Tungsten Carbide Sharpener. Non-pull through.

[Odin's Son]

How do the pros feel about non-pull through tungsten sharpeners, like something below?

Is it using the same principles as a honing steel?

 

[Razorsharp-Travis]

How do the pros feel about non-pull through tungsten sharpeners, like something below?

Is it using the same principles as a honing steel?

they also scrape metal off, just 1 side at a time at what ever angle you want..... better, but not much IMO

 

[dkb45]

Can't tungsten carbide take a killer edge? Shouldn't it be like a slightly less fragile ceramic? Make that a knife!

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

My main concern with that particular sharpener would just be the tiny size of the abrasive surface. I'd assume, in terms of the material used, it should be decent enough. Whatever the cost of this particular sharpener, I'd save the $$ for a pocket diamond hone instead, if a pocketable hone is the main priority. A DMT 'credit card' hone is very versatile, and can literally be carried in your wallet. Maybe 4x or 6x the surface area as well (if not more; can't tell how much of that pictured sharpener is actually the honing surface). It can be bought for about ~$12 or so, in your choice of Coarse, Fine or Extra-Fine. Well worth it.


David

 

[eKretz]

Can't tungsten carbide take a killer edge? Shouldn't it be like a slightly less fragile ceramic? Make that a knife!

No and no. It can take an edge, but not nearly as sharp of an edge as steel. On top of that, when sharpened to such an acute, thin edge, it will very readily crumble when any pressure is put against it. This is why it is often used only on one side of a blade as a thin plating when it is used. It would be ideal if you were only cutting cardboard or paper I guess.

 

[Magnaminous_G]

I wonder how that thing was designed to be used. Anybody know?

 

[Odin's Son]

I wonder how that thing was designed to be used. Anybody know?

Scrape the tungsten along the blade edge at the desired angle.

they also scrape metal off, just 1 side at a time at what ever angle you want..... better, but not much IMO

Scraping is removing material, correct? Are traditional ways of sharpening also removing material? If yes, to both questions then what is the difference?

 

[Skimo]

Execution is the difference, the single sharp edge of the carbide sharpener will tend to dig in to the steel, there was a post about these a few weeks ago.

There are 1,200 grit ceramic hones, they remove metal, I don't recommend them for daily sharpening.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Not sure this particular sharpener has a 'sharp edge' in the same sense as the V-type pull-throughs, so I don't think it'd 'dig in' any more than any similarly-shaped honing surface:

Looks like most carbide-tipped tools, in that it's a very small section of tungsten carbide, welded to a piece of steel (maybe glued/epoxied). I'm thinking this one would function like a very small file. The small, narrow working edge may be better-suited to serrations, sawteeth and other shaped edges found on tools, more so than knives.

I'll repeat what I said before. The tiny working surface is this tool's biggest limitation, as I see it. Even a keychain diamond hone would offer a lot more surface area, and would likely be more efficient and produce a better edge as well. Something like one of these at about the same price, or even less, BTW:

David

 

[Esav Benyamin]

How do the pros feel about non-pull through tungsten sharpeners, like something below?

Is it using the same principles as a honing steel?

It is exactly the same as a pull-through tungsten sharpener, but more destructive, since it is harder to control the angle, and you only "sharpen" one side at a time.

Terrible choice for a fine edge.

 

[velo-ct]

Ive used carbide lathe bits/router bits in a pinch that work like this when I don't have time to do it right. It is crude but fast, leaves the edge wiggly though!

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Ive used carbide lathe bits/router bits in a pinch that work like this when I don't have time to do it right. It is crude but fast, leaves the edge wiggly though!

That's what this sharpener reminds me of, exactly.


David

 

[Brisket]

They make great firesteel scrapers but poor knife sharpeners. I have a similar carbide scraper from Corona in my fire kit and it will make a shower of sparks.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

They make great firesteel scrapers but poor knife sharpeners. I have a similar carbide scraper from Corona in my fire kit and it will make a shower of sparks.

In Googling for videos of this 'sharpener' in use, that's actually what I stumbled upon first:

[video=youtube;HhMTzcbFyCs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhMTzcbFyCs[/video]

May be the best use for it.


David

 

[Rhinoknives1]

It is exactly the same as a pull-through tungsten sharpener, but more destructive, since it is harder to control the angle, and you only "sharpen" one side at a time.

Terrible choice for a fine edge.

What Esav said,
I use carbide drill bits for drilling hardened steel in knife making but It not a good choice for a sharpening tool. Ceramic, Diamond, A/O or natural stone work much better.

Laurence

 

[C_Becker]

Scraping is removing material, correct? Are traditional ways of sharpening also removing material? If yes, to both questions then what is the difference?

Sharpening always removes metal, true. But sharpening with a Spyderco sharpmaker or stones for example removes MUCH less material than those cheap knife sharpeners.

 

[Skimo]

Sharpening always removes metal, true. But sharpening with a Spyderco sharpmaker or stones for example removes MUCH less material than those cheap knife sharpeners.

Less in the same period of time, I agree, these were posted a while ago, they do have a sharp edge and in the inventors video he covers how to mitigate edge damage by using light strokes in alternating directions and running over the bevel like a grater (the ones used for plowing snow/gravel etc. perpendicular to the previous pass so that the divots don't get deeper.

I'll try to find the video tonight or tomorrow.

 

[jacksterp]

There Are No Shortcuts To Sharpening.

 

[Jason B.]

How do the pros feel about non-pull through tungsten sharpeners, like something below?

Is it using the same principles as a honing steel?

It makes me feel the same as any draw through carbide sharpener, chef choice electric sharpener, or any gimmick sharpener that someone promotes making you think its better than the way we have been doing it for thousands of years. Buy a stone, it will do the job as intended and not destroy your edge in the process.

 

[Odin's Son]

Thanks guys. I do own stones, rods etc. I just wanted to know what you guys thought about the non-pull through carbide sharpeners.