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Razor edge Sharpner ..any good?
- Thread starter gort
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 8, 1999
- Messages
- 460
Gort,
My wife bought me the super deluxe Razor Edge Sharping system. The one in the wood box. I really love it. The hones are a very nice size. I have used the heck out of the course hone, reprofileing my knives and friends knives and the hone has only started to dish out. I like the guides also. You just clamp them in place and start grinding and you can really push HARD. The only problem is that it is sometimes hard if not impossible to get the same exact angle when using the course hone. But once I have removed the stock the first time I usually dont go right back to the course hone when it needs to be resharpened. I use the steel alot. When the steel is no longer working very well I will use a guide and the fine hone. That usually will bring the knife back to shaving sharp. I know that John Juranitch sp? says to grind all the way down untill you have a burr on one side and the the other side, then move the guide and go to the fine hone, but that seems to me like you are removing an awfull lot of blade material each time you sharpen your knife. The only other problem that I have ( and its not really a problem ) is that the set that I have is big! The wood box is great, pretty and really nice. But it takes up alot of room. My Spyderco sharp maker is much smaller. But my sharp maker will not remove metal as fast as the course hone will.
If you have any other questions feel free to e-mail me. I hope that this helps you!!
------------------
Shawn R Sullivan
~San Diego, Ca~
My wife bought me the super deluxe Razor Edge Sharping system. The one in the wood box. I really love it. The hones are a very nice size. I have used the heck out of the course hone, reprofileing my knives and friends knives and the hone has only started to dish out. I like the guides also. You just clamp them in place and start grinding and you can really push HARD. The only problem is that it is sometimes hard if not impossible to get the same exact angle when using the course hone. But once I have removed the stock the first time I usually dont go right back to the course hone when it needs to be resharpened. I use the steel alot. When the steel is no longer working very well I will use a guide and the fine hone. That usually will bring the knife back to shaving sharp. I know that John Juranitch sp? says to grind all the way down untill you have a burr on one side and the the other side, then move the guide and go to the fine hone, but that seems to me like you are removing an awfull lot of blade material each time you sharpen your knife. The only other problem that I have ( and its not really a problem ) is that the set that I have is big! The wood box is great, pretty and really nice. But it takes up alot of room. My Spyderco sharp maker is much smaller. But my sharp maker will not remove metal as fast as the course hone will.
If you have any other questions feel free to e-mail me. I hope that this helps you!!
------------------
Shawn R Sullivan
~San Diego, Ca~
- Joined
- Aug 25, 1999
- Messages
- 1,317
Shawn-great post! I did not order the steel but now am thinking that I should. I can't wait to get my set-I got the "build your own" professional set, with the 8" hones. I'm also thinking about getting a nice leather strop. Anyone use a strop out there?
- Joined
- Oct 3, 1998
- Messages
- 4,842
The Razor Edge system works great. Like all clamping systems, you will have some trouble with dagger-type profiles, and knives which have spines that are too thick. Even for the big Razor Edge clamp, 3/16" is about the limit, as I recall.
On the other hand, the system works incredibly well. Keep in mind you don't have to buy the entire system from Razor Edge. I recommend buying the Razor Edge small and large clamps, then consider whether or not you want to stick with Razor Edge's hones. I'd much rather go with diamond hones, especially considering the wear-resistant steels being used these days. I use my Razor Edge clamps on my DMT 6"x2" diamond hones.
Also, as long as you're ordering from Razor Edge anyway, you MUST get the video!
Joe
On the other hand, the system works incredibly well. Keep in mind you don't have to buy the entire system from Razor Edge. I recommend buying the Razor Edge small and large clamps, then consider whether or not you want to stick with Razor Edge's hones. I'd much rather go with diamond hones, especially considering the wear-resistant steels being used these days. I use my Razor Edge clamps on my DMT 6"x2" diamond hones.
Also, as long as you're ordering from Razor Edge anyway, you MUST get the video!
Joe
Cliff Stamp
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 5, 1998
- Messages
- 17,562
Ptpalpha, if you don't use a smooth steel currently then get one. It will make a very large impact on your knife sharpening routine. As for stropping, I use a strop loaded with a CrO compound that is sold by Lee Valley.
