Here it is again...which system is right for me?

[richard j]

just lately i`ve been using a dremel tool with a diamond coated bit,then a fine stone,and strop,...for friends not my knives ,works surprisingly good, i posted this in case you might know someone with a dremel tool, hope it helps cheers

i hope your friends have cheap knives. i would never use a dremel to sharpen a knife. thats a good way to really screw up a knife.

 

[blademaster01]

i hope your friends have cheap knives. i would never use a dremel to sharpen a knife. thats a good way to really screw up a knife.

how so-no metal gets remotely hot, low speed steady hand,inspect after each pass,i admit it`s not ideal,but it works as i say surprisingy well,it was an option for the op

 

[bmilla35]

Thanks guys, those are some nice setups. I can see how the one could be especially useful in a dorm.

Right now I think i'm leaning towards a paper wheel. I have a bench at my camp where I can set it up and I think my cousin is pitching on it, so the price isn't too bad lol. Nothing is set it stone, though

 

[bmilla35]

Could you use paper wheels to sharpen something like a machete and axe or hatchet, too? That would be a nice plus.

 

[richard j]

i have a dremel and i know what they can do to an edge which is screw it up. i would never suggest to anyone to use a dremel to sharpen a knife, scissors maybe. the paper wheel system is way better than a dremel.

 

[richard j]

i have sharpened 4' machetes before on my wheels but its challenging. a 1 1/4" wheel works better for longer blades.

 

[Noctis3880]

i heard its just a 1 year warranty. what if its after the year warranty is up and the motor pukes? do you end up with an $80. paperweight?

I can see your point there. Though again, I find that the tradeoffs(more forgiving convex grinds, more range of sharpening grits, smaller size, portability) is worth it, at least for me.

I did indeed buy another one, not because my last one burned out, but because it's making horribly loud screeching sounds. I suspect it was because I ran it a hell of a lot longer than 20 minutes in an hour when I was grinding the massive chips(think M&M size) out of my coworker's machete, which was slowed down because the belt was loaded with metal and I didn't have a belt cleaning block then. I haven't seen any other reports of the motor burning out on one of these yet, so I doubt it's a common issue. I do have a Craftsman angle grinder that burned out as well, though I used to use that for sometimes up to an hour nonstop. I suspect motors last a hell of a lot longer if you follow the instructions and don't keep it on continuously for too long. Admittedly the runtime is a bit pathetic at 20 minutes per hour, but that's often long enough for my needs(maybe 1-2 knives per day at the most).

It's not perfect, and I would definitely have to yield to paper wheels if I was ever in the business of sharpening knives en masse like you. But it's, how would you put it, more flexible?

Could you use paper wheels to sharpen something like a machete and axe or hatchet, too? That would be a nice plus.

If it's not too dull I'd say it's possible. The wheels are only 180 grit IIRC, which may not be coarse enough. Though if you thin the wax layer it might move along faster.

Still, I suppose I should mention that the Worksharp works with larger blades quite well, and I think it would work especially well with an axe or hatchet as you could put a beautiful convex edge on those. Here's one I did on my ESEE Junglas Machete:

 

[Work Sharp]

We take care of our customers inside and outside of warranty. If you buy a product from us, you are a customer for life and will be treated as such.
If you have used your tool in a reasonable way, we will make reasonable accomodations to help you. Customer service is a priority for us.

Our quoted duty cycle of 20 minutes per hour is intended to keep people from performing or expecting continuous heavy duty grinding tasks.
This is not intended to be a heavy duty industrial grinder, it is a consumer product intended for home knife & tool sharpening.
Since knife sharpening is an intermitent usage (power on / power off -- belt changes, etc.) you can expect to use this tool more per hour.
I often demo at events and use the same tool to sharpen (off and on of course) for an entire day with no issue (and the same belts).
Use the tool as you need with good sense and reason (as you would with any tool)...and if you have any problems, contact us.

Stay Sharp Guys - No Matter What your Preferred Method Is.