I bought a WSKTS at a local gun shop last week. I've had a chance to use it and the more I use it the more I like it. Oh who am I kidding,I LOVE this thing! I've sharpened knives that I've never had much luck with (using a lansky and crock sticks). There is a learning curve (and I'm still learning) but overall I am super pleased with it. I'd like to find someplace local to be able to buy different belts to try out. I registered it and have an extra set of belts coming (for free!).
Work Sharp (belt grinder) Knife Sharpener
- Thread starter UnknownVT
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I hear you. I love mine. I have knives that I pretty much gave up on now they are sharp as hell. Bought an extra set of belts when I bought the worksharp then they sent me a free set when I registered. I should be set for awhile.
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Sorry, I haven't followed this thread for a while - I've been too busy enjoying my WS.
I also ordered a bunch of MX belts, and the 12000AO, several months ago. My 12000AO seem to be 13" or so long, not 12". I haven't done anything about it. I think shipping them back will cost more than buying new ones.
I should mention it, though, so thy can have Q/A take a look at the issue.
- Tom
LOUD SCREECHING SOUND from my WS solved!
Hey guys, I posted about an issue I had on page 12 of this thread. I had my WS not even for 2 months after I bought it and it started making a loud screeching sound for several weekends of sharpening. I thought maybe the bearings were going bad or something else. I emailed Worksharp but they didn't have an answer as to why it was making that irritating noise. Anyways, I figured it out myself.
For those of you that live in hot and humid climates, do not store your WS in an air conditioned/cold room and immediately take it outside and start sharpening. I'm thinking it has to do with condensation affecting the bearings. One night, I decided to leave it in a dry area to sharpen the next day in the morning and from that day on, it hasn't made that screeching sound.
Hey guys, I posted about an issue I had on page 12 of this thread. I had my WS not even for 2 months after I bought it and it started making a loud screeching sound for several weekends of sharpening. I thought maybe the bearings were going bad or something else. I emailed Worksharp but they didn't have an answer as to why it was making that irritating noise. Anyways, I figured it out myself.
For those of you that live in hot and humid climates, do not store your WS in an air conditioned/cold room and immediately take it outside and start sharpening. I'm thinking it has to do with condensation affecting the bearings. One night, I decided to leave it in a dry area to sharpen the next day in the morning and from that day on, it hasn't made that screeching sound.
Very useful info - thanks for that....
I mean -
who'd thunk that?
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Vincent
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No problem. Here to help as well. Before, I had to sharpen during the day time because if I was to do it at night, I'm sure I would piss off my neighbors. What made me realize the problem was that some parts of my Edgepro was starting to rust. I thought maybe the condensation was affecting my WS as well.
The really cool thing about the WS like everyone else here has said is the portability. Last weekend, my neighbor a couple houses down my block called me over to join him for some beers. One of our other friends was there as well and he asked me if I could sharpen his Kabar bowie knife. I brought over my WS, set it up on a small folding table and had his Kabar shaving sharp in under 20 minutes. I had just finished a six pack of beer and let me tell you, sharpening really sobers you up fast with all the concentration being used. They even realized it themselves and were laughing at me about it.
For some reason, whenever I go there, I end up sharpening their knives. It never fails. I think I sharpenned 4 knives that night. I always laugh at my neighbor. For some reason, who always gets cut. He accidentally ran his thumb on his kitchen knife I just touched up. Luckily the edge cut his thumb at an angle and didn't get to the meat. I started laughing at him cus he was still waiting to see blood.
The really cool thing about the WS like everyone else here has said is the portability. Last weekend, my neighbor a couple houses down my block called me over to join him for some beers. One of our other friends was there as well and he asked me if I could sharpen his Kabar bowie knife. I brought over my WS, set it up on a small folding table and had his Kabar shaving sharp in under 20 minutes. I had just finished a six pack of beer and let me tell you, sharpening really sobers you up fast with all the concentration being used. They even realized it themselves and were laughing at me about it.
