Help me decide on an Edge Pro Apex system

J

jblane

Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
26
I'm a blade newby shopping for a system to start learning how to sharpen my budding knife collection. I've decided to go with the Edge Pro Apex system. Even though it's expensive, I figure it would be a good way to learn the craft without making mistakes and damaging my knives, which would end up being even more expensive.

I'm trying to decide which system I need for my purposes. I want to be able to get a knife razor/scary sharp, and eventually I'll want to know how to polish and strop. I'm deciding between the Apex 1, 3, and 4. Would the extra stones that come with the 3 be worth the $50 premium over the 1? and what exactly are the grit polish tapes that come with the 4 used for? I'm assuming that if I get the Apex 1 I'll need to buy 1 or 2 finer-grit stones anyway, so I probably wouldn't save much over the 3 in the end, and then I'd also get the ceramic steel. Thanks for any advice as I try to narrow it down and pull the trigger on my first sharpening system.
 
In addition to using the EP, I sold them for a couple of years. I started selling all the kit variations... just about everyone that bought the 2 stone kit, would email within a couple of weeks wanting the rest of the stones.

I don't think the polish tapes are that necessary, especially when the 1000g stone came out... it puts a pretty mirrored finish on a blade. They're good if you want to highly polish a bevel and/or get into "extreme sharpening" that some do. But not really necessary.

The ceramic is good for maintaing an edge, especially on knives you may not take to a high grit level, like kitchen knives... so it's worth having.

cbw
 
Thanks for the reply. I was leaning towards the Apex 3, as it seemed to me the lack of finer-grit stones in the Apex 1 would be an issue. I'll probably go with the 3 :D
 
I recently bought the EdgePro Apex 2 kit from Doug at KnifeWorks. After using it for a few days, I called and ordered additional stones and polish tapes from EdgePro.

There is a wee bit of a learning curve, but I am very pleased with the entire system now. Money very well spent, indeed. :D

For many years, I have used an old Norton oil bath three stone set, and the Edge Pro already gives me a better edge then the Norton ever did.
 
Good choice. I had only the #2 kit to choose from, so no choice at all, really. But you get all the stones available (at least OEM stones; just wait till you discover the aftermarket stones:D) and the ceramic rod, which are the two most important components, in my opinion. I think it is more fun and interesting to do your finishing and polishing with strops and compounds rather than with the high grit polishing tapes EP offers. Have fun with all of it!
 
If you decide to spring for the #3 kit , you may wish to order an additional 120 and 240 grit stones. Highly useful when doing a lot of re-profiling. A spare blank or two can be used to make your own diamond or ceramic hone holder. I wish I had gotten the Edgepro sooner. OldDude1
 
Thanks for the great advice, I've been learning so much from the knowledgeable people around here. I just ordered an Apex 3 from Oregonknifeshop. Pretty soon I'll have some questions about how to make my own strop from scratch :D
 
After being a member here for a couple of years and just lurking I have learned a wealth of info about my cherished knives. I was debating getting an Edge Pro system, when on my travels on eBay Monday I found an older kit with 180,320, and 600 stones with all the manual,water bottle, cloth used once for $80. Well, needless to say my decision was made and now I sit waiting for the UPS man to bring me my new toy. Thanks for all the info, such a great community.
 
Greetings DahlKen: Congrats. The EdgePro is my favorite sharpening system. After three years here you should have found quite a lot of information about it. Just in case you were not aware of it, there IS a short learning curve. Practicing on a few "beater" blades might be a good idea. Because of the ease of use, the coarse stone can remove metal faster than expected. Putting painter's tape on BOTH the blade and the table will prevent scratching the flats. Wipe the blade edge very clean before changing to a higher grit stone. Use the Sharpie marker trick. Be AWARE, that the standard width stones do not excel on sections of a blade that are tightly recurved or have a deep belly. Do not use HOT water to clean the stones. It may break the adhesive bond between the stones and the mounting plates. The EdgePro has allowed me to reprofile most knives with much less effort and in much less time than I was accustomed to. The uniform edge bevel when finished is cool too. Good Luck. OldDude1
 
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