Okay, the long-awaited update on my review of the Apex sharpener is done! I hope you find the information to be useful and if you want to read the original review check it out: http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/001223.html Ben Dale (the maker of the Apex) is at: http://www.gorge.net/business/edgepro .
Differences between the Old and New:
The primary differences between the Apex I now own and the Apex I had a loan of are few but significant. First, the body is now injected nylon rather than ABS plastic. This means that the body is more rigid and there is no flex apparent when sharpening. Second, the suction cups are now of a softer material, allowing them to adhere, and stay so, far better than the previous models. In the original testing it was not uncommon for the suction cups to let go after 10 or 15 minutes. After 4 hours of sharpening with the new Apex I did not have to re-attach the suctions cups once. Third, a brass riser block is now included to facilitate in the sharpening of chisel ground blades. Fourth, an 800 grit ceramic steel is included. And, finally, the new Apex has a wider variety of stones: 100, 180, 220, 320, 600, and 3000. The 3000 grit is not actually a stone, but a tape, which adheres to the back of a stone blank.
Performance:
Over the past few days I've had the time to really improve my skills with the Apex (I will not describe the actual use of the Apex as that was already covered in my initial review and none of that has changed). I've sharpened the following knives:
Benchmade 710 (ATS-34)
Benchmade 720 (ATS-34)
Benchmade 750 (ATS-34)
Benchmade AFCK (ATS-34)
Benchmade Stryker (ATS-34)
Benchmade Sentinel (ATS-34)
Cold Steel Bush Ranger (AUS-8)
Microtech SOCOM (154-CM)
Spyderco Howard Veile (AUS-8)
Spyderco Starmate (440-V)
I sharpened all the knives the same way (started with the 100 went all the way to 3000, the angle was set to 21 degrees) and achieved identical results. All the edges had a mirror polish and all passed the following tests for sharpness (they're not all scientific, but they're all fun):
Slicing cigarette paper cleanly (both directions, the paper has a "grain").
Slicing a sheet of free-falling paper cleanly in half (this became more difficult
with some of the shorter blades-720-but was possible nonetheless).
Slicing a roll of paper cleanly (roll a sheet of paper up until the diameter is about
an inch and a half, tape the ends so it doesn't unravel, place on end, try and slice through).
Shaving hair.
I decided to start at 100 grit in order to ensure the angle was uniform. In order to create a truly sharp edge both bevels must be perfectly flat. If you take your knife and angle the edge in the light you should NOT see a fine reflective edge. If you do your bevels are not flat and therefore you do not have a truly sharp edge. The edge of a knife should be virtually invisible. The other reason for starting at 100 grit was to even out the grinds. I quickly found that almost all of my Benchmades had uneven grinds. One shoulder was higher than the other was, or the angles were not the same on either side, or both. The Cold Steel Bush Ranger was fine, so were the Spydercos and the Microtech. The time it takes with the 100 grit to get the bevels uniform is well worth it. After setting the bevels each knife required approximately 15-20 strokes per side with each grit to reach a mirror polish. The simple fact of the matter is that no amount of grinding with a 600 grit stone is going to do what 100 grit can. Use the 100 to do all the work, use the others to polish. Also, when it comes time to re-sharpen, because you took the time to but on a proper edge a couple of strokes with the 600 and 3000 grits are all you need to get that mirror polish back.
That's the secret of the Apex, polishing. There are two main ways to get a sharp edge, grind a sharp angle or polish the edge. I used to have my knives at 20 degrees (done on a Spyderco 204) but decided they weren't sharp enough. I then sharpened them at 15 degrees and got a sharper edge, but it didn't last. The finer edge cut more easily, but wore down and rolled over with equally increased ease. My knives are now set to 21 degrees and by polishing the edges smooth they are now sharper than any knife I have EVER owned and the edges LAST.
In sharpening the above knives I had no problems except with the Benchmade 720. The hollow grind is so high (you could argue that it's really almost flat ground) that there isn't enough flat by the spine of the knife to support it when sharpening. The solution was to lay the 720 on the ground section and adjust the pivot up one setting. This gave me the desired angle with no further problems.
