Do you own multiple sharpening systems?

[Twinecutter]

I have so far a spyderco sharp maker I've had for a couple of years, I was always too afraid to sharpen and getting no where with some examples I saw online. I soon realized I needed to fix the edge to conform to the angles of the sharp marker. I got a blazing edge on a kitchen knife. I saw some reviews on the KME and I got their entire line up and I've been sharpening and resharpening to hone in on my newly acquired skill.

I now am looking at the tsprof kit as it seems like a larger scale kit that can take care of larger knives, and it seems built to last a lifetime. Do I need it? Hell no. Do I want a tsprof? Hell yes.


Are there any of you out there that have multiple sharpening systems? If so, do you find yourself using them for specific purposes? I'd like to hear others stories.

I started with a Smith's 6" tri hone Arkansas system. Next I got a Smith's 8" diamond tri hone. Then a Work Sharp guided sharpening system (freehand). Then a Spyderco Sharpmaker. My latest is a Woodstock 1000/6000 Japanese whetstone.
Rarely do I use my Smith's systems anymore. The Spyderco I have for anyone to use as it does not demand much experience. The Work Sharp I use for heavy sharpening and the Woodstock is my go to stone. It removes metal quickly while leaving a spotless mirror polish.

 

[jll346]

I have carried and used DMT Aligner kit for a very long time. Definitely not the endall shapening system, but very easy and fast to use. I carry 4 stones and a sharpie in the kit. I have probably sharpened over a thousand different knives with it. Someone at work always needs a knife sharpened! Lol

 

[muslmutt]

I started with a Gatco, and added stones to it. Next was a Ken Onion Work Sharp. I added the Blade Grinder to the KOWS. Then I got a Wicked Edge WE-130. I sold the Gatco, kept and still use the rest.

 

[stitchawl]

Hi,
Why?

Quick, easy, versatile, and effective.
I can use it with its own stones, or I can use it with bench stones or sandpaper. The clamp weighs next to nothing, so perfect for camping and backpacking with a sheet of sandpaper. And when used with polishing film, can take an edge down as far as your film can go. Right now, the finest I have left if 15,000 grit, which is more than enough.


Stitchawl

 

[sparkyvega]

I recently upgraded my 20yr old Lansky basic 3 stone system with coarse and medium diamond stones and WOW! What great results. Can sharpen so much FASTER and no oil needed. Highly recommend. For free hand, I got the WorkSharp guided system, the diamond plates are fantastic.

 

[Haffner]

Yes, indeed:

1. Spyderco medium and fine benchstones.
2. Spyderco Sharpmaker + Ultra Fine stones.
3. Work Sharp Ken Onion edition with the Blade Grinder attachment.
   
4. Hapstone V6 rev. 2 with the Rotating Clamp plus more than 50 stones and Nanocloth strops with Jende diamond emulsions...
5. Wicked Edge generation 3 pro 2017 version with all the ceramic stones and my own custom handles with Spyderco 303 Medium and Fine Pocket Stones.

So now I'm looking for

1. Hapstone Scissor attachment.
   
2. Wicked Edge Scissor attachment.
   
3. Wicked Edge 1500 Grit Diamond Stones and Blank Glass Platens Pack
4. Wicked Edge 6 Micron Diamond Lapping Film.
   
5. Wicked Edge Blank Nano-Cloth Ultra Strops Packs for the Jende diamond emulsions.

Hopefully this will be the end of it...

 

[CasePeanut]

Yes, indeed:

1. Spyderco medium and fine benchstones.
2. Spyderco Sharpmaker + Ultra Fine stones.
3. Work Sharp Ken Onion edition with the Blade Grinder attachment.
   
4. Hapstone V6 rev. 2 with the Rotating Clamp plus more than 50 stones and Nanocloth strops with Jende diamond emulsions...
5. Wicked Edge generation 3 pro 2017 version with all the ceramic stones and my own custom handles with Spyderco 303 Medium and Fine Pocket Stones.

So now I'm looking for

1. Hapstone Scissor attachment.
   
2. Wicked Edge Scissor attachment.
   
3. Wicked Edge 1500 Grit Diamond Stones and Blank Glass Platens Pack
4. Wicked Edge 6 Micron Diamond Lapping Film.
   
5. Wicked Edge Blank Nano-Cloth Ultra Strops Packs for the Jende diamond emulsions.

Hopefully this will be the end of it...

H Haffner how do you like the worksharp as part of that lineup? I’m wondering if it’s worth it in addition to my KME and sharpmaker.

 

[Haffner]

H Haffner how do you like the worksharp as part of that lineup? I’m wondering if it’s worth it in addition to my KME and sharpmaker.

Hey CasePeanut,

I appreciate your question… Here is what I can think of:

The short answer is definitely YES!

The Work Sharp Ken Onion edition with the Blade Grinder attachment is the sharpener I use for most of the time. I use it for all the kitchen knives I sharpen for friends and colleagues. It is much faster than the other systems and the knives do get really sharp.

In case you consider buying it, I will highly recommend the Work Sharp Elite Knife Sharpening Solution. This is the cheapest way to get the Blade Grinder attachment and once you have it, you will never want to use the regular sharpening configuration.

