ApostleP, I love the videos! I want to say that you are the reason I bought an Apex. Absolutely in love and I'd have to disagree with many of the comments in that "X sharpener is better or whatever." Edge Pro is on its own level.
Very informative review thank you for taking the time to explain all of that. Good luck with your custom knife sharpening (I wish I could sharpen free hand I think it's a true skill).
The best tip I can give for anyone buying an Edge Pro - don't try to learn how to use it on any knives you care about. Instead, go and buy the cheapest set of kitchen knives you can find & use those. 20 bucks & a days practice is cheap insurance against damaging a more valuable (either financially or personally) knife. Another tip is to raise the whole rig up closer to eye level. I use mine on a coffee table while I'm sat on the floor, with the upper edge of the base roughly level with the tip of my nose. I find this gives me better control when working on longer knives, and I'm much less likely to knock off a tip. I also find that using it like this, I use less pressure on the stones and have to flatten them much less often. HTH & YMMV.
Excellent point on the learning curve! This is not a "plug & play" tool, by any means. If you take your Edgepro out of the bag the first time and go to town on your Sebenza, chances are it's going to be a really bad day! I think what the Edgepro does best is complement a set of skilled hands to produce a result better than those hands could achieve with a freehand system. That makes it extremely satisfying to use for the skilled user, and the results are superb, but for the novice it will take some practice to become a proficient Edgepro sharpener.
So you start your secondary bevel with your 1000 grit after the factory bevel is finished! I never tried putting a secondary bevel on a blade yet. Couple of months ago after watching your videos I got a Lansky Deluxe system. Awesome! I plan buying a 2000 stone for it now, to get close to your mirror finish
It's so fun to watch my friends' jaws drop after sharpening a knife with the Lansky toy! Few months ago I didn't even know these systems existed and I was terrible at freehand sharpening. I like the Apex Pro, you can't sharpen a hatchet or a machete with a dinky Lansky, will get one some day!
Do you have any advice for getting a mirror finished edge? My main issue being it is so heard to hold the knife in the exact same way every single time.
Pro tip, you can use a standard kitchen sponge with the green abrasive side with a small amount of washing detergent, and it'll take that embedded material right our of the stone without damaging it what so ever, with a few brisk scrubs. gives a better "cut" as you sharpen if you keep a sponge next to you and wash the stone down after a few strokes. works wonders for me.
Hello, Just found your channel. I watched the video on GEC and case knives. I'm wanting a nice GEC real bad. Then I saw your EP video and watched most of it. Limited on time. Watch it all later. I used an EP for 3+ years and like any tool that works well after I really got used to it the results got even better. It's really a great tool. Like any sharpening "system" it has some individual quirks and when you learn to deal with them the results get better and better. That's how it seems to me anyway. One thing I wanted to comment on about it is how the spine rests on the edge guide. I have Spydercos and they are probably the worste when it comes to unordinary spine shapes. I saw you have the Sage 1 and I'm sure you understand how the curved spine allows the blade to pivot on the guide. This will allow the tip to move closer to and rarther away from the end of the blade table during each stroke. You mentioned in the video how most shorter blade knives are held still. This was my goal as well but I found it hard to do when the spine of my knife (Delica at the time) was resting at one side of the EP and I was applying force to the tip. I had to apply equal force to the handle as I was to the tip end of the blade to keep the blade from pivoting on the spine/edge guide contact point. So I made some blocks for my knives that I rest on the EP. I cut the block to fit the shape of the spine while also resting against the edge guide. These things hold the knife blade perfectly still. I found this helpful because when the tip is moving back and forth it changes the angle the stone is hitting the edge at by a tiny bit. However, it's enough to make a difference when you are using very light strokes and trying to remove the tiny burrs on the edge apex. Especially with the finer grit stones. Anyway, I don't have my Sage 1 any more so if you want to try one of these things I can send it to you to try. I like them a lot when using the EP. I uploaded a couple of videos on youtube and now I just thought about putting one up using these blocks. I started a thread about them on Spyderco's forum with pictures that while pictures help it's not video. Anyway, if you want this block for the Sage1 I'll send it to you if you give me your address. I liked the two videos I've watched of yours so far and will watch some more. Take care, Jack
Jack, thanks for writing, and I couldn't agree more with your impressions of Edgepro use after a few years. Those blocks are a great idea. I will definitely try that. No need to send the Sage block though. I sold mine too, but thanks for the offer.
I think you're talking about the micro-bevel, iaxable -- the final edge bevel. If not, please respond. But assuming that, It's really not a "number of strokes" operation, although I do START with about 10 per side. But from there, it's really a visual and feel thing. I don't want the micro-bevel to be more than micro, or I lose all the benefits of the thinner secondary bevel behind it. But it has to be smooth and consistent for optimum cutting performance.
Rob, how many strokes per side you need with the 1000 grit on the average pocket blade to get that secondary bevel? When do you know it's ready-when you feel the burr?Thanks!
It would be interesting to see a video by you, maybe time lapse, on a current sharpening of a less than ideal edge like the one you ground recently, and a discussion of how you use it.
I know this is an old video, and I am sure that with your free hand experience and the 3 years(ish) of having this at this point makes this a moot point, But if you use a mirrored surface under the machine (or even butted up to the front of the machine, you could monitor both the edge you are producing, as well as the position of the blade on the stone. Hope this may help someone out there having the roll over issue!
Dude awesome video this is exactly what I was looking for regarding tip issues. I just got my edge pro Apex on Saturday and was having this problem. Also another problem I am having is inconsistent angles I swear I am holding the knife securely and flat to the table, am I missing something?
Hey apostleP for a beginner. Like a serious newby do you think the kme is a better option than the edge pro. I will start out learning and just getting a full edge sharp and doing touch up but I am obsessive and know eventually want to learn to put mirror finishes and amazing edges on my blades. Thanks for any feedback...
I remember having the same problem when I got mine. Don't worry, it's not the machine... it's definitely you... LOL! I think Ben (founder and inventor of Edgepro) actually touches on this in one of his videos. It's pretty common for the new user, lacking feel and experience with the machine, to use a great deal of pressure with the off hand, which is no substitute for precision. You'll get the feel for it soon, and gradually you'll stop white-knuckling it and it'll become easy :)
Some people seem to prefer the Wicked Edge... I wish the edgepro had a clamp system. The only problem with it is holding the blade perfectly and turning it over all the time. Some blades are very difficult to hold steady. Anyway I am using the Edge Pro and I have not sharpened a lot of blades but I am getting decent results.. the secret is working the edge with strops and cermamic after the sharpening process. I also think one last pass on each side very lightly is very important to getting a sharp edge on the Edge Pro. Basically using the Edge Pro well does take skill... I do worry sometimes when I change stones to the next level its going to screw up an edge that is already sharp. I wish I didn't have to worry about repeatability.
TheApostleP I reckon it sounded offensive. Just try to condense a video like this in 5 minutes and watch your views rocket; even if you dislike me. I'd not make any weapons related vieo in my country, just in case I end up in trail over self defense one day.
