Adam Savage Upgrades His Knife Sharpener! 

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Beautifully done Adam!!! To answer a couple of your questions about the sharpener, the jaws are extruded in Pennsylvania, machined to length (+/- .001) in Indiana. The rubber is overmolded onto the jaws in Ohio. We can’t have the cool internal jaw springs like you made because it’s an interchangeable jaw system (there are other sets of specialized jaws that can be swapped out). The springs would go flying 😂. Oh! You’ll find it much easier to get the stone and rod out of the way if the O-ring is on the same side of the bearing as the stop collar 😉. (Shouldn’t be any kind of stop on the backside). Then ya just pull the rod out, flip the clamp, and put the rod back. Lifting, (no matter how high) won’t work with an 8”-10” blade in the clamp. A most excellent video and analysis sir!!! Thanks very much Adam! Oh! We wanted to make a sharpener that was every bit as precise and accurate as the big money systems but simpler and less expensive while keeping the system 100% made in the USA

Here’s a tip when using these clamp systems: once you have it locked in where you like it, mark where it’s clamped in along the blade with a sharpie, that way in case the blade slides a little you can put it back exactly. The sharpie trick also works along the actual bevel, color the edge in and then you can adjust the angle to match. Once the stone is taking off all the marker you know you’ve matched the original angle. That’ll help keep you from reprofiling the edge every time 👍🏼😆

I just spent 26 minutes watching Adam sharpen a Swiss Army knife and modify the sharpener at a level I am in awe of. Loved every second of it. As far as the “rest” maybe something as simple as a thin rope attached to the base with a small but strong rare earth magnet on the opposite end to magnetically hold the rod? Been in the ifixit community for years. The ifixit brand of tools are excellent and the rare times I needed it the customer service is second to none. Excellent company. I am willing to spend a few extra dollars over unknown name because iFixit stands behind their stuff and their community. I want to reciprocate that loyalty.

I'm really pleased with this! It works like a charm ru-vid.comUgkxDcr-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.

Small tip, unless its a damaged blade edge you are dealing with, if you are just trying to sharpen a normally dulled blade. Put the coarsest stones in a case and leave them there. Just stick with a fine stone and strop and you would be amazed how much quicker the job gets accomplished in. A fine diamond stone will make quick work of sharpening a blade that just needs to have its edge brought back to sharp. The coarse guys are like bringing a sledgehammer to drive a brad nail. They remove a lot of material really quick. You just need to make a quick burr and strop it to have a super sharp blade.

Use a counterweight on the slider, that way it’ll naturally rock out of the way, AND allow for more sensitivity on pressure when sharpening.

I really appreciated the wide camera views, when operating the mill and lathe. Usually these days, the camera is focused on the part only. Its a refreshing view to see the machine being handled. And it definitely fits the part AND maker theme of this channel!

One of my absolute favorite things about Adam is even if he mods something he still gives credit where credit is do like on the simplicity of the clamp even tho he’s moding it he still appreciates the original design

Adam's looks are coming closer to a crazy scientist everyday that passes. That's awesome

As far as keeping the rod in place, perhaps just adding a counterbalance weight would work. I'm thinking of the way a tone arm works on some turntables.

It seems like "non professionals" have a great way of explaining things because they have gone through the experience of not understanding, and they know what it is like not to know. Love the videos, Mr. Savage. Thanks.

I just love the way your brain works, man. The genuine joy you get out of just breaking down and thinking about things is so much fun to watch.

Anyone else feel a little swell of pride or satisfaction when you see Adam review/use something that you had already started using before? I’ve had a KME for 10 years and like it a lot. Great company and great product.

I am a knife maker and I do my initial sharpening on m 2x72 grinder for all my knives and then finish up on my KME.

When Adam tricked the cameramen with the little ball like that in at 9:24 I genuinely lost it. So innocent yet so funny.

