Sharpening System - Edge Pro Apex

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Jul 21, 2015
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So I am in a bad way ... I don't know if I like my knives more, or if I actually like ensuring that they are sharp more. It's a thing. I find sharpening calming. I sharpen for pleasure. Heck - a good day is holding a < 6" stone in my palm and having at it lol.

Worse still, I have a thing for stones. I have synthetics, naturals, diamond. I have pastes and strops ... gents, I have quite a bit of equipment. I can't get enough lol. And by not getting enough, I mean ...

What I don't have, is one of those guided systems. And that bevel consistency thing is sooooo elusive when I freehand as I am neurotic lol.

Will I be pleased with an Edge Pro Apex you figure?

Thoughts? I am torn between dropping three bills on it vs getting a flipper. And no - I can't get both this month lol.

Thanks guys.
 
I, like you, enjoy the "Zen" of sharpening, and do it for fun a relaxation. I went from a Spyderco Sharpmaker (which I thought was just ok) to a guided system so I could control exact angles. I was going to leap right to a Wicked Edge system ($750-ish for the Pro Pac 2, the one I wanted) but I decided to try a $65 Lansky Deluxe Diamond Stone system first, to see if I'd like this type of sharpening system and if I get even close to the type of results I was hoping for...those beautiful, perfect, laser sharp, mirror edges I saw on other guys knives...just a dream, right?


Excuse the typo ON the photo. It's a ZT 0566...but the point is...did it 2 nights ago on my little $65 Lansky system (I did also add the ultra fine, Lansky "Sapphire stone" and a strop for a little bit more $ but well worth it). I'm a happy camper. Doubt I'l be splurging on a Wicked Edge any time soon. So that's my 2¢.
 
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I just picked up an Edge Pro a short while ago. I'm very happy with it. It is nice to just sit at the counter and zone out and sharpen some blades. I used a sharp maker prior to that, and while it works great, the Edge Pro takes it to another level. Definitely high quality. If you do decide on getting one, definitely watch some youtube videos, there is a bit of a learning curve (at least for me). Also, I would recommend getting some strong magnets to place under the unit, helps keep the blade in place, and a drill collar so you can set your angle and adjust for stone thickness. Watch a few videos, you'll see what I mean. As for the stones, there are plenty of options. Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
Man, I love my Edge Pro.
Its nice knowing I can put a precise angle on any knife I want. AND THEN REPEAT THE RESULTS.
I had a Lansky and could put a great edge on a knife for the initial sharpening, but REsharpening that knife was a nightmare.
I could never get the knife back in the clamp in exactly the same position as before.
That's the main reason I went with an Edge Pro. (No Clamping system)

I highly recommend the Edge Pro system.
 
Well, I could have written that with the exception that I have just about any available guided system (as well as a few bench stones).

If I need a fast working edge or a lot of reprofiling on larger knives, I use the Thormek T7 or Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition.

For my kitchen knives and the few tactical folders, I use either the Wicked Edge or KME Precision Sharperner.

For the Wicked Edge I have the 50/80, 100/200, 400/600, 800/1000 diamonds, 1200/1600, 1.4/.6 ceramics as well as leather and balsa strops and I also use 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000 and 4000 grid sandpaper as well as 1 and 0.3 micron 3M lapping films and overall I think this is the best sharpener available and produces the best and most consistent results but it is addictive to keep buying more accessories and can get very expensive.

For the KME I started with the ceramics set and a few of the Arkansas stones but I do not use those anymore and I now have the 140, 300, 600 and 1500 diamonds, kangaroo strops and aluminum blanks with 1, 0.5 and 0.1 diamond lapping films. It is a very nice system and what I very much like about it is that it is small enough to have a permanent place on my desk, it has infinitely adjustable sharpening Angles from 17 to 30 Degrees and a wide selection of affordable accessories. I use it for my smaller kitchen knives but also for traditional style folders and SAK's but it can certainly handle bigger knives as well. It is made by a small family owned company and their customer service is one of the best I have ever experienced so I can certainly recommend them and it is very good value for your money.

