
they weren't "forcing" you mate. you were free to leave
Hmm interesting. And now more time consuming 😂 to sharpen my knife
I guess this is great for everyone who owns micrometers and vernier calipers. I found the presentation rather mind-boggling and I am not convinced it takes all this to sharpen a knife. It would have been nice if the information were condensed and easier to understand. I will take a few more goes at trying to follow this. Right now I will stay with my stones. Ain't got no problem in using stones.
Dude, the video is 8 years old! Just buy an angle cube..
@@ynotjf puke!
Who cares how old the video is. Fact is the fact.
I don't understand why what you mean by "right angle calculation", you say it a couple of times. When I went to school 50 yrs ago a right angle was always 90 degrees.
The further the cutting edge is from the RIGHT ANGLE of the Lansky sharpener, the point where the stone actually contacts the blade edge, the SHALLOWER the blade angle becomes. You can calculate that using an online angle calculator. If you measure from the right angle of the bracket to the actual knife edge, you can calculate, with high accuracy, the EXACT angle of your knife's cutting edge. That's all ynotif is saying.
So, it's important how far you have the blade clamped into or out of the jaws of the clamp. If the cutting edge of the knife is held further out from the bracket, the cutting edge will become shallower.
Here's the punch line:
Always be CONSISTENT with how far a SPECIFIC KNIFE is held into or out of the Lansky bracket.
If you're like me, you'll write down the measurements for each specific knife so that you can replicate how far the blade is sticking out of the bracket so you're consistent every time.