Knife sharping systems

B

B.Murdock

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May 26, 2015
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I looking for a good knife sharping system. I really don't want to use a stone because they can get expensive and takes a lot of skill to lean. I've been looking the the worksharp Ken Onion edition and the regular the most. Second I've been looking at the Lansky systems but I've been hearing mixed reviews and hear it takes a long time to get the a knife sharp. I've also hear some bad reviews about the worksharps and how its easy to round the tips of the knives. Has any one heard of the AGPtek? Its a knock off edgepro apex. Please help I'll love to hear your options and recommendations. Thanks
 
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Sharp maker and wicked edge are popular. I'd just get a couple DMT Diamond stones and with a little effort you quickly sharpen any blade.
 
The easiest to use and get the hang of is the Spyderco Sharpmaker.

Master that and you may want more.
 
try sharpening before you buy sharpening equipment, dont spend more than $1

Do you have a cheap paring knife you'd like to sharpen?
Do you own any sandpaper ?
Chances are that you do, so glue/clamp a strip of the sandpaper to a flat stick 1inch wide, and thats your stone (or buy a sharpening stone locally $1 from dollar store).
Fold a piece of paper into a triangle (a paper wedge), and thats your angle guide. ## angle( 15.00* ) >>>run ( 05.60 ) |||rise ( 01.50 )
Put wedge on your "stone", put knife on wedge, thats the angle you need to hold
Keep rubbing until the apex isn't reflecting light (check with flashlight)... doesn't require a lot of attention
your knife is now sharp enough to slice newspaper effortlessly
then raise angle (5 degrees, or double) and do one two careful strokes
your knife is now sharp enough to shave hair off your arm :)


if you read a lot of posts watch a lot of vids, pretty much all sharpening equipment can sound like it takes a lot of skill, but it doesn't take much skill... if you play with it a little, for $1 material investment, you can gain enough experience to be confident in your next purchase



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B.Murdock said:
I looking for a good knife sharping system. I really don't want to use a stone because they can get expensive and takes a lot of skill to lean. I've been looking the the worksharp Ken Onion edition and the regular the most. Second I've been looking at the Lansky systems but I've been hearing mixed reviews and hear it takes a long time to get the a knife sharp. I've also hear some bad reviews about the worksharps and how its easy to round the tips of the knives. Has any one heard of the AGPtek? Its a knock off edgepro apex. Please help I'll love to hear your options and recommendations. Thanks
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Since the patent has expired and there's been 20 years plus or minus to recoup costs like the law allows for, I have no qualms in recommending a generic edge pro type of sharpener. The ruixin pro is a good piece for the money. You may need to put a drop of glue on a stone or two to reattach the stone to the backing but it's no problem.
 
I've had good results with the Lansky. Learned that higher carbide steels see the best results with diamond stones. A step above the Lansky is the KME system. I also have one and love it. I did get the diamond stones for the KME.
 
Are the stones interchangeable with the Edge Aro Apex? And does the Ruixin Pro work just like the Edge Pro Apex?
 
I've done free hand and had good success with it along with using the DMT Aligner. I just picked up the Sharpmaker yesterday and tried it on a few knives and it just seemed like it was the easier one to work with and learn on if I had to recommend a system to someone, I would just recommend getting the diamond or CBN stones for it. And as a nice little touch you can actually use those stones as a benchstone by placing it in certain locations on the Sharpmaker. It was an impulse buy for me and I don't regret it and I plan on adding more stones to it.

If you don't know what you're doing avoid the powered setups like the worksharp it just make your mistakes more painful (for your knife, or you). Just know that for whatever guided setup you are going to have to reprofile the knife to fit the preset angle, so a good trick is to use a sharpie on the bevel and the goal is to remove the sharpie off it to make sure your hitting the bevel. When reprofiling that means you keep it at the angle you want and you are grinding away enough metal to remove it fully all the way to the tip (completely), this helps as a good visual indicator on if you missed any spots. It's not the end all be all trick but it's just another thing that helps.
 
Not every one can get blades shaving sharp free hand with stones or steels. I used to be able to get any blade at least shaving sharp with all kinds of stones and steels but as I get close to 60 I'm finding it harder to hold a consistent angle. I'll get a blade almost sharp and then muff a few strokes and go backwards. It's kind of embarrassing. The Worksharp makes it easy to hold an angle but it's easy to remove more steel than necessary with it. I'm going to get a Sharp Maker next. I used one years ago and it was by far the easiest system I've seen
 
there is a rather big thread about the work sharp here. i got mine yesterday and am very satisfied.
 
Ive got the DMT guide rod diamond stone system, the Sharpmaker, some good stones and a Ken Onion Worksharp. The Worksharp has an awfully high learning curve if you are going to be doing more than basic kitchen knives. Removing the guide from it and learning how to use the Worksharp freehand can yield amazing results if youve got the time and spare knives to practice with. I butchered a couple knives on my Worksharp ended up convexing them no matter what I did. The DMT system is okay if you are really really patient but the Sharpmaker with ALL the stones for it plus a good strop can produce astonishing results as long as you follow the manual and learn to strop properly.

The KME system looks to be pretty good for the money. Then the Edge Pro Apex and Wicked Edge systems may be pretty pricey but produce world class results quickly as long as youve got the patience to learn their respective techniques. But as for the Worksharp my opinion is to just avoid the darn thing and get a solid Sharpmaker set up you just have much more control over the actual sharpening vs the machine
 
I've lately started using the Worksharp to establish the bevel (25 deg) and the finish with the Sharpmaker at 30deg. I'm back to getting consistent, shaving edges with minimal time spent. I've never been able to get "hair popping" edges with the Worksharp as others apparently can, and their instructions about working one side only until you get a burr are retarded, unless you like removing way more steel than is necessary.
 
i wouldn't get a lansky or KME, i just got a edge pro system and i am finding it fun and grate to work with,i get vary consistent and sharp edges with it,takes alot of the guess work out of sharpening! i was going to get the lansky but like you i was getting mixed feelings about it,and the KME cost to much for what it is!one more thing,if you find the edge pro is to much money,they make a clone/copy thats just as good,just replace the stock stones with the edge pro ones and your set to go,as i said,i'm truly vary happy with my system,wish you good luck.
 
I'd recommend a sharpmaker with diamond rods, reason being, if you decide your into sharpening, then you won't feel guilty buying a edge pro later and the shaprmaker will still be ideal for touchups. But if you start with a high end system it might be overwhelming.
 
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