For my Victorinox and traditional style folders, I mostly use the Lansky of which I bought my first set late 1970's. I have the 5 stone deluxe set as well as the Arkansas and diamond set as well as the separately available 2000 grid sapphire stone and the leather strops. With these I can get results that are comparable or come very close to those of the Wicked Edge and other systems but I can only recommend the ones that come with the old style clamp with the small notch for smaller knives as with these it is possible to clamp the knife very secure and in the exact same position each time, giving very good consistent and repeatable results. The older clamps without the notch and the latest type clamp can not handle smaller knives very well.
Because most of my knives are Victorinox and traditional style folders, this is the system that I use most. The results can be amazing for such a cheap system.

I also have the DMT Aligner, Frost Blademaster, and Smith's SPSK. I very much like the clamp of the Smith's system but unfortunately it has just the 20 and 25 degrees angle setting and comes with just a Coarse Diamond Stone, Fine Arkansas Stone for finishing and Triangular stone for serrated edges. I use it with the KME stone holder and stones which makes it much more versatile.

I do not like the clamp of the DMT and think it is only useful for larger knives but the stone holder uses the same angle as the Lansky stones so I use the DMT Diamond stones with the Lansky clamps.

I also used the Gatco system but I did not like it and sold it. The Blademaster I have not tried yet but by the looks of it I think I do not like it either and will also sell it.

I did have an Edge Pro Apex but I could not get used to having to switch hands and holding the knife on the table so I sold it and bought the Wicked Edge.
I recently bought the 2nd generation Chinese clone, the one with the vice and glued a 20x20x10mm 40lbs holding power Neodymium magnet under the base so I can now use it without having to hold the knife by hand. The set came with Ruixin stones which are not the best but certainly not bad either. I also bought the Ruixin 200, 500 and 800 grid diamond stones and made a few aluminum blanks which I use with sandpaper and as strops with glued on leather strips. All-in-all it cost me $ 60.- and for that I certainly think it is good value and a very good system. Would I recommend the original Apex? Well yes, if you can afford it and think it is good value and / or have a moral objection to buying Chinese copies than sure but no arguments please, the patent on the Apex expired so the Chinese copy is not illegal and to be honest, it is of very decent quality.

Hope this helps,
Frans
 
Brother O.P. - I have a similar problem. I have been reviewing threads on EP, Wicked Edge, and KME. I'm willing to spend up to $350, but cannot for the life of me decide which system to go with. I've yet to see compelling arguments to sway me one way or the other. I came across one thread advising the cheapest way to go "in the long run" is EP. Of the three - KME seems to be pretty straight forward. I already got the flippers... on the next level of frustration.

I am currently using the Spyderco Tri-angle Sharpmaker. My results with this system are inconsistent. Where am I going wrong?

A little help from the members would be appreciated.
 
KME seems to be pretty straight forward. I already got the flippers... on the next level of frustration.

I am currently using the Spyderco Tri-angle Sharpmaker. My results with this system are inconsistent. Where am I going wrong?

I think that of the three (WE, EP and KME) the KME offers the best value, versatility, ease of use and customer service so that would be my choice and recommendation.

As far as the results with the sharpmaker...
I have or have tried just about any sharpening system available and it is a mystery to me why so many people like the Sharpmaker. In my opinion the Sharpmaker is only useful to maintain an already sharp edge and than only for knives that already have an edge that is compatible with the 15 or 20 degrees setting of the Sharpmaker. Even most people who like the Sharpmaker agree that it is not very useful for re-profiling. The V-shape that the stones are set at and the vertical movement of the knife makes it a bit easier for most people to keep a relative steady angle but even than it is easy to be off by a few tens of a degree. I think of it as the difference between drawing a straight line with or without a ruler.

You can get scarry sharp edges using guided systems as well as freehand. Guided systems make it a lot easier to get perfect and consistent results every time but even they can be used incorrectly and still require understanding of the basics of sharpening. Freehand sharpening is not as difficult as some people think and even with all the guided systems that I have, I still like to sharpen freehand and find it very relaxing and satisfying. If you have never tried freehand sharpening but would like to give it a try, than just start with a cheap stone and try not to match a certain angle but use your build-in natural angle this will be different for everyone but close to 20 degrees for most.
 
