Do I NEED an Edgepro ?

[beakman]

Hi People,
The question is simple ! Does an edge pro work that much better than a lansky with diamond hones and a steel and maby a razor strap ? Most of my knives are of the four inch pocket veriety. I do like a razor edge on them though and have a hard time getting to this point with my set up. Is the edge pro easy to use and will it put that razor edge I so desire on them easily ? I really want to buy one but don't want to be disappointed after I bought it as I have with so many knife sharpening kits ! Anybody have a used one for sale or advice where I can get the best deal on one. Please stear me in the right direction guys. You know you people are the knife GURUS!!!!

Eric R. Vega
beakman3@aol.com

 

[Doug C]

IMO,There is no better sharpening system available!:thumbup: Got mine last year and it is a marvel of engineering,comes with a CD that shows ya' exactly how to use it.Watched it once,sharpened 3 knives that afternoon and they easily sliced paper like butter.I think it is pretty much widely known how good of a system it is.Have sharpened dozens since,with it,everything from kitchen knives to Bowie's to 110's.You will not regret it if ya' get one.

 

[oregon]

No. You don't need it. However, everyone should have one.

Bot at the Eugene, OR annual April show from Bronk, who demonstrated it continually, and recommended by every maker I talked to. If possible, see it demonstrated in person by a master smith like I did. http://www.bronksknifeworks.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=16_24

It will not sharpen by itself. It will take effort, patience and practice.

However, few things I've ever done leave people so slack-jawed as a mirrored razor edge 15 degree micro-beveled sharpening job on their favorite knife. Become a legend in your own time when you master this device. It can breathe new life into old frumpy knives. But, it won't turn junk steel into good steel so I don't waste my time trying to sharpen sandlot slugger blades.

Can you say 3M polishing tape? Oh my!

Painter's tape on most of the blade, blue, keeps fine blades scratch-free during the sharpening process.

Best,

oregon

 

[Cougar Allen]

Welcome to Bladeforums!

 

[tim8557]

I second everyone's answers above. For years I accumulated, as well as spent a small fortune on, everything out there called a "knife sharpener".

I finally bought the Edge Pro Apex and everything else with the exception of my Sharpmaker and a strop have been pitched. The Sharpmaker and strop are used for quick touch up maintenance after everything else has been set up on the knife edge extraordinarily well by the Edge Pro.

My recomendation is the Ultimate Deal # 2 from http://www.bronksknifeworks.com/Edge-Pro_Knife_sharpeners.htm. That is what I purchased and you are set for life.

You will NOT be sorry !!

 

[tim8557]

Also, read this thread from a member like you with all of the same reservations. This should make your mind up for you.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3473021&posted=1#post3473021

 

[QuietOned]

Before you buy an EdgePro - Pro or Apex, there are a few things you must do.

Buy every other gaget on the market you can find and search out. Every slot gaget. Wheel. Clamp. Magic Stone. Fingers. Widgets. Gigets. Gizmo. Every one of them. None of them will work but you'll be supporting the economy....

Because after you buy an EdgePro you won't be buying anything and that could slow the economy down and we don't want that happening.

Well maybe new stones once in awhile and tapes in mind altering ever lowering micron sizes.

The short answer is YES you do. You KNOW you do.

 

[tim8557]

Before you buy an EdgePro - Pro or Apex, there are a few things you must do.

Buy every other gaget on the market you can find and search out. Every slot gaget. Wheel. Clamp. Magic Stone. Fingers. Widgets. Gigets. Gizmo. Every one of them. None of them will work but you'll be supporting the economy....

Because after you buy an EdgePro you won't be buying anything and that could slow the economy down and we don't want that happening.

Well maybe new stones once in awhile and tapes in mind altering ever lowering micron sizes.

The short answer is YES you do. You KNOW you do.

AMEN Brother!

 

[adilione]

Thanks to the recommendation of Tim and several others on the fourm, I recently purchase the Edge Pro Apex from Bronk's site. Watched the video yesterday and proceeded to sharpen three of our kitchen knives. All I can say is WOW, what an edge and it looks great also. Never actually knew what sharp was before. I echo Oregon's statement that it is work, especially if you reprofile like I had to, but the end result is well worth it.

I just started getting into "real" sharpening and posted on this forum about the sharpener and got steered in the right direction. I'd like to return the favor that the forum gave me and highly recommend the Edge Pro. You won't regret it.
Art

 

[DGG]

I think it is too expensive for the average knife user. The Sharpmaker is a better alternative. If I would get an Apex for $75 or so I might jump.

