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Thread: Got A New Work Sharp Knife Sharpener

  1. #1
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    DougGuy's Avatar
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    Got A New Work Sharp Knife Sharpener

    I read a lot of good comments on our forum about the Work Sharp knife sharpener. I paid close attention to the comments about how the Ken Onion Edition is basically a gussied up version of the standard sharpener, for double the price. The point being the Ken Onion doesn't do anything that the standard Work Sharp doesn't do.

    I found my Work Sharp WSKTS Original Knife and Tool Sharpener on ebay, NIB with all accessories and papers, $63 with free shipping. I thought this was a great deal and jumped right on it. The brown truck brought it the other day, it had the 220grit belt on it which was just fine to start with. I found the tool easy to run, easy to learn how to move the blade across the belt, and I got my best results using the side of the belt that cuts from edge to back, rather than the side that went downhill and cut from the back of the edge. This requires spinning the unit around every time I switched sides of the blade, took a little bit of extra effort, but once i saw how nice it was working, I think I will keep using it like this.

    It took about 3-4 passes on each side of all the knives I sharpened with it, to remove the jagged mess left by countless passes of the carbide "V" type pull-through sharpeners that I have used over the years. It should only take a minimal amount of work to sharpen the edge the Work Sharp created.



    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  2. #2
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    I have the K.O. version as well
    Very happy
    Nice score
    I paid more...

  3. #3
    Boolit Master

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    I figured a man of your caliber would have worked out a way to sharpen knives with your hone! Congrats on your work sharp. Sharp knives are a joy to work with. I went with the Razor Edge cardboard/MDM grinder wheels myself, but I hear great reports on the Work Sharp. I'm able to get a great edge with stones, but it takes time, followed with harsh words for my wife and kids when the blades get thrown in the dishwasher. Now I just take a minute or two to touch up my knives when a significant cutting task arises. If you don't have one, a nice fine grit ceramic or diamond rod works well for touching up your edge between sharpenings. I haven't thrown out a knife yet, but there is noticeable wear on a few favorites after 8 years of mechanical sharpening. Totally worth it! But the rod will slow this down.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master

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    An electric chainsaw sharpener is totally worth it as well. I never could master a file despite buying several jigs. The teeth looked good, but didn't seem to cut like they should. I use a Dremel attachment now with great results. With a light hand, chains still last quite a while.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Ive got the KO one as well I bought on closeout for $75. But had to pay tax on top so not near the deal you got. I love it and keeps my knives super sharp.

  6. #6
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    Thank you for your review! I have been a user of the Lansky stones on a wire to keep angle sharpening system which has had a few advantages for me. To wit, NO electricity needed; very portable so it may go where I go; and... if, say, I'm waiting in a doctor's office sharpening -- it's amazing how quickly I get called in ! Lastly, if I spend the time -- the stone gradients will make the hands on the clock move -- to get the ultra fine edge.
    Same "first sharpening" challenge as you reported, as the Lansky gives a straight edge, and that top of bevel needs removal -- apparently no different than yours.
    You do have me intrigued... your Work Sharp does indeed seem a quicker way to put on an edge.
    geo

  7. #7
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    I used the Lansky stones here too, got the basic kit with 4, and I got a couple extras they didn't have in the kit. The Lansky edge is immaculate. It is polished on to describe it best. You cannot beat it for precision, and you can do tricks with it like putting the clamp right at the hilt, that makes the angle sharp at the hilt, but steadily decreasing as the stone is brought to the end of the blade. You get a "rolling edge" which changes gradually from 25 degrees to about 15 or so at the tip.

    I have a 1" Rockwell belt sander that runs 42" belts I think, I have had it since 1985. I could have made a simple guide to sit on each side of the belt to simply lay the knife in, angle it against the belt, turn the power on and move the blade across the belt. Work Sharp GODZILLA EDITION!

    Quote Originally Posted by georgerkahn View Post
    Same "first sharpening" challenge as you reported, as the Lansky gives a straight edge, and that top of bevel needs removal -- apparently no different than yours.
    You do have me intrigued... your Work Sharp does indeed seem a quicker way to put on an edge.
    geo
    It's really fast. Once you get used to the feel, you can pull a blade 2x across the belt, flip the unit around and pull 2 more times on the other side, all in maybe 20 seconds or so.

