My Ruixin Pro Sharpener

[JohnWesley]

I received my Ruixin pro sharpener two days ago. I purchased it mostly for the frame, with intention of modifying it to meet my needs. This is the stainless steel version, meant to be mounted to a table top. I mounted it to two boards, with non skid rubber on bottom to secure it. I also purchased some Norton stones, made for edge pro type sharpeners. I used a trick I saw on y tube to place a neodymium magnet under the spot where the blade rests to easily hold the knife in place. The sharpener is quite solid, and costs me a total of 50 dollars with the modifications and Norton stones. Is it as good as an Edge Pro? No, but pretty close. With a few added mods I could easily make it as good.
Now, to anticipate the inevitable outrage for buying "a clone".
I looked up Edge Pros patents on sharpeners, which expired in 2007. It amuses me the angst about this, when essentially, Wicked Edge copied exactly the same patent to make their sharpeners.
The basic patent covers the use of a spring on a rod to hold the stone mounted on a piece of aluminum, and a system to adjust the grind angle to the precise location for each blade. I am an inventor by trade, and have many patents so I fully understand patents and their purpose, which is to educate, and of course allow an exclusivity for 17 years. The Ruixin actually improved some aspects of the Edge Pro, as did the Wicked Edge. I laughed at the one claim Edge Pro made, of using aluminum as the back material for the stone. (they should have patented any rigid material).
Copying of expired patents is the nature of the beast, and allows competitiveness and improvements. It forces the original patent holder to either improve their invention, lower costs due to economies of scale, or get pushed aside.
For example, disc brakes were invented in 1902. Would you not buy a car that used disc brakes because they are not the same brand disc brakes as the inventing company? Of course not. I know some of my early inventions have been used in products made after the expiration of my patents, by German, Japanese, Chinese, and American companies. Am I outraged? No. I got my 17 years exclusivity, and have moved on to better things.
I could have easily have made from scratch an Edge Pro type sharpener that would exceed their quality, but the Ruixin was adequate with minor improvements. And believe me, I would have done that rather than pay the amount Edge Pro is asking.

 

[blanex1]

this patent thing opens a hole can of worms hear on the forum! i own this edge pro/copy i got back in 2014,i really like it but wasn't getting 100% on my bevels so i ended up replacing its pivot arm with ball joint rod end) end finally got this sucker to give me true bevels,i have spent more time trying to get this right then i hoped!if i had to do it over again,i wood do my homework on this system,because i really don't think the edgepro is much better with its pivot! i'll probably get hell for saying that though.

 

[JohnWesley]

I looked at an Edge Pro and kind of thought the same thing, for the price it could have been better.

 

[fvdk]

i really don't think the edgepro is much better with its pivot! i'll probably get hell for saying that though.

Not from me, I totally agree and I would go as far as to say that there is an inherent design flaw with the Edge Pro pivot:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...apex-different-angles?p=16165059#post16165059

 

[Ratman79]

To the OP
/one thing I must say regarding the magnet: I used one under the table for stability as well but noticed 2 problems. First, alot of the swarf was drawn to the blade table, which can mar a nice finish and mess up the crispness of the apex. Second, after I was finished I noticed that the knife blades were all slightly magnetic. Don't use too powerful of a rare earth magnet. 10lb strength is really all you need. Just figured I would potentially save you some aggravation.

 

[bodog]

To the OP
/one thing I must say regarding the magnet: I used one under the table for stability as well but noticed 2 problems. First, alot of the swarf was drawn to the blade table, which can mar a nice finish and mess up the crispness of the apex. Second, after I was finished I noticed that the knife blades were all slightly magnetic. Don't use too powerful of a rare earth magnet. 10lb strength is really all you need. Just figured I would potentially save you some aggravation.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/702815-How-to-demagnetize-a-blade

 

[Ratman79]

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/702815-How-to-demagnetize-a-blade

nice, thx bodog

 

[cbwx34]