I agree completely, Camp... It does indeed seem to be a "best of both worlds" system. You get a great degree of precision and repeatability, but with much of the flexibility of free-hand sharpening. I'm getting pretty good with it too, fairly quickly. Check out the tutorial videos when you have time. I did them with the Spyderco Gayle Bradley. That CPM M4 has given me fits free-hand, but it came out sweet on the Edgepro. Had to make it 2 parts... Only Nutn can get away with 40-min. vids :)
P2: Generally, it's 15-20 strokes with the 1000 stone and another 15-20 with the 2000 polishing tape. A burr forming is not an issue with the micro-bevel, as we already came to sharp with the secondary bevel. We're just slightly changing the angle of the final cutting edge for durability and smoothing out any irregularities at this point.
sold your clubs!?! When my legs got too bad i did the same, cried like a baby, i really loved that game. nice sharpener! what kind of sticks were you swinging? I had Callaway x somethings.
What is the best way to eliminate the widening of the bevel towards the tip? I really admire your abilities and would like to be able to put some nice clean and consistent edges on my toys. Thank you.
+Cameron Garcia I've read it's because you get into thicker metal toward the tip, but I also believe it's because of a change in the sharpening angle. The small knife attachment helps immensely with this issue. You can purchase it directly from the Edge Pro website: edgeproinc.com/Sharpening-Accessories/Small-Knife-Attachment-p55.html
+Cameron Garcia I experienced this when moving the blade away from the blade table to sharpen the tip. This causes an angle change and I believe is the main reason for the widening. With the small knife attachment, you can sharpen shorter blades without moving the blade away from the blade table. You can sharpen without moving the blade at all. This works really well for blades that are just a tad bit short for the stock Edge Pro Apex. Hope this helps!!
just a suggestion to your blade view... I have a small mirror positioned beneath the work while sharpening on both lansky and edgepro. while not good to focus on it it does help not knocking your point off when dealing with a new blade shape i.e. crazy back swept neck knife or hawkbill. once you get a couple hundred hours on them though it's pretty natural.
What if you position a hand mirror on the table to spy on your tip as the stone passes. I don't have one of these to try for myself, but I thought that may be a useful tip. Thanks for the vid!
hi,so you don't enjoy using your spyderco sharpmaker i see in the background ! its not as auto mated as the edgepro,but thats sort of what i like about the sharpmaker,one still has a little freehand control,what do you think ! vary good video,thanks and take care.
Blane Biondolillo I still use the Sharpmaker a lot for touch ups. But it just won't hog material for heavy reprofiling like the Edgepro will. And when I'm setting a secondary bevel, and want it to look as good as it cuts, the EP is unbeatable!
I just got a apex like it still getting used to it never sharpened before I got my first try shaving sharp but not hair splitting any tips? Also not a fan of the polishing tapes they don't last long and alternatives on polishing the edge don't know anything about stroping
+Budy You have probably figured this out by now, but using extremely light alternating strokes on you last stone will go a long way in terms of sharpness. Also, making sure you remove all the scratches from the previous grit as you progress through the stones will help as well. I haven't tried this myself, but people say that the glass blanks are better then the aluminium ones, the tapes apparently doesn't get cut so often with them. Changing the tapes with a high grit Shapton stone would probably work out nicely :-)
Hey there, biguy! Thanks for the view and the comment. I've always been pretty anal about my edges, and I've always loved sharpening. But this machine will definitely help with some of the more difficult blades, and will make my results better and more consistent. I'm stoked!!!
I've seen them both... and bought The Edgepro. There are 3 major reasons. First, the WE is locked into diamond sharpening media, which is not the best for use on steel -- conventional abrasives are far superior when used correctly. Second, because long knives can be moved along the table while sharpening on the Edgepro, the angle can be much more consistent along the length of the blade. Last, the EP affords more flexiblity and feel to the experienced sharpener.
i have known Ben Dale since the eighties, great man and innovator their is a copy of apex from russia which is very heavy well built but they did not use the same piece that the stone holder rod slides through. apex is better in that little detail it slides so easy. you can get chosera japenese stones, no that you endorse it i will stick with my apex especially for my secondary bevel knives , no scratches to woorry about for your beautiful folders. i did my sage one also . great job it did. learning comes with little practice . honestly i tried to reprofile my sage 1 free hand and cut well but did not look pretty . so i am going back to my apex and try to fix it
Yes, slightly, depending on the belly and sweep of the blade. If the edge is straight, the angle decreases the farther you get from center. If if has lots is sweep, it can actually increase, as the point of contact gets closer to the pivot.
I just got a Sage 3 yesterday, and for some reason I am having trouble getting it sharp on my Edge Pro. I got it up to 1000 grit today, but I think I am going to have to go back down in grit to make sure that I am hitting the apex (I sharpened to burr on both sides, every grit 220,320,500,1000). Did you have any trouble getting the edge sharp on your Sage? I have reprofiled other s30v knives before. For some reason I am having trouble with this knife.
I think you're probably on the right track. If you had a burr in lower grits, but aren't getting sharp at 1000, you probably have an angle variation caused by the stones wearing to different thicknesses. You should try the drill collar. I think that accessory is shown in tutorial #3.
Thanks. I actually do have the drill stop collar, and a different brand "angle cube," so my angles are good. I went back down to 320, went through all of stones up to 16k. Used my Edge Pro Balsa strop w/ .25 diamond spray. It feels sharp, but is not cutting paper or shaving. So I took it to my Knives Plus Strop Block(.5 I think) and still not slicing. I think I am just going to have to keep dropping back down in grit until I get there. The s30v I sharpened the same way was Benchmade s30v(and it is very sharp), so maybe Spyderco s30v is just a little tougher to sharpen. Thanks again for the advice.
Wow, this is an odd one. I think I'd back up the truck a bit on this one. Try this: When you get to about 2000 grit, stone or tape, do what you normally do, then lift the angle just about 1/16" on the post. Make about 5 very light passes on each side, then about 3 more in the opposite direction. Then go to the strop, freehand, fairly lightly, at an angle above where you finished on the Edgrpro. What you're doing here is burr mitigation and making sure you have a sharp, polished apex. It sounds like you might be more concerned with getting to a very fine grit/polish at the expense of making sure you're finishing the actual cutting edge. See if that helps and let me know.
So you know, I try to avoid free hand stropping because I have shaky hands when trying to do stuff like that; I don't want to round the edge. That was just my last resort after the guided Edge Pro strop didn't seem to help. I just thought of something that may be part of my problem. Spyderco says that they sharpen, from the factory, at about 30 degrees inclusive. Though I am "reprofiling" the knife, I am sharpening at 15 degrees per side (intention being to increase the size of and even out the bevel). Is it then possible that if the knife was sharpened at lower/higher than 30 degrees from the factory, that I am only really hitting the bevels and not the very edge of the knife? Actually thinking about it now, have been getting burrs, so that probably doesn't solve my problem. I will try your suggestions when I have time to have another go at it. Thanks for your help again, and I will try to let you know how it works out.
You're on the right track now, I think. If your angle control is good, and you know you've gotten burrs in the lower grits, you probably still have them at the higher grits but much smaller, and are rolling them in your finishing process, thus making the rolled burr the apex of your edge. To further aid in burr mitigation, I suggest a 19 DPS micro bevel. The micro bevel is the brilliance of the Spyderco sharpening philosophy. It's how the Sharpmaker is designed -- to replicate the theoretical 15 DPS secondary bevel, and the 20 DPS micro they say they apply at the factory (rare, btw). I use 19 on the Edgepro so that when I touch up on the Sharpmaker later, I'm sure to hit the apex. The micro bevel concept gives the very apex more support than a 15 DPS bevel by itself, but it's thin enough to still slice aggressively. It's a great utility edge.