-Cliff
-Cliff
- Joined
- Oct 3, 1998
- Messages
- 4,842
Dry Heat:
Yes, the guides wear down. Perhaps in a few years, or longer, you'll need to replace them.
There is a way to adjust the angle you're sharpening at. Assume you've put the clamp on the stone. If you move the clamp further out from the spine, and away from the tip, the angle will go DOWN. If you move the clamp in on the spine and more towards the tip, the angle will go up. There is no real way to know exactly what angle you're sharpening at, of course. But you can do small adjustments this way.
So, if you like to get rid of the burr by double-grinding, here is what you do (Razor Edge recommends this themselves right in the instructions). When you're done sharpening, move the clamp slightly in towards the spine and the tip, which raises the angle slightly. Now take one swipe per side, using no pressure other than the weight of the knife itself. This almost always gets rid of what's left of the burr.
Oh yeah, as Cliff mentioned, do buy the smooth steel if you don't have one.
So, what I recommend you guys buy is:
- Small clamp
- Large clamp
- Smooth steel (if you don't have one)
- Book
- Video (a must!)
Whether or not you buy their stones or anything else is up to you. Me, I like DMT diamond stones.
Joe
Yes, the guides wear down. Perhaps in a few years, or longer, you'll need to replace them.
There is a way to adjust the angle you're sharpening at. Assume you've put the clamp on the stone. If you move the clamp further out from the spine, and away from the tip, the angle will go DOWN. If you move the clamp in on the spine and more towards the tip, the angle will go up. There is no real way to know exactly what angle you're sharpening at, of course. But you can do small adjustments this way.
So, if you like to get rid of the burr by double-grinding, here is what you do (Razor Edge recommends this themselves right in the instructions). When you're done sharpening, move the clamp slightly in towards the spine and the tip, which raises the angle slightly. Now take one swipe per side, using no pressure other than the weight of the knife itself. This almost always gets rid of what's left of the burr.
Oh yeah, as Cliff mentioned, do buy the smooth steel if you don't have one.
So, what I recommend you guys buy is:
- Small clamp
- Large clamp
- Smooth steel (if you don't have one)
- Book
- Video (a must!)
Whether or not you buy their stones or anything else is up to you. Me, I like DMT diamond stones.
Joe
- Joined
- Oct 14, 1998
- Messages
- 109
IMO, the positives of the Razor Edge system are the following:
It allows your hands to "learn" how to keep a consistent angle when freehand sharpening.
It is fairly inexpensive, and a simple system to carry around.
It works well on most small blades.
I don't like it for my personal use for the following reasons:
It doesn't work well on large blades, and when resharpening longer blades it is hard to remember exactly where to clamp in order to maintain a consistent angle.
It doesn't work well on thick blades.
It does not allow you to adjust the angle.
I do, however, like the Razor Steel. I need to get one of those.
Tim
http://www.streetpro.com
Street Smart Professional Equipment
It allows your hands to "learn" how to keep a consistent angle when freehand sharpening.
It is fairly inexpensive, and a simple system to carry around.
It works well on most small blades.
I don't like it for my personal use for the following reasons:
It doesn't work well on large blades, and when resharpening longer blades it is hard to remember exactly where to clamp in order to maintain a consistent angle.
It doesn't work well on thick blades.
It does not allow you to adjust the angle.
I do, however, like the Razor Steel. I need to get one of those.
Tim
http://www.streetpro.com
Street Smart Professional Equipment
- Joined
- Sep 8, 1999
- Messages
- 460
Ptpalpha,
Thanks!!
Get a steel, you will not regret it. I love mine. I am thinking of getting a second steel to keep at work. I know the knife can probably wait untill I get home to touch it up, but I cant wait!!
------------------
Shawn R Sullivan
~San Diego, Ca~
Thanks!!
Get a steel, you will not regret it. I love mine. I am thinking of getting a second steel to keep at work. I know the knife can probably wait untill I get home to touch it up, but I cant wait!!
------------------
Shawn R Sullivan
~San Diego, Ca~