Sharpening with simple bench stones will always be preferable to using one of the sharpening systems IF you have the skill. It's just rubbing a piece of metal on a rock! What could be simpler? Alas, I have tried for years but cannot master this simple and yet not so easy task.
Knife Sharpener
- Thread starter Ryan Ko
- Start date
Sharpening with simple bench stones will always be preferable to using one of the sharpening systems IF you have the skill. It's just rubbing a piece of metal on a rock! What could be simpler? Alas, I have tried for years but cannot master this simple and yet not so easy task.
I have the Apex Edge Pro. I haven't needed to use it in a while, but I don't recall it being super-intuitive. It did get the job done however. I may try it again soon, as it's been a while.
On that topic though, the ceramic steel that comes with it is wonderful. I sharpened my Global G-2 once about 3 months ago, and with very regular (gentle) steeling, it stays incredibly sharp.
One other thing about the Edge Pro: the guy who makes them is incredible with customer service. A couple times I had quuestions and emailed him, and I had very specific, personalized, responses in a day.
If you want to save a bit of money, do what I did. I got it used off of knifeforums.com. I think I paid $150 shipped for the $235 kit.
On that topic though, the ceramic steel that comes with it is wonderful. I sharpened my Global G-2 once about 3 months ago, and with very regular (gentle) steeling, it stays incredibly sharp.
One other thing about the Edge Pro: the guy who makes them is incredible with customer service. A couple times I had quuestions and emailed him, and I had very specific, personalized, responses in a day.
If you want to save a bit of money, do what I did. I got it used off of knifeforums.com. I think I paid $150 shipped for the $235 kit.
Trevor Rickards
New member
Thanks for posting this! Please let me know what you think of the class, I'm in Calgary too, and have been looking off and on for a good knife sharpening class (and the discount on the Japanese knives would be great too!).
Hi Trevor,
The class was great. Kevin, the owner, and Bob (I think thats his name) provided great instruction. The class is well worth it plus you get to see some incredible knives in that shop. Once you take the class you can drop by the shop for sharpening help anytime. The owner Kevin is a very interesting person.
Ken
The class was great. Kevin, the owner, and Bob (I think thats his name) provided great instruction. The class is well worth it plus you get to see some incredible knives in that shop. Once you take the class you can drop by the shop for sharpening help anytime. The owner Kevin is a very interesting person.
Ken
Trevor Rickards
New member
Thanks Kevin! I'll registering ASAP, and I'm looking forward to the discount on the knives!
...and I just found out a friend of mine works there!
Cheers!
...and I just found out a friend of mine works there!
Cheers!
Guy Wallace
TVWBB Super Fan
This is a topic close to my heart being a knife NUT Case collector and I have a stright razor collection that museums would covet .
Yrs ago I caught a old hardware going out of business and bought everything he had in Case kitchen knifes close to 50 steak knifes boners bread slicers GIANT butchers knifes you name it they will last my lifetime and my gran kids .
Having said all that A Lansky is a great pocket knife sharperner a kitchen steel just knocks a edge back on a already sharp knife . remeber Iam a knife nut I have a wet shaperner Tormek system and it does all my wood working tools and anything else you might need or ever want to shapen . There is not a knife in our kitch that won't shave the hair off your arm . But a Tormek system a cost you a ton a $$$.
If you want sharp knifes by some good Arkansa stones and learn to shapen on some cheaper knifes you just have to learn to maintain the same angle consistently ! and once you get the knife shape strop it on some card board or a lether strap or a old leather belt . Once you have done a lot a knifes on stones there is a sound they make when there sharp but that takes a lot a time to be able to hear a sharp blade on a stone . Its a skill worth learninng but takes a LOT a practice .Once you master it buy some serious japan water stones and you can get knifes scarry sharp with a mirior polised edged you almost bleed looking at a knife done on those by someone that knows what there doing !
Tol ya I was a knife nut I could type pages on the subject but not many want to here it so I will shut up
And one small tip if you wana maintain the edge longer on your knifes NEVER use a plastic cutting board ever use wood only plastic a kill a edge in a heartbeat .
Yrs ago I caught a old hardware going out of business and bought everything he had in Case kitchen knifes close to 50 steak knifes boners bread slicers GIANT butchers knifes you name it they will last my lifetime and my gran kids .
Having said all that A Lansky is a great pocket knife sharperner a kitchen steel just knocks a edge back on a already sharp knife . remeber Iam a knife nut I have a wet shaperner Tormek system and it does all my wood working tools and anything else you might need or ever want to shapen . There is not a knife in our kitch that won't shave the hair off your arm . But a Tormek system a cost you a ton a $$$.