I know this video is old, but I am just now interested in getting the Edge Pro or more accurate sharpening system. Would you still recommend the Edge Pro? They seem so darn expensive.
Bob B I would go with a kme although an edge pro is a good system what I would do if you get an edge pro is get the cheapest one with the least stones and upgrade to higher quality stones like shapton a or choseras and diamonds a kmes stones are great outta the box
ben makes a precision edge pro Professional model , his first model before the apex came out , an all steel model i dislike clamp systems, i am uncomfortable about the edge changing as you go out to the tip ofa longer knife and it is dangerouse . your hand can bump into a clamp system. i am happy to know that you have the same thoughts about the edge pro as i have had, thanks. i am in the leage of the big guys now
Wish I could afford one of the higher end sharpeners.. It's not bad hand sharpening, but it can be a lengthy process.. Also I'm not confident enough with my stones to put my 940-1701 on them (Tip slightly rolled or chipped & that rough ass factory grind). Anyway, nice videos. SF.
+Zion Sotrah The work sharp is a great system, as long as you throw all the belts that come with it in the trash, and get some aftermarket MX Micromesh belts from Micro Surface.
I like my edgepro but the first few I have done the blade has got scratched with milky white color. Next time I am going to use painters tape on the blade. I do not like scratching up the blade on a $200 knife
Yep, the painter's tape is a good idea, but the slurry will still have a tendency to stain any exposed areas. A little Flitz metal polish will take it off quickly :)
Hey rob just curious if you sell knife sharpening on etsy I was about the start offering it on there and seen someone who has the same name as you and lives around your parts selling their services and they say spa treatment like you do? Just wondering because I wasn't trying to step on toes know what I mean
i know this vid was done 3 yrs ago and i am just now getting into knife sharpening, so this comment is ignorance talking. what i am wondering is why you didn't consider the KME system back then? was this system not available at that time? if it wasn't, what are your thoughts on it with reference to your Edgepro Apex choice? also, what made you decide to go with the Edgepro kit 1 as opposed to the other kits? was it a money issue at that time or just no seeing the need for the extra features that the more expensive kits offered? thanks for the great vids. i'm gonna' sub as soon as i finish this post!
+justo222 There are definitely some features of the KME system I wish I had, most notably the 180-degree swivel and clamp assembly. But this great feature contributes to the primary drawback of the KME, which is poor capability for sharpening at very shallow angles, especially on small knives. That one issue was my main reason for ruling it out. I apply secondary bevels at 15-17 degrees per side every day, because that's what most modern folders need to cut optimally. The KME just doesn't do that without modification. The reason I went with the Kit 1 for my Edgepro Apex is that I didn't want to pay for things I knew I'd never use, like a round ceramic hone (I use my Sharpmaker for that), and a round glass base/flattener. I went with the least expensive kit, then customized it to fit my uses. No here's the really important piece of news: my Apex has a knife count of over 2,000, and it's still going strong! I know it doesn't look like much, and it definitely has its quirks, but I couldn't be more pleased with it on the whole. It feeds my family!
+TheApostleP thanks for getting back to me. i do have one other question. you mentioned that "... the primary drawback of the KME, which is poor capability for sharpening at very shallow angles, especially on small knives. That one issue was my main reason for ruling it out. I apply secondary bevels at 15-17 degrees per side every day, because that's what most modern folders need to cut optimally. The KME just doesn't do that without modification. ..." since you made your purchase 3 yrs. ago, i believe KME came out with 2 enhancements/options (not really sure when this happened, but i seem to think that it occurred after your purchase). one update swapped out old the standard clamp with a lower angled clamp allowing for sharpening angles from 17-30 degrees and the other as an add-on option called the "KME Pen Knife Jaws", which supposedly handles really small blades. would these new updates/options be an answer to the major concern that you mentioned above or are you already aware of these updates and are saying that these updates still do not answer your major concerns about the product? i'm asking this 'cause at this point, being a total beginner, i feel it's really between the KME and the wicked edge. my reason for avoiding the edge pro at this stage is due to the ease with which a beginner could ruin a blade simply by inadvertently moving the blade with one hand while the other is doing the sharpening motion. although, i just might end up abandoning a sharpening system altogether and get my practice in using flat stones and later advancing to a system at which time the edge pro might be more of a reality for me.
+justo222 Could be, but I haven't seen or used these jaws. Generally, any clamp system is problematic at lower angles, because of hardware interference.
@@TheApostleP you didnt get my point, if the blade is fixed you hold the angle a lot better instead of holding the knife and balance it with your other hand.
Nikolaj C I got your point. I’ve sharpened over 10K knives on the Edgepro. I chose it over clamped systems for the reason I wrote above, and the combination of a human hand and a datum table are plenty capable of holding the blade in a fixed position. There’s really no balancing required if you know how to use the machine. On many knives, you don’t use the parallel flats, but rather the face of the blade, which makes it quite stable. You just have to make an easy angle correction calculation, which I cover in another tutorial video.
I find I need to flatten my stones every 2 knives... I don't know how you are doing 5 knives and still keeping them "very flat" I guess our definitions of flat are very far apart. I get 20-25 knives out of my stones. only had the system a couple months or so and have already worn out a set. I guess maybe I worry about the flatness of the stones a bit too much!
Max Savino Great topic, Max. What I try to do is schedule my work for how flat my stones are. I always do Wharnies and Sheepsfoot blades, or others with long runs of straight edge, when my stones are freshly flattened. Knives with lots of belly come next, and I always do recurves when the stones are about ready for flattening, because recurves require you to ride the corners of the stones. Hope that helps.
TheApostleP hmm... using a hallowed stone for my re curve knife.... wow I NEVER thought of that. What a great idea. I have a Byrd crossbill I got for shits and giggles to try out a hawkbill blade, I am going to try this! I love wharncliff blades their my favorite. I also wanted to add about moving the blade, for blades under 4 or 5 inches, I now just find a spot where I can hit the whole edge without moving the knife, even though the angle will change from the heel out to the tip just a tad bit it doesn't bother me, I used to move just about every knife to get each part out on the end of the tape. I found moving the knife just creates more error, so 6 inches and under I just find home and leave it. I was curious, are you still using stock EP stones? I have found the need to move to Shapton glass to help with the super steel blades, my 220 and 400 stock stones feel like your trying to sand down a sidewalk with the bottom of your boot!
Perhaps you are using too much pressure and/or not sharpening with the full length of the stone (short strokes mainly in the center area of the stone)? Eventually stones need to be flattened but much sooner if you only use a swipe in the center area rather than the full length of the stone. Look at it like a stick of butter if you only scrape some off in the center. Scrape from end to end
***** yeap do all that. I flatten my stones constantly. I am on my third set in fact. I found with Elmax and s30v I need to use a super coarse stone to set the bevel. Been working with this nubamta 150. Apparently those powdered steels once sharpened create a layer of chromium and something else on the edge, which can be very hard to abrade, but once you do its smooth sailing. With steels like that, you have to use a very coarse stone every time you want to do any sharpening, and you can't leave your work then come back and finish the knife a few hours later. The outer shell re forms. whether it be re profiling, or just re sharpening, you gotta hit it with that coarse stone. Stropping seems to work okay for touch ups though. IDK some people claim they don't have this issue, but I'm betting they are. They are just working through it thinking "its harder steel it must take longer to do" Idk though. I plan to do a video on it in the very near future.
