Sharpening Devices

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Hi5
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Sharpening Devices

Post by Hi5 »

I have tried many different brands and types of sharpener, for my hunting knives, household knives, broadheads. I can get a blade to shave my arm hair, but it's more work than I like, and the results aren't as consistent as I would like.

Now, Pydpyper can probably answer my question. He collects flashlights, daGrizz knives, and heaven knows what else, so most likely he's tried one of these at some time or other.

So, how well do these work? They are costly, but do they do a consistent, quick, and fine job?

http://www.worksharptools.com/sharpener ... pener.html
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michigan man
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by michigan man »

I got the Cabelas Workshop Kit. It's on sale for 90 bucks. Well worth it. I've never had knives this sharp before
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ThackMan
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by ThackMan »

If you have a quality knife that you care about I wouldn't use a power sharpener of any kind. Just my $0.02
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Carnivorous
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by Carnivorous »

I switched to the Havalon knife. If the blade gets dull swap it for a new one. Once you use a Havalon you will retire your other knives...
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by roly »

I love all my hunting knives, but the Havalon's are nice.
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by racking up points »

bellerivercrossbowhunter wrote:I switched to the Havalon knife. If the blade gets dull swap it for a new one. Once you use a Havalon you will retire your other knives...
After trying Jeff's Havalon to skin my bear, I'll be adding one to my arsenal this fall no doubt. I have heard some mixed reviews on the Ken Onion Worksharp from people that own it, but I have no experience with it.
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by deadeer »

I have the Ken Onion Work Sharp. Like anything, you have to learn and practice to use it correctly. I worked on my cheap and junk stuff to get the hang of it first, then went to my good knives. It is easy to use and repeatable. Pretty neat concept to why the knife edge will stay sharp longer due to the belt flexibility. I love mine. You will shave all your hair off after using it. :mrgreen:
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CT.HNTR
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by CT.HNTR »

X2 on the Havalon!

You will never have to sharpen again!
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by Hunt it »

For those who are considering the havalon - look at Outdoor Edge removable blade knives first. I have used both extensively and chose the OE knife for a few reasons: blades are much easier to change - safer to change - havalon uses the surgical connection like scalpel blades - bloody dangerous if you slip putting blade on, OE has metal blade that the surgical blade slides into - this gives the blade superior strength over the havalon system, this metal blade that surgical blades slide into is thicker on back side so you can still put your finger on it while skinning and doing cape work - havalon is too thin for that, OE are cheaper cost wise both on knive and blades.
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by grouse »

To me, knives are something that don't need to have a disposable component. I have the same Case XX knife I bought 45 years ago and it is razor sharp. I use a water stone that has one medium grit side and one fine grit side. You just soak the stone in water for a few minutes and sharpen your knife. For tune ups, I use an interrupted diamond steel that both realigns the edge and removes a little steel. That's all I need, and my knives are always sharp.
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by flightattendant100 »

Hi5 wrote:I have tried many different brands and types of sharpener, for my hunting knives, household knives, broadheads. I can get a blade to shave my arm hair, but it's more work than I like, and the results aren't as consistent as I would like.

Now, Pydpyper can probably answer my question. He collects flashlights, daGrizz knives, and heaven knows what else, so most likely he's tried one of these at some time or other.

So, how well do these work? They are costly, but do they do a consistent, quick, and fine job?

http://www.worksharptools.com/sharpener ... pener.html
I'm pretty sure Pyd. Has one of these sharpeners. Myself, I'm old and slow and love my Lansky sharpener . Does a great job and you can't screw up.
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NEPAbowhunter
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by NEPAbowhunter »

Check out a KME sharpening system.

http://www.kmesharp.com/
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newbie
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by newbie »

I have the regular WS system. Its fantastic. BUT you need to understand and practice of a few cheap knives. It will ruin a great knife in a hurry if you dont. It will remove a ton of material with the supplied belts. I ordered some much finer grits and I can honestly say they should include these instead of the ones they come with.
Watch videos.... oractice and this thing will amaze you.
Once you get the edge changed over to convex i only use the finest grit which does not remove much material at all just brings the edge back.

As for power tools and sharpening knives you care about.... dont let that scare you.... how do you think they get sharpened in the first place? All knives are sharpened on a larger version of this tool from factory.
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by Hunt it »

grouse wrote:To me, knives are something that don't need to have a disposable component. I have the same Case XX knife I bought 45 years ago and it is razor sharp. I use a water stone that has one medium grit side and one fine grit side. You just soak the stone in water for a few minutes and sharpen your knife. For tune ups, I use an interrupted diamond steel that both realigns the edge and removes a little steel. That's all I need, and my knives are always sharp.
Sounds good, But: when you have a moose on the ground or 5 hogs in back of truck one sharp knife becomes one dull knife very fast, covered in blood is not how I prefer to sharpen my knives. Please don't tell me that good steel in a knife will not need sharpening during such task as that is pure BS. Moose hide and hair is very tough on a knife. Hogs covered in mud and sand are worse. I used to take 2-3 of my good knives for such tasks but the replaceable blade in Outdoor Edge pops out and a new one in place in 10 seconds and on I go. Way lighter and gets the job done when I need it done. Using a $35.00 knife when I have thousands of $$$$ in custom knives made with all the best steels available, sad but it is better, faster, lighter so I use it.
Hi5
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Re: Sharpening Devices

Post by Hi5 »

Hunt it

After reading your post I did a bit of reading of reviews about the Outdoors Edge blade exchange system. Not surprisingly, reviews are mixed. Some, like you, love the system.

One of the criticisms I noted was that the replaceable blades were softer and dulled easily. Carrying several blades was an obvious cure for that.

Did you find the blades dulled easily? Do you sharpen them, and recycle previously dulled blades?

Heck, I don't NEED any more knives. I've dressed out an elk using my Leatherman multi tool. It works, but there are better options (if you have them with you at the right time).

However, I'm always looking at different systems. I think I still have a Kershaw blade trader system around somewhere...unless it was one I gave my son.

I want something better than my Lansky sharpening system, and I think the Work Sharp is the way I'll go. Like newbie says, when you get your knife from a custom maker or from a factory, you can bet it was sharpened on a power tool before you got it.
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