I have that exact same system, and it works beautifully. However, there are a few tips you might consider. -- First of all, there should be a second threaded collar on the guide rod to provide a positive stop on both the in-stroke and the outstroke. The O-ring is really just there for padding. -- Second, there is a set of "pen knife jaws" available from KME for really small blades. They cost $25 and are very useful. There is also a set of jaws for sharpening traditional 2-blade arrowheads and a scissor attachment for (shocker!) sharpening scissors. -- Third, if you want a highly polished bevel on your knife (polished bevels look better, last longer, and excel at push cutting although don't slice quite as well) you can get a DMT Aligner 8,000 grit diamond stone that does an excellent job. You have to shorten it by 1/3 of an inch to make it fit, but that is very easy to do. I simply sawed through the plastic backing on the stone with the saw on my Swisschamp and then held each side with a pair of pliers to snap off the metal to the proper length. It took just a few minutes and works great. Thankfully, the stone is already the same thickness as the KME diamond stones so you don't have to reset anything to use it. -- Forth, if you put some masking tape on the blade before you clamp it, it will prevent scratching the finish, and you can draw a line along the edge of the clamp with a Sharpie so that you can see if the blade shifts at all while you're sharpening it and put it back in the original position if it does. -- Fifth, a set of strops is a very worthwhile addition as are the Hewlett JewelStik 1-2-3 sharpener for recurve blades and the tapered diamond rod for sharpening serrations. -- Lastly, unless the blade is really dull or damaged you may consider starting with one of the finer stones and save the 140 grit stone for those times when you really need to remove some metal on a really dull/damaged blade or to reprofile the edge. Starting with the 140 grit stone means doing a lot more polishing work at the end to remove all the scratches it leaves! Also, I really like the idea of the spring-loaded jaws!

I've had this exact kit for years. It's cool seeing how they've improved the design slightly over time.

Hi Adam, I am a old watcher of Mythbusters. It's so cool to see you having this youtube channel! Best regards from the Netherlands.

I can't remember how long ago, could be over three decades ago I purchased a "Lansky sharpener" and it was a smaller version of this one and it worked great. I've seen other samples, like this one that I call "knock-offs" of the "Lansky sharpening system". Believe me, it works great and it's nice to see newer versions of it, but they are all similar to the device I bought a long time ago with some new bells and whistles added. Anyone that wants a good sharpening system, this is it. It takes time, but time well spent. Thanks for all your videos Adam, they have inspired me to get my shop in order!

to keep the sharpening block itself up and out of the way; add a magnet at the back standing up from the base that the rod can reach and snap into

To get the arm out the way, how about a bar that fits into the stand with a hook at top, simply lift the bar with stone and under the hook. The weight will keep.the tension... the bar/hook should be at the back of the machine where the bar pokes out.

Great video as always. Idea for the rod: you may try to use a carefully weighted "pommel" such that it barely affects your motion while sharpening, but when the stone portion of the sharpener is fully retracted towards the main body it is just heavy enough to keep the rod out of your way

Just a suggestion about how to "park" the sharpening stone/rod assembly ..... Add an arm to the rear side of the sharpener, with a small NdFeb magnet on its end. The rod can be held by the magnet, keeping the stone off the blade being sharpened, while rotating the blade to the other side. By using just the right strength of magnet, the rod (stone)can easily be returned to service by lifting the rod off the magnet.

It's been a while since I've watched one of your videos, but anytime I see you here on YT or on TV in general I remeber the lighthearted days when I was kid watching Mythbusters and living a much simpler and fun life life. Thanks Adam, it's always a joy watching your stuff

I love these tool modification videos. It always seems sacrilegious to cut into a professionally-made tool, but also very exhilarating to know that you are making it work better for yourself!

The KME is an amazing system, I don't think I'd trade mine for anything! So cool to see someone famous using it!

