I just pulled the trigger on a Work Sharp "Ken Onion" edition sharpener - Tips please on use?


 
Rick P

Rick P

TVWBB Pro
I'm finally retiring my trusty old Crock Sticks and ordered a Work Sharp "Ken Onion" edition.
I'll be using it for kitchen and hunting knives.
For those of you who own one, are there any tips, or suggestions, that you can give me about using this thing?
Thanks!
 
I have this one. It works really well. Mine has fixed bevel angle. The ken onion edition has more features.

I use mine outside on a table over my lawn so the dust ends up there. Used it once on my patio table and it made a mess. I didn't think about the metal dust...

Congrats, you'll love it.

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Love mine....it takes a little while to get a "feel" for it....go to the local thrift shop and pick up a few knives to experiment on a little bit. I found I was not putting enough pressure for fear of taking off too much material and was not getting the desired edge. Once I did 4 or 5 test knives, I just started to really learn how much is required. I also find their recommended passes was not enough for me....but perhaps I am still just being too gentle even now.

I also picked up some additional belts - extra course to extra fine so I have more options too.
 
GrantT said:
Love mine....it takes a little while to get a "feel" for it....go to the local thrift shop and pick up a few knives to experiment on a little bit. I found I was not putting enough pressure for fear of taking off too much material and was not getting the desired edge. Once I did 4 or 5 test knives, I just started to really learn how much is required. I also find their recommended passes was not enough for me....but perhaps I am still just being too gentle even now.

I also picked up some additional belts - extra course to extra fine so I have more options too.
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There was an option to include additional belts, which was $6.95. It's an assortment of coarse to fine. Do you find that you use a particular belt, more than others? They also sold a pack of fine belts, but I'll hold off until I've used the thing.
 
I have the standard model. Picked it up, never used from a yard sale, $5.:)
Don't keep it running, put the blade in, turn it on, then run the blade down one side and turn it off just as you come to the tip, before lifting the blade out, following the contour of the blade as you go. Repeat on the other side. A little bit of a learning curve, but you'll pick it up real quick. I have never used the coarse belts, only the medium and the fine. Also works great for scissors. Generic belts are available on amazon for way cheaper than buying the Worksharp ones. I still prefer my Lansky for creating a precision edge, but the Worksharp does a great job, and I use it almost exclusively for my kitchen knives.
 
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Looks like the onion has five types of belts, but I'm not sure how the "X" grade lines up with "P"
  • (1) P120 Extra Coarse Belt
  • (1) X65 Coarse Belt
  • (1) X22 Medium Belt
  • (1) X4 Fine Belt
  • (1) 6000 Extra Fine Belt


The WSKTS version has 3 belts.

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I use the medium and then fine for knife sharpening.

The only time I used Coarse was to reshape a blade that was butchered by the grocery store meat guys when they used to sharpen ruin knifes for free.

I think I'd use it a while and see which belt you use most, and order more of those.
 
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I am with C Lewis. Start and stop the motor as per the instructions. Use a constant speed as you pull it through too. If you stop momentarily it can make the edge uneven. Lots of videos on YouTube you can watch before you start. Some even show what not to do and the results if you do. I do like mine!
 
Something to add along with what the others mentioned...I found at first I was pulling the blades through much too fast (I think). I have settled on using about 1 second per inch of blade. So, a 6" blade I time for about 6 seconds as I draw it through....a 12" blade about 12 seconds etc. etc.
 
GrantT said:
Something to add along with what the others mentioned...I found at first I was pulling the blades through much too fast (I think). I have settled on using about 1 second per inch of blade. So, a 6" blade I time for about 6 seconds as I draw it through....a 12" blade about 12 seconds etc. etc.
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Would like to see a video of you guys doing this. Harbor Freight sells a small similar belt sander. Wonder if anyone has tried that instead?
 
I bought one of the original WorkSharp ones several years ago. For me, it works very well. A couple of years ago, we had a gang of people over for a Labor Day bash, and a buddy of mine was playing sous chef, cutting up vegetables for something. I saw that he'd grabbed my chef's knife and apologized for it being a bit on the dull side, I needed to touch up the edge. "THIS ISN'T SHARP???????"

Sharp knives are safe knives..... with the proviso that you have to know how to use a knife.
 
Interesting. I need to look at their site. Many of my knives are now 15deg angle not 20. So it presents another challenge
 
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