Cant decide WE or K03

S

Skunkworkz

Joined
Mar 3, 2022
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Looking for a guided sharpening system because I don’t always have consistent results with freehand sharpening and I have some knives in the collection I don’t want to mess up. And some knives I want to reprofile

I was eyeballing the WE units for a long time but stumbled up on TSPROF and that one could be a serious option.

I mostly use a sharpening system for pocket knives but also some kooking knives and chef knives. But mostly pricey pocket knives.

Depending on which set I compare with from WE the tspro is in the same price range or cheaper. For what is in the set i think it is enough, and even a bit better range than the stock WE stones. But I do like the fact that on a WE you can work both sides of the blade and be a bit faster?

I always denied any request to sharpen a knife for somebody else freehand, but with a guided system with consistent result, it could be a way to earn a bit of extra money for the collection.

I think the TSPROF would be the better option but I am not sure, and have no experience.. any advice?
 
My advice: watch videos of people sharpening with each system. The motions involved are so different that it is hard to imagine that you would not click more with one than the other.

I picked the TSPROF, mostly because of motions that seemed more likely to relate to hand-sharpening motions, but also because I could choose from a wide variety of stones from many sources, rather than being locked into one vendor for my stone choices. Of course your choice may be different.
 
UncleBoots said:
My advice: watch videos of people sharpening with each system. The motions involved are so different that it is hard to imagine that you would not click more with one than the other.
Click to expand...
This 👆
Oh yeah, that's some of the fun man is diggin around, figuring out what you want. Like UncleBoots said, youtube is your friend.
I mean you got so many options. TSPROF (many options there), Hapstone, and dont forget Kazak, KME, to many to list.
 
I've a buddy who sharpens knives for extra money on a WE. I always figured I'd get a WE when I was ready for a new sharpener. When the time came, and I did some research, I bought a K03. No regrets.
 
I can only speak for KME, Blitz 360 and K03.
Out of the 3, I did not like the KME.
 
Well ? You get it ? Got her set up ? Sharpened anything ? What stones you using ?
Come on bro, can't just post and leave us hangin. :cool:
 
Yes I received it, and to be honest it is a piece of art, very very wel machined and engineered. So there is no dissapointment there. Sharpening wise I only tested on a long meat knife that I found in the shed, wich I used to cut grasrolls (sod) in my garden.

The knife was so dull and had rust stains so had to remove the rust first before I could sharpen anything, but after some testing it came out pretty sharp, and didn’t go trough all of the stones.

Got the stock diamond stones with the unit because I have to take more time reading into a great set of stones, and this way I could do some testing and getting used to the system.

Didn’t do any pocket knives yet, that would be also interesting to see and learn.

And will do a few cheaper beaters before I try the CRK’s. Also debating for that if i would sharpen them convex or go to a v profile, and how to maintain a small bevel on them if I go to v.

But first a little more time on the unit, but so far.. very happy with it
 
Heads up. There's places on the k03 you'll need to smear with oil or they'll rust. The bottom of the rod that the pivot sits on. A small oblong plate that's in between the large height adjustment knobs. Right below the height adjustment locking knob. And every blued looking screw. It's not a big deal unless when your spraying around water.

Where the main unit fits into the base. It'll wobble side to side. I ended up cutting a pad from a thin sheet of rubber. Cut it to shape of the base and it firmed it up.

The little plastic stick on feet for the base are not that great. The whole machine will wiggle back and forth from the soft feet flexing. It hasn't bothered me enough to go another route but someday they'll get switched out.

And there's some mystery parts included. Two, small, rectangle strips of metal. No idea what they're for.

Expect to buy a single clamp for flat bevel knives. You don't need a reinforcement spring. The clamp, by itself, works fine.

Keep some oil or grease handy for the plate rod. It'll smooth up the motion as it goes back and forth through the pivot.

You'll need to calibrate the cube more then they recommend if you store the machine in the box.

And for stone storage. Get one of those fishing lure boxes. Big enough to hold five stones, a strop plate, strop compound, and the Allen wrenches. Plus the loupe and calibration wedge.


Other then that. It's hands down, one of the very best systems on the market.
 
Thanks for the insights. I was already thinking myself to give the rod trough the pivot a very light coat with ballistol for some extra protection and smoothness, but I will make sure to give the other points you mentioned also a slight coat. A bit of oil can never hurt imo.

The wobble between the main unit and the base isn’t present in my unit, but it is a weird thing u mentioned. Because it suggest that something isn’t completely flat, and looking at the unit itself and how it is designed and machined, that would be a bit weird if there is something off in the base.

The stick on feet, aren’t the best indeed, but didn’t bother me yet. And if you don’t place them at the edge of the base they create wobble, had to replace them before it was stabile. But in time the feet will probably get loose and then I might cut a rubber sheet and glue that on.

The 2 plates you mentioned are also a mystery to me, can’t figure out where they are for, might send an email because I am curious.

Although the unit is built like a tank and I do believe that it is possible to assemble and disassemble this thing a 1000 times, I store this in a open Ikea cabinet, only have to disassemble the plate holder with the cube otherwise it is sticking out. I like the box it came in and it is very suitable for storage but in time the foam will break and crumble, and it will make a mess in time.

The cube: I do like the cube, seems very accurate.. calibration is quite fast, and Tsprof advise to recalibrate even if you replace it on the table your working on. I don’t have a problem with it as long as you get accurate angles. And mostly you set the system up and work on it, store it after, and the next time just recalibrate

But very happy with the system, it surpised me with the quality and engineering. The way it works and the way it snags into place when you twist the knife, it is so satisfying..

Now just getting some more time on it and looking in a stone set I want
 
The only thing I've gotten for my K03 are the L-adapters. Gritomatic has some that are cheaper than TSPROF's and work fine.
 
I need their fillet clamp.

That's the only way I can sharpen a Benchmade Auto Fact. All the other clamps are too fat for the narrow blade. I haven't sharpened a traditional on this machine and if I did. It'd be the same situation.


Another hundred bucks.



All told, being realistic, for the complete system to do it all. $900 for the K03, $100 for the single clamp (flat bevels), another $100 for the fillet clamp (skinny blades), and $500 for a set of GBN stones.


Balsa strop plate, $15 and a horse leather for $37. Gunny juice in 3 and 1....$60.
 
Got some more time in on the k03 and I really like this system, had a few runs on cheap kooking knifes wich turned out good, did a folder ( benchmade griptillian) wich turned out scary sharp. But can’t figure out the different angle reading from belly to tip, but got a decent even bevel on it although it is a bit wider then original.( specs said it was at 17 degrees, and did 17) But all in all, very happy with the purchase.

Have to test some more folders, and then I have to tackle my Inkosi which isn’t taking a nice edge by stropping anymore.

Any tips on that? Would like to keep the bevel around 20-18 max. Read a lot about repositioning and raising degrees for sharpening the belly to tip. But I don’t know, want to keep the edge/bevel as shallow as possible without to much hassle
 
Sharpie the edge. Use a lighter grit, 400. Start at 17°. Rub the edge. Loupe it and see if you're grinding at the heel of the edge or the tip(apex). Adjust until you can rub off the Sharpie from heel to tip. That's the factory angle.

Rubbing alcohol will remove Sharpie. Color in a good section in the middle and some on the apex of the tip. Get after it.
 
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