There is a pretty new sharpening system out called the ViperSharp V2 sharpening system. i've read pros and cons of the edgepro and the wicked edge and the ViperSharp seems to address the big issues of both systems. Wondering if you had seen the system and your thoughts on it. Thank you in advance
pickledbologna Not too much to ask, but that's not what everybody wants. I don't find the KME more versatile at all, in fact, because of that one difference, I find the Edgepro more versatile. I do like the way the KME pivots 180 degrees to let you get to both sides of the blade.
I came back to apologize abs what do I find? A pleasant response to my rude comment. My excuse is I was on duty for over 24 hrs when I wrote that comment. I thought it was funny till I got some sleep. Sorry for being rude.
I Don't like the fact that you have to maintain the knife with your hand throughout the whole process. I prefer the KME or the Viper. Wicked Edge is out of the park expensive, so that one either make it for me.
Naaaa to would go with wicked edge for simple fact for me is edge pro scratches my blades where wicked edge won't , also I like it better on wicked edge to adjust angle , what's with edge pro color coordination angle guess. ? Naaaaa wicked edge is the winner in my opinion.
thank you for the review...... just as a side note and you may not realize that watching you open and close your knife is like listening to someone stutter, it is very distracting and ultimately detracts from you objective of informing the audience. Best advise I got was when hands not needed best to sit on them.
+Andris Kompelien I use a diamond plate to level the stones. The one made in China from Chefs Knives to Go. Mark entire stone surface with X's using a pencil and grind stone surface on diamond plate in a circular motion under water faucet.
in skilled hands, i guess the 2 systems could be equal, but the wicked edge is idiot proof.....these systems are not cheap but they'll last forever, so if amortized over the years you own the product and the knives you sharpen, it's cheap. By the way the WE is is much easier to maintain.
citygeek1. I own and have owned for years both the WE and the EP Professional. Neither system is idiot proof. The WE does take slightly less skill but does take more time per knife. The EP is a lot less money (30-50%) by the time you get everything you want or need to be fully setup with both systems. On that subject you are looking at the WE $750 package to start with and that does not include the extra coarse stones needed to efficiently re profile blades; you almost always re profile on the first time. The WE PP1 is crap, I have the bill and worn out parts to prove it. I have worn out several of the WE diamond stones already, they don't last as long as you would think. By contrast I am still using all of the original stones on the EPP. Lapping them flat as they wear and as recommended by EP they just keep on going, although the courser grits (120, 200, 400) are starting to get a little thin. But they can be replaced for far less cost compared to the WE. The WE is also showing quite a bit of wear due to bad design, ie; steel being run into aluminum on several of the main components. By contrast the EPP shows no signs of wear anywhere due to design flaws. Last but not least the WE is made in china and the EP is made in the U.S.A. from parts sourced within the U.S.A., This may not be a sticking point for some but it is important to me.
AK BZ How many knives did you have to sharpen to wear out the WE stones? 100? 200? 500? I have sharpened roughly 30 knives and my stones on my WE cut like they did on day 1. Also, what wear are you seeing on your WE? Because I know that there are a few flaws with the system, but nothing that can't be fixed for $2. Did you have the old WE arms, or the new Ball Joint arms. Because the Ball Joint arms are vastly superior.
I'm really pleased with this! It works like a charm th-cam.com/users/postUgkxDcr-y2Pf6xdnrFHrSP7dl9kpKaCozcSQ Takes less time than my old electric sharpener because it can take more off the knife faster, and then it smooths out nicely with the finer grit polisher. I don't know how long it will last before the grit wears away, but I wouldn't mind having to replace it every once in a while.
Hi Rob, I just posted this new process for using the Edge Pro. It works really great. Hope you enjoy. www.chefknivestogoforum.com/improved-process-for-consistant-edge-pro-angle-set-t8437.html
Ralph Desimone Thanks Ralph! Looks like you've got the EP tailored just the way you want it. That's either a person's favorite or least favorite part of the Edgepro system -- it takes tweaking to get the most out of it. I like that about it, but some guys really do not. I think it affords flexibility to the expert sharpener, but I've known several novices who got so frustrated with it that they sold it.
chibraxial That's awesome work! I just jumped over to your channel to see the video where you did this... Boy was I disappointed ;( Come on, man... You can do it!
musa ja Completely incorrect. The unit featured in this video was retired, unbroken, when my new Professional model from Edgepro arrived. It sharpened 10,000 knives and is still ready for backup duty when needed.
Sorry to hear that, Travis. I'll pray you don't ever catch a cold.
ApostleP, I love the videos! I want to say that you are the reason I bought an Apex. Absolutely in love and I'd have to disagree with many of the comments in that "X sharpener is better or whatever." Edge Pro is on its own level.
That's a very thoughtful and intelligent review - and I say this as a WE owner!
Like you say - each to his own!
God bless.
Very informative review thank you for taking the time to explain all of that. Good luck with your custom knife sharpening (I wish I could sharpen free hand I think it's a true skill).
Thanks Rob, always enjoy your stuff!
The best tip I can give for anyone buying an Edge Pro - don't try to learn how to use it on any knives you care about. Instead, go and buy the cheapest set of kitchen knives you can find & use those. 20 bucks & a days practice is cheap insurance against damaging a more valuable (either financially or personally) knife.
Another tip is to raise the whole rig up closer to eye level. I use mine on a coffee table while I'm sat on the floor, with the upper edge of the base roughly level with the tip of my nose. I find this gives me better control when working on longer knives, and I'm much less likely to knock off a tip. I also find that using it like this, I use less pressure on the stones and have to flatten them much less often. HTH & YMMV.
Excellent point on the learning curve! This is not a "plug & play" tool, by any means. If you take your Edgepro out of the bag the first time and go to town on your Sebenza, chances are it's going to be a really bad day! I think what the Edgepro does best is complement a set of skilled hands to produce a result better than those hands could achieve with a freehand system. That makes it extremely satisfying to use for the skilled user, and the results are superb, but for the novice it will take some practice to become a proficient Edgepro sharpener.
Looks to be a very good sharpener, so much so, I am thinking of buying one.
So you start your secondary bevel with your 1000 grit after the factory bevel is finished! I never tried putting a secondary bevel on a blade yet. Couple of months ago after watching your videos I got a Lansky Deluxe system. Awesome! I plan buying a 2000 stone for it now, to get close to your mirror finish
It's so fun to watch my friends' jaws drop after sharpening a knife with the Lansky toy! Few months ago I didn't even know these systems existed and I was terrible at freehand sharpening. I like the Apex Pro, you can't sharpen a hatchet or a machete with a dinky Lansky, will get one some day!
the thing you were talking about at 17:48 Does NOT apply to all fixed angle sharpeners.
Wow! That's pretty cool! The Edgepro is definitely worth the $. Once you get proficient with it, it can produce amazing results.
Do you have any advice for getting a mirror finished edge? My main issue being it is so heard to hold the knife in the exact same way every single time.
