Sharpening bk2 with wOrk sharp

P

PWR

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Dec 7, 2012
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I am very new to the world of knifes and need help
I have the bk2 and a work sharp
Both good products but I cannot get that slab sharp and i don't know how or what to do about it
I have never been good at sharpening anything but a pencil
Any help appreciated
Oh I'm wanting a convex edge
 
I have not used the work sharp, but all knife sharpening is fundamentally the same. Use light prefer to form a burr on one side, then switch and repeat. Strop on basically anything to remove the burr, and you should have a sharp blade. Many people have used the work sharp on their BKs, and the 2 is very well suited for a convex edge.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
I Fisked my BK-2 with my Work Sharp. That thing is now really, really sharp.

In my experience, the WS works better without the guide, but requires you practice with it a bit to get the angles down when you freehand it.

I posted a few months back on Bushcraft USA a few tips that show how I use my WS. Let's see if I can cut and paste it here.

Yep, here it is.

I've been using the WS since March, and I have to say that it has been the best money I've ever paid for a knife sharpener. You can get some screaming good convex edges with it.

As has been mentioned before, there is a learning curve. Using cheap, crappy knives to start with is imperative.

Now I'll give you some tips I've learned using the Work Sharp that will make your use of the machine more effective.

1. Don't begin with the 80 grit unless you're doing a major reprofile, such as Fisking your knives, or you need to put an edge on a machete or something that doesn't come with one from the factory.

2. Practice running the knives across the belt using the guides, but don't turn the WS on when you do it. All you're trying to do is learn what the angles look like when you're actually using the machine. Then, once you have the angles mastered, throw the guides away and do it freehand. The guides are just a crutch and will cause you pain and agony. Don't use them, because they can cause you to recurve your knives at the heel and round the tip.

3. Once you've thrown the guides away, mount the WS to the table with the belt outward, like so...
DSCN0914.jpg


As you can see, I've just got mine wedged under the chop saw, with the belt hanging over the table's edge just a tad. This allows you to use two hands on the knife and results in superior control. Most of the problems encountered with the WS are the result of trying to use it one-handed. Using two hands allows you to control the pressure of the blade against the belt evenly across the length of the blade.

4. The 50 degree inclusive angle is not my favorite angle, although I'm sure it has its adherents. I prefer to sharpen my knives using a 40 degree inclusive, and sometimes less. I even use this angle on my big choppers with zero problems. The convex is strong, and I never have rolled or chipped edges. On the WS, holding the blade at a 90 degree angle, straight up and down, will net you a tough edge that is very sharp. Like so.

DSCN0925.jpg


This last week I convexed my Becker Machax using my WS in exactly this manner, and not only was it extremely easy, but it took all of five minutes to get a shaving edge. I immediately took the Machax to some of my trees. No rolling, no chipping. But it sailed through those branches like butter.

5. Like the others have said; don't press too hard. Use the fingers of the hand not holding the knife to control the pressure on the blade.

6. Blunting the tip is something to worry about with the WS, but once you've got the hang of it, you can easily Convex all the way to the tip with no problems. Just make sure that the tip never comes close to the edge of the belt. The tip should only go about a quarter to halfway on the belt, then lift it off the belt. Again, this is really, really tough to do with the guides, one-handed. Without the guides and using two-hands, it is easy. Here's a pic of how far you should go before lifting the blade off the belt.

DSCN0923.jpg


Here are the tips of some of the blades I've convexed. No blunting here.
DSCN0863.jpg

DSCN0847.jpg

DSCN0757.jpg


The 220 grit belt is fine for reprofiling most blades. You might want to buy some of the 400, 600 and 1500 grit belts as well, just to make sure you remove the least amount of metal as possible. The 6000 grit is perfect for honing if you've let your knife get a little dull. Finish off with a strop to get the edge screaming sharp. Another trick to the WS is to load up a worn-out 6000 grit belt with Mothers Mag Polish or Brasso for that extra refined edge.

Also remember, when you register your warranty online with Work Sharp, they will send you a pack of belts free, so add some of the other grit belts to your order while you're at it.

With enough practice, if you've done this whole thing right, you should be able to get an edge that will do this without stropping.

DSCN0927.jpg
 
I ordered my work sharp yesterday. I can't wait to use it! It seems like this should make life a lot easier when it comes to reprofiling.
 
I've had and used my Worksharp for a couple years. It is so much easier to use than the Lansky which I previously used. This is an amazing tool which does not receive the publicity it deserves.
 
I'll be honest, I'm VERY leery of getting a WS just cause I know how inept I am at sharpening. I'm really leaning towards getting the KME as they are roughly the same price and there is less chance, it seems, of f(...)ing up major with the stones.
 
Chameleonbear said:
I'll be honest, I'm VERY leery of getting a WS just cause I know how inept I am at sharpening. I'm really leaning towards getting the KME as they are roughly the same price and there is less chance, it seems, of f(...)ing up major with the stones.
Click to expand...

The KME is a good system, although it's not quite perfect for everything. I'd get the model with the diamond stones right off the bat, and just buy the regular stones later if you want them.
 
I love my Work Sharp, it is so fast and easy. Christmas time I have everyone bring all of their kitchen knives etc and after the big meal I sharpen about 100 knives in about 2 hours can beat that for efficiency. Once you get the hang of it it is a great system. I did round a few tips at first though...
 
I have thought about getting the Work Sharp. I have a Norton India stone that I use and I am not great with it. I watch the virtuovice guy and try to learn from his techniques.
 
I like sharpening by hand - I'm not awesome at it, but I can get a damn sharp edge. Sure it's more time consuming, but I like being able to sip a beer while using the water stones to unwind from a long week.
 
wasatchdan said:
The 220 grit belt is fine for reprofiling most blades. You might want to buy some of the 400, 600 and 1500 grit belts as well, just to make sure you remove the least amount of metal as possible.
Click to expand...


Where can I find the 400, 600, and 1500 grit belts?
 
I got my worksharp yesterday and I spent most of the night sharpening my kitchen knives. I even sharpened a Benchmade Balisong that I have never been able to sharpen, due to my lack of skill. So far, I am fond of the system. I just need to work on getting the speed/movements down so that I don't remove more metal than is necessary. Working on the knife tip worries me also, because I have heard so many stories about rounded points.
 
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