Paper wheels for beginner?

[LEE IN VA.]

Been looking for another sharpener, they seem quick and easy. What are the pro's and cons of the wheels? Thanks

 

[3REDUCK]

I was just using my paper wheels last night. I have stones, a Sharpmaker, an EdgePro, a drawer of other sharpening gadgets and widgets...... but I like the paper wheels for the speed and quality of edge they can achieve. If you take a little time to learn how to use them properly and give them the respect they deserve, you will find that the paper wheels are the fastest, best way a very, very nice edge on most any blade. The down side is that if you don't pay attention and don't watch what you are doing, you can really mess up the knife you are working on.....and really mess yourself up in the process. My $.02.

 

[LEE IN VA.]

Thats exactly what I was thinking.

 

[richard j]

if you read my paper wheel thread and my tips page on how to use the wheels you should be ok. i have been using them for the past 20 years and i'll never use anything else. i would suggest getting a variable speed motor and run the wheels slow. i run mine on a 1725 rpm 1/2 hp motor. a 1/3 or 1/4 hp motor is too small to run them.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=578787
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=608864 PAPER WHEEL 101

 

[eccvets]

paper wheels work very fast to give you an amazing edge and are cheap. fin

 

[deepseaclimber]

I got my paper wheels about a year and a half ago. After I ordered them I was telling my wife that I wanted to contact Richard and see about making a trip to see him for some paper wheel coaching. Well the wheels arrived and I set up my 1725 rpm grinder and used the same technique that Richard has posted about on this forum and after a couple of hours I was getting razor sharp polished edges. The first few knives I screwed up the grind somewhat but after I figured it out it was amazing. My wife was sorta upset when she got home that night. I was testing my edges on myself. I no longer had hair on my arms or legs or part of my chest. She told me not to do that again... I never needed any coaching, I just did what Richard posted and it works. By the way THANKS RICHARD!!!

Pro's: Easy to learn, faster than anything else I've tried, beautiful scary sharp polished edges, the more you use them the better you become.

Con's: Once you get good and do some of your friends knives word spreads pretty quick and you get asked to sharpen quite often. I have sharpened around 400 knives for other people now.


EDIT: My memory sucks. I have had the wheels for a little over 2 years.

 

[richard j]

wait till you have to sharpen a few hundred knives and only have a weekend to do them in . (just make sure to get the money first before turning over the knives. i was ripped off by a member that i sharpened about 30 knives for before blade show of 2009)