Pro tip, you can use a standard kitchen sponge with the green abrasive side with a small amount of washing detergent, and it'll take that embedded material right our of the stone without damaging it what so ever, with a few brisk scrubs.
gives a better "cut" as you sharpen if you keep a sponge next to you and wash the stone down after a few strokes.
works wonders for me.
Hello,
Just found your channel. I watched the video on GEC and case knives. I'm wanting a nice GEC real bad. Then I saw your EP video and watched most of it. Limited on time. Watch it all later. I used an EP for 3+ years and like any tool that works well after I really got used to it the results got even better. It's really a great tool. Like any sharpening "system" it has some individual quirks and when you learn to deal with them the results get better and better. That's how it seems to me anyway. One thing I wanted to comment on about it is how the spine rests on the edge guide. I have Spydercos and they are probably the worste when it comes to unordinary spine shapes. I saw you have the Sage 1 and I'm sure you understand how the curved spine allows the blade to pivot on the guide. This will allow the tip to move closer to and rarther away from the end of the blade table during each stroke. You mentioned in the video how most shorter blade knives are held still. This was my goal as well but I found it hard to do when the spine of my knife (Delica at the time) was resting at one side of the EP and I was applying force to the tip. I had to apply equal force to the handle as I was to the tip end of the blade to keep the blade from pivoting on the spine/edge guide contact point. So I made some blocks for my knives that I rest on the EP. I cut the block to fit the shape of the spine while also resting against the edge guide. These things hold the knife blade perfectly still. I found this helpful because when the tip is moving back and forth it changes the angle the stone is hitting the edge at by a tiny bit. However, it's enough to make a difference when you are using very light strokes and trying to remove the tiny burrs on the edge apex. Especially with the finer grit stones. Anyway, I don't have my Sage 1 any more so if you want to try one of these things I can send it to you to try. I like them a lot when using the EP. I uploaded a couple of videos on youtube and now I just thought about putting one up using these blocks. I started a thread about them on Spyderco's forum with pictures that while pictures help it's not video. Anyway, if you want this block for the Sage1 I'll send it to you if you give me your address.
I liked the two videos I've watched of yours so far and will watch some more.
Take care,
Jack
Jack, thanks for writing, and I couldn't agree more with your impressions of Edgepro use after a few years. Those blocks are a great idea. I will definitely try that. No need to send the Sage block though. I sold mine too, but thanks for the offer.
I think you're talking about the micro-bevel, iaxable -- the final edge bevel. If not, please respond. But assuming that, It's really not a "number of strokes" operation, although I do START with about 10 per side. But from there, it's really a visual and feel thing. I don't want the micro-bevel to be more than micro, or I lose all the benefits of the thinner secondary bevel behind it. But it has to be smooth and consistent for optimum cutting performance.
Rob, how many strokes per side you need with the 1000 grit on the average pocket blade to get that secondary bevel? When do you know it's ready-when you feel the burr?Thanks!
new subcriber brother! love yalls videos keep em up!
Excellent idea!!! Thanks, Carlton :)
what do you think about the wicked edge system im on the fence between both system tu.
It would be interesting to see a video by you, maybe time lapse, on a current sharpening of a less than ideal edge like the one you ground recently, and a discussion of how you use it.
Cliff Stamp I had the same thought in the shower yesterday, Cliff. Great minds... ? Ha!
I know this is an old video, and I am sure that with your free hand experience and the 3 years(ish) of having this at this point makes this a moot point, But if you use a mirrored surface under the machine (or even butted up to the front of the machine, you could monitor both the edge you are producing, as well as the position of the blade on the stone. Hope this may help someone out there having the roll over issue!
Dude awesome video this is exactly what I was looking for regarding tip issues. I just got my edge pro Apex on Saturday and was having this problem. Also another problem I am having is inconsistent angles I swear I am holding the knife securely and flat to the table, am I missing something?
Hey apostleP for a beginner. Like a serious newby do you think the kme is a better option than the edge pro. I will start out learning and just getting a full edge sharp and doing touch up but I am obsessive and know eventually want to learn to put mirror finishes and amazing edges on my blades. Thanks for any feedback...
Hi Rob, have you updated your EPA setup relative to this? What have you changed/added and why? Thanks
I remember having the same problem when I got mine. Don't worry, it's not the machine... it's definitely you... LOL! I think Ben (founder and inventor of Edgepro) actually touches on this in one of his videos. It's pretty common for the new user, lacking feel and experience with the machine, to use a great deal of pressure with the off hand, which is no substitute for precision. You'll get the feel for it soon, and gradually you'll stop white-knuckling it and it'll become easy :)
Some people seem to prefer the Wicked Edge... I wish the edgepro had a clamp system. The only problem with it is holding the blade perfectly and turning it over all the time. Some blades are very difficult to hold steady. Anyway I am using the Edge Pro and I have not sharpened a lot of blades but I am getting decent results.. the secret is working the edge with strops and cermamic after the sharpening process. I also think one last pass on each side very lightly is very important to getting a sharp edge on the Edge Pro. Basically using the Edge Pro well does take skill... I do worry sometimes when I change stones to the next level its going to screw up an edge that is already sharp. I wish I didn't have to worry about repeatability.
I know this is an old video and I enjoyed it. Have you ever done a video comparing this sharpener to the Kme?
I wad to watch at 1.5x speed to get normal talking speed and movement. You don't need to be so slooooow, we can follow you even if you go faster.
SalveMonesvol Thanks for the tip. I jumped over to your channel to get an example of what you were talking about from your body of video work, but...
TheApostleP I reckon it sounded offensive. Just try to condense a video like this in 5 minutes and watch your views rocket; even if you dislike me.
I'd not make any weapons related vieo in my country, just in case I end up in trail over self defense one day.
TheApostleP I hope you never have opinions about anything you aren't a pro at! ;)
SalveMonesvol Dang your right, he does sound normal at 1.5x speed. So funny.
Player One hahah I was thinking the same thing ..
I agree completely, Camp... It does indeed seem to be a "best of both worlds" system. You get a great degree of precision and repeatability, but with much of the flexibility of free-hand sharpening. I'm getting pretty good with it too, fairly quickly. Check out the tutorial videos when you have time. I did them with the Spyderco Gayle Bradley. That CPM M4 has given me fits free-hand, but it came out sweet on the Edgepro. Had to make it 2 parts... Only Nutn can get away with 40-min. vids :)
P2: Generally, it's 15-20 strokes with the 1000 stone and another 15-20 with the 2000 polishing tape. A burr forming is not an issue with the micro-bevel, as we already came to sharp with the secondary bevel. We're just slightly changing the angle of the final cutting edge for durability and smoothing out any irregularities at this point.
I wonder if I could use this for my long-handle Axe?
sold your clubs!?! When my legs got too bad i did the same, cried like a baby, i really loved that game. nice sharpener! what kind of sticks were you swinging? I had Callaway x somethings.
What is the best way to eliminate the widening of the bevel towards the tip? I really admire your abilities and would like to be able to put some nice clean and consistent edges on my toys. Thank you.
+Cameron Garcia I've read it's because you get into thicker metal toward the tip, but I also believe it's because of a change in the sharpening angle. The small knife attachment helps immensely with this issue. You can purchase it directly from the Edge Pro website: edgeproinc.com/Sharpening-Accessories/Small-Knife-Attachment-p55.html
+Anthony Waldrep I will have to look into it, thank you.