I've had mine now for about 3 years now and no regrets. Yes, get an after market knob. Easy to find on the net. Great system and the clamp is very good, and even clamps full grind knives EVENLY. So many accessories and stones. As a matter of fact I spoke to owners today. Great people. Very helpful and take the time to answer your questions. I can't recommend this product enough.

Adam, I don't know if you'll see this but I hope you do... I grew up on Mythbusters and having the opportunity to continue enjoying the manic brilliance in action with your Tested channel and watching you in your cave is a wonderful thing for me, taking me back to my youth... thank you so much for all of the things you've taught me and for the scores of hours of edutainment that you've provided. I hope you and yours have a wonderful 2023!

I would recommend getting the pen knife clamp. It’s great for smaller knives, like SAKs. I’ve been using a KME for about 5 years, it’s awesome! One other tip, I actually have mine mounted on a board which I clamp to my bench.

So intriguing watching you re-engineer things that we use. It has been so fun watching the reruns of Mythbusters on the Science channel. Growing up and having that as one of our options to ignite so many of us into tinkering and learning things we have never would have dabbled into. Thanks Adam, amazing video!

Hey Adam! Professional chef who sharpens his own hardened Japanese steel knives! When you sharpen on strict angles(which should always be done) you actually leave a small wire of material right on the tip of the blade similar edges of sliced rubber which gives the illusion of an instantly razer sharp blade(because the wire edge is as thin as one) that disappears shortly after ypu start using it leaving most people dissatisfied. Honing rods generally don't get rid of it so my mentor always instructed me to run the edge into a piece of soft wood as If you were going to do a long draw slice to get rid of the wire, then do a few finishing passes on a fine stone to perfect the edge! Instantly takes knives from razer from a few hours of use to a few weeks of constant use!

Dear Adam I enjoyed you modifying this knife sharpener. However I take exception to your use of a cordless drill to take it apart. You see about 7 years ago I had a spinal cord issue that caused me to loose the use of my hands and other body parts over about 2 months. My health care provider failed me and took 18 months plus to figure out my problem. And then another 24 months recover 98% of my fine motor skills and while it may seem trivial the first thing I noted was I couldn’t us a screwdriver it kept falling out of my hand. I learned to use care in disassembling things, this was one of my greatest pleasure’s. I love a cordless drill for all it sub functions. But using power is not better, Tim Taylor’s “more power oh oh oh” is is not better unless your swapping out the motor in a dishwasher for a small jet engine. Hand tools are best!

I've had a KME sets along with several of the add ons, for a couple years now, and absolutely love it! Before I had this kit I thought I had sharp knifes, but I was so wrong. The only downside to having this system is having to sharpen all your friends knifes.

I’m a full on Knife Knut, so this video makes me happy. 😆The KME is an awesome set up, good choice 👍🏼

The expensive Russian knife sharping machine you mentioned in the beginning of the video is really amazing looking. I watch a video of a RU-vidr putting it together and using it, and the machining the guy who built it put in to fabricating the parts is true craftsmanship.

Adam this video was AWESOME, you hit the nail on the head with the knife sharpener. You made it better, so it worked for you. I love doing the same thing. Watching other videos on the same subject you find 9 thousands ways to Sunday doing the same thing. Here you took something that was to your aware and made it better.

I own a KME and am a knife geek. You nailed it with this video. Those are two things people commonly upgrade on this kit and you did an awesome job

I bet putting a counterweight on the long end of that rode to keep the stone lifted up and out of the way would work pretty well.

My father fastened a sinker to the back of his sharpener rod and held it in place with o-rings so that it would keep his stones out of his way when he wasn't actively working with them. Works like a charm and he's had it for like 25 years.

Adam, I very much appreciate you fluency with operating these large machines. Almost as if you become connected with it, you never move without purpose.

Work your strokes the full length of the stone and work from tip to heel. The lower grit stone (150) is for a totally new profile for the edge, you can start higher. To get your edge alignment right, take a sharpie and colour the edge bevel in and do some test strokes to ensure you've gotten the edge angle right.

