The Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker (204MF) is a great sharpener for the beginning knife enthusiast or the advanced knife & cutlery expert.
This is a candid review of the Tri-Angle Sharpmaker.
See the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker at Amazon.
The Sharpmaker has a certain whimsical appeal as it even resembles a spider with its legs extended.
Spyderco is located in Golden, Colorado and lives in the Colorado tradition of high spirits, with a little bit of funky thrown in.
And it is in that spirit that Spyderco makes knives that they proudly hail on their website as “different, peculiar, even out there”.
The same goes for their knife sharpeners, which are some of the best on the market.
What Do The Experts Say…
Even Chad Ward, widely known as the kitchen knife expert and author of “An Edge in the Kitchen: The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Knives”, describes this as the best sharpener of its type and it also tests well with a popular food magazine.
Pete Thibodeau, a knife sharpener tester for the LA Times, says of the The Spyderco Triangle Sharpmaker <
“(it) provided an excellent edge for all the knives we sharpened with it and was gentle on the blades.”
What’s The Sharpmaker Like…?
The Sharpmaker has a certain whimsical appeal as it even resembles a spider with its legs extended.
The Sharpmaker can sharpen flat blades (i.e. regular knives) as well as serrated blades (i.e. bread knives)
The Sharpmaker includes two sets of high alumina ceramic stones – a pair of medium-grit/brown 7″ X 0.5″ (178mm X 13mm) stones for aggressive sharpening and a set of fine/white 7″ X 0.5″ (178mm X 13mm) stones for professional-grade finishing.
The stones are triangular for sharpening plain edges, on the flat sides and serrations, on the corners.
The rod-shaped stones snap into slots in the base holding them at the proper angle, so all the user has to do is keep the knife vertical while pulling it down the stone.
Chad Ward says this is
“about the easiest system to use,” though he warns that it’s possible to round off the tip of your knife if you sharpen too hastily.
A furrow running the length of each stone is made for sharpening pointed items like fishhooks, darts and awls.
A set of brass safety rods is located by the stones to protect your hands while sharpening.
Take care as ceramic stones, like glass, will break if dropped — handle carefully.
Keyed slots and holes die-cut into the base accurately set the stone’s sharpening angle at a 30° (15° each side) or 40° (20° each side) for knives to ensure consistency of angle and there is even a 12.5° scissor setting.
It is recommended that you use the Sharpmaker dry, without oil, water or lubricants.
Turn the base over and a channel lets you lay two stones side-by-side (flat-side up) for use as a bench stone. The lid snaps halfway over the base creating a handhold for stability while you are sharpening.
The Spyderco Sharpmaker (204MF) comes in a self-contained ABS plastic base and lid, making it travel ready, and is drilled for bolting to tables or counter-tops for permanent attachment in shops or kitchens.
It is recommended that you use the Sharpmaker dry, without oil, water or lubricants.
To clean, simply scrub the stones with a plastic scouring pad and powered abrasive cleaner, let air-dry.
The system is also autoclave safe.
You will also receive an instruction book and DVD, which all reviewers recommend you utilize to fully understand proper use and maintenance.
Pros and Cons:
Amazon customers can’t say enough about the Sharpmaker.
However, a few customers have reported a design flaw where the rods wobble making it difficult to use.
Clearly, this isn’t a common occurrence as over 500 reviewers had nothing but positive things to say.
The Triangle Sharpmaker was Spyderco’s flagship product when the company opened its doors in 1978 and, in 1981, the company started producing some of the best folding knives on the market, winning Sal Glesser nomination into the Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame in 2000.
As their motto goes, “those who know (truly) carry Spyderco”!
Here is a great review from Jack with www.survivalmen.com that was published on youtube.
Jack did a great job talking about the Sharpmaker so please be sure to check out their youtube channel.
Other Reviews
You might also be interested in our review about the Smith’s PP1 Pocket Pal Knife Sharpener, Smith’s Adjustable Sharpener, Lansky System, or the very popular KME Knife Sharpening System.
