Redi Edge Sharpener

C

CDR

Joined
Jan 17, 2007
Messages
32
Do any of you use a Redi Edge sharpener? I bought one tonight and sharpened all my Henkels kitchen knives that are 26 years old and still going strong. Suffice it to say that after spending about 1 minute or less on each knife, they are now sharper than any day I have owned them. Razor sharp every one. It works better than anything I have ever tried and foolproof. Just draw the knife back through the carbide blades that are set at 20 degrees and after a few strokes......WOW, the sharpest knives I have ever experienced. Looking forward to using this on my Military when it eventually needs sharpening.

Any concerns with this sharpener with respect to being overly aggressive? They also make a Redi Edge Multi Tool ($34.95) that is the same small pen like device, but with a round file screwed into the handle that pulls out for sharpening serrated knife grooves. I picked up the basic Redi Edge model at Gander Mtn. for $21.00 and was drawn to it as this is the same sharpener they use in the knife department. They even took a knife out and showed me how well it worked. A previously dull knife was soon capable of shaving hair off your arm, so it was an easy sell. I'm delighted to say the least. It's nice to see a product exceed expectations.
 
I have one of the Redi Edge sharpener's also. It is what got me started in learning to sharpen. It does do an ok job, but if you start reading, it does not get a lot of good press. I believe that one of the reasons is that it tends to tear the metal rather than grind it off. I cannot explain it very well, but I know others will come along that will do a better job. I now use some freehand and a Spyderco Sharpmaker. I have the best edge on my knives than I have ever had!!

Ron
 
The big problem that I see with the pull-throughs is they make micro-grooves parallel to the edge instead of making them perpendicular to the edge, which forms micro-serrations. It might make for better push cuts, but it won't slice as well.

With all due respect, I believe that with practice you can get your knives sharper and have a more useful working edge either freehand or with a Sharpmaker.

I think the place for the pull-through sharpeners is in the bug-out bag, for use only in emergencies.
 
I have one of these little redi-edge gadgets that I use on my kitchen knives, 'cause it's quick and convenient. The knives get usably sharp fast, but I've noiticed that they don't stay sharp for very long. A sharpmaker does a much better job, for sure, but just requires a little more time and effort that I don't always want to spend when I notice that my knife isn't cutting tomatoes very well. No offense CDR, but it's kind of a lazy man's sharpener. I don't use it for my Calypso's or Sebenza's or custom's.
 
Can someone explain the actual process of the Spyderco Sharpmaker with respect to how you draw the knife against the ceramic rods. I've tried reading about it and can't seem to understand whether or not you keep the knife perpendicular to the base as you draw it across/down or do you follow the angle of the rod? Not sure how it works.

I actually went into Gander Mtn. last night to see if they had a Sharpmaker as I've read nothing but good things about it on this forum and was going to buy it if it seemed easy to understand how to use. However, they don't carry it. That's how I learned about the Redi Edge and figured it was a good tool given that they use it in the store on their own personal knives and if customers ask to have their knives sharpened. Regarding a "lazy man's" sharpener, that is far from my objective. I only wanted something that assured me the proper angle as in 26 years of owning my Henkels, I have rarely been able to get the proper edge and figure out how to hand sharpen on a stone. I'm pretty good on keeping an edge once I've attained it with a steel, however. I wound up buying one of those electric "Chef's Choice" sharpeners about 15 years ago and use that maybe once a year on each knife, but have never gotten an edge even close to what I was able to achieve on the Redi Edge last night. The weight of the knife on a paring knife will beautifully slice a tomato...not a bit of pressure is needed.

After reading the negative posts here about the Redi Edge, I googled all the reviews I could find on the product, and in all honesty, couldn't find one bad review. I was particularly intrigued by the posting last night who said that the draw through sharpeners impart the incorrect, non-perpendicular edge on the blade so it is worrying me that I may have damamged my knives. But isn't that the same method that the "Chef's Choice" electric sharpening systems use?

I want to learn more about the Sharpmaker and how it assures one attains the proper angle as where I doubt my abilities is in getting that correct and consistent angle if it relies on a free hand, pull through or pull down method, not sure which so I could use some assistance in clearly understanding how this sharpener works. The people in Gander Mtn., by the way, never heard of the Sharpmaker, and they sell Spyderco knives, although very few models.

I hope I haven't damaged my Henkels with the Redi Edge. Any advice or assistance in understanding this further would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
The Sharpmaker is used by starting at the top end of the stone (rod, ceramic triangular thingy, whatever you want to call it) and running the knife down the length of the stone while drawing the knife toward you so that the entire length of the blade edge is worked. All the Sharpmaker actually does is hold the stone at a set angle, you have to keep the blade perpendicular to the surface the unit is resting on to produce good results. Unless the blade is longer than the stones (quite possible with kitchen knives) the primary relative motion between blade and stone is more or less perpendicular to the edge.

