UK member needs some advice please?

[Dave Ray]

My father taught me to make knives many years ago. He was a knife maker in India and his father was also a knife maker. As a child I used to collect knives and gave it up because someone stole the lot

I started a new collection but then we had some bad events in the UK and the law makes it an offence to carry any knife no matter how inocuous

Anyway, I sharpen peoples knives for them and whilst I am okay, I cannot get them "scary" sharp. I want to buy a good system but in the UK we really struggle for quality products. I have looked at the EdgePro and Spyderco 204 system. ANy others I should look at?

I will probably end up doing this as a part time business as quality knife sharpening people are like rocking horse s**t - very rare indeed

All views welcomed.

Dave

 

[T. Erdelyi]

I've had and tried Lansky, Spyderco, Gatco, and free hand, free hand with a bench stone is my personal preference, I am looking at an Edge Pro Apex for now, hopefully to graduate to their professional model.
Anyway here are 2 other options, A Tormek sharpening system, AG Russell seems to like them.
http://www.tormek.se/indexieeng.htm

And a Tru Hone, My long term desire for a sharpening system

http://www.truhone.com/

The last 2 with the links are probably the most expensive ranging from about,$400 to $1000.

 

[Bronco]

Welcome to BFC, Dave.
The EdgePro is, without question, a very high quality piece of gear. I can't imagine you wouldn't be happy with the results it provides once you got the hang of it (which doesn't take long at all). Still, if you're contemplating doing this on a semi-professional basis, there's certainly no harm in investigating the links above to the more expensive sharpening "machines". I have had no personal experience with either of the systems mentioned in T. Erdelyi's post.

 

[Dave Ray]

Thanks for the replies, very imformative and much appreciated.

Unfortunately, we are living in the stone age here in the UK and there is a dearth of knife sharpening equipment. I am very keen on the EdgePro Apex but where do I buy it from? Ben says that he deosn't have any dealers and that is direct from factory to wholesalers. Do any of you guys know a wholesaler that will ship to the UK?

I've ordered a Sharpie 204 kit from the UK just to see how it performs. It cost me £50 ($70) which seems expensive but somebody put the Atlantic Ocean between us and it increases the cost somehwat. Having said that, by the time I've paid for freight and import duties it is probably fair?

Thanks once again

Dave

 

[jsun]

Not sure if knifecentre.com stock what you are looking for, but they have various sharpening systems and their service to the UK is great.