Lansky Sharpener questions

[Corwyn]

Here's the zillion and one thread about Lansky.
After realising the Vic pen sharpener can't handle proper steel or even a blunt sak, after ruining blades with a tungsten sharpener and almost blinding myself when I broke off a Nirosta blade on the sharpening stone, I decided I want to dig into my pocket and get a reasonably priced Lansky 3-stone kit. I read a few reviews and the pro Lansky outfavour the against ones and as said, it's far cheaper than most alternatives.

Question time:

• What setting do I use for saks? I know they have a 25% edge. What hole should I use?
• Is the Lansky strop worth it? http://lansky.com/index.php/products/leather-stropping-hone/ I don't have another strop, and no real way of getting a proper, decently priced one+compound. I heard both top reviews and people who say it's useless.
• Any additional stones I should get? Do note that here they are more expensive and hard to get.
• Is it worth getting the adjustable stand or is the fixed one fine?
• Could I fix a broken tip with this or should I try with a Dremel? Or neither...?
• Should I only gring upwards or up/down? It's hard to see in videos.
• Do you suggest quick vertical strokes in each part of the blade (like on most Youtube videos) or use long stroking motions back to front (like the Lansky video)
• How long do these stones last? After sharpening my sak collection and all the kitchen knifes, will they be any good or do I need new ones?
• Is it worth getting the 3-stone when a 2-stone is half the price: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lansky-Sharpening-Tool-2-Stone-Basic-System-LKC02/351119101664 . Do I even need all 3 stones?

I just want my Vics and Leathermans to cut paper easily and maybe shave a bit of hair... nothing too fancy. I'll also have to do some heavy duty reprofiling for the whole cutlery drawers in 3 relatives houses... think 50+ knives dull as spoons.
Sorry if dumb questions. I am a righty with two left hands and poor experience in sharpening.

PS: By the way, if anyone in Europe (don't think US shipping would be worth it) has a kit he wants to get rid of for a reasonable price, please PM me.

[dks]

Of the top of my head....

The number of stones depends on what you want to do.

If you will be reprofiling blades you will need the rougher stones too. note that, as the angles are fixed it will be unlikely that all your knives will have the exact angles the lasky has, so you will need to reprofile some.
Also, if you like to have really nice, shiny edges you will need the extra fine ones.

For general maintenance 2 or 3 mid range stones are OK. I have the Deluxe system, which I use often, but the stones still look good.
I have also got a diamond lansky stone.
The diamond stones are faster and better for harder steels (SAKs use a basic, easy to maintain steel, with medium hardness so for them you will not need the diamomd stones)

Building on the previous, how long the stones last will depend on the number and steel type of the knives you sharpen. I also do a lot of free hand sharpening, so I do not use the lansky all the time.

I think the recomended angle for SAK was 20 or 25 degrees ? ... I use the 2nd hole, from the metal clamp.

The lasky instructions say to only grind towards the tip of the blade in a Z shaped movement..up, down  sideways, up, down sideways

...

[hiraethus]

I have the Standard 3-stone kit and though I find it a little fiddly, it works well enough.  I use the 25 degree angle on my SAKs as I struggle to get the blade clamped securely and use the shallower angles without the stone touching the clamp.  The shallower angles work better on a deeper blade like a kitchen knife.  On the small blade I do it freehand.  I don't bother to strop - the three stones get a good enough edge for my purposes.

I don't use a stand - it seems to work ok without though can be awkward to get the knife, holder and your hands in the right position to sharpen properly.  On a short blade like a SAK I can do a single diagonal pass from handle to tip.

I have resharpened a broken tip but use my belt sander to reshape the end first.  I have also used it to take out some major nicks from an old Pioneer, and to remove the pruner tip from a Harvester blade.  It just depends how long you can keep going and how long your family will put up with the noise.

A Spyderco Sharpmaker may actually be better for me as it seems like it would work better on small blades, but they're twice the price of the Lansky so ideally I'd want to try one before selling the Lansky.  Overall I like it and it works well.

[ducttapetech]

The Lansky with the three stones should serve you well. I have been using one for years. It sharpens VG10, S30v and 154CM with no problems and SAKs blades sharpen really fast. I also free hand sharpen some of my blades. Like my Moras and Opinels.

[Corwyn]

Thank you guys for the tips... ordered the 3 stones one with the fixed stand (just in case) and no strop stone. 

[cool123]

The Lansky Sharpeners are new to me as I have been using the ceramic knife sharpeners to sharpen my knife edges.

[LoveHate]

I have the deluxe 5 stone system and it works great. Just be sure your hands aren't in the way if not using the stand. if you slip the stone off the tip you could be at risk of cutting yourself. Also a leather belt works great as a strop and any lube will work. Hell I've even just spit on it. 

[Cupboard]

I know you've bought it now... but I don't really rate mine. It takes a long time, is fiddly to use and I don't get particularly great results with it.

An el cheapo diamond block I bought is simpler, quicker and gives better results.

[Corwyn]

I guess I owe you guys some feedback. 
Especially so people would learn from my noob mistakes.
I received it today and first impression was really bad:
1. Box was crooked and won't close properly (probably was years in stock).
2. Rods were fitted in tightly and are hard to take out without bending
3. Worst of all the clamp is really pointy and jagged and unfinished - Probably I have an older version with no nick or rubber on the jaws. First time I saw it I was sure it would scratch the blades.. and scratch it did...

I started trying on some cheapo folders and it was a total disaster:
1. Blades would keep slipping off the clamp and get in my hand
2. The top of the blade was scratched really bad by the jaws
3. On small blades I'd scratch the jaws a lot
4. After all this the blades ended up duller than before... 

Back to the drawing-board:
1. Wrapped the jaws in scotch tape to prevent scratches and improve grip
2. Used a cloth to tighten the red screw properly (it doesn't have the A angle as it says in the manual but it doesn't slip any more)
3. Moved the clamp higher and to the back
4. Used a "combo" motion. short passes diagonally to the front in each spot, than move a bit more a few times, than back another round, than another...
5. Alternated sides on grinding: Coarse A - Coarse B - Medium A - Medium  - Fine A - Fine B (not Coarse A - Medium A).

And... SUCCESS!  5 saks and a Laguiole from dull to paper-destroyers and 2 Opies from sorta dull to hair-shaving sharp....

[dks]

The rods tend to bend easily, and you will need to straighten them periodically.

[TheDude]

This viceo helped me a great deal.

[LoveHate]

Yeah it takes some getting used too. I don't use the little lipped edge to hold the blade also I used duct tape on the clamp. I also count the passes then do the same on the other side so it stays even. Also the extra screw with the round finger tightener can be used in place of the red screw and allows for a lot more torque and ease of tightening.