Can't Get An Edge With A Worksharp Precision

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Deadshot138

Joined
Sep 3, 2023
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No matter how hard I try, can't seem to get an edge using the worksharp precision sharpener. I'm new to the hobby so its undoubtedly a skill issue. Should I buy the upgrade kit for it that has more coarse and fine stones? What's your preferred method of sharpening?
 
Bladeforums tips on sharpening may be a good place to start for general tips & tricks. I perhaps had a similar experience as you describe, I started out with a Lansky sharpener operating in the same way as your device. Personally I found it simpler to get results with Worksharp’s “Benchstone sharpener” but experiences vary of course.

I believe in summary, if you want to give your blade a new profile, you start with a coarse stone, working on one side of the blade with a consistent angle until you get a burr on the opposite side, which you can feel with your fingernails. Count the strokes, and only push the blade over the stone, don’t pull it. Then, turn the knife over and repeat the same number of strokes on the other side. There are perhaps different schools regarding how to proceed but I will do a number of alternating strokes on the finer stones.
I don’t claim to be an expert but I can get my blades satisfactorily razor sharp.
 
I use the WS Precision with good results (except I struggle with burrs, but I also do when freehanding). My first guess would be applying too much pressure? That will give irregular results if you are causing the blade clamp to move at all.

Next guess would be not getting a full grind to the apex before moving to finer stones. You can check that by applying color to the edge bevel with a sharpie as long as you are using light pressure when sharpening. Also you can check your initial course edge by going to the ceramic briefly to check the resulting more visible shiny edge and see if it's apexed.
 
Marker Pen / Sharpie ....
Mark the edge .............
Then adjust till you match the bevel !
Sharpen one side till you get a BURR rrrrrrr !
Then sharpen the other side till you get a burr !

Both sides have made it to the apex ..
Now change to one pass per side for 20 passes in total and check the burr ................... Magnification should be good for this .
Once you have eliminated 99% of the burr .. you can strop the knife till it slices smooth ! ( So more one side per if you still have burr - 40 passes total should eliminate most of the burr )

Grit ! What sort of edge do you want ? Bling (?) or a working edge ?

If your after bling , your going to get into the 1000+ grit range to maybe 5000 grit ..
How ever , for a working edge , 400 to 600 grit should suffice .

Speaking of grit ..
Depending on the edge ( Level of FUBAR ) you may wish to start around 200 grit , and then switching up to finer grit once you have that all important burr .
Again , depending on what you are after , there is no reason you cant stop at 400 to 600 grit ( Working edge ) or 5000 grit ( A lot = Lot! more work ) for a Bling edge ..
What a Bling edge might give you is margarine smooth slicing thru paper .. Whilst a 400 to 600 grit edge is going to be some hat toothy on that paper .
Apparently that can drive some people crazy ! A 400 to 600 grit edge will work just fine for most things like ( Gutting that deer - Being Bushcrafty - slicing your finger off = lets not do that ! )
And can also give you better edge retention ( if that matters )
I mean you may prefer 100 super smooth slices to 400 some what gritty slices ..
And if your out in the boondocks , you may not be able to tell the difference except for the edge retention ! ( If that matters )

Once you have created a nice edge / bevel .. It should be easy to maintain ..
Stropping after use to keep it sharp ..
And maybe ( depending on use ) once or twice a year , hit it with the stone or diamond to remove any convexing .

I would recommend DIAMOND sharpening inserts .. They just remove material much better .
 
Deadshot138 said:
No matter how hard I try, can't seem to get an edge using the worksharp precision sharpener. I'm new to the hobby so its undoubtedly a skill issue. Should I buy the upgrade kit for it that has more coarse and fine stones? What's your preferred method of sharpening?
Click to expand...
What knife? What steel? Has it been sharpened before? Have you used the marker method to estimate the angle? On both sides of the blade?

How do you check for the burr?

How are you testing for sharpness? Slicing paper? The thumbnail method? Shaving arm hair? How sharp do you want it to be?
 
Another Shepherd said:
What knife? What steel? Has it been sharpened before? Have you used the marker method to estimate the angle? On both sides of the blade?

How do you check for the burr?

How are you testing for sharpness? Slicing paper? The thumbnail method? Shaving arm hair? How sharp do you want it to be?
Click to expand...
Paper method, I check visually for a burr, just needs to go through paper. I need to try the marker method. I usually just try 20 degrees as I know that's a common EDC angle.
 
Deadshot138 said:
I need to try the marker method. I usually just try 20 degrees as I know that's a common EDC angle.
Click to expand...
Right, 20 degrees is fairly common, but you may find angles from 11 degrees to 30 degrees or more. The bigger the difference between the existing angle and the angle you set on the sharpener, the longer it will take to sharpen, in extreme cases as much as an hour or more.
 
Deadshot138 said:
Paper method, I check visually for a burr, just needs to go through paper. I need to try the marker method. I usually just try 20 degrees as I know that's a common EDC angle.
Click to expand...
Anywhere from 18 to 22 is common . ( Range )
Sometimes it might be less , I had one knife that might have been 10 .... ( Yeah , that's just crazy )
After re profiling it ended up at 14 degrees ( Still overly tight ) ..
Hence the Marker Pen .. Just shows you where you are removing steel ( Right place or wrong place )
 
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