You are most welcome. Stay sharp!
+Cameron Garcia I experienced this when moving the blade away from the blade table to sharpen the tip. This causes an angle change and I believe is the main reason for the widening. With the small knife attachment, you can sharpen shorter blades without moving the blade away from the blade table. You can sharpen without moving the blade at all. This works really well for blades that are just a tad bit short for the stock Edge Pro Apex. Hope this helps!!
Love the comment on Glock/Sig. Couldn't agree more!
Thanks for the vid. This changed my life!!!!
What do you think of the TSPROF system?
just a suggestion to your blade view... I have a small mirror positioned beneath the work while sharpening on both lansky and edgepro. while not good to focus on it it does help not knocking your point off when dealing with a new blade shape i.e. crazy back swept neck knife or hawkbill. once you get a couple hundred hours on them though it's pretty natural.
Roger Anderson Aq
What if you position a hand mirror on the table to spy on your tip as the stone passes. I don't have one of these to try for myself, but I thought that may be a useful tip. Thanks for the vid!
hi,so you don't enjoy using your spyderco sharpmaker i see in the background ! its not as auto mated as the edgepro,but thats sort of what i like about the sharpmaker,one still has a little freehand control,what do you think ! vary good video,thanks and take care.
Blane Biondolillo I still use the Sharpmaker a lot for touch ups. But it just won't hog material for heavy reprofiling like the Edgepro will. And when I'm setting a secondary bevel, and want it to look as good as it cuts, the EP is unbeatable!
I just got a apex like it still getting used to it never sharpened before I got my first try shaving sharp but not hair splitting any tips? Also not a fan of the polishing tapes they don't last long and alternatives on polishing the edge don't know anything about stroping
+Budy You have probably figured this out by now, but using extremely light alternating strokes on you last stone will go a long way in terms of sharpness. Also, making sure you remove all the scratches from the previous grit as you progress through the stones will help as well. I haven't tried this myself, but people say that the glass blanks are better then the aluminium ones, the tapes apparently doesn't get cut so often with them. Changing the tapes with a high grit Shapton stone would probably work out nicely :-)
Hey there, biguy! Thanks for the view and the comment. I've always been pretty anal about my edges, and I've always loved sharpening. But this machine will definitely help with some of the more difficult blades, and will make my results better and more consistent. I'm stoked!!!
I've seen them both... and bought The Edgepro. There are 3 major reasons. First, the WE is locked into diamond sharpening media, which is not the best for use on steel -- conventional abrasives are far superior when used correctly. Second, because long knives can be moved along the table while sharpening on the Edgepro, the angle can be much more consistent along the length of the blade. Last, the EP affords more flexiblity and feel to the experienced sharpener.
i have known Ben Dale since the eighties, great man and innovator their is a copy of apex from russia which is very heavy well built but they did not use the same piece that the stone holder rod slides through. apex is better in that little detail it slides so easy. you can get chosera japenese stones, no that you endorse it i will stick with my apex especially for my secondary bevel knives , no scratches to woorry about for your beautiful folders. i did my sage one also . great job it did. learning comes with little practice . honestly i tried to reprofile my sage 1 free hand and cut well but did not look pretty . so i am going back to my apex and try to fix it
Isn't the arc of the arm going to impart a different angle to the tip of the blade than it does to the centre?
Yes, slightly, depending on the belly and sweep of the blade. If the edge is straight, the angle decreases the farther you get from center. If if has lots is sweep, it can actually increase, as the point of contact gets closer to the pivot.
+TheAposteP do you still recommend the Edge Pro?
I understand completely. No problem, my friend. Sorry for the dry throat. It tends to plague me, especially when I talk too long :)
Is this still your chosen method of sharpening?
I just got a Sage 3 yesterday, and for some reason I am having trouble getting it sharp on my Edge Pro. I got it up to 1000 grit today, but I think I am going to have to go back down in grit to make sure that I am hitting the apex (I sharpened to burr on both sides, every grit 220,320,500,1000). Did you have any trouble getting the edge sharp on your Sage? I have reprofiled other s30v knives before. For some reason I am having trouble with this knife.
I think you're probably on the right track. If you had a burr in lower grits, but aren't getting sharp at 1000, you probably have an angle variation caused by the stones wearing to different thicknesses. You should try the drill collar. I think that accessory is shown in tutorial #3.
Thanks. I actually do have the drill stop collar, and a different brand "angle cube," so my angles are good. I went back down to 320, went through all of stones up to 16k. Used my Edge Pro Balsa strop w/ .25 diamond spray. It feels sharp, but is not cutting paper or shaving. So I took it to my Knives Plus Strop Block(.5 I think) and still not slicing. I think I am just going to have to keep dropping back down in grit until I get there. The s30v I sharpened the same way was Benchmade s30v(and it is very sharp), so maybe Spyderco s30v is just a little tougher to sharpen. Thanks again for the advice.
Wow, this is an odd one. I think I'd back up the truck a bit on this one. Try this:
When you get to about 2000 grit, stone or tape, do what you normally do, then lift the angle just about 1/16" on the post. Make about 5 very light passes on each side, then about 3 more in the opposite direction. Then go to the strop, freehand, fairly lightly, at an angle above where you finished on the Edgrpro. What you're doing here is burr mitigation and making sure you have a sharp, polished apex.
It sounds like you might be more concerned with getting to a very fine grit/polish at the expense of making sure you're finishing the actual cutting edge. See if that helps and let me know.
So you know, I try to avoid free hand stropping because I have shaky hands when trying to do stuff like that; I don't want to round the edge. That was just my last resort after the guided Edge Pro strop didn't seem to help.
I just thought of something that may be part of my problem. Spyderco says that they sharpen, from the factory, at about 30 degrees inclusive. Though I am "reprofiling" the knife, I am sharpening at 15 degrees per side (intention being to increase the size of and even out the bevel). Is it then possible that if the knife was sharpened at lower/higher than 30 degrees from the factory, that I am only really hitting the bevels and not the very edge of the knife? Actually thinking about it now, have been getting burrs, so that probably doesn't solve my problem. I will try your suggestions when I have time to have another go at it. Thanks for your help again, and I will try to let you know how it works out.
You're on the right track now, I think. If your angle control is good, and you know you've gotten burrs in the lower grits, you probably still have them at the higher grits but much smaller, and are rolling them in your finishing process, thus making the rolled burr the apex of your edge. To further aid in burr mitigation, I suggest a 19 DPS micro bevel. The micro bevel is the brilliance of the Spyderco sharpening philosophy. It's how the Sharpmaker is designed -- to replicate the theoretical 15 DPS secondary bevel, and the 20 DPS micro they say they apply at the factory (rare, btw). I use 19 on the Edgepro so that when I touch up on the Sharpmaker later, I'm sure to hit the apex. The micro bevel concept gives the very apex more support than a 15 DPS bevel by itself, but it's thin enough to still slice aggressively. It's a great utility edge.
I know this video is old, but I am just now interested in getting the Edge Pro or more accurate sharpening system. Would you still recommend the Edge Pro? They seem so darn expensive.