    Edit: The Cutco knives that have a lifetime guarantee, you send them to Cutco they sharpen them for free, they come back with the cut edge put on by an abrasive belt, I am sure they have much more precise machinery than the Work Sharp but the edge that I am getting on my knives now, is fairly close to what the Cutco factory cutting edge is when you get one back from them.
    Last edited by DougGuy; 03-15-2019 at 08:26 PM.
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

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    I still have a lansky at camp where you have to start a generator to have electricity but bought a worksharp about a year ago for home and would never go back to a lansky here. You can sharpen a knife 10 times faster and every bit as good or better then a lansky. Once you get your edges right the first time it take a couple swipes to touch them up. Mine sits right by the toaster.

  9. #9
    DOR RED BEAR's Avatar
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    Man what will they come up with next i must get out more. I have never used anything but a stone.

  10. #10
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    I have KO version also and have been using it for the last 5-6 yrs,
    It puts a very sharp edge on just about anything you can fit into the holder grooves.

    I like the different angles, I use a 25* angle for all the kitchen knives,
    wife likes to cut on those plastic pads, she has to replace them every so often, ,
    I even tried resharpening the box cutter blades, works like a champ,
    had to use a small vise grip to hold them.

    Had an old hatchet, put on a 60 grit belt, and it put very sharp edge on it also,
    even those OLD Buck knives that are hard to sharpen, come out hair shaving sharp,
    also work for the Bear broadheads and Saddellieghts BH also.

    Found a place to get different grits sizes of belts and cheaper than the OEM belts also,
    also found out that I can run it hunting camp, off the Toyota PU, if needed.

    Well worth the funds IMHO.

    Tia,
    Don

  11. #11
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    I'm generally a stoner. But to break the factory edge, re-configure the profile, or do a quick resharpen while butchering, I use the 1" belt grinder / sander to do the job. Can get a very fine edge on the 1" 'er. The above tool looks to be very similar and I can see why it works so well. Can you install the belts backward on your tool? If so, using the backside and some jeweler's rouge will produce a very fine edge.

  12. #12
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    I have a bit of a problem with mine. Got it Xmas '17, I noticed right off that you had to drag the blade fast to start, otherwise you end up with a divot at the base of the blade. And you can't get the base of the blade sharp, because you can't get the blade close enough.
    It's great for sharpening a chef's knife. But my hunting knife and other's, not so well.
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  13. #13
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    I've been sharpening knives since I was single digits, I'll be 51 this year. I also have the regular work sharp and really like it. I purchased it after I had problems getting a sharp edge on a new D2 hunting knife. I'm glad I did, it made short work of that knife. I also have belts other than the stock ones that come with it, in fact I have them in grits that put a mirror polish on the blade, even the new S30V folder I have which is a notoriously hard to sharpen steel. This thing, with after market belts, just cruises right through it. High Carbon blades get absolutely scary sharp when taken up to this high polish.

    I have belts from 240grit to 1,200grit I purchased from micro-surface.com 1/2"x12".

  14. #14
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    in my opinion power tools are for making knives not sharpening them, but ill share my most useful tip for keeping knives sharp. if you get a 3x11 balsa wood strop, lap the top layer off with sandpaper on glass, then spread 3 micron diamond paste on it you can maintain an edge for quite some time by hand stropping on it after use.

  15. #15
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    Some of us want a simple mechanized solution.
    Turn on machine.
    Make knife sharp.
    Turn off machine.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    Same here. Bought the standard version 3 or 4 years ago and it is the bee’s knees.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Moonie View Post
    High Carbon blades get absolutely scary sharp when taken up to this high polish.

    I have belts from 240grit to 1,200grit I purchased from micro-surface.com 1/2"x12".
    Moonie do you sharpen with the grit going toward the edge or from the edge?

    Also, do you use the MX belts? Are they the ones to get?
    Last edited by DougGuy; 03-17-2019 at 04:10 PM.
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master knifemaker's Avatar
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    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	000_0172.jpg 
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ID:	238228I make custom hunting knives and my S30V knives heat treated to 60RC are a pain in the butt to resharpen due to the high abrasive resistant steel. They will hold a razor sharp edge for a long time, but it takes longer to re-sharpen then a high carbon steel knife. Even a experienced knife sharper will take longer using wet stones due to the high abrasion alloys in the S30V steel. I recommend the work sharp to my customers if they are not highly experienced in using wet stones or diamond stones.
    The work sharp puts a "CONVEX" edge on the knife which is what I do as I use a special horizontal belt grinder to put the sharp edge on my knives.

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master

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    That’s a gorgeous knife.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Back in post #11 I said backward when I should have said inside out. Push the rouge against the back of the belt and use that to sharpen the final edge.

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