If you want sharp knifes by some good Arkansa stones and learn to shapen on some cheaper knifes you just have to learn to maintain the same angle consistently ! and once you get the knife shape strop it on some card board or a lether strap or a old leather belt . Once you have done a lot a knifes on stones there is a sound they make when there sharp but that takes a lot a time to be able to hear a sharp blade on a stone . Its a skill worth learninng but takes a LOT a practice .Once you master it buy some serious japan water stones and you can get knifes scarry sharp with a mirior polised edged you almost bleed looking at a knife done on those by someone that knows what there doing !
Tol ya I was a knife nut I could type pages on the subject but not many want to here it so I will shut up
And one small tip if you wana maintain the edge longer on your knifes NEVER use a plastic cutting board ever use wood only plastic a kill a edge in a heartbeat .
Sometime back in the early/mid 90s I bought the book "Razor Edge Book Of Sharpening" along with one of their kits and guides. The book and kit helped me learn the techniques of putting a double edge on my knives. Since then I sharpen all my knives. I used to do a lot of salmon fishing so needed the knives to cut through bones to create steaks and filets.
Over the years, I got to the point of not needed/using the guides just free handing on the two stones. Now in place of the course stone I use a drill bit made of a synthetic stone material like a small grinding wheel on a drill. This replaces the course stone and cuts significant time off the process.
Step 2 is the fine stone used to create the 2nd edge.
Step 3 is a steel. Use their steel which is a nice foldable/portable size.
Step 4 is a leather strap (rarely use, but can really fine tune the edge)
The edge is tested/confirmed by the forearm hair popping test and using a hard rubber pen like tool to test for rough spots.
I think the book can be found used for under $10 online.
http://www.razoredgesystems.com/
ISBN-10: 096660590X
ISBN-13: 978-0966605907
John
Over the years, I got to the point of not needed/using the guides just free handing on the two stones. Now in place of the course stone I use a drill bit made of a synthetic stone material like a small grinding wheel on a drill. This replaces the course stone and cuts significant time off the process.
Step 2 is the fine stone used to create the 2nd edge.
Step 3 is a steel. Use their steel which is a nice foldable/portable size.
Step 4 is a leather strap (rarely use, but can really fine tune the edge)
The edge is tested/confirmed by the forearm hair popping test and using a hard rubber pen like tool to test for rough spots.
I think the book can be found used for under $10 online.
http://www.razoredgesystems.com/
ISBN-10: 096660590X
ISBN-13: 978-0966605907
John
Geir Widar
TVWBB Wizard
I have owned and used a Spyderco knife sharpener for almost 30 years. It is totally awesome. I can get my Victorinox knives so sharp they can be used as razors. (And yes, I have tried with the small one)
Chris E
TVWBB Pro
I have the spyderco with gray and white stones. do you have the diamond stones? Seems to take 100 passes to get my Henkel's sharp. Have you ever replaced the gray stones, for instance. Works great for pocket knives.Originally posted by Geir Widar:
I have owned and used a Spyderco knife sharpener for almost 30 years. It is totally awesome. I can get my Victorinox knives so sharp they can be used as razors. (And yes, I have tried with the small one)
I'm looking at buying a chef's mate electric so my wife can use it on a regular basis.
I sharpen all my serrated spyderco knives on the triangle stones and it works fine. they also sell a small ceramic stone with a teardrop shape that matches their grinds if you really feel like shaving with them.
Geir Widar
TVWBB Wizard
Mine has two brown stones, "course", and two white stones. It is important to clean the stones from accumulated steel and other contaminents. i use a ink rubber, or hot water as well as kitchen detergent with a mild grinding material added.
20 strokes on the brown, sharp side, 20 strokes on the flat side and the same on the white sticks makes my knives as sharp as I can get them.
I also have access to a rotating wetstone and so on, and I know how to use it, but nothing can be compared to the spyderco. Clean stones are the key to success.
Also- if your knives are very blunt, it saves you a lot of time to sharpen them on a wetstone. But for the final touch, the kind of sharpness where you can grab a corner of a piece of paper, put the knife in the middle, and slice the paper in half, my vote goes to the spyderco.
20 strokes on the brown, sharp side, 20 strokes on the flat side and the same on the white sticks makes my knives as sharp as I can get them.
I also have access to a rotating wetstone and so on, and I know how to use it, but nothing can be compared to the spyderco. Clean stones are the key to success.
Also- if your knives are very blunt, it saves you a lot of time to sharpen them on a wetstone. But for the final touch, the kind of sharpness where you can grab a corner of a piece of paper, put the knife in the middle, and slice the paper in half, my vote goes to the spyderco.