I received my Ruixin pro sharpener two days ago. I purchased it mostly for the frame, with intention of modifying it to meet my needs. This is the stainless steel version, meant to be mounted to a table top. I mounted it to two boards, with non skid rubber on bottom to secure it. I also purchased some Norton stones, made for edge pro type sharpeners. I used a trick I saw on y tube to place a neodymium magnet under the spot where the blade rests to easily hold the knife in place. The sharpener is quite solid, and costs me a total of 50 dollars with the modifications and Norton stones. Is it as good as an Edge Pro? No, but pretty close. With a few added mods I could easily make it as good.
Now, to anticipate the inevitable outrage for buying "a clone".
I looked up Edge Pros patents on sharpeners, which expired in 2007. It amuses me the angst about this, when essentially, Wicked Edge copied exactly the same patent to make their sharpeners.
The basic patent covers the use of a spring on a rod to hold the stone mounted on a piece of aluminum, and a system to adjust the grind angle to the precise location for each blade. I am an inventor by trade, and have many patents so I fully understand patents and their purpose, which is to educate, and of course allow an exclusivity for 17 years. The Ruixin actually improved some aspects of the Edge Pro, as did the Wicked Edge. I laughed at the one claim Edge Pro made, of using aluminum as the back material for the stone. (they should have patented any rigid material).
Copying of expired patents is the nature of the beast, and allows competitiveness and improvements. It forces the original patent holder to either improve their invention, lower costs due to economies of scale, or get pushed aside.
For example, disc brakes were invented in 1902. Would you not buy a car that used disc brakes because they are not the same brand disc brakes as the inventing company? Of course not. I know some of my early inventions have been used in products made after the expiration of my patents, by German, Japanese, Chinese, and American companies. Am I outraged? No. I got my 17 years exclusivity, and have moved on to better things.
I could have easily have made from scratch an Edge Pro type sharpener that would exceed their quality, but the Ruixin was adequate with minor improvements. And believe me, I would have done that rather than pay the amount Edge Pro is asking.

My problem isn't the "clone/patent" issue... it's that they're basically a piece of junk. The one you got (which was the 2nd and last one I'll try... thinking the "all steel construction" would be better than the other one I reviewed)... was actually worse. I actually dug it out one more time... before writing this post... just to remind myself.

Did you notice how cheap and loose everything is? Notice that the on the "push" stroke, the blade stop hits the pivot well before you reach the edge of the stone... leaving over 1½" of stone unused? Notice on the "pull" stroke there's no stop so that you can run the stone into the edge? Notice how crappy the stones are? (I guess you did notice that). And that handle... :thumbdn:

I think part of the problem is, without actually using an Edge Pro... you don't notice a lot of this. You look up Edge Pro... then see the clones, and think they're basically the same. They're not. (And BTW, my decade old EP... even though it doesn't get used much anymore... still works as good as the day I got it). Might explain why you think this one is "quite solid".

I could go on... but I doubt it'll matter. So, I'll just leave you with something I found the other day....

 

[bodog]

My problem isn't the "clone/patent" issue... it's that they're basically a piece of junk.

Well, you can buy one for $30 bucks or $300. Both sharpen just fine and are capable if leaving mirror finishes if desired. Both operate the same with the same types of knives. In the end, the final edge is the same. So you can buy one and accomplish the same thing and save 270+ dollars. Hell, buy three just in case one breaks ad another wears out after a couple of years. That's still just $90 bucks. If you need more than that you're probably totally careless with your tools (not you, anyone who'd need more than 3). Take the extra money and buy some diamond stones. Buy some good diamond paste and strops. Buy a microscope to look at your edges. All of that you can get for under $300. Or you can just get one edge pro with nothing else except some stones and feel good knowing you're supporting the guy who invented the idea. There's nothing wrong with that idea. Some other people prefer to have icing on their cake if they can, especially when it's less cake and more icing that people actually want.

