Greetings Heiheit: The EdgePro is and excellent system but it is not perfect. A minor variance in how and where the blade is held on the table edge or a change in the downward pressure of the stone arm can change the angle of contact on the edge being sharpened. This is not readily noticeable when re-profiling or when removing a lot of metal. As the sharpened edge develops it becomes more important. When getting down to the finer grits on the VERY edge, PRECISE repetition of stone arm pressure and PRECISE blade position/stone contact point become substantially more important. The target area (the cutting edge) is tiny. You may wish to use the sharpie trick each time you MOVE THE BLADE on the table or CHANGE to a higher grit stone. This will let you see what is really happening vs. what you think is happening as you progress. To a novice like me, only the presence of a burr on the opposite side indicates that the very edge has been reached and passed. The lowest grit stone is thicker than the others ,which requires a slight adjustment in contact angle when switching to a higher grit stone. If the contact angle of each new stone, relative to the edge is not just about exactly equal to the angle and contact point of the previously used stone you may wind up with less than stellar results. While familiarizing myself with the Edgepro, I would get a great edge with one stone but wind up removing it with the next stone of higher grit. The same condition can result when moving the blade edge along the table. Use LESS stone pressure and MORE contact point consistency. EdgePro stones become dished with use. Make sure your USED stones are in fact dressed FLAT. Just because they look flat doesn't mean they are flat. Minor variances in stone contact angle, contact pressure and flatness may not prevent getting a very sharp edge but they will frustrate you in obtaining an EXTREMELY sharp edge. Use the Sharpie marker and look with a lens, if necessary. Less pressure and higher consistency of repetition, obtaining a bur and patience were key for me. The EdgePro will maintain a precise stone angle YOU must maintain a consistent blade edge position. As Noctis3880 stated the tapes are definitely overkill. They load up quickly and are, in my opinion unnecessary expense. Hand stropping still gives me the best final result. Keep the stones away from heat and solvents. They both attack the adhesive holding the stones to the backing plates. The EdgePro is very capable of producing a very fine, uniform, clean and cosmetically appealing edge. If not included with your purchase, you may wish to order an additional 120 and 220 grit stone ,especially if you are inclined to reprofile a lot of blades. They wear out the fastest. *** PRACTICE ON A FEW BEATER KNIVES FIRST. OldDude1
