paper sharpening wheels - when your time is important to you

with the wheels being close together, you have to watch out that you keep your elbows out of the way or you will end up with a buffed or ground elbow :D. you can always do like i do and just use 1 wheel at a time. make sure if you raise it up higher to make you base a little more stable. maybe clamp it to your bench when you use it.
 
I have been thinking about getting a bench grinder to add to my tool collection. I see the reports here that slower is better (1725 or so RPM). I was looking around at some bench grinders and it seems the variable speed ones go down to 2000RPM (up to 3500 RPM or so) Any suggestions as to a grinder that will be a good dual purpose machine - metal working and sharpening? The only drawback I see with a low speed grinder is slower working grinding metal. Does anyone have experience they can share?
 
I just picked up a 6" variable 2000rpm-3400 rpm at Lowes for $67.00. Now I need to order the paper wheels. I sure hope this is worth it. I've spent as much on sharpeners as I will have on knives between all the belts and different items needed.
 
kc8qvo, i have been sharpening with the wheels for over 20 years and i only use a 1725 rpm motor to run my wheels on. i do have a high rpm buffer i can put them on but there is no need to run them that fast. if you would see the results i get in person you would see it makes no difference running the wheels slow. look at the threads i posted above.
 
RWT said:
I sure hope this is worth it. I've spent as much on sharpeners as I will have on knives between all the belts and different items needed.
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In my opinion, that is one of the many benefits of a paper wheel settup. I get such good results in such a short time that I have no need or desire to try something different. For me, the paper wheels solved all of my sharpening problems. No more searching for the perfect sharpener to suit my needs.

Just keep in mind that there is a learning curve. Some folks get it down right away. Others might have to spend a week or two practicing. Don't give up on them and you will be rewarded.
 
Quick question I have already purchased the Razor Sharp 8" kit and now I need to buy either a buffer or a grinder. Is this http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...gId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1 a good one to buy or is there a better option? I've read through a lot of this thread and tried to do a search but didn't come up with anything definitive. As soon as I get the required grinder/buffer and the wheels set up I'd like to talk to you Richard at your convenience to go over proper technique. I've always been interested in sharpening my own knives and never had anyone to teach me how but this looks like something I can figure out. Thanks.
 
Mike, the owner of Razor Sharp prefers the high speed grinders. I use a fairly low speed (belt driven). I think it depends on your own learned techniques. If you start with a standard 6" bench grinder, you'll learn how to use it. Higher speeds would be less forgiving.

Personally, I would not use a setup for both grinding and sharpening, unless I didn't mind putting the guards back on each time I wanted to grind. I'd check Craigslist for a used grinder and look for something suitable.
 
The Lowes variable speed grinder is excellent for paper wheels or grinding. I have used the Lowes Variable for over 6 months with great results...Herb
 
I am just about sold.
One question to everyone who also has a sharpmaker:

Once you switch to paper wheels, do you every use the sharpmaker? Especially if Richard can touch up a knife in a minute (say it takes me 3) - still faster than the sharpmaker.
thanks.
 
foofie said:
I am just about sold.
One question to everyone who also has a sharpmaker:

Once you switch to paper wheels, do you every use the sharpmaker? Especially if Richard can touch up a knife in a minute (say it takes me 3) - still faster than the sharpmaker.
thanks.
Click to expand...

I have a Sharpmaker. It's a good sharpening device but I don't use mine anymore since I got my paper wheel settup. Proper sharpening requires that you raise a burr, which the Sharpmaker does, and I could not find a practical way to remove the the burr with the Sharpmaker. I never was any good at stropping and burr removal had always been a problem for me with all the other sharpening methods I had tried, including the Sharpmaker. The paper wheels make burr removal a piece of cake.

The Sharpmaker also requires you to clean the stones regularly. The paper wheels are virtually maintainence free.

My answer is Yes, the paper wheels are faster than the Sharpmaker.
 
i gave my ez sharp away to my cousin so he could sharpen his broadheads. at first i thought about putting it away but after using the wheels for a few months i gladly gave it away. the only thing i have around is a single ceramic stick in the kitchen drawer to touch up paring knives real quick.
 
I got another hair whittling edge last night.It was a knife everyone knows very well,it was an old Buck110 of all things.I am pretty sure it has the 440C blade steel.Kind of impressive to me that with the paperwheels i can take almost any knife with decent steel and get a scary sharp edge in just a couple of minutes.Also i do still have my Sharpmaker but it doesn't get much use anymore unless i am sharpening small pocket knife blades,like the coping blade on my Case 6380 big whittler.
 
Here's a new vid on someone using the wheels:

[video=youtube;-jUbaZOQ-fQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jUbaZOQ-fQ[/video]

If any of you guys made the vid, hopefully you don't mind I posted it here! :)

Erd

EDIT:

Here are two more vids I found:

[video=youtube;5xAFmygp2v4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xAFmygp2v4[/video]

[video=youtube;_E7QP94B_ao]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E7QP94B_ao&feature=related[/video]
 
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