The electric sharpeners may look like a draw though affair, but inside the stone is spinning like a bench grinder, which makes the relative motion between blade and stone more or less perpendicular once again.

And yes, the draw through sharpeners can damage the edge of your blade. They do tend to tear carbides out of the steel matrix rather than wearing them down to form the edge, which may well be why they seem to dull quickly. The micro grooves parallel to the edge also make it easier to roll the edge or even serve as stress risers to aid in fracture, allowing large areas of the edge to simply break away.

The good news is, a proper sharpening or two should correct the damage.
 
That's a great explanation and very clear...thank you very much. Looks like a Sharpmaker is in my immediate future. I'm curious to see if the edge that I placed on my kitchen knives last night with the Redi Edge will remain with the use of a steel that I use most days, or will it not come back until rehoned. I certainly won't be running my new Military through the Redi Edge anytime soon. I'm looking forward to its arrival in a day or so. Still curious as to why I wasn't able to find any negative reviews on the internet on the Redi Edge? I guess its attraction is the simplicity of operation and the ease of which one can attain the proper 20 degree sharpening angle.

Any recommendations on where to get a good deal on a Spyderco Sharpmaker?

Thanks again for your assistance.
 
Hi CDR. Hope you didn't take any offense at my earlier post. I didn't mean to imply that you were lazy, just that it was my lazy way to sharpen my kitchen blades. Perhaps I'll consider what yablanowitz had to say, though, concerning tearing carbides out of the blade steel as an explaination for quick dulling and get my sharpmaker out in the kitchen.

As far as getting a sharpmaker is concerned, they're sold everywhere. Well, almost everywhere, considering that you couldn't find one at GM. GM is where I found my redi-edge, by the way. I got my sharpmaker on eBay, as a deal sweetener on a Sebenza, so it was somewhat free. But, I think you can get them at most online knife shops and/or on eBay for under $50.00. They come with four triangular rods, two white fine rods and two gray medium grit rods, but you can also buy diamond rods for the unit, to aggressively remove more stock, if you have really dulled edges. Maybe someone else can tell you where to find the best deal. Good luck, sir and cheers!
 
Hi,

No offense taken, I knew what you meant. My primary objective was guaranteeing the correct angle which I have never had the dexterity to achieve on a stone. Just can't get that consistent angle. But the tearing of the blade issue does certainly bother me. I've looked on e bay and have seen quite a few deals for new Sharpmaker units with DVD for around $36.00 which is about half price of MSRP. I also found a clever gif file that shows a quick 2 or 3 second video of how the knife is brought down and across the Sharpmaker's rods....looks really easy. If you can keep a knife straight and pull down that's all that is needed. A picture is worth a thousand words as they say. One question......actually two.....how do you know if you need to use the 30 degree stone versus the 40 degree stone? Also, I see that you can lay two stones side by side on the reverse side of the Sharpmaker's base to use as a honing stone. When and why would you need to use that feature?

One e bay member is selling a used one and stated that he is selling the Sharpmaker as he now has an Edge Pro...is that a better sharpening system?

Thanks everyone for educating me on this topic and I will be purchasing a Sharpmaker.
 
I'll second the NGK nomination, they are great people to deal with.

As far as why no negative reviews of the Redi-Edge, to be frank, most people don't know how to sharpen knives. It is quick and easy, and if you were stranded on a desert island, it would be better than a handful of loose sand for keeping some kind of edge on your knife. It just isn't the best way to put a lasting edge on.

The holders on the back of the Sharpmaker base allow you to use the stones as you would a benchstone. This allows you to apply more pressure for stock removal (heavy reprofiling, thinning out edges) at the cost of no angle guidance. I don't know of many people who use them that way routinely.

The Edgepro is more complicated and goof resistant than the Sharpmaker, but it is a lot more expensive as well. It will produce better results, especially for a novice sharpener, but I don't think the difference warrants the extra cost. Of course, I'm an old fogey who still uses benchstones for all my sharpening :D

As far as the 30/40 thing, use the 30 setting to put the primary bevel on. Then, when you need to touch up the edge, you can use the 40 setting and sharpen just the very edge, without having to work the entire primary bevel.

A new Sharpmaker will come with a DVD showing how to use it. Watch it several times before you start, and again once you start using the system and get a feel for what they are showing you.
 
Great explanation!! Thanks for making this clear to me as I now understand how this device works. I will be ordering one for sure.
 
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