 

[tim8557]

I think it is too expensive for the average knife user. The Sharpmaker is a better alternative. If I would get an Apex for $75 or so I might jump.

I'm not sure that you find AVERAGE knife users in these forums. Even if I only had a couple of good knives, I would invest in the Edge Pro (I own two Edge Pro's BTW) as I would want the absolute best edge possible on those blades.

 

[Fixed Blade Fever]

First I have to say that I have used the lansky for years and recently aquired an edge pro apex. The following opinion is based upon only sharpening three knives with the edgepro, so please keep in mind that my experience with edgepro is limited.

I have to say that my first impression of the edgepro was somewhat of a disapointment. Trying to move and balance the edge of the blade on the edgepro will take some time and practice to master. Also the blade table is made of plastic, and I have a feeling that I will soon take the edge off of it with the stones. If you know what you are doing, you can achieve almost the same results with a lansky, with exception of the polish tape and the extra adjustibility provided by the edgepro. To me, repeatability of the edge bevel is much easier to achieve with a lansky than the edgepro due to having to move the blade around on the blade table vs being clamped in a fixed position in the lansky. IMHO if you already own and are proficient with the lansky equipment, it is not worth spending the extra money on an edgepro unless you just want to achieve some edge bevel that is in between the set angles provided by the lansky. You will still have to do the same work with the edgepro as with the lansky to reprofile the edge. Pricing of the edgepro also seems a bit agressive for what you are getting.

I am sure with time, I will become more fond of the edgepro. But initially, it just seems like a very slight improvement in the same concept.

 

[tim8557]

Also the blade table is made of plastic, and I have a feeling that I will soon take the edge off of it with the stones.

Speaking from experience, you will not remove material from the plastic blade table (which you should protect with blue masking tape). You will eventually cut through the little strip of plastic that clips onto the end of the metal adjuster and that the spine of the blade rests against. If you are reprofiling at 10 degrees or so, you will be making some contact with this plastic piece. You replace it with one of those little plastic strips you find in an office supplies store that bind a report together along the spline.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

A good whetstone will get any knife just as sharp for about $15.00.
The only reason to use a jig-type sharpener is if you simply are not coordinated enough to learn to sharpen a knife.
There may be another reason- I get the feeling most people here just like to buy gadgets.
Bill

 

[yam]

I have an EdgePro and yes it does a nice job, yes it's well built, yes Ben Dale is a top notch guy. I really like it for my wife (she's a chef) and her colleagues kitchen knives. Easy, no-brainer, puts on a nice clean, consistant edge. For my pocket knives, especially ones with odd, stylish grinds and thumbstuds it can be a little cumbersome. If your goal is to simply have a nice working edge on your knives, get a $15.00 whetstone and a ceramic rod or make a strop.

Not sure anyone really "needs" an EdgePro anymore than they "need" 50 knives. If you have the cash and can afford it, sure get one. Practice and have patience and you'll probably do just fine. Or save some money and get a Sharpmaker, practice and have patience and you'll probably do fine with it as well. Or, if you're like many people who have more time than money get a whetstone, practice and have patience and you'll probably be just as happy. In any of these cases, the idea is simply to put an edge on a knife, and all these methods work.

 

[Walking Man]

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=377265&highlight=holy
PLEASE learn how to do searches. Thanks.
We had a thread about the edgepro come up recently.

 

[QuietOned]

....Not sure anyone really "needs" an EdgePro anymore than they "need" 50 knives.

You mean there are people that have LESS than 50!!! How do they feed themselves??

Kind of hard to believe anyone can manage at all with so few

I probably have that many in the kitchen let alone the boxes in the basement. Sure most of the basement knives are so so and never get used except for sharpening practice but I KNOW I NEED them when I buy them.

 

[travis55]

I wont even subject yall to an ugly ass pic of my arm since my dad got the edge pro , lol . Lets just say there is some blood involved now . lmao . The edge pro does do the trick .

 

[travis55]

I want to bring up a point that someone else made a while back I dont remember who it was . But the edgepro shows the person like myself that never really had a clear understanding on what the whole sharpening process is suppose to be like . It really is a good tool , ill shut up now . lol

 

[DGG]

Here's a decent review of the EdgePro.

http://www.survivalschool.com/articles/Knife_Sharpening/Edge_Pro_Review.htm