Brother O.P. - I have a similar problem. I have been reviewing threads on EP, Wicked Edge, and KME. I'm willing to spend up to $350, but cannot for the life of me decide which system to go with. I've yet to see compelling arguments to sway me one way or the other. I came across one thread advising the cheapest way to go "in the long run" is EP. Of the three - KME seems to be pretty straight forward. I already got the flippers... on the next level of frustration.

I am currently using the Spyderco Tri-angle Sharpmaker. My results with this system are inconsistent. Where am I going wrong?

A little help from the members would be appreciated.

My wife bought me the Spyderco Sharpmaker ... I found that I could get better edges going freehand. Don't misunderstand, I am sure it's a great system if you work fast and consistently, but it didn't work for me, and was especially painful with larger knives.

That is to say you are not alone. No one system will work for everyone I figure. The trick I figure is finding the one that works for you lol.

Right now the DMT system is seemingly appealing in that it's cheaper, and diamond stones are so incredibly fast (I like diamond stones). I have to admit that working down the scratches from one stone to the next with diamond takes a little more focus for me, but whatever. Moreover, I haven't been able to get that perfect final polish we all love with diamond stones - there is always some remnants of scratching. But that's easily taken care of with a strop and some paste if I take the right amount of time on my finishing strokes moving up the stones.

That said - though the DMT system is 1/4 the cost of the Edge Pro. You can think of it as cheaper, or you can think of it as waisting 1/4 of the cost of the Edge Pro lol. I need redundancy at this point like I need a hole in the head lol.

I am still torn :). The only thing holding me back from buying the Edge Pro is that ... well, to be 100% honest, I am not the most ambidextrous dude out there :) .
 
I bought an Edge Pro Apex when it was still patent pending about 15 (?) years ago. Awesome system. Sharpened everything in the house.

But I haven't used it since. There is overhead effort involved in getting it out, setting it up and then cleaning up afterwards. Hardly worth it for the one or two knives I sharpen annually.

I too find freehand sharpening to be calming so I've been working on my skills at doing that. Takes no setup, requires very little cleanup and requires I focus on what I'm doing (the therapy part).

If I were sharpening a lot of knives the EP would be great. But it just isn't very calming for me.

If someone gave me a terribly edged knife I'd get the EP out though. Great system. Just not as therapeutic.
 
I've had my EP for about 10 or 12 years, it's easily the best money I ever spent on knife related products. It taught me what a truly sharp edge is, and how to obtain it. And best of all, it improved my freehand skills tremendously. You'll be able to put edges on your knives with the best of them.
 
Guys, I can only speak from experience, and when I got my EP, the WE wasn't yet invented, and I'm not sure about the KME. I hadn't heard about it at the time.

When I started using the EP, I finally found out what a sharp edge felt like, and (more importantly) what it took to get there. If the others give you the same feedback, that's good for them as well. There is a learning curve with the EP, and I'm sure with the other 2. They probably all have advantages and disadvantages, so use the search feature if you can.

One thing I like with the EP is repeatability. I can sharpen edges to rival anyone else's, and I'd wager a good sum of money that I can beat anyone else's freehand edges. But here's the thing - any other EP user can make the same boast, it's really that good. The other 2 might also be able to do that, I just don't have experience with them.

Search the forum, there's a lot of great historical knowledge here.
 
Yeah I like mine...



Great collection ... of cigars!! LOL. I would say I am joking, but I am a Drew Estate whore so the cigar jumped out first. After which your collection of stones and diamond sprays etc., etc was noted.

What do you spray your diamond on? I use a felt an anything under 1 micron - love it. The faster you strop, the brighter it becomes lol.
 
Yeah I like mine...



:eek::eeko OH MY GOD! and i thought i spent lots of $ on my egde pro system and sharpening stuff strops ect.don't even think mark richman has all this! how much do you have invested in this any way.
 
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