For some reason, whenever I go there, I end up sharpening their knives. It never fails. I think I sharpenned 4 knives that night. I always laugh at my neighbor. For some reason, who always gets cut. He accidentally ran his thumb on his kitchen knife I just touched up. Luckily the edge cut his thumb at an angle and didn't get to the meat. I started laughing at him cus he was still waiting to see blood.
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Sorry to hear that.
Have you tried slicing paper or shaving along different parts of the edge - there might be a slight possibility that it could just be a section of the edge that is not sharp?
Do you have a magnifier or lower powered microscope to look at the edge?
There are some very good but cheap LED illuminated microscopes that do this well -
I recently bought all the cheapies I could find - and one in particular was pretty good at it, enough that I bought the slightly lower powered version so I have two of the same type.
groups shot of illuminated microscopes -
the 2 that were pretty good - 60x and 45x
both of these were cheap - and I mean cheap - less than $3 shipped
I think I prefer the 60x - although the 45x image quality is better - the 60x has the high magnification.
Before one thinks higher the better - the right most in the first group picture is a 60-100x zoom microscope - but its image quality is pretty poor - due to glare/flare in the lenses.
Important note: some of these magnifications bear no resemblance to reality.
eg: the 60x is higher mag than the 45x - which in turn is significantly higher mag than the magnifying glass (second from right) which was also listed as 45x.
The 60x of the good ones is no where near as high was the 60x on the zoom microscope, and not even as high as the 30x of the bottom microscope.
I understand magnification should be linear - ie: a 4x magnifier ought to make something look 4x bigger (linearly). Sometimes to boost/inflate specs some may claim area magnification which is the linear magnification squared - so that the same 4x linear magnifier could be advertised as a 16x magnifier
The good 60x, 45x and the magnifying glass show image the right way round so really ought to be classified as magnifying glasses - whereas the others the 60-100x zoom and the bottom 30x are true microscopes that show the image reversed (left/right and up/down reversed)
All except the bottom one are LED illuminated. I bought the bottom one because it was listed as LED - but it turned out to be regular (incandescent) light - when I complained the seller just refunded my money.
That bottom microscope is very similar to the Tasco 30x illuminated microscope I already have
marginally, this old Tasco illuminated microscope still has the best image quality to me.
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Vincent
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Could you tell us where you got these two cheap microscopes and what brand name they are?
Thanks,
Romo
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My wife got me a worksharp for Christmas and I have been reading many posts on it and have watched the video. I'm wondering why you go down the edge on one side and up on the other side? Seems like you need the belt to go down on both sides to raise a burr which would mean you have to rotate tool for each side of the blade?
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How does it do with recurves?
AFAustin
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It'll work fine either way. There are many variations on how to do the blades, and I often do a reverse grip for the right side of the blade which results in belt down sharpening on both sides. But the fastest and easiest is how they do it on the video.
Andrew
AFAustin
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With the flexible belts, it's pretty easy to follow most blade shapes. As for recurves, when I was first starting with my WS and lingered for too long on the first part of the blade, I created a few (unintentional) recurves!
Andrew
I also received a Worksharp over the holidays. I must say, I'm really happy with it.
I already have a sharpmaker, DMT aligner/magnaguide, and some DMT benchstones... and have been very happy with them.
Compared to my manual systems, the Worksharp is MUCH faster and I'm getting better results than freehand sharpening on my benchstones (sharper overall and nice even bevels). In fact, i was pretty shocked at how quickly I could get a really nice edge. While sharpening can be relaxing, I almost feel stupid for spending SO MUCH TIME with my benchstones, given how quickly the Worksharp does the job... with better results.
NOTE: As recommended in this thread, I quickly stopped using the "angle guides"... I just work freehand on the belt, with a motion sort of like a sharpmaker. I can even get some very acute angles by holding the knife past vertical (helps to have a steady hand). But, it is important to NEVER FORGET that it is a belt sander. A moment of inattention can result in a rounded tip or turn any knife into a recurve!
