What sharpening system do you use?

[Letoff]

Thanks Cudgee !! Got the desk for little to nothing, bought me some overhead lights at harbor freight, cleaned out a space in my work shop and it's one of my favorite places to go now.

 

[Titanium]

I'm using a NOWI PRO sharpening system, where you don't have the problme with the angle changing toward the tip of the blade and therefore changing the width ob the bevel, like with the wicked edge system and other systems.

Katocut Nowi Pro Complete Set, in Case | Honing guides | Dictum

Katocut Nowi Pro Complete Set, in Case from category Honing guides with 30-day right of return at Dictum

www.dictum.com

Katocut Nowi Home Complete Set | Honing guides | Dictum

Katocut Nowi Home Complete Set from category Honing guides with 30-day right of return at Dictum

www.dictum.com

 

[Titanium]

Here you can find more information about the wicked edge system:

Geometry and Kinematics of Guided-Rod Sharpeners – Wicked Edge Precision Knife Sharpener

knife.wickededgeusa.com

Some people went really into the details here regarding the angle change of the length of the blade with all systems exept the NOWI knife sharpeners.

Blade alignment in the clamp: sweet spot & constant bevel angle/width – Wicked Edge Precision Knife Sharpener

knife.wickededgeusa.com

Here you can find very interesting dowloads regarding that issue.
The paper also covers other systems than the wicked edge.

Blade alignment in the clamp: sweet spot & constant bevel angle/width – Page 3 – Wicked Edge Precision Knife Sharpener

knife.wickededgeusa.com

 

[pwest]

Some people went really into the details here regarding the angle change of the length of the blade with all systems exept the NOWI knife sharpeners.

It might be better to say that the NOWI is a member of the subset of guided sharpening systems that don't suffer from the off-axis angle change problem. A couple of others that come to mind is the classic Apex Edgepro, and the SchleifJunkies® SJ-Multigrinder 2.0 .

-Phil

 

[Titanium]

It might be better to say that the NOWI is a member of the subset of guided sharpening systems that don't suffer from the off-axis angle change problem. A couple of others that come to mind is the classic Apex Edgepro, and the SchleifJunkies® SJ-Multigrinder 2.0 .

-Phil

Unfortunately, the systems you mentioned do not have the feature that they hold the angle constant by it design.
There are ways to compensate the change of the angle to a certain amount with these systems, but it requires measurements and/or adjustments.

Only the NOWI and similar systems like the Bogdan who was the first who offered such a system, keep the angle constant over the whole length of the blade, even if it has a radius to the tip by it principle of design.

This fundamental difference in the design is the rotating axis (blue in the second picture and red in the third, fourth and fifth) going perpendicular through the plane of the blade (red in the second picture and green in the third, fourth and fifth).

This rotating axis going perpendicular through the plane of the blade is the genius of this principle.

Pictures below are showing a Bogdan system.

upload kostenlos

 

[pwest]

I agree that the edgepro does require some planning and manual dexterity to devise and execute a suitable and correct blade trajectory to ensure a constant bevel angle along the entire blade, thereby sort of taking some of the sharpening task away from the tool and putting it on the user.

Does the Ermak 10 satisfy your stringent definition and deserve admission into the NOWI club?

-Phil

 

[Titanium]

I agree that the edgepro does require some planning and manual dexterity to devise and execute a suitable and correct blade trajectory to ensure a constant bevel angle along the entire blade, thereby sort of taking some of the sharpening task away from the tool and putting it on the user.

Does the Ermak 10 satisfy your stringent definition and deserve admission into the NOWI club?

-Phil

No, the Ermak 10 does not have a design which automatically keeps the angle constant.

The big advantage which the NOWI and Bogdan Systems is that you hit the same angle every time when the angle is measured the same as the last time you sharpened the blade.

With other systems, it is very important to put the knife in the same position in the system every time to hit the exact same grinding angle.That is very complicated and inconvenient.

 

[Titanium]

For me, it works best to figure out if a system is able to keep the angle constant no matter what the knife looks, I imagine how it would perform to sharpen a round blade.
The 0.3° variation in the pictures is because of the setup and positioning of the digital angle gauge on the plate and is negligible in my opinion.

















A knife which comes closest would be something like this:

 

[pwest]

Very good! With all your pics, I now pretty well understand the NOWI and agree it achieves a consistent and correct angle. I spent some time looking at the available info on the Ermak series but was unable to understand its theory of operation.

 

[Blade Lab]

I'm using a NOWI PRO sharpening system, where you don't have the problme with the angle changing toward the tip of the blade and therefore changing the width ob the bevel, like with the wicked edge system and other systems.

Katocut Nowi Pro Complete Set, in Case | Honing guides | Dictum

Katocut Nowi Pro Complete Set, in Case from category Honing guides with 30-day right of return at Dictum

www.dictum.com

Katocut Nowi Home Complete Set | Honing guides | Dictum

Katocut Nowi Home Complete Set from category Honing guides with 30-day right of return at Dictum

www.dictum.com

How do you like the system in use? I contacted the proprietor about purchasing the system some months ago, but didn't have much luck.

 

[Titanium]

B Blade Lab
I think it is very easy to use.
Starting with some cheaper blade to learn how to use it is a good idea.
I would recommend giving it another try to reach the guys from NOWI or buy it from dictum.com.

There are some videos on YouTube where one guy shows how to use the NOWI systems.

 

[Titanium]

Another one:

 

[Greggy]

Never mind. OP has abandoned freehand.

 

[oceanrider]

I have finally given up on freehand sharpening. I do ok but never seem to achieve symmetry. I am leaning toward sharpmaker or precision adjust. Thoughts please?

I have to inquire. What types of knives are you sharpening? How long have you been freehand sharpening and how many knives do you think you've freehand sharpened? What stone(s) do you own? Who would you say are your mentors?

 

[logchief]

What's the budget???
This rabbit hole can affect your ability to pay the mortgage.

You could probably find someone here who quietly took out a 2nd, to buy more toys

 

[logchief]

I have finally given up on freehand sharpening. I do ok but never seem to achieve symmetry. I am leaning toward sharpmaker or precision adjust. Thoughts please?

I too gave up on wet stones, just couldn't get the muscle memory down. I bought the PA Elite, but then sent it back and bought the PA Pro, it was like night and day. I also have the Ken Onion and just got the Grinding Attachement yesterday.

 

[Another Shepherd]

I'm using a NOWI PRO sharpening system, where you don't have the problme with the angle changing toward the tip of the blade and therefore changing the width ob the bevel, like with the wicked edge system and other systems.

US$1,640 plus shipping. Maybe if it could do hawkbills.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

 

[Tensaw]

I recently switched from a KME to a K03. The KME was good but the K03 is at another level. Much more precise.

 

[huntyukon]

I started on the KME, but recently been trying my hand at freehand. I’m not at all good at it it yet, but that’ll come with time. I’m slowly improving though,

Just before Christmas I came across a deal I just couldn’t pass up on and got myself a Kadet pro from a friend who used it a whole 4 times. It ended up costing me less than what I paid for the KME a couple years ago.