One important note is in regard to scratches. Scratches can occur using the Apex, however the source of the scratches is often mistaken. The stones DO NOT scratch the knife, the slurry does. Slurry is the name given to the mud that forms when using water stones. It is composed of water (the lubricant) and particles of the water stone that are ground off when in use. This slurry gets between the blade and the knife blade table. As you move the knife the slurry scratches it. The solution is simple-blue painters tape. I put a strip across the knife bed and on the contact areas of the knife. Of the above knives, NONE of them received ANY scratches while using the painters tape.
Conclusions:
As in my original review, I still believe that the Apex is the best sharpening system I have either seen or used. It produces perfectly flat and uniform bevels and brings them to a mirror polish. That polished edge is phenomenally sharp and stays so longer. A rough edge has micro-serrations that catch and tear as the blade is drawn through material. While this does give the knife a certain aggressive cut, it also precipitates the dulling of the edge. The micro-serrations tear off of the blade or go out of alignment. A polished edge has little to no serrations so the edge is not subjected to such tearing. And if anyone is wondering if a polished edge will cut as well as a micro-serrated blade, I think it does. I took a strand of 3/8" polypropylene rope, looped it over itself 4 times and then cut all 4 strands in one stroke. I did that with the Benchmade 720; a knife with only 3 3/8" of blade. In my opinion polished blades are the way to go and the Apex is the way to get them.
Corrections:
I'm adding this to my original post to make a correction. It has been pointed out to me that I didn't clearly explain what comes with the BASIC Apex. The Apex comes with-180 and 220 grit stones. I then bought the UPGRADE kit which has-320 and 600 grit stones, the 3000 grit tapes, and an 800 grit ceramic steel. I also bought a 100 grit stone. The riser block is available by request. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear in my intitial posting. If there was any confusion about what came with the Apex, I apologize.
------------------
"Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n"
John Milton
There are only two types of people; those who understand this, and those who think they do.
[This message has been edited by Johan (edited 01-23-2000).]
[This message has been edited by Johan (edited 01-24-2000).]
Differences between the Old and New:
The primary differences between the Apex I now own and the Apex I had a loan of are few but significant. First, the body is now injected nylon rather than ABS plastic. This means that the body is more rigid and there is no flex apparent when sharpening. Second, the suction cups are now of a softer material, allowing them to adhere, and stay so, far better than the previous models. In the original testing it was not uncommon for the suction cups to let go after 10 or 15 minutes. After 4 hours of sharpening with the new Apex I did not have to re-attach the suctions cups once. Third, a brass riser block is now included to facilitate in the sharpening of chisel ground blades. Fourth, an 800 grit ceramic steel is included. And, finally, the new Apex has a wider variety of stones: 100, 180, 220, 320, 600, and 3000. The 3000 grit is not actually a stone, but a tape, which adheres to the back of a stone blank.
Performance:
Over the past few days I've had the time to really improve my skills with the Apex (I will not describe the actual use of the Apex as that was already covered in my initial review and none of that has changed). I've sharpened the following knives:
Benchmade 710 (ATS-34)
Benchmade 720 (ATS-34)
Benchmade 750 (ATS-34)
Benchmade AFCK (ATS-34)
Benchmade Stryker (ATS-34)
Benchmade Sentinel (ATS-34)
Cold Steel Bush Ranger (AUS-8)
Microtech SOCOM (154-CM)
Spyderco Howard Veile (AUS-8)
Spyderco Starmate (440-V)
I sharpened all the knives the same way (started with the 100 went all the way to 3000, the angle was set to 21 degrees) and achieved identical results. All the edges had a mirror polish and all passed the following tests for sharpness (they're not all scientific, but they're all fun):
Slicing cigarette paper cleanly (both directions, the paper has a "grain").
Slicing a sheet of free-falling paper cleanly in half (this became more difficult
with some of the shorter blades-720-but was possible nonetheless).