I'm sure a $30 Harbor Freight belt sander is a better deal, but I don't have a ton of space. I appreciate the small size of the Worksharp... and the ease of changing belts/grits.
Just my 2 cents. I still love my sharpmaker and DMT equipment... But the Worksharp is a lot of fun.
schofer
I already have a sharpmaker, DMT aligner/magnaguide, and some DMT benchstones... and have been very happy with them.
Compared to my manual systems, the Worksharp is MUCH faster and I'm getting better results than freehand sharpening on my benchstones (sharper overall and nice even bevels). In fact, i was pretty shocked at how quickly I could get a really nice edge. While sharpening can be relaxing, I almost feel stupid for spending SO MUCH TIME with my benchstones, given how quickly the Worksharp does the job... with better results.
NOTE: As recommended in this thread, I quickly stopped using the "angle guides"... I just work freehand on the belt, with a motion sort of like a sharpmaker. I can even get some very acute angles by holding the knife past vertical (helps to have a steady hand). But, it is important to NEVER FORGET that it is a belt sander. A moment of inattention can result in a rounded tip or turn any knife into a recurve!
I'm sure a $30 Harbor Freight belt sander is a better deal, but I don't have a ton of space. I appreciate the small size of the Worksharp... and the ease of changing belts/grits.
Just my 2 cents. I still love my sharpmaker and DMT equipment... But the Worksharp is a lot of fun.
schofer
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I'm wondering if you jacked up the temper on the knife by doing so many passes ???? I have heard if you do 2 or 3 knives at a time this help by alternating between them and moving up in grits ......
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Or you know, keep a cup if water around to quench it with. Can't say there's much I haven't been able to sharpen on my Worksharp.
Sorry to be late responding -
They were from flEaBay -
no brand names just the pictures -
I used LED microscope as the search term.
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AFAustin
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The WorkSharp KTS isn't just for knives, you know. I have this little weed whacker made by Silky, a Japanese saw manufacturer. As an excuse to take a break at my small office and go outdoors for a few minutes, I'll grab it and set about slashing a few weeds and tall grasses that spring up (I get some very concerned looks from passersby who see this older man in a dress shirt and tie walking around wreaking havoc with a bladed instrument ).
It's pretty easy to sharpen, and I used to maintain it with my Sharpmaker. But, the WorkSharp takes it to another level---I've never had a garden tool before that shaves arm hair.
Andrew
).It's pretty easy to sharpen, and I used to maintain it with my Sharpmaker. But, the WorkSharp takes it to another level---I've never had a garden tool before that shaves arm hair.
Andrew
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Awesome looking machine. I don't feel so bad anymore, so many fine designs and amazing "sharpening systems".......I must Not have been the only guy Not getting the results I wanted from Free-Handing my sharpening projects.
Thanks to those inventing "Sharp Edge Nirvana" :thumbup:
Thanks to those inventing "Sharp Edge Nirvana" :thumbup:
My lord this looks like a godsend to me! I can't sharpen worth a crap, tried all sorts of stones, rods, lansky shapener, finally gave up all together and use one of those carbide sharpener things, carbide on one side and ceramic on the other, lived with the fact I could get a serviceable edge but never close to the hair popping sharp some of my customs arrive sharpened to. Was intrigued by the wicked edge thingy but the cost was just too much. The cost on this thing seems wayyy reasonable and even a misanthrope like me with a little care can get a really sharp edge on something!
Saw this at a local outfitter store the other day. Glad to see there's a thread on this sharpener. Been looking at an considering all different brands/types of sharpeners. Sales person did a quick demo and gave me a brief overview and I thought it was too good to be true. Never sharpened a knife on a stone or any other type of sharpening system and I'll most likely be purchasing one of these in the next month.
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Do the thumb studs get in the way of the guides??