Bob B I would go with a kme although an edge pro is a good system what I would do if you get an edge pro is get the cheapest one with the least stones and upgrade to higher quality stones like shapton a or choseras and diamonds a kmes stones are great outta the box
ben makes a precision edge pro Professional model , his first model before the apex came out , an all steel model i dislike clamp systems, i am uncomfortable about the edge changing as you go out to the tip ofa longer knife and it is dangerouse . your hand can bump into a clamp system. i am happy to know that you have the same thoughts about the edge pro as i have had, thanks. i am in the leage of the big guys now
Did you say 4" of snow??
It seems like a bevel would be off by a lot unless you had a very steady hand to hold the knife. I prefer the clamped systems
Wish I could afford one of the higher end sharpeners.. It's not bad hand sharpening, but it can be a lengthy process.. Also I'm not confident enough with my stones to put my 940-1701 on them (Tip slightly rolled or chipped & that rough ass factory grind). Anyway, nice videos.
SF.
Hi Rob. It's me, Rob.
what do you think of the work sharp?
+Zion Sotrah It makes me laugh... so I guess I like it ;)
+Zion Sotrah The work sharp is a great system, as long as you throw all the belts that come with it in the trash, and get some aftermarket MX Micromesh belts from Micro Surface.
are you sharpening yet ?
I like my edgepro but the first few I have done the blade has got scratched with milky white color. Next time I am going to use painters tape on the blade. I do not like scratching up the blade on a $200 knife
Yep, the painter's tape is a good idea, but the slurry will still have a tendency to stain any exposed areas. A little Flitz metal polish will take it off quickly :)
Hey rob just curious if you sell knife sharpening on etsy I was about the start offering it on there and seen someone who has the same name as you and lives around your parts selling their services and they say spa treatment like you do? Just wondering because I wasn't trying to step on toes know what I mean
If you mean eBay, no I don't. Not on etsy either :). That market is all yours buddy. Thanks for the consideration.
Place it on a mirror with a properly angled light and you will be able to see the tip and the stone contacting the knife...
i know this vid was done 3 yrs ago and i am just now getting into knife sharpening, so this comment is ignorance talking. what i am wondering is why you didn't consider the KME system back then? was this system not available at that time? if it wasn't, what are your thoughts on it with reference to your Edgepro Apex choice? also, what made you decide to go with the Edgepro kit 1 as opposed to the other kits? was it a money issue at that time or just no seeing the need for the extra features that the more expensive kits offered? thanks for the great vids. i'm gonna' sub as soon as i finish this post!
+justo222 There are definitely some features of the KME system I wish I had, most notably the 180-degree swivel and clamp assembly. But this great feature contributes to the primary drawback of the KME, which is poor capability for sharpening at very shallow angles, especially on small knives. That one issue was my main reason for ruling it out. I apply secondary bevels at 15-17 degrees per side every day, because that's what most modern folders need to cut optimally. The KME just doesn't do that without modification. The reason I went with the Kit 1 for my Edgepro Apex is that I didn't want to pay for things I knew I'd never use, like a round ceramic hone (I use my Sharpmaker for that), and a round glass base/flattener. I went with the least expensive kit, then customized it to fit my uses. No here's the really important piece of news: my Apex has a knife count of over 2,000, and it's still going strong! I know it doesn't look like much, and it definitely has its quirks, but I couldn't be more pleased with it on the whole. It feeds my family!
+TheApostleP thanks for getting back to me. i do have one other question. you mentioned that
"... the primary drawback of the KME, which is poor capability for sharpening at very
shallow angles, especially on small knives. That one issue was my main reason for
ruling it out. I apply secondary bevels at 15-17 degrees per side every day, because
that's what most modern folders need to cut optimally. The KME just doesn't do
that without modification. ..."
since you made your purchase 3 yrs. ago, i believe KME came out with 2 enhancements/options (not really sure when this happened, but i seem to think that it occurred after your purchase). one update swapped out old the standard clamp with a lower angled clamp allowing for sharpening angles from 17-30 degrees and the other as an add-on option called the "KME Pen Knife Jaws", which supposedly handles really small blades. would these new updates/options be an answer to the major concern that you mentioned above or are you already aware of these updates and are saying that these updates still do not answer your major concerns about the product?
i'm asking this 'cause at this point, being a total beginner, i feel it's really between the KME and the wicked edge. my reason for avoiding the edge pro at this stage is due to the ease with which a beginner could ruin a blade simply by inadvertently moving the blade with one hand while the other is doing the sharpening motion. although, i just might end up abandoning a sharpening system altogether and get my practice in using flat stones and later advancing to a system at which time the edge pro might be more of a reality for me.
+justo222 Could be, but I haven't seen or used these jaws. Generally, any clamp system is problematic at lower angles, because of hardware interference.
Good Choice! Edgepro system is absolute best!
Thanks, Joleen! I completely agree :)
Yes!! That's awesome! I'm so glad you got an edgepro! You are going to continue to be happy!
EdgePro is amazing!!! We use it here on Maui and we've recommended it to friends from Washington and California. Thanks!
Is this still your favorite sharpener ?
WOW, 26 March 2013, We've gone back in time :D Weeeee
It should have a strong magnet or clamb to fix the blade so you dont have to hold it with one hand.
Nikolaj C Actually, it shouldn’t. The ability to move the knife around in the table is part of what makes the Edgepro so versatile and flexible.
@@TheApostleP you didnt get my point, if the blade is fixed you hold the angle a lot better instead of holding the knife and balance it with your other hand.
Nikolaj C I got your point. I’ve sharpened over 10K knives on the Edgepro. I chose it over clamped systems for the reason I wrote above, and the combination of a human hand and a datum table are plenty capable of holding the blade in a fixed position. There’s really no balancing required if you know how to use the machine. On many knives, you don’t use the parallel flats, but rather the face of the blade, which makes it quite stable. You just have to make an easy angle correction calculation, which I cover in another tutorial video.
@@TheApostleP oh wow a superman, anyway its still faster if the blade is fixed, superman or not.
"It's not what my opponent doesn't know that concerns me. It's what he knows for sure that just isn't so."
-- Ronald Reagan
I find I need to flatten my stones every 2 knives... I don't know how you are doing 5 knives and still keeping them "very flat" I guess our definitions of flat are very far apart. I get 20-25 knives out of my stones. only had the system a couple months or so and have already worn out a set. I guess maybe I worry about the flatness of the stones a bit too much!
Max Savino Great topic, Max. What I try to do is schedule my work for how flat my stones are. I always do Wharnies and Sheepsfoot blades, or others with long runs of straight edge, when my stones are freshly flattened. Knives with lots of belly come next, and I always do recurves when the stones are about ready for flattening, because recurves require you to ride the corners of the stones. Hope that helps.
TheApostleP hmm... using a hallowed stone for my re curve knife.... wow I NEVER thought of that. What a great idea. I have a Byrd crossbill I got for shits and giggles to try out a hawkbill blade, I am going to try this!
I love wharncliff blades their my favorite.
I also wanted to add about moving the blade, for blades under 4 or 5 inches, I now just find a spot where I can hit the whole edge without moving the knife, even though the angle will change from the heel out to the tip just a tad bit it doesn't bother me, I used to move just about every knife to get each part out on the end of the tape. I found moving the knife just creates more error, so 6 inches and under I just find home and leave it.
I was curious, are you still using stock EP stones? I have found the need to move to Shapton glass to help with the super steel blades, my 220 and 400 stock stones feel like your trying to sand down a sidewalk with the bottom of your boot!
