Edge Pro & EZE Sharp stone arms

changeofseasons

changeofseasons

Joined
Jul 15, 2009
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Does anyone know if the Edge Pro and EZE Sharp stone arm rods are the same size? I've seen a picture of someone using the Edge Pro stone arm on a EZE Sharp system but didn't know if the EZE Sharp arm would fit the Edge Pro Pro.

The reason I'm asking is because I want to get a good setup for sharpening serrations. Using a dowel with sand paper or similar medium affixed to a dowel in place of the stone arm on the Edge Pro seems to be the way to go.

Problem is is that I need to be able to use different size and shaped dowels. The EZE Sharp (which I do not own) comes with a fitting designed to take round or flat files. I'm looking into the possibility of securing dowels into that fitting and using that fitting on the Edge Pro. I may be barking up the wrong tree here since I haven't seen the fitting in person.

Is the EZE Sharp file fitting just a drill bit attachment? Has anyone tried this?
 
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You might consider calling Ben over at Edge pro. He is sooooo knowledgable about not only his equipment, but that of "the competition."
 
If the eze sharp rod doesn't work for you, here's another possibility, though I'm guessing here. At places like Home depot or Lowes, they sell drill bit extensions in various lengths for spade bit drills. What about drilling a hole up the end of a wood dowel, gluing the extension up into the dowel, and inserting the dowel end into the edge pro guide pivot? You could lock the tang of the file into the spade bit extension with the included set screws.Maybe a dumb idea, but who knows? How about this idea... forget the extension, just drill a hole in the end of a wood dowel, shove the end of the file in there with some epoxy, and there ya go. Again, I'm just guessing at this, but what do ya think?
 
I was actually looking at drill bit extensions today at lowes to see if it might work. I think that that is all the EZE Sharp file fitting is anyway. A 12" extension I would think would be the perfect length seeing as how that is the length of the Edge Pro's stone arm from tip to stone.

To clarify, my thought was that I could keep a set of dowels for use in sharpening serrated blades. I would secure a dowel into a drill bit extension and insert the shaft of the extension into the Edge Pro guide. Placing a dowel directly into the Edge Pro guide pivot didn't occur to me because I would need to use .5" dowels primarily and others greater than .25", much to large to fit into the guide. The problem I'm running into now is that the drill bit extensions I've found, while the shaft will fit into the guide, the maximum size dowel they will take is .25". So unless I can find a 12" drill bit extension with a .25" shaft and a chuck that accepts .5" bits, my idea is hosed.

Well garyahouse, it looks like you were one step ahead of me with the idea to skip the extension altogether! On to the next idea...

I guess the next step is to figure out how to use the big dowels and attach them to something that fits in the guide pivot. I'll brainstorm for a few hours and post some ideas shortly.
 
I realize you may be talking about sharpening serrations that are not round and want tools (files) matching the various shapes. You could also mount a tool, file, stone, etc. on a EP mounting plate. You can also make your own mounting plates pretty easily, although they are cheap form Ben Dale. I mounted a Lansky or Getco stone for angular serrations on an EP aluminum mounting plate with JB weld.

As for sharpening round serrations with the EP, I just run the dowel of the size I want (for the radius of the serration) through the guide hole and wrap sandpaper around the other end of the dowel and go to work. I am using wooden dowels.

With smaller dowels they might fit sloppy into the guide pivot but it is far enough away from the edge that the angular error is small and if I keep slight pressure on the dowel it stays on one side of the guide whole and there is almost no angular error. I haven't' run into round serrations that were bigger then the guide hole.

I suppose you could come up with an extension system where all the different size dowels and other tools for various serrations screw into a master guide rod that goes through the pivot. Also, it just so happens that for the only serrated knife I currently sharpen (a MAC 10" bread knife, sweet) the required dowel is pretty close to the pivot hole size.

Since I am holding the dowel and paper with one or two hands I clamp the knife into the scissors attachment so I don't need three hands. This seems to work great.

I haven't seen the need to go to a more elaborate set up as I only sharpen one serrated knife right now, it rarely gets dull, and it usually only takes a few strokes to get touched up. In fact I have only sharpened it in the serrations twice and it really only needed it once. I have done a couple of light touch ups with a round ceramic steel that fits into the serrations nicely.

Gary
 
gary jp4 said:
Non sequitur
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I think that what he is saying is that he has both and is reporting that they are not the same size/compatible.

