Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between sharpening systems?
Each Lansky® sharpening system starts out the same way; with a storage/carrying case, honing oil or a soft bristled nylon brush for cleaning, knife clamp and extra screws. Each kit has 3, 4, or 5 sharpening hones/stones with a guide rod for each hone. A major difference between the systems is the type of sharpening abrasive used for each stone.
- The Standard, Deluxe and Professional sharpening kits include hones made with alumina oxide and ceramic, which are consistent, man-made materials that will give your knife a clean smooth edge.
- The Natural Arkansas sharpening system comes with 3 hones that are made out of a natural stone called Novaculite generally associated with the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas, these stones will give a very refined polished edge on a blade. With Arkansas stones, always make sure to use your honing oil for sharpening and cleaning or your stones may crack.
- The 3 Stone Standard Diamond and 4 Stone Deluxe Diamond sharpening system include diamond abrasive coated hones. These hones are very aggressive and are best used when resetting a bevel (the angle of the edge), setting an edge quickly or working on especially hard or brittle steels. Diamond abrasive will remove steel faster, but we recommend investing in an extra fine or super sapphire hone if you’d like a highly polish edge after using the diamond hones.
- Honing oil SHOULD NOT be used on the diamond hones, honing oil will clog the diamond coating.
How do you place a knife in the clamp?
- Tighten thumb screw until its approx. one full turn from being fully tightened.
- Loosen front screw of the knife clamp to accommodate thickness of blade.
- Attach clamp to the back, or spine of the knife blade at the center of the blade. Approx. ½ inch of the blade should extend from the end of the clamp.
- Tighten the front screw to hold knife securely.
- Lock blade in place by hand tightening the red thumb screw on the clamp
What advantage would I have by using the sharpening systems instead of the pocket sharpeners?
Pocket Sharpeners are great to take into the field with you. They are lightweight, portable, and great for quick touchups and moderate blade maintenance. However, for long term maintenance of your blade, the Lansky® sharpening systems are the most versatile and effective way to get a perfect edge with an exact, consistent bevel angle on all types of knives.
I see the cost of the Diamond kit/hones is higher than your other kits/hones. Does this mean that they are the
best?
Diamond sharpeners cost more because the diamond material is the most expensive to manufacture. All of the sharpening abrasives have their advantages depending on your sharpening needs and the specific knife you are sharpening. Diamond abrasive is a very aggressive sharpening abrasive and is best suited to setting an initial bevel/edge,
sharpening very hard steel and removing steel quickly.
When do I use honing oil?
Use honing oil when cleaning alumina oxide sharpeners. We recommend our eraser block for cleaning ceramic sharpeners. Always use oil when sharpening or cleaning your Arkansas Stones to prevent cracking. NEVER use oil on your diamond stones; this will cause the diamond coating to become clogged.
What advantage will the “Mount” give me?
The Controlled Angle Sharpening Systems are designed to be used with or without a mount. However, using a mount gives you the ability to stabilize your system and optimize its performance.
What do I clean my ceramic rods with?
Lansky® Sharpeners highly recommends using the Lansky® Eraser Block® to remove the metal detriment from your ceramic rods! To temporarily clean your rods, you can use a small soft bristle nylon brush (like a tooth brush) and a mild/bathroom cleanser (such as Soft Scrub, or Comet Cleanser).
I purchased a “Super Sapphire Hone” and the item came to me as a white vs. sapphire blue. Did I get the wrong
item?
The original stone was blue, which was a dye process used on white ceramics. By keeping the stone its original white color, we can keep the cost of the hones more effective for our customers.
What retailers in my area carry your products?
We have many dealers and distributors all over the United States as well as internationally.
I have kitchen knives, what sharpener do you recommend?
We have a variety of sharpeners for your kitchen needs. Our Controlled-Angle Sharpening Systems are super versatile and can be used on outdoors knives, pocket knives as well as kitchen knives. It’s a good idea to purchase a kit with a serrated hone separately and add it to your kit if your kit doesn’t already include one. Another versatile sharpening system is our Turn Box or Master’s Edge® sharpening system. When used for regular maintenance they are highly effective.
I need to replace my ceramic rod or hone, where can I find them?
Lansky® Sharpeners guarantees its products against any manufacturing defect for life! If you believe that your product has a manufacturing defect, please reach out on our contact us page. If your rod or hone is simply worn out because you love it so much and use it all the time, you can find replacements in the Accessories portion of our website. You can also place an order directly on our website or
visit a dealer of Lansky® products.
Do you deliver to Australia or New Zealand?
Lansky® Sharpeners ships domestically and internationally. Appropriate shipping rates will be applied at the time of the purchase.
Why is the honing oil present in Diamond Kits when the instructions state not to use it?
Newer Diamond Kits now come with a soft bristle nylon brush instead of oil. All other Lansky® Controlled-Angle Sharpening Systems come with the same standard accessories including the clamp and honing oil. Although you should never use the honing oil on your diamond sharpeners, the oil can be used to oil your blade to prevent rust as well as lubricate the moving parts of folding knives. Honing oil is an important addition to any knife maintenance kit and is very versatile. Think of it as a bonus product that you can use on your other Lansky® non-diamond products.
My blades have different angles and different steel grades (metal); what kit should I purchase?
The great thing about the Lansky® Controlled-Angle Sharpening System is that they come with settings for four different common sharpening angles; 17, 20, 25 and 30 to fit all your sharpening needs. They are offered in a variety of grits and abrasive materials to help customize your sharpening experience for your needs. The diamond hones are an excellent choice for tougher, wear resistant steels such as A1, D2 and S30V. Lansky® Sharpeners boast the largest line of sharpening accessories for our kits so you can customize your kit with a variety of hones to fit different needs