May a ask for your expertise/experience with the work sharp ken onion vs work sharp?

[scrappy]

I have a work sharp and it is great on some knives. My RD9 is the perfect example. I removes steel pretty quick and can really clean up the edge. With my rough edge machetes like tramontina, or imacasa. or so more obtuse edges I want to take more steel off, it just doesn't take enough steel off. I sharpened a Columbian machete for a friend, when through a couple green belts and it was much better, actually had an edge but not as sharp as I usually can touch up already sharpened matchetes like condor.

question is, does the ken onion edition have heavier grit belts, or is the faster speed going to help with that?

 

[bucketstove]

Hi,
I read on the internet the "green" or "lime" A35 belt is P700 grit,
that is too high for removing lots of metal like adding a primary grind
most knife makers don't sharpen with grits that high "super fine"
You want something under 100 grit, like P36 grit or P60 (coarsest listed on worksharp website)

 

[bgentry]

question is, does the ken onion edition have heavier grit belts, or is the faster speed going to help with that?

The WSKO comes with a P120 belt as it's most coarse. The original WorkSharp (WSKTS) comes with a P80 belt as it's most coarse. So the original worksharp has a more coarse belt out of the box than the WSKO. The speed of the WSKO is no faster than the WSKTS as far as I know. At full speed they are both pretty fast.

I have a feeling one of two things is going on:

1. You're using the guides and the angle or geometry of the blade is "wrong" and not letting you get all the way to the apex of the edge.
2. You aren't using the P80 belt (the most coarse one), so the grinding is very slow.

You can take off the guide and do it freehand on the WSKTS to get any angle you want and not have the guide "be in the way".

There are more coarse belts available for the WKSO. I have a 200 micron belt, and 80 grit belt, and a 60 grit belt for the WSKO. The 60 grit is *extremely* aggressive and takes off metal pretty fast. I've never sharpened a machete with the WSKO. If I was going to do so, I would probably start the job with a file, getting the edge close to where I wanted it and maybe finish it off with the WSKO. I'm just thinking out loud, as I haven't ever tried this.

Brian.

 

[cbwx34]

I have a work sharp and it is great on some knives. My RD9 is the perfect example. I removes steel pretty quick and can really clean up the edge. With my rough edge machetes like tramontina, or imacasa. or so more obtuse edges I want to take more steel off, it just doesn't take enough steel off. I sharpened a Columbian machete for a friend, when through a couple green belts and it was much better, actually had an edge but not as sharp as I usually can touch up already sharpened matchetes like condor.

question is, does the ken onion edition have heavier grit belts, or is the faster speed going to help with that?

The KO Model has a P80 belt available... I haven't done a comparison, but it's pretty effective at removing metal. Being wider, it should work better and last longer, and my impression is it does, but haven't done a specific comparison.

If it's something you do often, the Tool Grinding Attachment for the KO Model has belts available for it that are very aggressive... the P60 and P80 belts should satisfy whatever you need. Definitely more aggressive then the green P80 belt. (Even though they're the same size as the belts that work on the standard KO setup, they're thicker and stiffer, and WorkSharp says not to use them with the standard setup, but might be worth adding the accessory, if you do this a lot... or maybe use them without the guide).

(Also, just a little FYI, I found on that green P80 belt, if you get a "belt cleaning stick" (looks like a giant rubber eraser), it keeps that belt cutting better for a longer period of time).

Edit to add: It looks like bgentry has successfully used the P60 and P80 on the standard KO setup (we were answering at the same time).

Hi,
I read on the internet the "green" or "lime" A35 belt is P700 grit,
that is too high for removing lots of metal like adding a primary grind
most knife makers don't sharpen with grits that high "super fine"
You want something under 100 grit, like P36 grit or P60 (coarsest listed on worksharp website)

Wrong belt. It's the green P80 belt that comes with the original WorkSharp.

 

[Rey HRH]

I use the Blade Grinder Attachment which uses 1" x 18". I bought belts for a belt sander sized 3" x 18" in 50, 80, and 120 grit. I split each one into three strips 1" wide and use those for some chipped blades I was repairing. I only went down to the 80 grit and it was faster than using a finer grit. Do need to keep light pressure.

 

[scrappy]

thanks for the info. its appreciated. I will look at the lower grit belts and research the grinder some. This has been helpful. Thank you!

 

[rpttrsn]

thanks for the info. its appreciated. I will look at the lower grit belts and research the grinder some. This has been helpful. Thank you!

The KO Worksharp is a heavier duty belt grinder. With the vari-speed you have better control. Since you are sharpening much larger blades I feel you will be much happier with the KO model. The comments on a lower grit will be benificial in sharpening these blades which get harder use then a pocket or kitchen knife. Worth the money. IMO