Slicing a roll of paper cleanly (roll a sheet of paper up until the diameter is about
an inch and a half, tape the ends so it doesn't unravel, place on end, try and slice through).
Shaving hair.
I decided to start at 100 grit in order to ensure the angle was uniform. In order to create a truly sharp edge both bevels must be perfectly flat. If you take your knife and angle the edge in the light you should NOT see a fine reflective edge. If you do your bevels are not flat and therefore you do not have a truly sharp edge. The edge of a knife should be virtually invisible. The other reason for starting at 100 grit was to even out the grinds. I quickly found that almost all of my Benchmades had uneven grinds. One shoulder was higher than the other was, or the angles were not the same on either side, or both. The Cold Steel Bush Ranger was fine, so were the Spydercos and the Microtech. The time it takes with the 100 grit to get the bevels uniform is well worth it. After setting the bevels each knife required approximately 15-20 strokes per side with each grit to reach a mirror polish. The simple fact of the matter is that no amount of grinding with a 600 grit stone is going to do what 100 grit can. Use the 100 to do all the work, use the others to polish. Also, when it comes time to re-sharpen, because you took the time to but on a proper edge a couple of strokes with the 600 and 3000 grits are all you need to get that mirror polish back.
That's the secret of the Apex, polishing. There are two main ways to get a sharp edge, grind a sharp angle or polish the edge. I used to have my knives at 20 degrees (done on a Spyderco 204) but decided they weren't sharp enough. I then sharpened them at 15 degrees and got a sharper edge, but it didn't last. The finer edge cut more easily, but wore down and rolled over with equally increased ease. My knives are now set to 21 degrees and by polishing the edges smooth they are now sharper than any knife I have EVER owned and the edges LAST.
In sharpening the above knives I had no problems except with the Benchmade 720. The hollow grind is so high (you could argue that it's really almost flat ground) that there isn't enough flat by the spine of the knife to support it when sharpening. The solution was to lay the 720 on the ground section and adjust the pivot up one setting. This gave me the desired angle with no further problems.
One important note is in regard to scratches. Scratches can occur using the Apex, however the source of the scratches is often mistaken. The stones DO NOT scratch the knife, the slurry does. Slurry is the name given to the mud that forms when using water stones. It is composed of water (the lubricant) and particles of the water stone that are ground off when in use. This slurry gets between the blade and the knife blade table. As you move the knife the slurry scratches it. The solution is simple-blue painters tape. I put a strip across the knife bed and on the contact areas of the knife. Of the above knives, NONE of them received ANY scratches while using the painters tape.
Conclusions:
As in my original review, I still believe that the Apex is the best sharpening system I have either seen or used. It produces perfectly flat and uniform bevels and brings them to a mirror polish. That polished edge is phenomenally sharp and stays so longer. A rough edge has micro-serrations that catch and tear as the blade is drawn through material. While this does give the knife a certain aggressive cut, it also precipitates the dulling of the edge. The micro-serrations tear off of the blade or go out of alignment. A polished edge has little to no serrations so the edge is not subjected to such tearing. And if anyone is wondering if a polished edge will cut as well as a micro-serrated blade, I think it does. I took a strand of 3/8" polypropylene rope, looped it over itself 4 times and then cut all 4 strands in one stroke. I did that with the Benchmade 720; a knife with only 3 3/8" of blade. In my opinion polished blades are the way to go and the Apex is the way to get them.
Corrections:
I'm adding this to my original post to make a correction. It has been pointed out to me that I didn't clearly explain what comes with the BASIC Apex. The Apex comes with-180 and 220 grit stones. I then bought the UPGRADE kit which has-320 and 600 grit stones, the 3000 grit tapes, and an 800 grit ceramic steel. I also bought a 100 grit stone. The riser block is available by request. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear in my intitial posting. If there was any confusion about what came with the Apex, I apologize.
------------------
"Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n"
John Milton
There are only two types of people; those who understand this, and those who think they do.
[This message has been edited by Johan (edited 01-23-2000).]
[This message has been edited by Johan (edited 01-24-2000).]
