Fast Portable Mechanical Sharpening Options?

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mjninc

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Jan 14, 2020
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Hi, I'm looking for portable mechanical options for sharpening knives. This is primarily for kitchen knives.

I don't want to use whetstones or any hand sharpening jig as I'd primarily be sharpening knives for people whose knives are 20 years old and never been sharpened, likely in need of reprofiling. I'd like to save as much time as possible. I've thought about a WSKO with the attachment, a belt grinder (1x30 or so) with an angle guide, or a bench grinder. All can fit a trunk pretty easily. I know I'd need to keep the blades cool.

If you were looking for fast, consistent, durable angles, but didn't need a mirror finish and didn't use whetstones or hand sharpening jigs, what method would you use?

Speed and durable long lasting sharpness is goal, where possible.

Thanks for your help!
 
I have a KOWS that works pretty well, but you have to be very aware of how the belt works on the tip, as it will round it quickly with the wrong technique.
 
Thanks everyone. The AMK-75 seems like what I'd like, but it's a bit pricey. I like the way the guide works on it.
Are there any options like the AMK-75 with a guide that are less expensive?
Are there any kind of clamp/guide setups for 1x30's available?
Are there any similar type guides you can by for the KOWS? I think I've read the belts for the KOWS can be a little expensive.
Thanks again!
 
mjninc said:
Thanks everyone. The AMK-75 seems like what I'd like, but it's a bit pricey. I like the way the guide works on it.
Are there any options like the AMK-75 with a guide that are less expensive?
Are there any kind of clamp/guide setups for 1x30's available?
Are there any similar type guides you can by for the KOWS? I think I've read the belts for the KOWS can be a little expensive.
Thanks again!
Click to expand...
I recommend you check out Cliff Curry's Youtube Channel. He basically covers everything you ever wanted to know about sharpening knives on 1x30 machines.

He covers the use of a relatively cheap guide that you can use on most 1x30 machines.
 
I had a Viel S5 for years before I got the AMK and never got comfortable with its high belt speed. I know that lots of users change out the drive wheel and/or the motor to get slower speeds: instead, I sold the Viel and bought the AMK. To put it all in perspective and to compare among options, the speed of the belt, measured in SFPM (surface feet per minute) or SFPS, surface feet per second, is easy to calculate if you know the drive wheel size and the shaft RPM. For a few options we have:
Viel 1750 RPM, 6" wheel -> 45 SFPS
AMK, 350 RPM 2" wheel -> 3 SFPS (minimum)
AMK, 3450 RPM 2" wheel -> 30 SFPS (maximum)
KOWS (min) 20+- SFPS
KOWS (max) 46+-SFPS (source: https://www.worksharptools.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Web_Ken-Onion-Edition.pdf)
Tormek T8 w/a 10" wheel at 90 RPM -> 4 SFPS, plus it's water cooled!

When sharpening I almost never go above the lowest speed on the AMK, and would likely go lower if that were an option. I have appreciated having the higher speeds for some grinding tasks.

-Phil
 
Yet another option is the variously-branded Chinese 1x30s sold on Amazon. They use variable-speed sewing machine motors which will go as slow as the AMK and cost about 1/3 the price. The down side is that there's no stock angle guide available for them, but you can effectively use them like the WSKO with the aid of an angle cube. They can also be configured a number of ways for different tasks.

Good review here:
 
Thank you all, I appreciate the insight! Are there any guided mechanical systems like the amk-75 that are cheaper?
 
There are some adjustable angle guides for the simple platen on inexpensive 1x30 belt sanders. These are from Leatherbeltman.
1689399756557.png
Speaking of relatively inexpensive belt sanders, I like this one from Bucktools, which has a quick release hinged side cover and top tension wheel release lever, which makes it very quick and easy to change belts.
1689400055767.png
 
Rookie question, has anyone here used one of these Chinese grinders from Amazon? I know you get what you pay for but I'm easing into this hobby while raising a family on a little paycheck.
Blade Lab said:
Yet another option is the variously-branded Chinese 1x30s sold on Amazon. They use variable-speed sewing machine motors which will go as slow as the AMK and cost about 1/3 the price. The down side is that there's no stock angle guide available for them, but you can effectively use them like the WSKO with the aid of an angle cube. They can also be configured a number of ways for different tasks.

Good review here:
Click to expand...
 
I would use a Chef's Choice 1520 and a Knives Plus Strop Block. Way more portable than a belt grinder. No set-up required. You can do either 15 or 20 degrees per side. With knives that are 20 years old, you are not likely to run into any supersteels, so a very dull 20-year old knife might take 5 minutes to reprofile. A moderately dull knife might take 1 or 2 minutes to sharpen, plus stropping to remove any remaining burr.

If you want something faster than that, you probably need a water-cooled system.
 
*Portable* makes this question harder. I guess it depends on what you think portable is. Many pro sharpeners have permanently mounted setups in full sized vans. It's a "shop on wheels" that they can take to customer locations and knock out sharpening jobs.

I've seen some amusing and clever setups on bicycles where the bike converts so that the pedals power a sharpening wheel. Those look fun! Only mentioning that for the humor and cleverness factor...

For a few years I carried a Workshop Ken Onion, an extension cord, and some Plano boxes with belts in them, all in a duffle bag. I could set that up on any kind of table where I was going and do somewhat high speed sharpening.

I think a good 1x30" setup, like the Kalamazoo I have now, is a better rig. But I wouldn't even consider moving the Kalamazoo. Some people would though. If it was mounted in a 2x4 frame, you could even run it horizontally.

If you define your parameters a bit more... maybe do some experiments with size and weight of what you can reasonably carry and set up... then maybe that will help you narrow down the correct setup for you.

Best of luck,
Brian.
 
Blade Lab said:
Yet another option is the variously-branded Chinese 1x30s sold on Amazon. They use variable-speed sewing machine motors which will go as slow as the AMK and cost about 1/3 the price. The down side is that there's no stock angle guide available for them, but you can effectively use them like the WSKO with the aid of an angle cube. They can also be configured a number of ways for different tasks.

Good review here:
Click to expand...

This guy is using it for sharpening , but someone on a budget could use this for knife making. I have a 2x72 but will probably order one of these too. Pretty handy looking.
Currently I use a combination of 1x30, Ken onion, and spyderco triangle to sharpen. I'm not happy with the results, it works just not as accurately as I would like.
 
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