ceramic rod (crock sticks) sharpeners

[Chad R]

Do these ceramic rods sharpen as good as other sharpeners for broadheads and knives?  Are you really sharpening or only honing?  When I touch up my pocket knives with the ceramic rods set at a fixed angle they really seem to be sharp and open envelopes real good!  They are quick and easy to use and there is no oil or water to mess with.  You can see the metal that comes off on the white rods and they clean right up.  Are they good for broadheads?  If another system is better, please explain why.  Thanks! CR

[MAT]

You need to use a fine diamond stone first unless you are touching up an edge, but eventually you'll need to use a stone.  Then they work great.  For even better results strope on a plain brown cardboard box after the sticks and you will be amazed at how sharp you can get an edge on anything.

[NoCams]

Chad R,
I bought a used Steelmaster from a fellow tradganger here and love it ! It comes with a file to get a rough bevel and edge and then finish with the ceramic. You do need to clean the ceramic often to keep it working. I clean mine with Comet powder. I use the Steelmaster for broadheads and knives.

I would like to play around with the KME sharpener that everyone gives high marks to. I think it might be a great tool.

nocams  

[JEFF B]

all i use is a file and a steel and leather strop on broadheads. but on knives i use a steel  and leather strop and it keeps them     sharp.  

[NDTerminator]

Don't use them for BH but that's all I use for knives anymore.  Hair shaving edges without any effort at all...

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

I always start out with a file, and then use a crock stick to finish the edge. It works great.

[LKH]

They work, but obviously they aren't meant for removing significant metal so you have to find another way to get a poorly angled blade started.  Probably why guys above have used a file first.

[Fletcher]

I use a Spyderco set for my broadheads and knives.  You will want to set the initial edge with a file or coarse stone, but the ceramic sticks do a GREAT job of finishing the edge.  I strop my heads on a buffing wheel.

[joekeith]

Anybody know of any sites with a good selection?
I think I need one.....  

[Chad R]

Thanks guys.  That confirms what I was thinking about the edge it puts on my knives.  I will use it on the broadheads once I get them close with the file.  The rods I have are white were only about $20 which came with a red base that you can store the rods in up underneath.  I think the Spyderco would be a step up from what I have for sure, but the same basic principle.

[Chester Thompson]

I have the lansky crock stick set and I really like it. Works well for knives for me. Have not tried it with broadheads.

[Ken Taylor]

I have been sharpening knives and broadheads with them for as long as I've known of their existence (a long time ago).

 Depending on what needs to be done to get the edge you want, using a file or one of those hand metal shaver/sharpeners to prepare the blade beforehand might be necessary sometimes.

Once you have the blade thinned or angled properly, since ceramic sticks are available in different "grits" (starting from coarser to finer) you can use them exclusively to maintain your blades for a long time.

At the other end of the spectrum, the finest of the ceramics (with light strokes) will give you as razor sharp a finished edge as you want.

[Fletcher]

I bought my Spyderco from Cabelas, but knife dealers usually have them, too.  The common sets with two white round sticks are all you really need and can be found at many hardware, farm and home improvement stores.  Maybe even WM.

[Chester Thompson]

This post made me wonder, so last night I got mine out and I sharpened my Zwicky's and Magnus 2 blades tonight with my crock sticks and without a lot of work I had them very sharp quickly.

[ishoot4thrills]

I've been using a ceramic rod that I got from work out of a burned-out industrial overhead light fixture. It's the part of the light that glows. It's relatively short but it works great. I've been using the same one for years for knives and just recently started using it for bheads. Works equally as well for bheads as it does for my knives. I just screw in one of the bheads to the end of a broken off, short section of aluminum arrow and run it across the rod like I was shaving a thin layer off of the rod. First one side, pulling towards me, then the other side, pushing away from me. Gets'em sharp for me.