Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition: Maintaining and Creating Very Pointy Tips, Etc.

C

Charles_Martel

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Aug 6, 2016
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Hi. I am strongly considering purchasing the Ken Onion Edition of the Work Sharp electric sharpening system. Perhaps I haven't delved deep enough, but although I have seen many pictures of impressive looking, shiny, symmetrical edge bevels, I have yet to see a picture where the gleaming convex edge bevels it is capable of establishing, extend all the way to the tip, via the Ken Onion system. Seems that in an effort to avoid rounding the tip, users stop short at a point that leaves the tip area looking relatively undone and different than the rest of the otherwise impressive edge bevel.

I have read the numerous posts as to the Ken Onion sharpening system, but have not found the following questions to have been conclusively answered, though some have illuminated the issues:

1. Can the convex edge grind extend to the tip with this system, without rounding the tip?

2. Is it true the blade guide can be tightened so the side of the blade can be rested against it without it moving and altering the angle, as long as the pressure exerted in doing so is not excessive?

3. Is it true the blade guide is for all intents and purposes, useless, for many pocket knives and other shallow knives, due to some blades being unable to reach the belts because of the increased depth of the slot/channel, from the original? If so, is the only option to not use the guide when sharpening knives too shallow to reach the belt when trying to use the guide?

Any answers would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Charles
 
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If you're ready to invest the money and the learning time required for the WSKO, I strongly suggest you include the Blade Grinding Attachment. It gives you vastly more control over the sharpening process than the standard attachment, including full visibility of what you're doing.

Once you've learned to use the BGA, you'll have no fear of rounding tips. Here's a recent grind I did on a sheepsfoot slipjoint folder, where I brought the convex edge all the way to the tip:

i-TKK8gSh.jpg
 
I've created many, many very sharp tips with the WSKO. In almost all cases I've improved the sharpness of the tip when I've sharpened blades with the WSKO. However, I have never used the guide. Never.

I played with it briefly, with the machine turned off, and decided that my original idea of using the WSKO like a tiny belt sander was the better idea anyway. I still have the guide in case I ever change my mind.

Without the guide, all you really have to do is stop with the point touching the belt and don't draw past the tip. I would think you could use a similar technique with the guide in place and just stop and then withdraw the blade from the guide, instead of pulling all the way through it.

I made an overly long video quite a while ago showing my freehand technique on the WSKO. Here's a link to the VERY end demonstrating tip sharpness:

[video]https://youtu.be/ApyDcJzKBgk?t=20m29s[/video]

Brian.
 
I have a WSKO that I use with the blade guide and it works great for my purposes. I have a plethora of knives in 8Cr13, AUS 8, Buck's 420HC, and cheep kitchen knives. It has worked fantastically on those blades.

The only "premium" steel I've done at this point (see what I did there!) is a PM2 in S110V. The factory edge chipped easily in normal use. On top of that, I dropped the knife on the open blade and put a nasty chip at the tip.

The S110V took patience, but I am very happy with the result, including the tip. I'm sure a professional could have done better, but i'm still super happy.
bb87ee4f822258c47a86a02886de2e0f.jpg

ca7a6b129d41421be55bef3e9b334192.jpg

While I'm still on the learning curve, these are some things I have discovered:
1. ALWAYS put painter's tape on your blade before using the blade guide. Otherwise, the blade WILL get scratched up.
2. When using the blade guide, it is easy for the blade to get pulled deeper on the downside of the belt pathway. The opposite is true on the upside of the belt pathway. This can lead to an uneven bevel, broad on the downside and narrow on the upside.

I manage to keep my bevel widths close, but admittedly some are not perfect.

Of course follow others' advice with lots of practice on cheep knives.

So, based on my experience, I would answer your questions:
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Not sure, but I think possibly yes.
 
The first micro pic demonstrates what the OP is asking about - i.e. the grind not extending to the tip.
The bevel at the tip on the left is less than half the width it is on the right of the pic, and has a deeper/different scratch pattern.
 
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I have an like the work sharp but I use exclusively the blade grinding attachment and can get a very good even bevel right to the tip. I don't use it for my higher end knives because I want to keep them close to factory. That said I can get a very good polished edge rather easily I have practiced quite a bit as my cheap kitchen knives could testify. The sad thing is they are dull again in what seems like five minutes because of the pitiful steel. Depending on your intended use and the edge you like the work sharp can be great. Just fyi I use the edge pro apex on my nicer stuff.
 
banksy said:
The first micro pic demonstrates what the OP is asking about - i.e. the grind not extending to the tip.
The bevel at the tip on the left is less than half the width it is on the right of the pic, and has a deeper/different scratch pattern.
Click to expand...

I believe what you're seeing is not evidence that the grind did not extend to the tip, but evidence of the 3-dimensional geometry of the tip. The thickness of the blade stock is not constant; rather, the thickness of the blade stock (at a maximum near the spine of the blade) decreases continuously as you near the blade edge. As the convex surface of the grinding hits this region, which is both thinning and swedged, the sharpened region decreases in width.

Note in this photo that the transition from full-width sharpened edge to reduced-width sharpened edge happens smoothly and continuously, forming a well-defined curve:

i-2ZJcG6w.jpg


If I had simply missed the tip, you wouldn't see this nice curve; you'd see an abrupt (and messy) change.

So, I believe the dimensions of this reduced-width region are not a result of imperfect sharpening, but of geometry, and as such not a problem. Nonetheless, the extent of this region is quite small -- on the order of 0.2 mm.

As to what you see as the change in scratch pattern: I believe what you're seeing might be not scratches left by the grinding belts, but scratch marks resulting from my use of the blade for utility tasks after the blade was sharpened.
 
Thank you, for your valuable input and insightful guidance.

Though your replies served to reinforce my inclination to purchase WSKO, with an ear toward supplementing it with the BGA, the corresponding total cost of doing so, causes me to ponder whether the Hapstone V6 looming on the horizon, the $259.00 USD package of which I have been eyeballing, or comparable sharpening system in that price range, would be a better overall option. I know it is an entirely different animal, and the BGA has utility and versatility far beyond a mere sharpening system (eg. the ability to make one's own knives), but nonetheless, the forthcoming Hapstone V6, and comparable systems in that price range, have an undeniable appeal, despite being of a different nature.

Any thoughts as to whether the total cost of WSKO with the BGA causes other sharpening systems in its price range, to merit or warrant consideration?

Cheers and Thanks,
Charles
 
clearkevin said:
I have an like the work sharp but I use exclusively the blade grinding attachment and can get a very good even bevel right to the tip. I don't use it for my higher end knives because I want to keep them close to factory. That said I can get a very good polished edge rather easily I have practiced quite a bit as my cheap kitchen knives could testify. The sad thing is they are dull again in what seems like five minutes because of the pitiful steel. Depending on your intended use and the edge you like the work sharp can be great. Just fyi I use the edge pro apex on my nicer stuff.
Click to expand...


Pleasure to make your acquaintance, albeit, electronically. I have watched many of your videos and particularly find the head to head knife comparisons to be highly informative and useful. Keep 'em coming.

Thanks,
Charles
 
I currently sharpen even the most challenging of steels and blade shapes on the WSGSS with great success as far as attaining hair popping, razor sharp edges. But I am looking to take things to the next level. The "pivot" function, though a simple concept, was pure genius.
 
Just practice first on some older / cheaper knives.

One thing I learned is don't use too much pressure. A light touch is all you need.

Also, be extra careful if you sharpen partially serrated blades. It's easy to mess up the serration closest to the tip if you're not careful.
 
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