sharpening system recomendation

M

mauidogg

Joined
Jun 20, 2011
Messages
30
hey all, I just posted some stuff in the gen knife with this post
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/860102-job-specific-knife-use-help

what I would like a reccomendation on is what shapening system would likely work best for my uses. the gen section post has pics of the knives I use, and asks for a couple knives I will probably get later. I would also like to use it for some kitchen knives as well. I have sharpening stones, and can get decent results with them. I just think that I could do better with a system than I can freehand (not the most self confident person).

I have been reading a ton on this forum for quite a while, and am leaning towards the EP. Especially in the one thread where the guy put a fullsize stone in it :)
 
Just take a look at the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpener. It´s good for almost all knives even knives withe serated edge.
 
I hear the EP is good but I have not tried it. I am a wicked edge user and it lays down an awesome consistent bevel and the learning curve is reasonably short. Support from Clay and staff at WE is superb, if you can catch them with equipment in stock lol. I agree you will do better with a system that can lay down a precision edge better than freehanding expensive knives. Best of luck with your choice!!
 
Listen to the last two guys! The Wicked Edge Precision Sharpener rocks big time!:D

Very best regards
Leo
 
An option for purchasing the WE is to buy it from someone that has it in stock, you will pay 250 instead of 200 from the manufacture but you will not have to wait a couple months :)
 
nice too see so many inputs for the WEPS, but will it have any issues with the large recurve and belly of my survival knife? After seeing the videos on the WE I am wondering how it will work since the recurve and belly look like it would be tricky...
100_2531.jpg
 
check this thread out for some suggestions...

While i have an EP and love it, I would probably recommend the paper wheels so someone starting out, as long as you have some common sense and a semi-steady hand (i.e. not the hand of a 4 year old). they put an edge on your knife quick, you can do re-curves, it will take out chips, nicks, and dings much faster than other systems (minus the belt sander), it puts a high polish on your edge, and you can do serrations like no other (if you buy the 1/4" inch shaper wheels with it that you can profile to fit in the serrations of your knife.) you would be looking at around $70 max for a GREAT settup IF you already have a bench grinder... otherwise you can swing by harbor freight and pick up their buffer for pretty cheap.

some would argue that this is not good for a beginner, and I would tend to agree, however, it sounds like you have a head on your shoulders and have read up a lot on knife sharpening. you should know better than to grind your knife into oblivion. you want to get the edge just to the point to where you work up a burr on both sides and have just removed any nicks. then you buff it and wallah! a razor sharp edge! hope this helps.
 
I have had the Spyderco, EP, WE and a few others, and much prefer the WE. I have no experience with the paper wheels or Harbor Freight but have been following them on the forums for a few years now, and IMHO I would either go with the Work Sharp- or my next sharpener, the Kalamazoo 1"x42", if you want a power tool.
 
The Kalamazoo is awesome. A lot more expensive than a set of paper wheels, but a lot more capable as well. Just last night I used mine to put a mirror-polished convex edge on a fellow's Gerber fixed blade that would effortlessly slice tiny paper curls, shave hair, etc. From completely dead-dull to mirror-polished razor took less than five minutes, using 3M Trizact abrasive belts, and SurgiSharp leather. The sharpening involved knocking the bevel back as well, it was up at probably 50 degrees when I started.
 
fotobaerchi said:
With the Tri-Angel Sharpmaker recurved edges are no problems. Even serated edges can be sharpened.
Click to expand...

the sharpmaker and the spyderco are something I might take in the field, but most likely not.

razor-edge-knives said:
check this thread out for some suggestions...

While i have an EP and love it, I would probably recommend the paper wheels so someone starting out, as long as you have some common sense and a semi-steady hand (i.e. not the hand of a 4 year old). they put an edge on your knife quick, you can do re-curves, it will take out chips, nicks, and dings much faster than other systems (minus the belt sander), it puts a high polish on your edge, and you can do serrations like no other (if you buy the 1/4" inch shaper wheels with it that you can profile to fit in the serrations of your knife.) you would be looking at around $70 max for a GREAT settup IF you already have a bench grinder... otherwise you can swing by harbor freight and pick up their buffer for pretty cheap.

some would argue that this is not good for a beginner, and I would tend to agree, however, it sounds like you have a head on your shoulders and have read up a lot on knife sharpening. you should know better than to grind your knife into oblivion. you want to get the edge just to the point to where you work up a burr on both sides and have just removed any nicks. then you buff it and wallah! a razor sharp edge! hope this helps.
Click to expand...

