Like any new tool (to you or to me) there is a learning curve. Do not start out with your Sebbies or other expensive knives until you have mastered the tool or any device for sharpening a good knife. The WSKTS is an excellent tool for sharpening knives, or other tools that need to be sharp. It is basically a small portable belt grinder. Most manufacturers use a belt sander to sharpen their knives, and also to make a large portion of their blades in general. There are a lot of custom knife makers that also use a belt sander in the making of their knives. To say "No powered sharpening for me at all. NONE" is just one person's opinion and method. There are lots of ways to sharpen a knife, and they all don't require a $500 tool or system to get good results. Even those expensive tools require some learning curve.
There are "purists" on this forum that will only use some type of stone or stones to sharpen their knives. There are others that will only use a guided system like the the Edge Pro and other systems similar to that design. While these systems will get your knives sharp when used properly, they are not the "ONLY" system out there available. Each owner of their type of system will naturally tout their system as the Best, or Only system to get good results. In reality, you can sharpen a knife with something as simple as the bottom of a ceramic coffee mug, a smooth river rock, the edge of your window on your car, or some wet or dry sandpaper, assuming you know how to use these materials.
If you are trying to get a smooth mirror finish on your edge that you can read fine print by, then expect to spend hundreds of dollars on a special system. Then, the first time you actually "USE" your knife, then the mirror finish will be no longer. If you are only looking for something to get your knife razor sharp and be able to use it as it was intended to be used, then get something that you feel comfortable using that fits into your budget. The WSKTS and the newer WKSKO edition will certainly get you there with some practice. You can get a blade "shaving" sharp with either of these systems. Likewise with a set of paper wheels, a $20 india stone from Home Depot, a hand full of sandpaper, or a guided system like the Edge Pro and others like it. To say one is better than the other is purely subjective and is just one person's biased opinion. Good luck on whatever you decide to use for YOU'R knife sharpening system. Learn it well and it will give you a good sharp knife that you can use as you intended when you purchased it.
Blessings,
Omar
I do however use it on $300-600 blades (if we are using cost as a basis) regularly.
