Edgepro: What the heck?!

Splat

Splat

Joined
Nov 19, 2006
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as in... What the heck was I waiting for?! :) I should'a got one a long time ago! I received mine yesterday from Oregonknifeshop, who I highly recommend. These guys shipped quickly, tracking emails, and nothing went amiss. They also accept Paypal, btw. So I retreated to my satellite office, fortress of solitude, library, etc... :D and read the whole manual about 3-4 times. I already had watched the various videos on Youtube and video.google so I was already ahead of the game. After getting two really darn good results on two beater knives I went ahead and did my Boker Trance and Benchmade Activator. Wow! :eek: I thought I was good with my Sharpmaker! This thing blows away the Sharpmaker, and admittedly everything else I've tried. Almost shaving sharp. I have never attained that before but now I'm there I'm quite happy with it. I'm not related to Ben in any way, just a very happy buyer of the Edgepro. So, I know it's been said before.... I gotta admit that this is the best sharpener or knife-related product I've ever bought. Get one.
 
Welcome to the world of sharp knives! Before long, everything in(and outside of) your house with some sort of edge on it will be too sharp to touch. Seriously. You know those multi-purpose grill tools with the flipper/grill cleaner/chisel-ground cutting edge/bottle opener? That thing is really sharp, and I don't even use it. It's a sickness.
 
That's pretty much the reaction everyone has to handling the edgepro.

It is a sickness, a beautifully sharp sickness.
 
I don't have one but both the sharpmaker and edgepro should both be getting you way past 'almost shaving sharp.'
 
Which model did you get? I have been seriously looking at these also. I only have the spyderco sharpmaker right now.
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
I don't have one but both the sharpmaker and edgepro should both be getting you way past 'almost shaving sharp.'
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+1

If your technique is good it's easily possible to get hair whittling sharpness straight off the SM white rods. Probably possible with the browns too, I just haven't tried.
 
There are as many different 'opinions' about sharpening devices as there are people to give them. But one of these opinions seems pretty consistant; once you actually try an EdgePro you realize that it is simply the finest manual sharpener on the market today. Those who say other devices are tops just haven't tried the EdgePro ... yet. They will, eventually.

There is no doubt that the Sharpmaker is a good device. There is no doubt that paper wheels work quickly and well. There is no doubt that hand sharpening is a wonderful skill to learn and produces a fine edge. But for consistently perfect edges on any size blade at any specifically desired angle, the EdgePro is number one!

Stitchawl
 
I was happy with the results from my Sharpmaker but after handling an associate's knife sharpened by the Edgepro I had to get one. BTW, I've only went up to the 320grit Edgepro stone though I do have a 600grit. I'm very, very happy with the 320's edge. I'll pro'lly go up to the 600 this weekend. Yes, everything in the house that could be sharpened pro'lly will be by the end of this weekend. :D
 
I have the edgepro Apex3 kit, but also use the sharpmaker with the UF rods.

The EP is used for reprofiling. It takes too much time IMHO to take out setup etc....I use the sharpmaker to touchup the edge. Great combo if you ask me.

BTW Get the 1000 grit stone and the 7000 grit polishing tapes...:D
 
Think of the Sharpmaker as a touch up tool. It isn't a good choice for grinding bevels but it will improve an edge that is alreay pretty good. The Edgepro can to everything from grinding new angles to polishing the bevels. The Sharpmaker is faster and less versatile. The Edgepro is slower and more versatile. Might make sense to have one of each.
 
The ceramic rod that comes with many of the EdgePro kits works very well for touch-ups too.
 
The SM's 20 and 15 angles don't match the defined angles on the Edgepro so are you guys matching the Edgepro with the existing Sharpmaker's angle?

BTW, I might try attaching my SM's ceramic sticks to the EP with rubber bands since I didn't get the EP's ceramic rod. Would this be advisable or do the SM's ceramics cut too much?
 
I think you will be fine using the SM the way it is.

IE set the intial edge at say either 10 or 15 degrees on the EP. Once you have gone through the steps on the EP, do a few swipes on the Sharpmaker at the 15 setting on the FLATS of the whites/UF (sets up the micro bevel). Now you are good to go!

For touch up, either strop, or go back to the flats on the SM at the 15 setting and do a few swipes.:thumbup:

This is what I do, and I get great results. Back to shaving sharp in a few swipes :D.
 
Knife Outlet said:
Think of the Sharpmaker as a touch up tool. It isn't a good choice for grinding bevels but it will improve an edge that is alreay pretty good. The Edgepro can to everything from grinding new angles to polishing the bevels. The Sharpmaker is faster and less versatile. The Edgepro is slower and more versatile. Might make sense to have one of each.
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Moreover, I think that the Sharpmaker is a good touch-up sharpener for, ironically enough, NON-Spyderco knives. Spyderco has thick ricassos on all of their knives which the corners (and flats, because of the corners) of the rods cannot get to. This will leave a dull spot at the very edge at the ricasso. I think eventually you will get a recurve, no? And when you bring it to a flat stone, you will have a convex dip caused by this thickened, dull spot at the ricasso.

It works better on knives like the 710D2 or Griptilian, for example, where you can get the whole edge.
 
Knife Outlet said:
Think of the Sharpmaker as a touch up tool. It isn't a good choice for grinding bevels but it will improve an edge that is alreay pretty good. The Edgepro can to everything from grinding new angles to polishing the bevels. The Sharpmaker is faster and less versatile. The Edgepro is slower and more versatile. Might make sense to have one of each.
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Like krazichinaman and Knife Outlet said, I find the two to be a perfect combination. I keep the Sharpmaker set up on the kitchen counter with the white stones mounted. It's just what's needed for a weekly touch-up to our kitchen tools and my EDC. For more serious work, taking out the EdgePro and setting it up assures me that I will have exactly the edges I want, taken to what ever grit I need or simply want. For kitchen tools there is no need or desire for anything more than I can get from the Sharpmaker, but for my leather working knives, wood carving tools, and my pocket knives, anything from 2000 grit to 15,000 on the EdgePro, and stropped to 60,000 with CrO2 on hard leather does the job.

Stitchawl
 
I have been looking at both of these systems online for the past week or so, If any of you were to just get one of them which one would you get? Is the EP worth the investment or is the Sharpmaker sufficient...I have a limited budget.
 
ballsagne said:
I have been looking at both of these systems online for the past week or so, If any of you were to just get one of them which one would you get? Is the EP worth the investment or is the Sharpmaker sufficient...I have a limited budget.
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If I could only get one of them, I'd get the EdgePro (well worth the investment for what you get if it's within your means), and then maybe save $40-50 buckaroos and get the Sharpmaker. As noted above, the EP is more versatile, but the SM is quicker and great for maintenance of previously established bevels you like. The both of them, imho, is the best of the popular options.
 
ballsagne said:
I have been looking at both of these systems online for the past week or so, If any of you were to just get one of them which one would you get? Is the EP worth the investment or is the Sharpmaker sufficient...I have a limited budget.
Click to expand...

Get the Edgepro Apex. I've used and/or bought all of the production sharpeners out there from Smith's, DMT, etc., and the Sharpmaker is the best of the cheaper units. I got very good edges with my Sharpmaker but after seeing an associate's edge after he Edgepro'ed it I had to get one. My knives' edges are sharper and are definitely lasting longer since I've been using the Edgepro on them. Seriously, get one. I'm not associated with anyone selling or making the Edgepros. Just a very satisfied customer.
 
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