Perhaps you are using too much pressure and/or not sharpening with the full length of the stone (short strokes mainly in the center area of the stone)? Eventually stones need to be flattened but much sooner if you only use a swipe in the center area rather than the full length of the stone. Look at it like a stick of butter if you only scrape some off in the center. Scrape from end to end
***** yeap do all that. I flatten my stones constantly. I am on my third set in fact. I found with Elmax and s30v I need to use a super coarse stone to set the bevel. Been working with this nubamta 150. Apparently those powdered steels once sharpened create a layer of chromium and something else on the edge, which can be very hard to abrade, but once you do its smooth sailing. With steels like that, you have to use a very coarse stone every time you want to do any sharpening, and you can't leave your work then come back and finish the knife a few hours later. The outer shell re forms. whether it be re profiling, or just re sharpening, you gotta hit it with that coarse stone. Stropping seems to work okay for touch ups though. IDK some people claim they don't have this issue, but I'm betting they are. They are just working through it thinking "its harder steel it must take longer to do" Idk though. I plan to do a video on it in the very near future.
I can't believe you chose this over the wicked. It's better In every way.
There is a pretty new sharpening system out called the ViperSharp V2 sharpening system. i've read pros and cons of the edgepro and the wicked edge and the ViperSharp seems to address the big issues of both systems. Wondering if you had seen the system and your thoughts on it. Thank you in advance
skers211 I would go with an edge pro,wicked edge or kme before I went with that
a dmt duosharp and a 4000 grit stone is all i need :)
150 euros and it's done :P
I used to be keen on buying one, but would rather get something that can sharpen garden tools, axes and chisels
KME .. cheaper and more versatile. . it holds the blade for you
Is that too much to ask of a $200 sharpener?
pickledbologna Not too much to ask, but that's not what everybody wants. I don't find the KME more versatile at all, in fact, because of that one difference, I find the Edgepro more versatile. I do like the way the KME pivots 180 degrees to let you get to both sides of the blade.
I think glocks are pretty :o. you insult my honor sir haha
I came back to apologize abs what do I find? A pleasant response to my rude comment. My excuse is I was on duty for over 24 hrs when I wrote that comment. I thought it was funny till I got some sleep. Sorry for being rude.
I Don't like the fact that you have to maintain the knife with your hand throughout the whole process. I prefer the KME or the Viper. Wicked Edge is out of the park expensive, so that one either make it for me.
Naaaa to would go with wicked edge for simple fact for me is edge pro scratches my blades where wicked edge won't , also I like it better on wicked edge to adjust angle , what's with edge pro color coordination angle guess. ? Naaaaa wicked edge is the winner in my opinion.
thank you for the review...... just as a side note and you may not realize that watching you open and close your knife is like listening to someone stutter, it is very distracting and ultimately detracts from you objective of informing the audience. Best advise I got was when hands not needed best to sit on them.
I use the Shapton Glass stones 320 up to 8K on my Edge Pro. Much much better and faster.
+Michael Hodges Do you flatten the Shapton stones using any special equipment, or do you just use the flattening kit from Edge Pro on these as well?
+Andris Kompelien I use a diamond plate to level the stones. The one made in China from Chefs Knives to Go. Mark entire stone surface with X's using a pencil and grind stone surface on diamond plate in a circular motion under water faucet.
Michael Hodges Oh, that sounds like a nice way to do it, thank you!
i made the same mistake on my tip of one knife
should have called it 'Righteous Edge'
in skilled hands, i guess the 2 systems could be equal, but the wicked edge is idiot proof.....these systems are not cheap but they'll last forever, so if amortized over the years you own the product and the knives you sharpen, it's cheap. By the way the WE is is much easier to maintain.
citygeek1. I own and have owned for years both the WE and the EP Professional. Neither system is idiot proof. The WE does take slightly less skill but does take more time per knife. The EP is a lot less money (30-50%) by the time you get everything you want or need to be fully setup with both systems. On that subject you are looking at the WE $750 package to start with and that does not include the extra coarse stones needed to efficiently re profile blades; you almost always re profile on the first time. The WE PP1 is crap, I have the bill and worn out parts to prove it. I have worn out several of the WE diamond stones already, they don't last as long as you would think. By contrast I am still using all of the original stones on the EPP. Lapping them flat as they wear and as recommended by EP they just keep on going, although the courser grits (120, 200, 400) are starting to get a little thin. But they can be replaced for far less cost compared to the WE. The WE is also showing quite a bit of wear due to bad design, ie; steel being run into aluminum on several of the main components. By contrast the EPP shows no signs of wear anywhere due to design flaws. Last but not least the WE is made in china and the EP is made in the U.S.A. from parts sourced within the U.S.A., This may not be a sticking point for some but it is important to me.
AK BZ
different strokes for different folks.... I wouldn't trade
AK BZ How many knives did you have to sharpen to wear out the WE stones? 100? 200? 500? I have sharpened roughly 30 knives and my stones on my WE cut like they did on day 1. Also, what wear are you seeing on your WE? Because I know that there are a few flaws with the system, but nothing that can't be fixed for $2. Did you have the old WE arms, or the new Ball Joint arms. Because the Ball Joint arms are vastly superior.
oXObsidianXo
please note, I believe that the only reason to buy a EP instead of a WE is cost, period, case closed......
citygreek1 I agree, I own a WE.
Edit: Put a hair whittling edge on one of my knives 2 days ago with the WE.
That's good to hear thanx for the reply good sir
WICKED EDGE ALL THE WAY... BUT TO EACH THERE OWN !!!
I'm really pleased with this! It works like a charm th-cam.com/users/postUgkxDcr-y2Pf6xdnrFHrSP7dl9kpKaCozcSQ Takes less time than my old electric sharpener because it can take more off the knife faster, and then it smooths out nicely with the finer grit polisher. I don't know how long it will last before the grit wears away, but I wouldn't mind having to replace it every once in a while.
you are loosing time ! try the cpyderco triangle sharpener ! quick easy, fantastic !!!
Hi Rob, I just posted this new process for using the Edge Pro. It works really great. Hope you enjoy.
www.chefknivestogoforum.com/improved-process-for-consistant-edge-pro-angle-set-t8437.html
Ralph Desimone Thanks Ralph! Looks like you've got the EP tailored just the way you want it. That's either a person's favorite or least favorite part of the Edgepro system -- it takes tweaking to get the most out of it. I like that about it, but some guys really do not. I think it affords flexibility to the expert sharpener, but I've known several novices who got so frustrated with it that they sold it.
If you cannot whittle free hanging hair, I'm not impressed (I achieve this freehand).
chibraxial That's awesome work! I just jumped over to your channel to see the video where you did this... Boy was I disappointed ;( Come on, man... You can do it!
TheApostleP
I have one on an alternate account.
The KME is a far better system
+Freddie Slaughter Christian Slater is the best actor of all time.
Freddie Slaughter good joke
Keep the stones in kerosene
dont by this edge pro very cheap material breaks very easy
musa ja Completely incorrect. The unit featured in this video was retired, unbroken, when my new Professional model from Edgepro arrived. It sharpened 10,000 knives and is still ready for backup duty when needed.
Yawn
Never use fixtures knife shaper. But i know what you mean by rolling the edge.