Which Edge Pro Apex to buy?

J

joepa150

Joined
Mar 15, 2010
Messages
350
I have a few wet/water stones. I can get a ok edge but nothing great. I know I should keep on practicing but I have decided to try the Edge Pro. I have a budget of $200. I will mostly sharpen my Henckel four star II knives, Tojiro Santoku, and adn a few Spyderco and Benchmade knives. I just want to get them a bit sharper than what they came from the factory. With the kitchen knives I cut a lot of fruit and vegetables.

So should I get the Apex I and buy an additional stone (120,600, or 1000)?

Or should I buy the Apex II which comes with the 1200 grit ceramic rod and buy no additional stones?
 
Buy the 1 try it out and then if you like the system buy extra stones. I personally dont use the ceramic rod.
 
^^ What he said.

Buy the basic package if you're not sure, then buy stones later. But...

If you get the Edge Pro with the Chosera stones as a package, that would save you $$$. Stock EP stones are fine, but the Choseras are pretty nice and worth the extra $$ IMO.
 
Gunsnknives said:
^^ What he said.

Buy the basic package if you're not sure, then buy stones later. But...

If you get the Edge Pro with the Chosera stones as a package, that would save you $$$. Stock EP stones are fine, but the Choseras are pretty nice and worth the extra $$ IMO.
Click to expand...

I just am afraid to dish out a bunch of money and not be able to get a sharp edge. I have been working with several wet stones, diamond stones, and a Spyderco Sharpmaker for about 1 year. Practicing, watching videos, and reading forums/tuturials without much success. Yes my blades get sharper some of the time but nothing that will shave the hair off my arm or easily cut newspaper. I spent probably $150 on my current free hand setup and I am not happy with it. I just don't want the same thing to happen to me.
 
I'd seriously recommend at least the basic kit plus the 120 and 600 stones. From what you said, you don't need the ceramic rod or Chosera stones- those might come later. The EP stones are pretty good quality will probably be all you will ever need. If you don't buy the 120 stone, you'll order one a week later and have to pay additional shipping.
Good sharpening,
Dave
 
Hi Joepa, I am afraid you will have to get additional stones/stropping material if you want to get your knives shaving sharp. The stories of people claiming they got their knives shaving sharp using 300 grit stones are just gross exaggerations. I have a Wicked Edge, which is a very precise sharpening system and which I am very happy with, but in order to get my knives shaving sharp (that is, shave arm hair), I need to go up to the 1600 grit stone and then strop with 3.5 micron stropping compound. Maybe it is possible with a slightly coarser grit, but I'd advise you to seriously doubt all claims of people saying they got their knives shaving sharp at less than 1000 grit and without stropping. People actually sharpening shaving knives (open razors) use stones up to 30.000 grit and strop at the sub-micron level.
 
Spoke with Edge Pro and a few resellers. They all said that the 120 they rarely use (only on really really dull chipped knives or if they are doing a major reprofile). Edge Pro also said that they just replaced the 320 stone with a 400 stone that cuts faster and leaves a smoother edge. Edge pro also said that with the new 400 stone, they wouldn't buy the 600 and IF I really wanted to another stone, they would get the 1000. All places said to get my knives sharper than factory, the two stones will be more than enough.

So I can add the 1000 grit stone to the Apex 1 OR I can just get the Apex 2 that only has the 220 and 400 stone but has the ceramic rod.

So whats more important, 1000 grit stone or ceramic rod?

I really don't need it shave ready. My Spyderco Delica can shave the hair off my arm with the factory edge but I would never shave my face with it.
 
wvdavidr said:
I'd seriously recommend at least the basic kit plus the 120 and 600 stones. From what you said, you don't need the ceramic rod or Chosera stones- those might come later. The EP stones are pretty good quality will probably be all you will ever need. If you don't buy the 120 stone, you'll order one a week later and have to pay additional shipping.
Good sharpening,
Dave
Click to expand...

I have a coarse DMT stone which is rated at 45 microns. It really cuts fast and I could reprofile knives pretty easily.
Isn't the 220 stone around 45 microns?
Wouldn't it cut similar to the DMT 45 coarse?
If so I am wondering why I would need the 120.
 
Evert67, Theres a para2 in my pocket right now that I experimented with and sharpened up to 320 grit on my edge pro using very light strokes alternating sides for each of the last 20 or 30 strokes. After that it would shave arm hair, but not great, so I stropped on leather loaded with black and then green compound. After that it would easily shave arm hair. I used to have to go up over 1000 to get shaving sharp too, but I've spent some time reading here and practicing and have gotten way better results than when I started. I think over time you will get better like I have and be able to get shaving sharp at the lower grits too.

Joepa, I'll reccomend kit #1 to get started too. You can find all the videos that are on the dvd on youtube and just like Jaball1125, I don't use the ceramic rod either. If you decide that you want higher grits you can order them later on. To go with the kit #1 I would reccomend that you get a 120 grit stone and a strop. You will also need a way to level the stones. A piece of glass and sandpaper or the grit that edge pro sells works.
 
