Lansky System

[Chopkins]

Recently saw an article on ehow on how to sharpen a straight razor using the Lansky system. Anyone ever try this?

[Bruno]

I think it is pointless and errorprone.

A razors edge is extremely fragile. If you upset the bevel angle from the natural spine - edge angle, you are going to ruin the bevels. It also seems hard to make 100% sure you have the same bevel angle on both sides. The razor will be less sharp because of the bigger honing angle. And I doubt the stones you get with it are fine enough for a razors edge.

In other words, I think it is completely pointless because a razor already HAS the means to insure a proper honing angle (the spine ) and you're just going to destroy a perfectly good razor.

[thebigspendur]

I have the lansky diamond system and it's worthless for a straight. It's way too coarse.

[Kalecommando]

Well, I have the basic Lansky 4 rod turnbox... (costs 15 bucks or so), and I say otherwise. It works for me. I had an inexpensive straight razor, that was shave ready... but it got a bit dull after using it for a while.

So... why not try something. (stupid?)

Out came the Lansky 4 rod turnbox, popped in the metal rod & ceramic rod. (one each)... and I used very light controlled strokes. First on the dark rod, then a few strokes on the white one. I tried to keep the rods a bit wet. As you may know this particular system has two angles for normal knife sharpening... 20 and 25 degrees. That doesn't matter for this purpose. It only mattered that the rods were being held by the block. I wished I had one of those clamp thingies (don't know the name) to hold it perfectly vertical. Alas I don't.

I placed first the spine against the top of the rod, then carefully lowering the blade flush onto the rod. Just like normal honing with the spine flat as fixed angle guidance. Then I used even, very light pressure... stroking down, like you would sharpening a knife on this Lansky system. But as said, nothing to do with the 20 % / 25 % angle... just keep the spine on the rod. Rinse and Repeat, on alternative sides of the blade.

While doing so, I monitor the sharpness... (armhair) till satisfied. Then... some final very light strokes on a simple natural honing stone... some stropping and done. It works for me. I know, I know.. now I will get all kinds of comments that this is a stupid thing to do, it probably is... but then again. It works.

For me.

Its very simple, inexpensive and fast to do. (its not for bevel setting) Use at your own risk, and don't waste an expensive razor messing things up. I am not saying it will be ultra, fancy pansy sharp... but sharp enough to have a comfortable shave.

[10Pups]

Just from what I read you could have skipped the system thingy and went right to the finisher ?

[Kalecommando]

I tried that, but couldn't get it that sharp if I skipped the system thingy. Basically I felt, for me, that it was easier to get it sharp by using the rods (especially the dark one) and then finalizing it on the stone with a few, light strokes.

[HNSB]

All of the knife sharpening systems are designed to solve one of the biggest problems with sharpening knives: maintaining a consistent angle.

When sharpening a razor, the razor itself is designed to get the angle correct. The razor eliminates the need for any type of guide.

The utility of a sharpening system for razors, then, is how useful the stones are for polishing a razor's edge. This is a matter of being large enough to keep the razor flat on the stone and of a grit appropriate to razors.
I'm not sure if the Lansky systems have different sizes of stones, or how high they go in grit; the system I used to have had stones that would be too small for razors and in grits too coarse. The finest stone in that kit may have been useful as a bevel setter, had it been big enough for razors. As small as it was, it would have been good for making uneven and frowning bevels.

[ScottGoodman]

I make knives & have made a few razors. I hone razors and sharpen knives. I use the spine on razors & use a Smith (lansky knock off) sharpening system on my custom knives for an uniform bevel.

What's my point? Knife sharpening systems are for knives & work great just as HSNB pointed out...razors have their system built in. Try as much as you wish with those knife sharpening systems on razors...any veteran honer will be able to put a better shaving edge on a razor than any sharpening system. It's been proven time and time again...

[str8fencer]

The utility of a sharpening system for razors, then, is how useful the stones are for polishing a razor's edge. This is a matter of being large enough to keep the razor flat on the stone and of a grit appropriate to razors.

I have the Lansky system, and I like it. I use it strictly for knives, and would not dream of bringing my razors to it, for the reasons mentioned above by HNSB

[thebigspendur]

I'll never be able to figure out why guys try and engineer some Rube Goldberg system to do something when we have a very simple way that does the job 100%.