 

[cbwx34]

Well, you can buy one for $30 bucks or $300. Both sharpen just fine and are capable if leaving mirror finishes if desired. Both operate the same with the same types of knives. In the end, the final edge is the same. So you can buy one and accomplish the same thing and save 270+ dollars. Hell, buy three just in case one breaks ad another wears out after a couple of years. That's still just $90 bucks. If you need more than that you're probably totally careless with your tools (not you, anyone who'd need more than 3). Take the extra money and buy some diamond stones. Buy some good diamond paste and strops. Buy a microscope to look at your edges. All of that you can get for under $300. Or you can just get one edge pro with nothing else except some stones and feel good knowing you're supporting the guy who invented the idea. There's nothing wrong with that idea. Some other people prefer to have icing on their cake if they can, especially when it's less cake and more icing that people actually want.

No they don't... that's part of my point.

(BTW, the most expensive EP (Apex, since that's the basic comparison) doesn't cost $300). And like I said, it has nothing to do with supporting the "inventor".... it's not buying junk.

 

[Kousii2]

I received my Ruixin pro sharpener two days ago. I purchased it mostly for the frame, with intention of modifying it to meet my needs. This is the stainless steel version, meant to be mounted to a table top. I mounted it to two boards, with non skid rubber on bottom to secure it. I also purchased some Norton stones, made for edge pro type sharpeners. I used a trick I saw on y tube to place a neodymium magnet under the spot where the blade rests to easily hold the knife in place. The sharpener is quite solid, and costs me a total of 50 dollars with the modifications and Norton stones. Is it as good as an Edge Pro? No, but pretty close. With a few added mods I could easily make it as good.
Now, to anticipate the inevitable outrage for buying "a clone".
I looked up Edge Pros patents on sharpeners, which expired in 2007. It amuses me the angst about this, when essentially, Wicked Edge copied exactly the same patent to make their sharpeners.
The basic patent covers the use of a spring on a rod to hold the stone mounted on a piece of aluminum, and a system to adjust the grind angle to the precise location for each blade. I am an inventor by trade, and have many patents so I fully understand patents and their purpose, which is to educate, and of course allow an exclusivity for 17 years. The Ruixin actually improved some aspects of the Edge Pro, as did the Wicked Edge. I laughed at the one claim Edge Pro made, of using aluminum as the back material for the stone. (they should have patented any rigid material).
Copying of expired patents is the nature of the beast, and allows competitiveness and improvements. It forces the original patent holder to either improve their invention, lower costs due to economies of scale, or get pushed aside.
For example, disc brakes were invented in 1902. Would you not buy a car that used disc brakes because they are not the same brand disc brakes as the inventing company? Of course not. I know some of my early inventions have been used in products made after the expiration of my patents, by German, Japanese, Chinese, and American companies. Am I outraged? No. I got my 17 years exclusivity, and have moved on to better things.
I could have easily have made from scratch an Edge Pro type sharpener that would exceed their quality, but the Ruixin was adequate with minor improvements. And believe me, I would have done that rather than pay the amount Edge Pro is asking.

Which stones are you taking about?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[fvdk]

No they don't... that's part of my point.

(BTW, the most expensive EP (Apex, since that's the basic comparison) doesn't cost $300). And like I said, it has nothing to do with supporting the "inventor".... it's not buying junk.

There are various types of Edge Pro copies available, the one that is a direct copy of the Apex:

The metal one:

The one with the single large suction cup base:

I certainly agree with you about the first two but I can honestly say that in my opinion, the last one is pretty good for the money and I actually like it more than the original Edge Pro Apex.
And yes, with this one I can get very good results which can rival the results of systems that cost far more.

I am not saying that anyone should not buy the original if they can afford it but it is not junk and for anyone who just occasionally sharpens a few knives, it is more than adequate.

 

[bodog]

There are various types of Edge Pro copies available, the one that is a direct copy of the Apex:

The metal one:

The one with the single large suction cup base:

I certainly agree with you about the first two but I can honestly say that in my opinion, the last one is pretty good for the money and I actually like it more than the original Edge Pro Apex.
And yes, with this one I can get very good results which can rival the results of systems that cost far more.

I am not saying that anyone should not buy the original if they can afford it but it is not junk and for anyone who just occasionally sharpens a few knives, it is more than adequate.