Joepa, your diamond stone cuts waaaay faster than a regular stone of the same grit will. The problem with factory edges is that they aren't really all that even, so when you first sharpen a knife on the edge pro it might hit the edge in some spots and not others, so you usually do end up reprofiling your knife for the first sharpening, but then you should be good after that. If I was going to get anything over the two stones that will come with kit #1 I would probably go with something from Chosera over the stock edge pro stones. I haven't used them a lot, but everyone says they cut better and last longer. I don't think you need the ceramic rod, especially if you invest in a strop. If you order a strop I'll send you a couple chunks of compound, so you don't have to buy any. Just email me if you would like the compound.
 
evert67 said:
The stories of people claiming they got their knives shaving sharp using 300 grit stones are just gross exaggerations.
Click to expand...

Thats a bold statement right there. I do admit if you strop after a 320 grit stone the "shaving sharp" is there but if you knock the bur off (felt block) it will still shave albeit not super smooth. It can also boil down to what we are shaving. Leg/arm hair no problem but I sure as heck wouldn't shave my face with it.
 
ac700wildcat said:
Joepa, your diamond stone cuts waaaay faster than a regular stone of the same grit will. The problem with factory edges is that they aren't really all that even, so when you first sharpen a knife on the edge pro it might hit the edge in some spots and not others, so you usually do end up reprofiling your knife for the first sharpening, but then you should be good after that. If I was going to get anything over the two stones that will come with kit #1 I would probably go with something from Chosera over the stock edge pro stones. I haven't used them a lot, but everyone says they cut better and last longer. I don't think you need the ceramic rod, especially if you invest in a strop. If you order a strop I'll send you a couple chunks of compound, so you don't have to buy any. Just email me if you would like the compound.
Click to expand...

I have green compound and a strop I made using 7 ounces Herman Oak leather glued to a 8X4 piece of wood. Thanks for the offer.

I am new to sharpening (even though I have been messing around with sharpening for about 1 year) so please forgive my stupidity. From my understanding, the Ceramic rod is good to use between sharpenings. Just swipe a few times and your blade is sharp again.
I do like this concept could I somehow touch up/ maintain my knives easily with the edge pro (not going through all the steps and creating burrs)?

Couldn't I just take a higher grit stone and alternate a few very light strokes on each side of the blade to maintain sharpness between sharpenings?

Also If I were to get the Apex 1 with the 220 and 400 grit EP stones, what Chosera would you add?
 
I guess I should have clarified that I meant that I would go with something from Chosera if I wanted to go higher in grits than the stock 400. I would still get the 120 for reprofiling.

I still wouldn't think you should need the ceramic hone. Your strop should work fine to help maintain your edge. The rods from the sharpmaker are also ceramic and you could use the corners of the white ones just like you would the edge pro ceramic rod. You could also touch up your knives on the edge pro like you asked. I don't keep mine set up, so I find it easier to just use the strop for a touchup.
 
ac700wildcat said:
Joepa, your diamond stone cuts waaaay faster than a regular stone of the same grit will. The problem with factory edges is that they aren't really all that even, so when you first sharpen a knife on the edge pro it might hit the edge in some spots and not others, so you usually do end up reprofiling your knife for the first sharpening, but then you should be good after that. If I was going to get anything over the two stones that will come with kit #1 I would probably go with something from Chosera over the stock edge pro stones. I haven't used them a lot, but everyone says they cut better and last longer. I don't think you need the ceramic rod, especially if you invest in a strop. If you order a strop I'll send you a couple chunks of compound, so you don't have to buy any. Just email me if you would like the compound.
Click to expand...

I have green compound and a strop I made using 7 ounces Herman Oak leather glued to a 8X4 piece of wood. Thanks for the offer.

I am new to sharpening (even though I have been messing around with sharpening for about 1 year) so please forgive my stupidity. From my understanding, the Ceramic rod is good to use between sharpenings. Just swipe a few times and your blade is sharp again.
I do like this concept could I somehow touch up/ maintain my knives easily with the edge pro (not going through all the steps and creating burrs)?

Couldn't I just take a higher grit stone and alternate a few very light strokes on each side of the blade to maintain sharpness between sharpenings?

Also If I were to get the Apex 1 with the 220 and 400 grit EP stones, what Chosera would you add?

ac700wildcat,

So what would be a good Chocera to get if I get the EP 1000. Logically I would think the Chocera 2000 but I know grits don't always match up amongst different manufacturers. I thought I read somewhere that the EP1000 is more like a standard 1500-2000 stone. So maybe I could skip the 2000 and get the 3000?

You have been a big help. Thanks again.
 
I went right to 3000. If you look at the grand unified grit chart the stock 1000 and the Chosera 2000 are pretty close in micron size.
 
What compound do you use ac700? Bark River?

Just curious because I'm looking to get some better quality compound for my strop, right now I just have the cheap stuff from Lowes. :o

Erd
 
Yup, I use the Bark River compound. Just got some diamond spray to try out on the strops that I'm making.
 
ac700wildcat said:
Yup, I use the Bark River compound. Just got some diamond spray to try out on the strops that I'm making.
Click to expand...
Thanks, do you think the Bark River compound would be an improvement over the Lowes compound? Do you know if there is anywhere that sells smaller pieces of compound, just so I can try it?

What diamond compound did you get? Make sure you tell us how it works! :D

Erd
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top