FAQ

Do I need a particular sharpening stone to use with the Anystone Sharpener?

No, that's the problem we seek to solve! However, the height of the sharpening stone can limit the possible sharpening angle. A very short stone will limit you to very steep angles, even with the screws adjusted all the way in. 

A typical diamond stone may be about 1/2 inch thick, and if it was placed directly on your work surface, then the lowest possible angle below is greater than 25 degrees which is too steep for most edges. This stone needs to be raised 2-3 inches in height to achieve typical sharpening angles in the range of 10-20 degrees. 

 

Can I sharpen all of my knives with the Anystone Sharpener?

Most likely! Like stone height, however, blade width can also limit your possible sharpening angle. A very narrow blade will make it difficult to sharpen shallow angles and a very wide blade could make it difficult to achieve steeper angles. For wide blades, there is no interference and you can try lowering your stone to achieve steeper angles. For narrow blades, shallow angles can interfere with the sharpener itself. If you have a narrow blade and need to sharpen at a shallow angle, such as a fillet knife, try clamping as close to the spine of the blade as possible. This will maximize (or rather minimize) the possible sharpening angle. 

 

Does the angle change along the belly of the blade?

Yes. Just as fixed angle sharpeners see a slightly shallower angle at the tip of the blade than along the flat, the same geometry occurs with the Anystone Sharpener. This is a geometrical consequence of all sharpening systems that are constrained. Because the distance from the tip of the knife to the pivot point of the sharpener is different than the distance from the flat of the blade to the pivot, the angle changes slightly as well. When freehand sharpening, you lift the handle higher up as you approach the tip to compensate for this effect and maintain a more consistent angle. Fixed angle sharpeners cannot allow for this at all. Anystone falls in between fixed angle and freehand. If you're a more advanced sharpener, you have the freedom to lift up higher at the tip if you wish to keep a more consistent angle, but you will lose the consistent guidance from the Sharpener if you do so, so it is only recommended for advanced users. 

Generally, the effect is only 2-3 degrees per side of difference. See below: 

Anystone Sharpener set to 20 deg with the flat of the blade

 

Anystone Sharpener set to 20 deg at the tip of the same blade: 

 

As you can see, in this example there is about a 1.4 degree difference between the flat of the blade and the tip. This effect depends on the width of the blade, the height of the stone, the length of the blade, and the clamping location. Because of the factors, there is no generic best location to clamp to mitigate this effect. What is more important is to clamp your blade in a consistent location each time you sharpen to ensure the angle at the tip is similar at each sharpening! 

All this to say, yes, the angle at the tip will likely be 1-3 degrees shallower than the sharpener is set to. However, unlike fixed angle systems, you can override the sharpener when sharpening the tip and lift the knife higher if you wish to raise the angle back to the desired angle.

 

This is 3D printed? Is it junk?

Of course not. We use premium 3D printers and premium materials stabilized and strengthened with carbon fiber. This results in a strong product with a satisfying feel in the hand. The stress and wear points, such as the bit driver and clamping screw and thread are metal to ensure they last. 3D printing these not only gives us total control over the product and process, but allows us to use your feedback to constantly improve our products.

 

Have a question of your own? 

We'd love to hear it! Please reach out via the contact page and we will answer your queries