Thread: Honing Machine?

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

It's really not a machine at all, really a guide. From what I can see it's based on the Lansky system which uses a holder very similar and also uses a guide which attaches to narrow hones. It's also much cheaper.

the lansky does not hold it stable as this does. The lansky is not reproducing a bevel and it does not go to as fine a grit!

Originally Posted by Str8Shooter

This is Texas... We dry rub everything. No sauce!

..... That's what she said....

Sharpening aids come and go if they were as good as they say everyone would use them ask anyone who uses knives to make a living and most will tell you a good stone is the best way to sharpen guess you could say the same with the old barbers shaving people day after day as for a twenty degree angle on each bevel you end up with a fourty degree edge which may be good for an axe but not much else and for the cost you can buy some great full sized stones that will last a lifetime

Originally Posted by Alucard73

Sharpening aids come and go if they were as good as they say everyone would use them ask anyone who uses knives to make a living and most will tell you a good stone is the best way to sharpen guess you could say the same with the old barbers shaving people day after day as for a twenty degree angle on each bevel you end up with a fourty degree edge which may be good for an axe but not much else and for the cost you can buy some great full sized stones that will last a lifetime

I'm an apprentice butcher ie use knives for a living.
we own three stores in our city and we have a bench mounted system at each shop and one of the butchers has one at home so I think the comment is a little unjustified,
a stone may be more convienient for use in store for quick touch ups but a proper system such as an edge pro, blade sharpener or the wicked edge not a little hand held item is in valueble. as for edge angle, if I put a cut throat 18deg angle on my boning knife it'll be sharper than my colleges' blades however by the end of the day the fine edge will be destroyed, were a 40-45deg edge will cut well and be easily maintained by steeling lasting about a week.

to the op, I own a Wicked edge and have had a go on an old razor.
1, you really can't go fast on a razor
2, you need a non smiling razor or it doesn't work well
3, wedges? forget it
4, too easy to press too hard
its heaps slower than going by hand and you might as well put the money into bench stones if you want it for honing razors.
on the up side it really is GREAT for knives!

your missing out on a vital part of your apprenticeship by not learning how to sharpen a knife freehand as not all shops will have a sharpening system so then you can get the knife sharpen bloke to come around but it still wont be the same thirty years in the trade and i've worked in every aspect of it i've seen it all and nothing beats a couple good stone a decent steel a razor sharp knife and learning not to mash the edges best advice i ever got was learn how to do everything extremely well spend time in the abbs and the boning rooms etc

I think the missing bit is that razors have a built in guide.
If we remember this there is no need for a fancy machine.

For a knife system this is an interesting one especially
since they slice our famous man made hones from Nanawa
and others to fit to the hardware (Chosera, Superstone, Spiderco
ceramics, etc).

For the wood shop, kitchen and butcher shop the value of a correctly
sharpened edge is well known. Knowing how is often
a lost art. There is a local guy that sharpens knives different days
at different shops. He does a couple things right -- he uses water
cooled stones -- but he grinds the heck out of German steel. The result
is sharp but not correct to my eye. The best home knife solution
is the Shun solution... just pay postage and they will resharpen their
knives for you , correctly.

Originally Posted by basil

..... That's what she said....

LMAO!! I thought that after posting.

Originally Posted by Alucard73

Sharpening aids come and go if they were as good as they say everyone would use them ask anyone who uses knives to make a living and most will tell you a good stone is the best way to sharpen guess you could say the same with the old barbers shaving people day after day as for a twenty degree angle on each bevel you end up with a fourty degree edge which may be good for an axe but not much else and for the cost you can buy some great full sized stones that will last a lifetime

I'm not sure where you get me placing a 40 degree bevel but oh well. this will never do an axe as it will not fit. As for sharpening a knife on stones, very few people are good at it and fewer still can make a consistent bevel of any kind. Even when stones were the only and common way to sharpen, the average person sucked at it. That's why the neighborhoods had sharpener carts going around doing your knives. I have never found anyone that could free hand hone or use any of the multiple systems such as the Lansky, that could come close to the sharpness level and consistent bevel reproduction that I am able with this.
Is it what I use on razors? No. Is it expensive? Yes. Would I buy it again? HELL YES! I have sharpened everything from a small MT blade to a 18" machete. Razor sharp everytime. Once you use it or see how well and fast it is it sells itself. All my friends that hunt/guide/do cook offs now own one or have me sharpen their blade. It works. Don't hate on it or claim you can do a better job free hand. In 5-10 minutes it's done. Dead no bevel to 0.0125 micon.

Originally Posted by Alucard73

your missing out on a vital part of your apprenticeship by not learning how to sharpen a knife freehand as not all shops will have a sharpening system so then you can get the knife sharpen bloke to come around but it still wont be the same thirty years in the trade and i've worked in every aspect of it i've seen it all and nothing beats a couple good stone a decent steel a razor sharp knife and learning not to mash the edges best advice i ever got was learn how to do everything extremely well spend time in the abbs and the boning rooms etc

I don't think I'm missing out on part of my apprenticeship IMHO, but I do agree that freehanding is a skill that IS needed which I can do but not as well as with a system.
and Im actually a little bummed I don't have an abb anywere close I can spend a little time at

Originally Posted by Str8Shooter

As for sharpening a knife on stones, very few people are good at it and fewer still can make a consistent bevel of any kind. Even when stones were the only and common way to sharpen, the average person sucked at it. T

Most members of the kitchen knife forums sharpen knives by hand on stones, including traditional Japanese knives. Some are trying to use system like the one posted here but it can can only be used successfully on western style knives. Sharpening by hand is about muscle memory just like straight razor honing, learning to keep proper angle does not take long at all.