Thanks for sharing! Put a counter weight on the tail of the guide rod and stropping after sharpening brings a whole new level of sharpness. Sharpie on the edge between stones help you see where you have been i make even strokes and count the passes i make, the sharpie helps me see where i need to go more.

Wow! One of the first times I have ever enjoyed the sponsored segment. "Right to Repair" Hell fkn yeah!! 💪🏽🧠🤯

Love the addition of the knob on the stone holder. I have the very basic version of this sharpener and now I'll be adding a knob of my own of some sort. Love that you took a few hours and broke out a thousand tools to improve a sharpener that you could have just used to sharpen the blade in a few minutes as it was. Tinkerers Unite! I'm on about my dozen'th listen to the "Every tool is a hammer" audio book. Enjoy the videos too. Much gratitude to you, Adam.

i really didnt know that there was a thing of stopping us from modifying products we buy...the horror. I love how you made the sharpener work for you! I modify my stuff all the time to make it work better for me, never gave it a second thought. Nice job.

Hi Adam, To hold the stone/slide out of the way I reckon epoxy a tiny magnet on the back of the stone holder and add a small piece steel angle to the top of the bevel rod guide (or vice versa). Cheers mate 👍

OMG, it does my heart such good to see so many fine fine geeks, doing their thing with wild abandon... Thank you Adam for being the uber-nerd that makes that kind of deep geekery not only welcome, but inspired.

I love it! Making modifications to make your gear better, it's so incredibly satisfying.

5:31 I'm a little paranoid about these things, but one extra step I'd add is to flip the clamp around and check the angle on the other side before starting. Depending on the blade geometry, the type of clamp, and the position of the clamp on the blade, you can occasionally clamp the blade at an angle with respect to the center plane of the jaws. If this happens, you end up with uneven bevel angles on either side.

The Lansky sharpening system is a great option too, depending what kit you get it ranges from $40-$125, lots of extra attachments and stones you can add too. Will easily get you to scary sharp.

When I found my dad's old hunting knife and cleaned all the rust off it and restored it I wanted to put a new edge on it, so got the cheaper Ruixin pro that is basically the same type system. After practicing on some cheap blades and doing some mods I got a nice new and razor sharp edge on my dad's 70 year old knife. Then for the heck of it sharpened all my kitchen knives. Now I understand why chefs send their knives out to be sharpened, what a difference it makes having sharp knives in the kitchen.

I love watching this guy work, just watching the dance that goes on in his head us amazing.

Great mods Adam! I personally prefer whetstones, but it does take a great deal of practice.

Adam is just the mad scientist we need in these crazy times.

Love the SwissChamp! My Brother-In-Law gave me one for Christmas many years ago, it's been part of my every day carry since. It came with a leather case, compass/ruler and sharpening stone. One of my most prized posessions!

I especially appreciate Adam's wild and crazy Doc Brown hair in this video. "GREAT SCOTT!"

I hear the KME is very beloved by those who use it. I use a Wicked Edge, which has the advantage of being able to make alternating strokes on each side since the blade points straight up on the clamp. Absolutely love mine! Another great cheaper option is the new Work Sharp Precision Adjust + Upgrade Kit.

Adam, For everything you need to sharpen in your shop, you might want to consider getting a tormek t8 sharpener. They are about the best power wet stone sharpener with jigs to perfectly sharpen almost anything.

For my needs, I appreciate the simplicity of the Horl sharpener.

It's so nice to see a craftsman like you, simplify things

The TSPROF build quality addresses a lot of the fixes you did to the KME. I'm a product engineer and don't get to design things to my liking either :) Tale as old as time.

