Originally posted by Bobby D.:
Can anyone share their experience with sharpeners like the Lansky or Smith systems that have the stones that fit into the angle guides. Getting the angle right and using the appropriate grit stone seem to be the central issues in getting the best edge. Also, both of the systems that I mentioned are available with triangular stones that are supposed to work with serrated blades...
Bobby,
I've heard good things about the Lansky system. It has been around for a long time, and is similar to the EdgePro, but uses a special clamp to fix the guide to the knife. This clamp must usually be moved several times, up & down the length of the blade - plus, it may be difficult to fix properly to some blades.
It sounds like the EdgePro is a bit easier to use - because you simply place the knife on a special "platform" part of the fixture and move it as you sharpen. It's probably a lot quicker, and solves the "difficult-to-clamp" problel. However, it probably requires a bit of technique to ensure that you're holding the knife properly on the fixture (but it does not look like rocket-science).
RE: SERRATED KNIVES:
I've heard that the angled sticks work fairly well for sharpening serrated knives. The triangular cross-section of the "rods" gives you a slightly-rounded point - which can get into the serrations (for serrated knives, you use the "point", rather than the flat side). They're better than nothing, and supposedly more effective than most.
However, I think Kevin Krueger once broght-up a few good points about serrated knife selection:
-It may be easier to buy relatively inexpensive serrated knives, & chuck-em when they get dull.
-Knives with a "wave" edge may work better, and are easier to sharpen.
(Otherwise, send serrated knives to the factory for sharpening - we sent-in my Mom's 50-year-old Cutcos, and they came back like razors!)
Hope you find this helpful / useful
(Definitely gotta' get that EdgePro ordered!)