I have been reading a ton and great threads like the one you listed. Some knives will be sharper than other depending on what they get used for. Also I like the way knifenut1013 put that mirror edge by hand, that just makes me want to freehand more in hopes i could ever get that good. Alas I do have a bench grinder, and have good skills with it, I just happen to use it for other things. I will look into paper wheels, and see if its something that will work for me...its sounding like it would and might be cheaper since i have a nice (but well used) benchgrinder.

Komitadjie said:
The Kalamazoo is awesome. A lot more expensive than a set of paper wheels, but a lot more capable as well. Just last night I used mine to put a mirror-polished convex edge on a fellow's Gerber fixed blade that would effortlessly slice tiny paper curls, shave hair, etc. From completely dead-dull to mirror-polished razor took less than five minutes, using 3M Trizact abrasive belts, and SurgiSharp leather. The sharpening involved knocking the bevel back as well, it was up at probably 50 degrees when I started.
Click to expand...

kalamazoo might be a little over kill for me, unless all my buddies start dropping off knives for me to sharpen. Oh wait they already do...I carry my knives and stones in a small action packer, almost everytime I show up somewhere, the guys tend to start leaving knives with me.
 
My migration was from a single low-quality Arkansas stone, to a Smith's clamp-on system, to a Sharpmaker, then an EP Apex, and finally my Kalamazoo. I have a WEPS on order, but they're still a few weeks back-ordered. Oddly enough, I still use almost all of them except the first two. The Sharpmaker works very well for touching up a blade that is in reasonably good shape already, and does a good job of standing in for a steel with the ultra-fine stones. It's real falling is that it removes material very slowly. The EP, of course, I use when I'm after a V-bevel, and the Kalamazoo is for when I want to put on an absurdly good edge in a hurry. It's only real downfall is that it's about as un-portable as you can manage without a forklift. I can't really imagine doing anywhere near the quantity of blades I do without it, though. A full set of kitchen knives is the work of a half hour.

My only real problem now is that I keep running out of stuff to sharpen! I'm out of dull stuff, all my friends are out of dull stuff... I've had to start sharpening down at the local gun shop, just to keep my addiction stocked with dull steel! :D
 
Komitadjie said:
My only real problem now is that I keep running out of stuff to sharpen! I'm out of dull stuff, all my friends are out of dull stuff... I've had to start sharpening down at the local gun shop, just to keep my addiction stocked with dull steel! :D
Click to expand...

dude posting this here is not a good idea i can already see your mailbox full of dull knives from members...
 
dogg, sounds like you couldn't go wrong at least trying the paper wheels... go to grizzly, they still have em for $35!! if your not worried about doing serrations, don't get any of the shaper wheels, if so, they're only $6 each. get one to grind and one to buff if you do. you'll be set up for less than $50.
 
razor-edge-knives said:
dogg, sounds like you couldn't go wrong at least trying the paper wheels... go to grizzly, they still have em for $35!! if your not worried about doing serrations, don't get any of the shaper wheels, if so, they're only $6 each. get one to grind and one to buff if you do. you'll be set up for less than $50.
Click to expand...

Help, I can't locate those on Grizzly's site. Thanks much, Keith
 
after doing some reading up on the paper wheels I have a question...

I see that the RPM of the grinder only goes down to 1725. This is with an 8" wheel. If I wanted the actual face speed to be even slower, I could put a 6" wheel on the 8" grinder, then even though the rpm is the same the actual face speed on the the wheel is less. basically reducing the amount of actual contact between the wheel and blade edge therefore a little more control.

I donʻt really wanna do the math but figureing that the difference in circumfrenece as 2(pi)r, with the change in r from 4" to 3".

edit: Ok I couldnʻt help my self but do the math...so with the 8" wheel at 1725rpm the blade is gonna see 43371 inches per minute from the wheel. with the 6" wheel it would only see 32528 inches per minute. so it would be the eqivalent of having the grinder run at 1293.75 rpm. Slower, but maybe noticeable control wise?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top