How many use the Work Sharp on their Buck

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PCL

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May 25, 2012
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Thinking of getting the Work Sharp and I am curious to know how many Buck knife owners use this device and their opinions on how well it performs on Buck products, from fixed blades to folders.
 
I use the Ken onion edition for my knives that are in really poor shape like a broken tip. It's fast and can get you real close to a razor edge.
 
I haven't used it on a Buck yet, but there is a reason for all the good reviews! I just picked up a Worksharp for half price at a place you can get supplies for your tractor. It is really an excellent tool and I went on a sharpening frenzy right away, starting with some kitchen knives, then folders, then a hatchet and an axe! It gives nice "working" edges on everything. Just read some reviews and the instructions, make sure you are especially careful with the tips. If you pick one up you will definitely like it and find it useful.
Bruce
 
I keep looking at them but still havent bought one yet. I was just looking this past Mon at a place that had them for $69.
 
I almost feel I should keep quite on things such as this, BUT, I do get to have a opinion. And I have owned and used one since they first came out.

If you are buying one for your primary/use it only knife sharpener, I would be very cautious. I purchased a bunch of extra belts, very rough to mirror buffing quality. But, the main problem I had was when using the angle device I could not get all the way to the beginning of the blade grind at the tang. That left me with a small portion of blade edge that went unsharpened. After a few passes it took on a slight curve. And with heavy pressure you can grind too much.

I do use it as a hand buffer and sometimes sander, without the angle guard. I just free-hand the edge. With rough girt belts it works well on hatchets and other thicker blades. I have taken the buffing belt and worked over a rough bolster or two and sanded on a rescale job when it got down to close sanding. Have used it on kitchen knives and scissors to good effect. You cannot use a heavy hand with any of the heavy grit belts.

I just am not a fan of it for small pocket knife blades.

I appreciate folks who use stones and was taught how by my father but I am just a ceramic rod man and always will be....Lazy I guess. If I have a nic, chip or have to reprofile, I prefer a Lansky. 300
 
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I tend to use my Sharpmaker for everything (it's turned my 119 into a lightsaber), but for larger fixed blades I might need something else. Interested to see more responses.
 
300Bucks, you hit some points that I was considering one for. I thought one would be good for getting major nicks out of blades I get off auction sites that were abused and I want to just make a user out of. I also thought one would be good for doing light mods to handles , guards, etc without getting a large belt sander/grinder. All my other sharpening is done on an assortment of whetstones I've accumulated through the years. Well that is except for convex knives. I use sandpaper and a leather hone for those.
 
I have the Ken Onion edition and I love the damned thing.
Speaking specifically to Bucks, the hollow grinds he Buck uses so often works really really well with a nice convex edge. I've found I can get a 110 to be a perfectly well mannered slicer, and work perfectly for EDC tasks without compromising edge strength.

Over the past couple months that I've had it, the KOWSKT has become my primary sharpener. All I need to do after the initial re-grind to keep it good and sharp is a touch up on the white (fine) belt. It is kind of like stropping.
 
Besides, a perfectly polished edge is a beautiful thing. I got this edge in all of about 8-9 minutes.

I definitely recommend the KO version for all the usual reasons.
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Do you do anything to prevent scratching the side of the blade? This is a common complaint about the WS.
 
I haven't found it to be an issue. The guides are plastic, so if they are rubbing on the side of a steel blade and scratching it, it probably means people aren't cleaning metal filings off the guides first, in which case they are dragging the side of the edge across metal filings rather than a simple flat piece of plastic.
I keep my guide clean (wipe it after every couple of sharpening with a microfiber cloth. Takes literally 10 seconds), and don't apply pressure when resting the blade against the guide. Light pressure of steel on plastic is going to take a long time to scratch that blade.
The only blade i have that I have seen any mark from the guides is my Kershaw Leek, which has a bead blast/matte finish, and lets face it, that type of finish highlights even the faintest of scratches.
 
I have the Ken Onion version and while it is great for really dull knives, I agree with everything 300Bucks said about it. I just received a sharpmaker and it is great for maintaining the edge. Also I agree with him on the Lansky, I have had one for years.
 
Thanks for the replies, it makes it difficult to decide though. I use a lansky on my Bucks and other blades on the 20* which gives them a really good edge as far as it goes. Just want to get the best out of my users and upgrade a bit.
 
Ultimately, there are lots of good choices out there. Some people take real pleasure in sharpening knives. It becomes a hobby unto itself.

For me, the pleasure is in using the knife, and with a toddler, wife, home, two dogs, and two jobs (self employed at both), I'm not exactly flush with time. I have no doubt that I could get similar and maybe even better results with other sharpening systems, or with the old sandpaper-mousepad trick. But could I get that mirror polish and hair shaving edge with less than 10 minutes invested? No way. The Worksharp is the only system I can find that can keep me up and running with great edges while short on time. For routine maintenance, the fine and extra fine belts are probably take about the same time as a quick strop, so it's not much gain there. But when a blade gets dull enough that one would need to hit the stones, the worksharp really shines.
 
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