Some Edge Work...

Andy the Aussie

Andy the Aussie

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...so I am well known as a man who can make a sharp knife blunt without any effort at all, and that is when I am trying to SHARPEN them ... ;) I have experimented with a number of sharpening methods but a little ago settled on the Worksharp. I have run one now for almost two years with mostly positive results, those less positive ones were in fact all about me... :(

I help off for ages but when the 240V Ken Onion Edition became available here I was barely controlling myself... I gave in last week and got one. Had a chance to play with it over the weekend.

As a challenge to myself, I resently bought a user BWM here on the EX. Price was right as was the description of some edge/point damage. I was originally going to send it out to have the work done but a few weeks ago decided to have a run at it myself with the original WSKT. In fairness this one did a pretty good job of getting the edge back and it pretty pointy again. I was just not happy though, probably 85% of where I wanted it. With this monkey on my back I decided to have a run at it with the new tool. And to say the least I could not be happier...!!!! I just wish I had taken some good before pics !! Now I am never going to put a professional out of business, nor doe sthis qualify as a polished edge but it does make hair leap to its death from my arm (had to explain the bald arm to my boss today) and will work for about any task I could envisage for the BWM.



And as I was on a roll I gave one of the BATACs a "new do" as well.



If you are in doubt on upgrading from one WS to the other, I think it is well worth it..!!!!
 
I've thought about upgrading but my current worksharp and my strop do so good. But if my worksharp would break I guess I'd need a new one? Hmmmm...I think it sounds kinda funny might need an upgrade soon! Thanks for the heads up Andy!
 
Always a good feeling when you finally get the nack of sharpening, especially since it will never go away once you nail it a few times. Nice job :thumbup:
 
I love my original work sharp but I have had my eye on the K.O. edition is. Nice work on your blades!
 
Well, I'll let my mother in law know that I'm going to sharpen her kitchen knives when she's away... :o
Still too afraid to get close with my good knives to KO Worksharp recently... Need to practice on something, right? ;)
 
Took me a few years before I came across a sharpening method that worked for me, I use sand paper , 400,600,1200,2000, (wet and dry,on a mousepad) a 4 sided strop, white, then black then green , and I finish on a clean peice of leather that has a nice amount of natural oils on it ..this works very well for me
 
I as well have had no luck with most other sharpening methods and my KO WorkSharp turned things right around for me.
There was a thread forever ago talking about Micro-Mesh aftermarket belts and the difference they made to the stock belts.
I would for sure reccomend getting an 80g extra coarse and the 12000 super fine for edge finishing.
I get consistent, reliable, sharp results every time.

Glad to hear you're having luck as well.
 
Andy!!!! My friend -- for the love of ASH -- help me. I have the new Work Sharp and while I do love it for softer steels and kitchen knives, I have a hard time sharpening Busse and BusseKin knives. I tried to sharpen my NMSFNO which is thick and I couldn't get the hang of it. For starters why don't you tell us what angle you have it on. Then tell us what belt speed you have it set at. The BWM is 3/16th's thick so I can see how that can work nice. If you have a NMSFNO try it and tell me how it works out. I started sharpening with my sharpMaker again because I couldn't get that hair popping sharpness you've achieved. If you decide to make a video demonstration -- I'll send a few kegs of beer -- via Sea Tortoise -- so it might take a while -- if it ever makes it --- but it's the thought that counts right???! ;)
 
Very cool. I've been looking at the Worksharps for a while and planning on buying one probably this week- So in your opinion is it worth it to just skip the base model and get the KO Edition?
 
In my opinion, most definitely yes. I own the standard and have seen the KO demos at Blade. The KO offers many more belt grits, more surface area on the belts, and probably most important, the ability to adjust speed. With the original, you can round off a tip before you can say "Oh hell, I didn't mean to". I know; I've seen me do it.
 
Nice work Andy! :thumbup:

You describe your model as a "240V Ken Onion Edition". Is there more than one KO model? I'm aware of the KO attachment for blade grinding, but wondered if there is a newer version of the KO base model?

Thanks!
Will
 
Rob_Mob said:
Andy!!!! My friend -- for the love of ASH -- help me. I have the new Work Sharp and while I do love it for softer steels and kitchen knives, I have a hard time sharpening Busse and BusseKin knives. I tried to sharpen my NMSFNO which is thick and I couldn't get the hang of it. For starters why don't you tell us what angle you have it on. Then tell us what belt speed you have it set at. The BWM is 3/16th's thick so I can see how that can work nice. If you have a NMSFNO try it and tell me how it works out. I started sharpening with my sharpMaker again because I couldn't get that hair popping sharpness you've achieved. If you decide to make a video demonstration -- I'll send a few kegs of beer -- via Sea Tortoise -- so it might take a while -- if it ever makes it --- but it's the thought that counts right???! ;)
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I don't have the head or hands for movies mate.... ;) I am told however the accent works for some residents of the US... so it may be unfair of me to be broadcasting as such... ;)

I did the BWM at the 25deg setting as I was getting a bit worried about all the steel I would be removing and as it is a chopper first and a cutter second I guessed this was a good compromise. I started off using it as slow as it would run and with the second coarsest grit. I read a little about sharpening hard steels in the manual and would the speed up to 1/2 full or a bit less and started running it on the coarsest belt. I did this more than I was comfortable with at first be I was all in by that point... ;) I first needed to get rid of the fugging big chip/damaged area and once this was looking MUCH better (and the point was restoring naturally) I ran a marking pen down the edge till I was sure I was grinding all the way to the apex. I then repeated on the otehr side (in fairness I was working on about 10 passes a side alternating. Once I was at the apex and a burr was raised I started progressing through the belts. Just when it looked great and felt shart I realised there was still a burr on one side, work this off with a well worm 6000 grit belt.

On INFI it takes MUCH longer than the included instructions would have you believe. Patience and consistency in pull through speed count. As does keeping the edge perpendicular to the belt as you move through (I learned this lesson the tough way with the original WS and a 511 - that is tantoish looking now :( )

I did a .32 ASH on the old WS at 20degs and it is also well and truly shaving sharp..!!!

What I am less than useful at is stropping.... this as useful as teets on a bull useless !!!! I can take a shaving sharp edge and make it blunt in no time at all... :( There is an art in that I just cant master..!!!
 
Garth Reckner said:
Looks good to me.

Garth
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.... thanks Garth...!!!!!!!! You would certainly know what a good edge looks like I am sure...!!! This one was nearly sent back to you guys for the work .... ;)

dobermaniac said:
Very cool. I've been looking at the Worksharps for a while and planning on buying one probably this week- So in your opinion is it worth it to just skip the base model and get the KO Edition?
Click to expand...
.....absolutely, the KO is leaps and bounds ahead of the old model....and I really liked the old model as well...!!!!! The KO has refinements that are all about KNIVES...!!!!


358 said:
I think he means 240 volt--an international version
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.... ye exactly. We run on 240 volts here. I run my original WSKT through a small transformer but they actually did this version up for this market !!!
 
I have a stripped DSSF that is getting some edge love today... I just need a drink to steady my hand.....
 
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