Decent knife sharpener

[TheDan]

I got one Saturday. Very pleased.

Sharp knives are pretty easy now.

Did you round the tip on the Worksharp? I hear that's a common complaint about them. I know that's pretty easy to do on a regular belt sander, too but that's what many of the pro's use.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

I have used the Work Sharp a couple of times from a friend: Pros: FAST, RAZOR sharp. Cons: Little bit unwieldy, but in a few min of use you have the hang of it, it does use a 'sandpaper' strap to sharpen, its does wear out and need be replacing like anything, not sure if anything else would work other than that that, meaning you have to buy the component. If you are out, My guess is your are just out of luck till you get some and finally it does plug in.

That said, overall it works and works great, just know it has a couple of drawbacks as mentioned...

 

[Shuutr]

Did you round the tip on the Worksharp? I hear that's a common complaint about them. I know that's pretty easy to do on a regular belt sander, too but that's what many of the pro's use.

I don't know. This was a beater I picked up at the State Surplus store. It did have a small chip along the curve. That's gone. Couldn't tell you about the rounding.

Here's a before and after of a buck.

Sorry it wasn't the same angle. I'll try some
More later this week with better documentation.

Also, here are some other afters of others.

 

[40Arpent]

Those pics seem to answer one part of my question....about rounding the points. And i suspected that might be the case with this sharpener.

 

[Shuutr]

Keep in mind: I'm a knife novice and couldn't sharpen a thing on a stone. Someone with better technique and patience could probably work wonders with this tool.

 

[Flashcb]

Those pics seem to answer one part of my question....about rounding the points. And i suspected that might be the case with this sharpener.

Please explain what you mean by "rounding the point". Still trying to learn about knives and sharpening. I suck with a stone but with my Worksharp, I get a good edge, just does not seem to last long. If my brother or one of the guys at a show sharpen my Benchmade the edge seem to last a lot longer.

 

[Tony2]

I Never used a power sharpener. to afraid i would overheat the steel and take the temper out. I have used about everything else. The main thing to start with is a good piece of steel if it says china or pakistan throw it in the garbage. keep the angle the same. match the knife for what you use it. If you are scraping gaskets or skinning wire get the right tool. the problem with a lot of these sharpeners is they just polish the blade often rounding. ( no longer a flat angle.) so it is temporary. It takes time to learn but it worth having a sharp knife when you need it. I currently use a lansky followed with a old leather belt.

 

[Red78]

Are there any disadvantages to using a mechanical sharpener like the Work Sharp over the more manual means....like not holding an edge for as long, wearing the blade down faster, rounding the blade point, etc?​

Yes ... You'll find yourself grabbing every knife in the house and sharpening them, just because it's so quick and easy, and it works so well......

 

[Shuutr]

Please explain what you mean by "rounding the point". Still trying to learn about knives and sharpening. I suck with a stone but with my Worksharp, I get a good edge, just does not seem to last long. If my brother or one of the guys at a show sharpen my Benchmade the edge seem to last a lot longer.

Rounding the tip is taking a knife tip which comes from the factory as pointy and making it less pointy, or rounded/blunted.

If you continue a sharpening stroke to where the blade gets pulled off the sharpening media, it will take metal from the tip. The trick is to stop your sharpening stroke before the tip gets pulled off the sharpening media. On a WSKTS belt, that would imply stopping the sharpener while the tip reaches the halfway point on the belt. If the tool keeps moving and you pull the blade across the belt to the point that the tip falls off the edge, the belt will remove some of the tip each time until it is rounded.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

Rounding the tip is taking a knife tip which comes from the factory as pointy and making it less pointy, or rounded/blunted.

If you continue a sharpening stroke to where the blade gets pulled off the sharpening media, it will take metal from the tip. The trick is to stop your sharpening stroke before the tip gets pulled off the sharpening media. On a WSKTS belt, that would imply stopping the sharpener while the tip reaches the halfway point on the belt. If the tool keeps moving and you pull the blade across the belt to the point that the tip falls off the edge, the belt will remove some of the tip each time until it is rounded.

I do agree with you but I do it a bit different. I believe that the reason folks round off the tip is due pulling it off just at you get to the tip and at the same time wanting to get the tip sharp. I don't stop at the tip or even before, instead I follow the age old advice be it Karate, Golf, Football or Baseball...follow thru. When the player hits the ball a habit often they fall prey to is pulling back rght after the hit. Any coach will tell you to follow thru on the swing.

I was a machinist (AFL-CIO-IAM) early in life and I learned that from the old timers who taught me not to pull off the workpiece too soon. If you are rounding the tip, my bet is you are pulling it off at that point. Good technique would be to follow the ege from the base of the blade all the way out to the tip beginning to feather as you get to the end and you can only feather it if you follow thru, meaning you pull away after the tip has been feather and sharpened...suggest you use a cheap kitchen knife for practice.

 

[40Arpent]

I also believe that the flexibility of the sanding belt allows for the tip of the blade to be rounded, especially if you're applying too much pressure as the tip runs across the belt (essentially causing it to dig into the belt). It could also be caused my the natural tendency to swing the knife handle in a lateral arc as you draw acros the belt (same for a stone).

 

[Ole Cowboy]

I also believe that the flexibility of the sanding belt allows for the tip of the blade to be rounded, especially if you're applying too much pressure as the tip runs across the belt (essentially causing it to dig into the belt). It could also be caused my the natural tendency to swing the knife handle in a lateral arc as you draw across the belt (same for a stone).

Right on that. To avoid you have to follow the arc of the blade, and begin feathering BEFORE you get to the tip, but following thru with the arc you will not round off the tip. You may need to repeat the process at the tip several times to get it as sharp as the rest of the workpiece but a small price to pay...