I have the same one and agree with your last paragraph. I truly believe some of these people are talking about something they don't know about or are unwilling to concede that what an extra couple of hundred dollars gets you is extremely negligible. Morality is something you can't put a price on though, and everyone has a different outlook. Personally, it's no longer patented and the company isn't trying to pass itself off as an actual edge pro so I feel the law is being complied with in both reality and spirit. Others may feel different but I wish they'd leave their morals out of a neutral review thread.

 

[cbwx34]

There are various types of Edge Pro copies available, the one that is a direct copy of the Apex:

The metal one:

The one with the single large suction cup base:

I certainly agree with you about the first two but I can honestly say that in my opinion, the last one is pretty good for the money and I actually like it more than the original Edge Pro Apex.
And yes, with this one I can get very good results which can rival the results of systems that cost far more.

I am not saying that anyone should not buy the original if they can afford it but it is not junk and for anyone who just occasionally sharpens a few knives, it is more than adequate.

Thanks. It is the first two I'm talking about... (in particular, the 2nd one which is what this thread is about). Never tried the third one.

I have the same one and agree with your last paragraph. I truly believe some of these people are talking about something they don't know about or are unwilling to concede that what an extra couple of hundred dollars gets you is extremely negligible. Morality is something you can't put a price on though, and everyone has a different outlook. Personally, it's no longer patented and the company isn't trying to pass itself off as an actual edge pro so I feel the law is being complied with in both reality and spirit. Others may feel different but I wish they'd leave their morals out of a neutral review thread.

As I've said repeatedly... nothing to do with the "morals" of buying a clone. Not sure why you keep trying to come back to that. It is a review of the sharpener in this thread.

 

[wilsonj1018]

i have the 2nd and the third one. both took modifications to get them up to par, along with replacing the stones..

 

[cbr1000]

Sounds like there's an opportunity for someone to improve upon the clone and create something better at an in-between price point.. edge pro is way too much for what it does, the clone needs modifications and better stones.

 

[fvdk]

Sounds like there's an opportunity for someone to improve upon the clone and create something better at an in-between price point.. edge pro is way too much for what it does, the clone needs modifications and better stones.

What puzzles me, is why Ben does not improve his original Apex. The design has more or less been the same for some 25 years but with a few tweaks like a ball joint rod end instead of the original pivot, adding a drill stop collar or other form of stone thickness compensator and a magnet to help keeping the knife stable, it would be up-to-date and a much better system.

These enhancements would cost very little so the price could probably be the same and would in my opinion bring it up to an acceptable level for what you get.

i have the 2nd and the third one. both took modifications to get them up to par, along with replacing the stones..

I never bothered to modify the metal version as I thought it was crap to begin with and not worth the effort. I did modify the last version by adding the ball joint, collar and magnet and that certainly made it better.

I have to say however that for $30.99.- incl. shipping it is amazing value and although I read many comments about the stones, I have had very good luck with the ones I got.
I have them for about a year now and used them a lot but as you can see, the original text is still mostly visible. They are not dished and give very good results. Like I said above, for most people these will be more than adequate and although perhaps not the same quality as original Apex stones, they are certainly not crap.

I also bought various diamond stones (Ruixin and others) which cost $3.- to $5.- each and I am very happy with these as well. The stones might not be the same quality as the Apex, Wicked Edge or DMT stones but there is not much difference in the way they perform or the end result.

It would not be fair to compare these systems to others that cost 5 to 10 times as much but at the least you are getting very good value for the money and you might actually be surprised.

I for one hope that these products will push other manufacturers to keep innovating and improve their products. Having a patent means that for 20 years you are able to ask any amount you want or not improve anything at all without having to worry for competition. After that, it is fair game and we as consumers may expect to see cheaper or better products driven by competition and open markets.

 

[cbwx34]

What puzzles me, is why Ben does not improve his original Apex. The design has more or less been the same for some 25 years but with a few tweaks like a ball joint rod end instead of the original pivot, adding a drill stop collar or other form of stone thickness compensator and a magnet to help keeping the knife stable, it would be up-to-date and a much better system.

