I pulled-the-trigger on a Lansky TB 2D2C Sharpener -
Thanks everyone...
It does not run wet, but I just keep a check on heat on my blades. They get warm, but not enough the affect the temper of the blade.
Thank you very much.
New to this. I just ordered 2 whetstone sharpener. 3000 and 6000.
Just found out the coarse side is for knife that’s blunt or need a new edge. The finer side is for honing and keeping the edge sharp.
I was doing it both instead of just honing the knives that’s already have a good edge. Live and learn.
Hey mate I have a lansky style system it work good but probably not as good as the actual lansky system it was less then half the price. I hate how the knife can move around.
The Lansky is great for forming an edge and bringing it close to fully sharp, which is all that most people need. If the angle used is compatible, the stones in the Smith’s will finish the job to 99% and a leather strop will do the last 1%. I have a Smith’s in the bug-out bag along with a medium carborundum stone for hatchet sharpening. Both are more for quickness than for a perfect edge.
I could never get both sides equal when hand-stoning and I’ve seen very few who could. And those who did that were stuck with one angle; anything different was as uneven as mine 
The angle is the most important part of knife sharpening, and it varies by the type of steel and what the intended use is. Whatever method you use, practice it and you’ll become good with it.
I need some new stones for my Lansky- the downside of it is that the stones wear in the most-used middle changing the angle and replacement’s at retail aren’t exactly cheap. But given good steel and enough time you can put a great edge on the dullest knife with it.
Phil
you will be glad with your purchase, its an excellent beginner’s proper sharpener, just make sure you dont use the diamond rod unless you have a seriously damaged edge, and get a leather strop later
I use this for razor sharp blades in minutes!
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-in-x-30-in-belt-sander-60543.html
If you do not believe me check out the hundreds of you tube vids by pro knife makers
ken
Crocsticks work for me, something smaller, and/or a whetstone for generic sharpening could be good.
I also have the Lansky and it does a fine job. The biggest advantage that you get with the Lansky is maintaining the correct angle.
I use a steel rod in my vice to mount the Lansky while I am using it. In order to get a really sharp edge after I am done with the stones I use a leather strop and stropping compound to polish the edge and get a scary sharp knife.
Bob
I heard good things about the Lansky Turn-box with the 4 rod system with 2 diamond rods & 2 ceramic rods.
You should get a sharpening stone, preferably 8 or 10 inch silicon carbide or aluminum oxide, and learn to use it first, then look for shortcuts afterwards. The main trick is to control the range of angles as you hold the knife. I reduce the pressure to just the weight of the blade at the end.
I had a V shaped tungsten carbide sharpener like that and it was faster. But they don’t keep the edge straight, so you need to use a stone once in a while.
A diamond lap from DMT is faster than a stone but expensive. I have used files to re-shape very old knives.
Everyone seems to have his own variation. Some sharpen only in one direction, but I find that too slow. Since I keep most of my knives that are currently in use in the kitchen and sharpen them there, I use dish detergent and water instead of honing oil, except for my Arkansas stone. The main thing is to get the stone particles off so they don’t dull the stone.
The best angle depends on how you use it, as well as on the kind of steel. If it touches hard things or if you scrape with it, it needs a wider more obtuse angle, at the edge, to prevent the edge from bending over. Rustable steel tends to be harder in the bulk than stainless, so it can hold a more acute angle.
+1
One of the last remaining arts is knowing how to sharpen knifes with wet stones.
virtuovice on YouTube is a good teacher.
(Sharpening begins at 09:00 minute mark)
I worked as a meat-cutter,(butcher is a term we frowned upon because we were specialists) both in small IGA markets, larger Kroger (unionized) stores, and in a classic full kill slaughterhouse. We used Norton tri-stones to do all of our sharpening. In the slaughterhouse there were 16 tristones around a circular table. Over 300 meat-cutters worked each shift. We all normally carried 6 knives in per shift. We would arrive to work about 30 minutes early to sharpen our knives. If you could not sharpen 6 knives in 3 or 4 minutes you MIGHT be fired. All about hand feel, no guidance systems…once you get the muscle memory to duplicate the angle every stroke it’s automatic. Standard stroke was heel to toe one side, then flip blade and toe to heel on return. No wasted motion. Everyone of us had WICKED edges that would be completely worn out after cutting up 1600 hogs per day……
+1
Skilled Labor!
I have 3 constant angle sharpeners that use guide rods. An original Lansky, a Smiths and a Lanski diamond. I don’t care for the Smith’s because the rods screw into the side of the stones, so they don’t run exactly parallel to the surface of the stones. Lansky’s use a right angled rod, so as long as you lock it in properly, the rod and stones align. I prefer the diamond because it’s wicked fast at removing material for re-profiling or sharpening a really dull blade and pretty much lasts forever (YMMV). There are some minor irritations with regards to how the blades lock into the guide, but nothing I can’t live with. I also have a Darex (now Worksharp) Guided Field Sharpener which I leave in my day bag. You have to maintain a constant angle manually, but the guides make that easy. For something so small and portable, it’s pretty effective. BTW, Darex/Worksharp is the same company that makes the Ken Onion Worksharp and the original Worksharp series of sharpeners. I don’t have experience with those, but I’ve heard some issues regarding each model. Also, looks like they just came out with a new power sharpener. Overheard commercials for it as the TV watched me sleeping late last night. 
I saw a 4 sided manual stone kit that looked pretty interesting. Found this on Harbor Freight’s website. I’m interested in learning to use stones. This looks like a good cheap way to start. Think I’d also pick up either some good Arkansas stones or maybe some Japanese water stones.
Where can I get a good budget 'leather strop and stropping compound'?
Thanks!
Using a Lansky diamond kit and stropping on an old leather belt, I’ve been able to get both a Kershaw OSO Sweet (1830) and a Sanrenmu 7010 sharp enough to shave with. Not just arm hairs, I’m talking, removing all of the facial hair from my lower face (well, except for my ’stache, which never comes off).
Old thread but I think I can offer some input because the question will inevitably arise again.
Which “sharpener” is a question that depends on ones actual needs. If you need to have the ability to reprofile the blade or repair chips then the Lansky is decent. I say decent because I have the regular stones and they take a_ hell _of a lot of work to reprofile even blades made of 8cr13mov or Ganzo 440C. However, once you have the blade angle set to what you like, actual sharpening takes minutes.
If you do not need to re-profile your knife and have a decently ground knife you can get away with just Spyderco Doublestuff - which are basically 2 stones that can reprofile something but would take way too long to do so due to their size and how fine they are. In other words they’re best for touching up already decent knives. They require a little more manual skill.
If you want to get into collecting knives and toying with them get a Lansky or better. If you just want to maintain a couple of decent knives get the Spyderco Doublestuff.
An excellent second investment is a strop because it makes maintenance a breeze. I use a block of wood I had lying somewhere that I stuck the underside of an old military leather belt on and smeared green acrylic paint on it. As long as the paint lists chromium oxide in the compound its the same thing as the green blocks you see sold for sharpening. There isn’t any green compound for sale in my country in retail so I had to improvise.
At this point, with these tools, I can make a silvery polished edge that cuts extremely well.
PS: this is all for pocket knives, both the Lansky and the Spyderco are too small/impractical for knives of regular size.
I used to have a leather strop for my shaving knife, but that was a very time-consuming way of sharpening it (on top of the shave that also took more time than a double edge safety razor).
Is it easier on pocket knives?