Adam should try the lansky sharpener. It can get a kitchen knife (or any other blade) down to a sharpness rating of 95 which is as sharp as a utility knife, and it’s only $70. Also he should check out project farm if he hasn’t already. He’s the one who tested all these sharpening systems and the only one that did better than the lansky was a $900 dollar sharpener and it only beat the lansky by 10 points, which is almost nothing.

Hi, Adam. I confess that I haven’t gone through all 1100 comments to see if someone else has suggested this, but for me, a simple idea for keeping the stone up and out of the way would be to attach a rod to the base that has a rounded hook at the top with the height set so that when you lift the stone up, you can set the back of the rod in the hook and it will hold it in that position and you can pull it forward or unhook it to use it again. You could also use a rod with a washer welded to the end of it which should also hold it a little more securely and make it easier to switch out the different stones. Keep up the great work. I especially love watching your thought process playing out in real time. I find it very inspiring.

It's always interesting to watch Adam Savage tinkering around.

The handle could have been extended to cover the pin at the base so that it rests against the platform and gives a little more stability.

Here's an idea for holding the rod out of the way... Add some kind of a post off the bottom plate (that holds the entire sharpening jig in place) with a large-ish diameter rare earth magnet on it located at a point in space where you can just tip the back of the rod down to it so it will be held out of the way.

I always thought I was weird for buying things and making my own adjustments to them. This makes me feel a lot better!

this week i repaired my Dyson Vacum cleaner, PC and built a paint rack from scraps. my 8yr old daughter fixed a T-shirt with a patch and we both modified a Fishtank to become a Gerbil enclosure.

Love the work Adam

Would love to see more content with yourself and Tom Sachs in the future. Even a Q&A question: How much did you heed Tom Sachs' rules for film-making in your self-filmed shop videos during the pandemic? It felt very in the spirit of Tom Sachs and early Neistat videos!

Hey Adam, I'd like to say that I really enjoy all your episodes of "Tested", and I would also like to express my appreciation for the time and dedication you put forth into each episode allowing the vast number of fans you have accumulated and retained from your time on"Mythbusters". I feel as though I can speak for the majority of us, saying this. We really enjoy and appreciate you sharing your projects, and passions with us through RU-vid. As for some tips referring to this episode. I learned that in times of using a hand sharpening stone you can use the thickness of two American ¢25 quarters to gauge the angle of the edge, if there isn't a preexisting edge to follow.

I actually worked in the small factory that made these kme jaws. They are extruded aluminum cut to size then CNC machined down to correct length and to add in the notch for the bolt to attach. There is also a variant of jaws that are angled! :)

I've looked at KME in the past, but never liked the grip. A neutral grip like what you made is a great idea. Also, color your edge with a sharpie so you know that you're getting the correct edge. The stone will remove the sharpie and you can see if you're hitting your apex or not.

I've always found that Swiss Army Knives have such soft metal for their blades that they won't hold an edge.

I love my KME. I modded mine by drilling a 1/2 inch hole into my bench, about 1.5 inch deep. I got a 1/2 inch steel rod long enough that I can stand up and use the system.

You're making a lot of knife lovers very happy with this video LOL I've been using a KME for a couple years and love it. The only mods I've done were adding a large knob to the end to grip the thing and some big rubber feet for the base. I'm not sure I like how the knob on top as it may change the geometry such that I'd be worried about putting too much downward pressure on the blade or getting a pinky finger in the way of the blade if I wasn't paying attention.

The roughness of the stones should align with the strength/durability of the steel. Meaning, for a simple stainless like on the Victorinox you don't need to start with the roughest stones. You can actually start with a much finer grit and get your edge back very quickly. A very rough stone would be used if you were to re-profile/re-shape the sharpening angle.

