Edgepro Apex

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BiggDaddy485

Joined
Jun 29, 2010
Messages
53
So as a result of my bladeforums membership, I'm addicted to pretty knives with sharp edges.. Problem now is that all my pretty knives are starting to get dull (definitely a user, not a collector).. So once again, my knife related purchasing started here at bladeforums and continued on to youtube.. After ALOT of research, my search ended at the Edgepro Apex.. I'll share with you what I was looking for and how I ended up settling on the Edgepro..

I was looking for a hand powered system with some kind of angle guide.. I looked at the DMT system, Lanksy, and Sharpmaker.. They seem like good systems for quick and dirty, but seem to lack some refinement.. The ability to adjust the angle to any degree without being set on the predetermined notches was a huge bonus for me.. The quality of the Edgepro appears to be a bit higher than the other systems I considered as well.. I haven't seen a single post about any kind of breakage with the Edgepro (that's not to say they don't exist, just that I didn't come across any)..

The Edgepro also seems like a good way to learn how to free hand.. I think that taking out the angle variable will allow me to focus on other fundamentals of sharpening without getting too frustrated too quickly.. That being said, the Edgepro doesn't seem like the kind of system that you can just jump into and be a pro in the first 10 minutes, there's definitely a learning curve.. The price was also a factor.. I ended up paying $305 CAD for the Apex 4 and a bag of the leveling stuff.. I found a dealer in Quebec, so I paid a little more the unit itself, but saved on shipping and duty charges..

All in all, a pretty good experience so far.. I'll be posting updates as I learn how to use the thing and hopefully this will help anyone trying to make a decision on which system to get.. Also, I don't want this to turn into a "my sharpening system is better than your sharpening system" kind of thread.. Comments and critiques are encouraged, so if you think that system X is better, please tell us why and what your experiences actually are.. I think sharpening is a much overlooked subject for the casual knife owner..

Anyhow, I'm rambling.. Back to work..

BiggDaddy
 
Welcome to the joyous journey of the refined edge!:)

There is, of course, a fairly easy and relatively short learning curve with Edge-Pro machines, as with any other tool.

Nevertheless, with a bit of patience and practice, it will open completely new horizons for you, and allow you to have cutlery sharper and more refined than anything you ever imagined.

Congratulations on an excellent choice. You will soon realize exactly what we mean here when we say that 99 percent of Americans have never actually held a sharp knife in their hand. :thumbup::thumbup:

There are many extremely knowledgeable people here who will always be willing to answer questions and help you in any way that you require.
 
Ben Dover said:
There are many extremely knowledgeable people here who will always be willing to answer questions and help you in any way that you require.
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Thanks Ben.. Everybody has been amazing so far.. Hopefully once I've learned a bit more I can start giving back a bit..
 
The mailman cometh!! Rather, cameth..

Unboxed my new edgepro on wednesday, and so far I'm pretty impressed.. The unit itself has a good amount of heft to it, without being too bulky and cumbersome.. The carrying case is about as close to perfect as you could find for this unit.. you can definitely feel the quality in all the materials used (for 300 bucks, it better be though)..

I started off in the shop with some kitchen knives.. Wanted to get a feel for it before i started on my nicer knives.. I afixed it to a smooth granite tile I picked up at Rona.. Here are my initial thoughts:

-It's tough to sharpen the tip.. Perhaps this is because the blade is so long, it's tough to keep control.. Also, the kitchen knives are a little flexible, which doesn't help..

-It's hard to ease up on the grip on the knife.. From what I've read, this is a noob thing to do, so I'm trying to be aware..

-I still haven't figured out if less is more or if more is more with the water.. I've seen people go both ways, maybe its just a preference thing..

-I only took the kitchen knives up to the 600 grit.. Not sure if I should go to the 1000 or not.. Maybe someone has thoughts on this??


Decided to do my RAT-1 folder as well as it isn't super expensive and only AUS-8 steel.. Thought I'd try this one before I take it to my Spyderco UKPK in S30V (amazing knife for EDC, btw).. Didn't think I'd get too much out of this one but I was shocked at the results.. I wouldn't call it air-bleeding sharp, but it's definitely sharper than any factory edge I've ever seen AND I even got a mirror polished edge!! I was shocked that I was able to do that after only two other knives

So in the end, amazing results so far.. I still have a lot to learn I think, but a good start..
 
Nice! Curious to see how you make out with it. I should get mine tomorrow and I am super excited to try it out. Got any pics of the RAT-1?
 
I have been looking a lot at the edgepro. It's a little pricey, so I'm going to have to wait to get back to work (laid off steel worker). It definately seems like the way to go if you are going to be sharpening your own blades.
 
