Fool me three times... or third time's a charm? The short answer
neither fooled nor charmed, but the 3rd gen. clone is, at this point, the only clone Id consider purchasing.
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So, I got the third clone referenced in this thread... (the one in the center)...
I will say, of the three different models, this would be the only one Id even consider. For the most part, its done a pretty good job of duplicating the ergonomics of the original. The only design flaw I noted off the bat was, they didnt make the rear stabilizing rod quite long enough to cover the entire length of the angle rod, but its close enough I dont think its a big deal. The fit and finish seemed decent, especially for the price.
I do think (on mine anyway), the pivot the stone rod goes thru is a bit too loose
it can be dealt with, but replacing it with a better design like fvdk did, would be my recommendation
(the looseness could be an issue for someone who doesnt want to put any time or effort into learning to deal with it or replace it).
Quality is about what youd expect at this price. I do try to use these clones as is when I get them, to see how they perform. However, I discovered a problem with mine that I had to fix in order to use it
The base is simply molded plastic, and as you can see the obvious problem in the picture
I could not tighten the base enough to keep it from slipping. So, I had to fix it
a small piece of a non-slip pad inserted in the base of the pivot seemed to do the trick. (The suction base OTOH, did a remarkable job of holding on a variety of surfaces).
Doing a few knives
no major issues cropped up. Still not impressed with the stones that come with it
but were good enough to test the system on some inexpensive knives. I had hoped to try the inexpensive diamond stones, but my order appears to have fallen off the ship from China
it seems to be lost.
Obviously cant say how it will hold up over time, (which was an issue with the 1st clone I tried)
so, cant really say Id recommend it, but, like I said above, the only clone at this point Id even consider. The 1st gen. has a number of issues, and the 2nd all metal gen. has so many issues, I wouldnt consider it at all. I still think the quality of the original Edge Pro is worth the investment
over time it will pay for itself, but of the clones, this is the best of the ones Ive tried to date
and should do the job
at least getting your foot in the door of the sharpening world, (especially if you get some better stones).
Edit to add: Guess I 'de-jinxed'? myself... about an hour after I wrote this, the diamond stones got delivered... so I'll try them out. (Did note one was warped... but looks useable).
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