Work Sharp Knife and Tool Sharpener

Next to a 1x30 belt sander from Harbor Freight for size comparison
 

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Thanks Cramsey- pretty much seals the deal for me too. And just when I was starting to really get the hang of my EdgePro!
 
Nice review, you got a lot of details in the thread. I have a question, do you see a good way to get smaller angles, 15 degrees or 10 degrees per side reliably?
 
dsmegst said:
Nice review, you got a lot of details in the thread. I have a question, do you see a good way to get smaller angles, 15 degrees or 10 degrees per side reliably?
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Nice review. Two things for the reviewer to try: Take off the guide and try it freehand. If you look at the guide, the 20 degree guide holds the knife perfectly vertical so if you just hold the knife vertical you get 20 degrees. Then to get 15 degrees just eyeball it or prop up the back of the sharpener and hold the knife vertical. It would probably help your Scandi grinds.

Also try running the knife through the sharpener so that the belt runs over the edge for both sides of the blade rather than one with the direction and one against the direction for the two sides. All you have to do is run it left-to-right and then right-to-left through the "front" slot.

I didn't really look at the warranty card to see the 6 free belts for returning the card. Thanks.
 
I am thinking that on the outdoor guide, there is a flat place, almost like a mini-platen, for when you do serrated edges. I see no reason that you couldn't use it for a plain edge blade to get a smaller angle on the blade or use it sharpen a scandi blade. Most scandi blade edges end up slightly convex from free hand sharpening anyway.

With the regular 20 degree guide, there is enough leeway in the slots that you could probably eyeball it and get a bit lower degree on the edge. For that matter, you could maybe get an extra guide from the company and cut the slot wider to allow you to have some play in it to get the lower degree.

Without the guide, the sky is the limit. You could get any angle you desire, just remember that the EDGE is going to be convexed, meaning slightly radiused with minimal shoulder to it, versus a conventional V shaped edge.

I was thinking that running the blade both directions through the front slot would be the way to go too.
 
Also, let me clarify a bit on just what this sharpener is designed for:

Quick sharpening that results in a great, sharp, strong, durable edge.

If you don't like to spend time sharpening, this tool is for you.

If you have more than a few blades to sharpen on a repeating basis, this tool is for you.

If you want a fast convex edge, this tool is for you.

If you have blades that are difficult to sharpen or you struggle with them, then this tool is for you.

If, like me, you have much more fun dulling knives than sharpening knives, this tool is for you. :D (Don't get me wrong, I like to sharpen, but time is always important to me.)

Then this tool is probably for you.

Now if you:

Use sharpening as therapy or meditation....

Prefer to sharpen free hand....

Take pride in mirror edges....

Are really into the varying of edge angles depending on the blade....

Have lots of time to kill and no other way to do it....

Don't want an electric sharpener of any kind....

Eh, well, this tool probably isn't the one for you.
 
cramsey3006 said:
Now if you:

Use sharpening as therapy or meditation....

Prefer to sharpen free hand....

Take pride in mirror edges....

Are really into the varying of edge angles depending on the blade....

Have lots of time to kill and no other way to do it....
Click to expand...

Lol those are ALL me, but I'm still buying this thing next month (not in the budget for this one). Can't ever have too many arrow in the quiver so to speak. Plus I'd been on the fence about a 1x30 for a long while, and this seems even better for sharpening purposes.
 
Interesting. How fast does it use up the sharpening belts that come with it? How often do they need to be replaced? I guess you can only get them from the manufacturer. How much do they cost?
 
Shemp said:
Interesting. How fast does it use up the sharpening belts that come with it? How often do they need to be replaced? I guess you can only get them from the manufacturer. How much do they cost?
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The following is from the manufacture:

Our test lab ran extensive tests on belt life. Our finding where about 50 knives sharpened per set of belts (2 each belts out of the box = 100 knives).

That said you are correct in your assessment of the variables: blade thickness, hardness, damage, material needed to be removed to restore a good edge, etc, etc.

Also factor in when you first sharpen a knife to shape the convex grind versus the quick re-honing of the same blade with the convex geometry already established.

This is a very hard thing to quantify due to the host of variables - we are NOT being purposely vague on this. We have spent weeks (literally) in the lab trying to determine this and struggle to pin it down due to the variables at play. Not to mention that this is based on knife sharpening and does not account for tool sharpening applications or the grinding of various materials.



-Kyle



Kyle M. Crawford



Product Manager

DAREX LLC

210 E. Hersey St.

Ashland, Ore. 97520

Tel: 800-597-6170

Right now the cost is about $10.00 for 6 new belts. (2 each grit)
 
You also get 6 free belts when you send in your warranty card. That would be 12 belts.

Most of us aren't going to use the 80 grit belts too much for knife blades. It would probably be the way to go to get a rough bevel quickly established VS using the 220 belt to do it though. Especially on the tough steels.

So with just the 220 belts, 4x50 means 200 knives or times using the belt to sharpen/re-sharpen/re-hone. Same thing with the 6000 grit belts. Plus, once the edge is established, re-honing it will be faster and less wear on the belts. I would imagine that even a pretty worn 220 belt is still going to be fine for re-honing and touching up for quite a while.

6 belts for $10 is $1.66 a belt. Not super cheap but not a deal breaker either, IMO. I don't know of any stones available for $1.66 that would be good for sharpening 50 blades as fast the WS does.
 
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