Here's the RAT-1.. The pictures arent the greatest, but you get the idea..




human1ess, it is a little on the pricey side so I guess you need to ask yourself what you're willing to spend against the results you're looking for.. Using stones free hand never worked for me to get the edge I wanted.. Too much of a learning curve I guess.. There are cheaper solutions out there, but I'm not sure you would get the same results.. YMMV of course.. My advice, go for it.. I think it's a good investment for a knife lover..
 
BiggDaddy, that looks pretty good. I think I will be ultra-happy if I get those results! I think I am gonna try an put a mirror edge on a Junglas just to see if I can. Then ruin it batoning it through a piece of wood, lol. I would be very happy with results like that. Which kit did you get?
 
jonj480 said:
BiggDaddy, that looks pretty good. I think I will be ultra-happy if I get those results! I think I am gonna try an put a mirror edge on a Junglas just to see if I can. Then ruin it batoning it through a piece of wood, lol. I would be very happy with results like that. Which kit did you get?
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Thanks!! I'd love to get a Junglas, just no "real" reason for it.. Maybe I'll think up some fake ones.. I'll probably do my Izula this weekend, so I'll let ya know how the 1095 does.. I just wish there was someone near me that I could watch and learn from.. This will do for now though..

The kit I picked up was the Apex 4.. Paid the extra for the tapes.. When you're dropping that much, what's an extra 20? ;)
 
LOL That's funny, I got the same one, for the same reason! I figured, why get all of it besides the tapes, when the tapes are only $20 more? Hopefully it comes tomorrow.

I really didn't have much of a reason for a Junglas either, but I use it more than any other knife I own. Never thought I would. I wear it around my land on my mower and chop tree branches with it. Split wood with it, man it turned out to be one of the best knives I have ever bought!
 
Contests on your purchase! I have always loved mine, and your edges will get better and better, although it sounds like you're off to a great start! Once you get used to screaming sharp edges, there's no going back. Like Esav says, welcome to the dark side, we have cookies! :D
 
How did you feel about the 120 grit for reprofiling? My apex should be here Monday, going to play with a kitchen knife or three then the para2 must be made into a zip tie killer. What problems exactly did you have with the tip? Did you hold the 0301 stationary or did you move it like some do? I've been watching Ankerson's videos on youtube to get an idea of the proper way. His edges seem to be one of the standards in measuring the edge abilitys. I'm figuring on taking the para2 down to 30 to see how it goes. Can always go lower:)
 
I got mine on sat. I can post some pics maybe tonight or tomorrow of the results I got.

The 120 stone removes metal like crazy! Almost too well. I have learned to go real slow with beginning a reprofile. The most difficult thing to me was being consistent with where I hold the knife. That took me a little while to get used to. The other thing was to take enough time with each grit to get all of the scratches out. Less is more with the edge pro. You really need very little pressure with either the knife or the stone. The fist couple knives I did I was pushing too hard and it caused me to get uneven bevels, or even multiple bevels. Use a marker and go slow and light at first.
 
Ouch. At 320 I got it sharper than any knife I've ever had. 600 I cut myself, twice. 320 is perfect for an edc for me anyway. After that I'm just asking for it and the edge pro will make sure it delivers. Ankerson's videos on using the edge pro helped me ALOT. They are recorded at the right angle to see exactly what he is doing. I can literally shave my face with my para2 and my barber cringes when I want a straight shave.
 
1st post ever.

Congrats on getting the EdgePro Apex 4. I too, got the Apex 4, but I think it was a little too overkill for my purposes. I mostly sharpen my chefs knives and the occasional kershaw blade, but it was one of the best investments I've ever made.

A few observations:

- If you're sharpening a forged blade, review the warning about the "dead" area on the edge. This will happen with all forged knives according to the manufacturer. If you push the rod slowly but evenly, you might work around this (but don't quote me).

- I use painters/gaffers tape on the top and sides of the EdgePro, but it doesn't prevent scratches from happening on the blade during normal use. This will not be a problem if you cover the majority of your blade (minus the edge, of course) before you get to work on the EPA. This is not a problem (so far) with my own knives, but you can bet that I'll tape up anyone else's blade before I get to sharpening.

- I use a Mac ceramic honing rod immediately after sharpening on the EPA, and not the supplied one. This is a quirk of mine, but I prefer to strop the edge using a fake/synthetic wine cork to remove the lip on the edge. I don't know if the supplied ceramic rod would work better than my Mac rod.

- I rarely use the 1000 plate at all. I only go up to 600 if I'm feeling a little tweaky, but the 220 and 320 plates do just fine for the majority of kitchen knives that I use.

If anyone has any tips or recommendations for getting the most out the EPA, I'd love to hear them. Cheers!
 
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