Because I have never really trusted myself to keep the knives at an exact angle, I have built a jig around it, so I have support for the knife blade while I’m sharpening it. The knife blades rests on a piece of aluminium flat bar, because this material is much softer then any blade. As a result, none of the knives I have sharpened have ever been scratched. One of the main complaints I have heard of the Work Shap is that the edges get somewhat rounded, but when I use this setup and only use the lightest pressure against the belts, the edges get very flat. Much to my surprise, I haven’t got a picture of my setup, but if you are interested, I will be happy to post a few.

The Sharpmaker, I still use for quick touch ups, because it is so fast to set up.

The Wicked Edge and the Hapstone I mainly use for high end knives. Blades with a Vanadium content of 4% or more are best sharpened with diamond stones and compounds because the Vanadium carbides are harder than regular sharpening materials.

For storage I use Nanuk plastic cases. Trust me, they are worth every cent.

Lately, I have just acquired an Edge On Up PT50 Edge Tester. This device will hopefully allow me to learn more about how well I sharpen knives. And don’t forget to have a good loupe or preferably a USB microscope at hand, so you can examine the different scratch patterns that the different sharpening materials leave on the edges.

I hope this helps, but please feel free to ask any further questions. I will do what I can to answer…

 

[CasePeanut]

Hey CasePeanut,

I appreciate your question… Here is what I can think of:

The short answer is definitely YES!

The Work Sharp Ken Onion edition with the Blade Grinder attachment is the sharpener I use for most of the time. I use it for all the kitchen knives I sharpen for friends and colleagues. It is much faster than the other systems and the knives do get really sharp.

In case you consider buying it, I will highly recommend the Work Sharp Elite Knife Sharpening Solution. This is the cheapest way to get the Blade Grinder attachment and once you have it, you will never want to use the regular sharpening configuration.

Because I have never really trusted myself to keep the knives at an exact angle, I have built a jig around it, so I have support for the knife blade while I’m sharpening it. The knife blades rests on a piece of aluminium flat bar, because this material is much softer then any blade. As a result, none of the knives I have sharpened have ever been scratched. One of the main complaints I have heard of the Work Shap is that the edges get somewhat rounded, but when I use this setup and only use the lightest pressure against the belts, the edges get very flat. Much to my surprise, I haven’t got a picture of my setup, but if you are interested, I will be happy to post a few.

The Sharpmaker, I still use for quick touch ups, because it is so fast to set up.

The Wicked Edge and the Hapstone I mainly use for high end knives. Blades with a Vanadium content of 4% or more are best sharpened with diamond stones and compounds because the Vanadium carbides are harder than regular sharpening materials.

For storage I use Nanuk plastic cases. Trust me, they are worth every cent.

Lately, I have just acquired an Edge On Up PT50 Edge Tester. This device will hopefully allow me to learn more about how well I sharpen knives. And don’t forget to have a good loupe or preferably a USB microscope at hand, so you can examine the different scratch patterns that the different sharpening materials leave on the edges.

I hope this helps, but please feel free to ask any further questions. I will do what I can to answer…

Thank you! This is all awesome info! Can you please post some pics of your worksharp jig? I’d love to see it!

Have you tried grinding/regrinding blades on the worksharp? I would primarily want it for quickly sharpening and taking out deep nicks from friend’s messed up kitchen knives (sounds perfect for this) but having a mini grinder would seem like a lot of fun.

I had been considering the HF 1x30 or something like that, but this seems like a better option.

Also - do you have any USB microscope options you like? I’ve been using a 40x loupe and a old-fashioned 120x microscope - but the microscope is a bit hard to use with a sharp knife. Too easy to cut yourself!

 

[Haffner]

Thank you! This is all awesome info! Can you please post some pics of your worksharp jig? I’d love to see it!

Finally! Here you go...

 

[CasePeanut]

Finally! Here you go...

wow! thank you so much for sharing! very cool to see.

How are you finding the WorkSharp, do you feel a need for a larger sander as well?

 

[MikeyConti]

Thank you! This is all awesome info! Can you please post some pics of your worksharp jig? I’d love to see it!

Have you tried grinding/regrinding blades on the worksharp? I would primarily want it for quickly sharpening and taking out deep nicks from friend’s messed up kitchen knives (sounds perfect for this) but having a mini grinder would seem like a lot of fun.

I had been considering the HF 1x30 or something like that, but this seems like a better option.

Also - do you have any USB microscope options you like? I’ve been using a 40x loupe and a old-fashioned 120x microscope - but the microscope is a bit hard to use with a sharp knife. Too easy to cut yourself!

Also want to say thanks for sharing! Copied both posts and put it into my Notes app for future reading!
So did you not like the stock blade angle block so you made your own with the Aluminum bar?
Very nice setup.

 

[bflying]

My edges are set on the KME or EdgePro.

I do my touch-ups on a Sharpmaker. Which is kind of like free handing if your edges are anything other than 15 or 20.....which is pretty much always.

I also have a few pocket stones for travel. Probably my most used is the little Spyderco DoubleStuff, with coarse on one side and fine on the other.

 

[tomsch]

I have three. A WE with a Gen3 clamp that I use for major sharpening and reprofiles, water stones when I feel nostalgic and want to improve my hand sharpening skills, and a Spyderco Sharpmaker for general touch-ups. I admit that I use the Sharpmaker way more than the other two sharpening methods simply because I do touch-ups on my knives 1-2x a week.