Never sharpened anything...

cheapest tool there is? practice.

15yrs of freehand, can shave off a 500grit stone given time to perfect it.

Have a 204 here, but freehand is much quicker and easier for me.
 
I must be the only member of this forum who uses cardboard wheels on a bench grinder. I saw them being used at our local BassPro store and bought a set for $ 39. One wheel has an abrasive surface which quickly puts a burr edge to your knife. The other wheel is a stropping wheel that you occassionally touch up with this white piece of material that looks like a chunk of chalk.

I always get great results and it's quite easy to learn the technique. You can bring a dull knife to razor sharp in a minute or less and because the cardboard wheels transfer no heat to the blade, no damage is done.

Being anal about my edges and new to this forum and the whole world of knives, I must admit that I ordered a Sharpmaker this week to see if I'm missing out on something. :confused:
 
If you can spend hundreds of dollars on knives then why not spend hundreds of dollars on a sharpening system? I would not put my more expensive pieces to an inferior sharpening system, if I insist on the very best knives/materials (S30V, D2, 52100, etc.) then I should put them through the best possible sharpening sysem. I am not worried about time or money (given it will be less than $1000) I just want to be able to put the sharpest edge possible on my knives and have the stones or rods or whatever is used last a long, long time, without being an expert, and I want all the components I will ever need to come in one package. I think I like the Edgepro but I will look into the Sharpmaker as well, nonetheless. Thank you all for your valuable input, keep it coming, I enjoy reading it. Anyone know where to buy the Edgepro complete system, Axis or Professional?
 
When I purchased a few quality Global kitchen knives, I had to bite the bullet and purchase the $125 diamond steel and a $35 proprietary sharpener for the knives. The steel cost as much as the knife! But it has paid off and I am always using a very comfortable and sharp knife like nothing I had in the past.

Now I am awaiting my Sharpmaker. I purchased it and the optional diamond rods for re-profiling and am looking forward to having all my knives being as sharp, not just my Globals!
 
I ended up with the edgepro Pro after the pass around. While it does a superb job, I just cannot master it and found it so frustrating that it's collecting dust and I am back to my sharpmaker.............

No question the edgepro Pro is the very best but for idiots like me....
 
Heh, i'm one of the "idiots" too, i rediscovered a set of sharpening stones that my grandather used to use that i coukd still remember from my younger days. Stones are somewhat worn (it looks as though somebody was literaly carving off slices of those stones with a knife :D ), but the way i see it, if grandfather was using them for decades (and these are up to 7x7x15 cm, 3"x3"x6", in size) i'll just flip them to one side if they're really worn out and use that side and my grandchildren will use another side and their gandchildren will sharpen their historic pieces of sharp steel on the fouth side, just to show off in front of their lighsaber-wielding buddies). The stones are (IIRC) from Bergamo, Italy, bergamascan stones - i suppose that's something like arkansas stones for you guys across the big pond. One side lasted a lifetime for my grandpa, one side will last a life for me, when i get fed up with "his" side so i better learn how to use them properly and stp woosing around :)
 
wolfmann601 said:
I ended up with the edgepro Pro after the pass around. While it does a superb job, I just cannot master it and found it so frustrating that it's collecting dust and I am back to my sharpmaker.............

No question the edgepro Pro is the very best but for idiots like me....
Click to expand...
I haven't even watched the video that came with mine....
What kind of problems are you having with it???
I found it ALMOST foolproof.
Note... You do not have to MOVE the knife while moving the stone...Make some passes with the stone, and then move the knife and then repeat.
 
faramir said:
Heh, i'm one of the "idiots" too, i rediscovered a set of sharpening stones that my grandather used to use that i coukd still remember from my younger days. Stones are somewhat worn (it looks as though somebody was literaly carving off slices of those stones with a knife :D ), but the way i see it, if grandfather was using them for decades (and these are up to 7x7x15 cm, 3"x3"x6", in size) i'll just flip them to one side if they're really worn out and use that side and my grandchildren will use another side and their gandchildren will sharpen their historic pieces of sharp steel on the fouth side, just to show off in front of their lighsaber-wielding buddies). The stones are (IIRC) from Bergamo, Italy, bergamascan stones - i suppose that's something like arkansas stones for you guys across the big pond. One side lasted a lifetime for my grandpa, one side will last a life for me, when i get fed up with "his" side so i better learn how to use them properly and stp woosing around :)
Click to expand...
If they are dished on the used side, try using them that way...I have heard that that is one of the ways that the old knives that that great convex edge!
 
I just cannot "get it". It's hard to explain but it becomes such a huge effort to get the edge I am looking for.

I know that once you get it down pat it becomes one of the finest systems out there but I can't get it down pat!!! [yup, watched the video 4X].

Maybe it's time to just trade it? [unless some one wants to provide me step by step instructions that are dummie-proof:( ]

If I told you that it is a felony where I live to provide me with or allow me to use any type of power tool, and a misdemeanor for a hand tool, could you then understand!!

I usually end up standing in a huge puddle running my finger along an edge and shaking my head..................:grumpy:
 
I have had or currently have the following sharpening gear: Razor Edge Systems kit, Gatco kit, coarse and fine waterstones, cheap SiC stones, sharpmaker 203 and 204, Edge Pro Apex, belt sander/buffer, strops, and steels.

I think that the easiest for a guy to use who has some trouble sharpening is a ceramic rod set-up and a coarse stone. Sharpening is about 2 things: shape and polish. use the coarse hone to thin an edge; this requires little accuracy and skill and can be done on a cheap $5 Norton stone in minutes. With a thinned out edge, use the ceramic rods to put on a fine micro bevel. This system is fast, can be quite inexpensive (I can get a stone and ceramic rods locally for about $20 Canadian) and will produce good results.

A real good investment is an Edge Pro. IT DOES TAKE SOME TIME TO LEARN HOW TO USE IT RIGHT. I too am still learning how to get great results from it. But my bad results on it are still pretty good! The big plus with the Edge Pro is its variability. Choose any angle you want and from a variety of grits to use. I sharpen different knives at different angles and finishes, so I need variability in my system.... Edge Pro works well here! Also you get a lot of support from Ben Dale and other Edge Pro users.

One system I do use alot though is my belt sander. I make knives as a hobby and sharpen a lot of things on my belt sander. Cons: gotta use a light touch, more dangerous than non-powered systems (a blade could catch and be thrown), and one slip and you could really wreck things. Pros: FAST, can do convex edges easily, lots of grits available, can sharpen lots of other things, such as lawn mower blades, axes, shovels, etc.

I have a knife here to sharpen for a nice old lady. I could have used my Edge Pro at home, but I borught the knife to my folks' place (where my knife making gear is) because in 60 seconds I'll go from the wavy dull edge to a clean, hair popping edge!

You can get 1x30 belt sanders that are great to learn on for a low price. I would recommend one of these, some ceramic sticks and a strop as a great set-up. All of that would also run cheaper than an Edge Pro.

Having said all of this, I Personally use all of the gear I have (water stones, belt sander, buffer, strop, steel, Sharpmaker, Edge Pro.) I just use them for different things.

I hope I have been helpful!
 
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