These enhancements would cost very little so the price could probably be the same and would in my opinion bring it up to an acceptable level for what you get.



I never bothered to modify the metal version as I thought it was crap to begin with and not worth the effort. I did modify the last version by adding the ball joint, collar and magnet and that certainly made it better.

I have to say however that for $30.99.- incl. shipping it is amazing value and although I read many comments about the stones, I have had very good luck with the ones I got.
I have them for about a year now and used them a lot but as you can see, the original text is still mostly visible. They are not dished and give very good results. Like I said above, for most people these will be more than adequate and although perhaps not the same quality as original Apex stones, they are certainly not crap.

I also bought various diamond stones (Ruixin and others) which cost $3.- to $5.- each and I am very happy with these as well. The stones might not be the same quality as the Apex, Wicked Edge or DMT stones but there is not much difference in the way they perform or the end result.

It would not be fair to compare these systems to others that cost 5 to 10 times as much but at the least you are getting very good value for the money and you might actually be surprised.

I for one hope that these products will push other manufacturers to keep innovating and improve their products. Having a patent means that for 20 years you are able to ask any amount you want or not improve anything at all without having to worry for competition. After that, it is fair game and we as consumers may expect to see cheaper or better products driven by competition and open markets.

I'm glad you added to the conversation... I value your opinion. While after buying the 2nd clone, I was in the "fool me twice..." and decided not to try any others, the 3rd one does look like it is much improved... so maybe I'll give it a shot. Like you, I enjoy trying various sharpeners. But frankly, "the devil is in the details", and the 1st two clones, especially the second, left a lot out.

And I'm not against 'clones'... but it bugged me that some of these, especially the metal version was so bad it shouldn't be recommended at all... especially in a sharpening forum, where I'm sure many, who may never even register, come looking for advice. (And it bugged that if someone said it was 'bad', it became... well you don't like it because it violated EP patents, etc. Not that at all).

 

[fvdk]

I'm glad you added to the conversation... I value your opinion. While after buying the 2nd clone, I was in the "fool me twice..." and decided not to try any others, the 3rd one does look like it is much improved... so maybe I'll give it a shot. Like you, I enjoy trying various sharpeners. But frankly, "the devil is in the details", and the 1st two clones, especially the second, left a lot out.

And I'm not against 'clones'... but it bugged me that some of these, especially the metal version was so bad it shouldn't be recommended at all... especially in a sharpening forum, where I'm sure many, who may never even register, come looking for advice. (And it bugged that if someone said it was 'bad', it became... well you don't like it because it violated EP patents, etc. Not that at all).

Thanks, I always value your opinion as well. I had more or less the same experience, bought the first version a couple of years ago, used it once but the ADAEE stones were so soft that they literally fell apart, one of the plastic pieces that should keep the stone in place broke and the suction cups did not work so even though it was just $20.- it was crap. Also, the oil that came with it was so foul smelling that it made me nauseous.

Than I saw the metal version and thought.... well, that looks a lot better and it can even sharpen scissors so let's give it a try but I had the same problems with it that you did so dismissed that one as well.

Then I saw the third version and could not help myself, bought it and this time I was pleasantly surprised. Like I said, it is not perfect but pretty good and certainly very good value for money.
The table itself is cast in one piece and looks and feels like it will last forever. The suction cup base is plastic so probably not as sturdy as a metal Panavise but it looks and feels solid and if used on a flat, non-porous surface, it will stick very well. The thing I liked least about it is the original pivot which is better than those of the version 1 & 2 but due to the design and the plastic material, still feels a bit cheap and rattles a bit but it works and has very little to no play.

If you have any questions or want close-up pictures than please let me know.

 

[wilsonj1018]

i agree the first two versions are pretty crummy and take numerous mods to function well. the third version only needed minimal mods, mainly at the pivot base for me. while the stones work ok, they do not compare to the ep and ezelaps i replaced them with, they have no problem making nice edges but mine needed flattening within 3 knives. you may have gotten a better set who knows LOL. that said the third gen is awesome for what they cost even after buying a set of stones...