(When someone makes an effort to be helpful there's really no need to discourage and snub them by acting like the grammar police. A little effort to be understanding goes a long way.)
 
No offense taken. I was busy sharpening yesterday and replied in a hurry. I had gotten a little behind on my sharpening this week. The Edge Pro and the EZE Sharpener are not completely compatible with each other. The EP stone arms (as you called them) are shorter than the EZE. You can use the EP a little on the EZE but they are really just to short. The EP uses much smaller stones while the EZE uses full size stones. In the EP the blade is not clamped and the EZE it is. Both are set up on my bench because both have their place. I bought the EZE sharpener on sale for around $70, much cheaper than and EP Professional. Please let me know if you have any more questions. I will be glad to help if I can.
 
Dear Change
Was thinking about a method to use the drill bit extension from Lowes you saw with the proper size dowel for the EP. Find a dowel of the proper length and diameter, just like you said, that fits the edge pro. Buy the shortest possible steel extension from Lowes. Cut it off just behind the receiving end with maybe 2 inches of shaft to stuff into the dowel. Place the stub into the end of the proper size dowel which now becomes the shaft... and fits nicely in the edge pro rod holder. How to drill the hole in the dowel: drill the same size hole in a 2x4. Shove the dowel tightly into the hole in the 2x4. This keeps the dowel from splitting when you drill it to receive the extension shaft. Then drill a hole in the dowel to big enough receive the drill extension shaft. Make it straight and central by starting with a small diameter drill say 1/8 first, then open up the hole to the right size to receive the extension shaft. Glue it in and you're set.
 
Thank you all for the replies. I really appreciate it.

@ garyahouse - Your last idea was sounds good and I'm going to give it a test run soon.

My only other idea is to go to a local machine shop and have aluminum or stainless rods cut and welded together to do the same basic thing.

@ trailside22 - Thanks for the info regarding the length of the arm. That's helpful to know. Primarily what I need to know is how the diameter of the EZE Sharp arm compares to the Edge Pro arm. Also, what is the largest diameter file that the EZE Sharp file attachment will accept? These questions only matter if the EZE Sharp filing attachment will fit into the Edge Pro guide pivot though.
 
Blues said:
I think that what he is saying is that he has both and is reporting that they are not the same size/compatible.

(When someone makes an effort to be helpful there's really no need to discourage and snub them by acting like the grammar police. A little effort to be understanding goes a long way.)
Click to expand...


trailside22 said:
No offense taken. I was busy sharpening yesterday and replied in a hurry. I had gotten a little behind on my sharpening this week. The Edge Pro and the EZE Sharpener are not completely compatible with each other. The EP stone arms (as you called them) are shorter than the EZE. You can use the EP a little on the EZE but they are really just to short. The EP uses much smaller stones while the EZE uses full size stones. In the EP the blade is not clamped and the EZE it is. Both are set up on my bench because both have their place. I bought the EZE sharpener on sale for around $70, much cheaper than and EP Professional. Please let me know if you have any more questions. I will be glad to help if I can.
Click to expand...

Blues,
My bad. It was a bit sarcastic. I really was wondering what that had to do with anything though and didn't realize he was referring to the first post and the original question. That was the shortest response I could think of. I didn't intend to discourage or snub and certainly not to be a grammar cop (I didn't even think I was capable of that).

Trailside22,
Thank you for the more detailed explanation and the good information. Elaborating on the reason why they are not computable is important I think. I am glad you responded in a positive way. It was probably obvious to start with but I didn't get it at first.

Gary
 
gary jp4 said:
Blues,
My bad. It was a bit sarcastic. I really was wondering what that had to do with anything though and didn't realize he was referring to the first post and the original question. That was the shortest response I could think of. I didn't intend to discourage or snub and certainly not to be a grammar cop (I didn't even think I was capable of that).

Gary
Click to expand...

We're cool, Gary. I just hate for someone to feel put off by an offhand remark that may not have even been intended in a demeaning way. Thanks for taking it in stride and putting things right. :thumbup::cool:
 
A couple little thoughts: a friend and I were talking about your dilemma and he suggested a hollow brass tube instead of the dowel. They're sold by their outside dimension (OD). Heat it up with a propane torch and it will stretch and conform to the tang of the file. Then glue it up as needed. Then i had another thought for the dowel: if you make the receiving hole a little large, you can fill it with epoxy and locate the shaft in perfect alignment by placing them both on a flat surface to dry... should allow you to have a little breathing room when you try to drill perfectly straight into the dowel.
 
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