Worksharp Ken Onion Edition Review

Mr opinionated, welcome to BF Maintenance, Tinkering and Embellishments.
Your first posts and attitude are not the best way to enter any online community-
Your words are telling and reflect you, your community / tribe, and those whose respect you might like. CATRA testing standards, Larrin, and Ken Onion know what their talking about and are creating. After all, most everyone using the WSKO LOVE THEM! It gets something like mid 90 percent four and five stars at the big river from a very healthy sample size dated broadly over the years. Mostly regular folks keeping edges on tools.

Joining this month, you jump into one thread emoting everywhere, clearly offended by some opinions and learned observations, defending Ken's honor, challenging CATRA standards and Larrin. You read his book ( a good move for me to follow by the way, so saving my pennies), and have strong opinions (nothing wrong here); it seems also, maybe you have some kind of friendship with Mr. Onion or Worksharp? I am interested in your unique observations, experiences, or knowledge, appreciating another person's sharing. Did I understand the gist of what your saying?
scottc3
 
Got a ken onion, and love it , bought the after market diamond belts, they are definitely worth buying, I also picked up some leather belts and spayed one with 1 micron and other with .5 micron
Got some vintage gerber 440c to scary on a 20* setting !
Same with some d2 and crew wear, tried my spyderco and wasn’t happy, so I called golden and the guy I talked with says “ no no try 16-17* “ did and very happy
All my moraknif scandi edge knives will say on DMT diamond then hand strop on a green loaded
But kows is the bomb on slow and steady and micro strop
 
Just got the KOWS today and have had a chance to play with it a bit...ok maybe a lot, like that last 3 hours off and on since I got it home:). The KOWS seems to be pretty fantastic so far, have sharpened multiple kitchen knives, a couple hunting knives and two folder so far. I am still getting the technique down but have found that I was able to get all knives pretty sharp very quickly compared to other methods. Will admit I did wreck the tip on one of my folders that happens to be a reverse tanto...pretty sure I was just going to quickly so I stack it up to user error. Do have a couple things I noticed so far and wondering if anyone else has as well?

1. Seems that the knives all got sharper when I stopped at the medium sharpening belt (maybe just more toothy)? Seriously, the closer I get to a mirror edge, and it is accomplishing that, the less sharp it feels
2. Think one of the keys to this, as others have mentioned, is patience and a steady hand. Had to really make sure I didnt get lazy at the tip cause it can destroy them quickly...or at least me using the KOWS can.
3. Tuff to use on some folders....the ones that have thumbstuds, anyone have a fix for this?
4. Seems that knives with lower quality steels are much more difficult to get sharp, this is true using other sharpeners but seem to have more difficulty on the KOWS.
5. Know that I have this I think I need the WS blade grinding attachment, anyone else think this is a must have?

Anyways appreciate all of the great feedback in this thread and hope those with the KOWS are enjoying it as much as I have so far.
 
Know that I have this I think I need the WS blade grinding attachment, anyone else think this is a must have?
I got the Blade Grinder Attachment at the same time as my KOWS. I used the BGA from day one, and have been extremely happy with it. I haven't even tried the basic unit yet. Not sure there is any reason too. I'd highly recommend the BGA.
 
Just got the KOWS today and have had a chance to play with it a bit...ok maybe a lot, like that last 3 hours off and on since I got it home:). The KOWS seems to be pretty fantastic so far, have sharpened multiple kitchen knives, a couple hunting knives and two folder so far. I am still getting the technique down but have found that I was able to get all knives pretty sharp very quickly compared to other methods. Will admit I did wreck the tip on one of my folders that happens to be a reverse tanto...pretty sure I was just going to quickly so I stack it up to user error. Do have a couple things I noticed so far and wondering if anyone else has as well?

1. Seems that the knives all got sharper when I stopped at the medium sharpening belt (maybe just more toothy)? Seriously, the closer I get to a mirror edge, and it is accomplishing that, the less sharp it feels
2. Think one of the keys to this, as others have mentioned, is patience and a steady hand. Had to really make sure I didnt get lazy at the tip cause it can destroy them quickly...or at least me using the KOWS can.
3. Tuff to use on some folders....the ones that have thumbstuds, anyone have a fix for this?
4. Seems that knives with lower quality steels are much more difficult to get sharp, this is true using other sharpeners but seem to have more difficulty on the KOWS.
5. Know that I have this I think I need the WS blade grinding attachment, anyone else think this is a must have?

Anyways appreciate all of the great feedback in this thread and hope those with the KOWS are enjoying it as much as I have so far.

Yes. You will be glad that you bought the BGA!
 
3. Tuff to use on some folders....the ones that have thumbstuds, anyone have a fix for this?
Removed thumbstuds on Benchmade 710-D2 using just the WSKO / KOWS, worked great. Left them on a D2 Adamas 275 and wow, love their D2. As mentioned, focus and a light touch is needed (blow up pics of Buck Inferno's s35vn shows edge segments from me). The 710 has a couple new small voids in edge that I cannot account for, and was tempted to remove... A bit of unnoticed water clinging to edge and missed, or sitting in the kitchen bumped against a dirty dish or pot... stray static electricity... Voids reminded me of some side cutters after a surge from back in the day... Figured I'd sharpen it first and leave them in bevel. The knife works great and the voids will eventually get sharpened away. It's almost hard to see them at the moment.
4. Seems that knives with lower quality steels are much more difficult to get sharp, this is true using other sharpeners but seem to have more difficulty on the KOWS.
I did not sense a difference until a particularly nice looking handled and shaped unknown unmarked kitchen knife just would not take an edge. Got my stubborn up enough that I reworked the edge 4 times, still not as impressively sharp as plainer examples. My kitchen knives are all thrift store finds, some nice enough to raise an eyebrow for a buck or 2 a pop, others, meh, but I'm also supporting good causes.
I also sharpened AUS8, 8CrMov and 440C, along side high vanadium modern steels, all of them just too easy for very sharp. :)
 
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I know this is a old thread but, here's my 2 cents. I started with the original. Used it for a couple of years then got the KO edition. I used it for 3 or more years. After a few months, I got comfortable enough to use it on my good knives. I recently got the blade grinder attachment. Used properly, it will put a scary shape edge on any knife without over heating the blade. Even the 12000 grit belt when used moving quickly and with light pressure will not harm the blade. I use it to strop my blades. 2 strokes per side does it.
 
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