Whet stones and diamond stones all the way, plus sharpening (grinding and honing) angles become far more intuitive with practise 😉🙂

I could fall asleep from just listening to the tools and Adam work

I have a kme, absolutely love it. If you watch some of their videos, they will tell you that the sharpener is really intended to be handheld, as opposed to base. I like to use the base to achieve my burr on both sides with the first stone, then switch to handheld for all remaining stones. When you hold the base in your hand, it is actually quite easy to use your forefinger as a top hook on the guide rod when you need to hold it out of the during switching sides or just taking a break. Or applying a little honing oil, etc

I have a similar sharpener less costly but just as good. Work sharp precision adjust knife sharpener.

The wood handle is much nicer than teflon

Hi Adam. Just watched your knife sharpening video. Just a guess here, someone mentioned a counter weight on the rod. That sounds workable. I was thinking the only time you need the stone holder out of your way is to flip the knife. If you put the O ring out on the end of the rod it will aid as to not pull the rod completely out of holder bracket. When you need the stone out of your way pull rod all the way back to you and hang low below the knife holder. The o-ring prevents it coming out and you will always control stoke of the stone. The o-ring is not needed to act as an adjuster for stoke. Only to prevent removing the rod from coming out. When flipping the knife the rod is out of you way. Hang it down, not up. 😉

Hi Adam, I'm just so pleased that you and I have the same knife sharpening system! I love it and will also be adding a knob to the top of the unit. I have become the go to guy for all the knives that need sharpening from the girls at my wife's work. My hand gets so sore after a few knifes, the Knob would take a lot of pain away. Thank you for another great video.

Here’s a question for Adam. How does it feel to be a reference? I can’t even tell how many times a RU-vid channel or TV show I’m watching will use myth busters as a reference to back up their point.

Your tattoo is probably my favorite part of your videos! So useful!

KME rules! Have had one for 3 years now. Cool that you have one, and like your mods! Will think of using some of your ideas!

I have the same system and have used it for years. It is great and very easy to use.

Adam's drills fascinates me. I'm a home remodeler, which obviously has different demands on the tools we use than Adam's as a fabricator/model maker, but seeing him with some of the most top of the line tools, and then having those old brushed DeWalt drills and drivers is so crazy to me. I don't know, I guess I'm used to guys going and getting the best stuff they can get their hands on as soon as they can, and he just seems content with his gear.

He is the real life iron man ! The way he can go from tool to tool and task to task with such enthusiasm and understanding is so inspiring. And just create something out of nothing. I’m jealous of the camera man .. he gets real time knowledge on a daily basis .. what an amazing gift in his life to learn so much from this legend In real time ❤

Adam, Your add on is right on the money, I still think that the whole base it's on the "flimsy side", I rather having a steady base instead of a moving one (but that's me). I also have a "basic" sharpener like that that needs a lot to improve it, I just don't see myself paying hundreds of$$$ for a sharpener. Thanks for the video, your shows are always fascinating to watch, I'm glad that you are on RU-vid.

I am amazed how patient Adam is.... the best knife sharpener I use is the one my dad taught me while in the kitchen (he was a chef); the underside of a bowl or a plate. There's always one around and it's quick and easy, and it works a treat just like a poor man's sharpening stone.

We got the Spyderco Tri-Sharp back when it first came out- early 80's. It was Spyderco's first product (I think). As a 11 year old I taughtmyself how to use it and became the famiy expert. Still am 40 years later. I've been using it ever since, and it works awesome! My friends brought their knives to me for years. It's easy for me, and durable. They tried it and they all cut the sh*t outta their thumbs. Basically, if you get sharp knives by sharpening, then do that. Whatever works for you, and gets your knives sharp,... Works.

Looks good, my knob mod was using a larger one on the end of the guide rod. Also the "sharpie" trick along the edge to determine your initial angle is key. When the stone removes the sharpie evenly, then you have the right angle. Also scrap the "stops" on the rod, don't need em.

I've used my KME sharpener for years now, had my gripes with the design of it as well, ended up doing my own mods too. Happy to see your modifications and how we're all different. I chose to put the ball handle on the end of the grip, and took the plastic tighteners off the all thread all together cause it just kept tearing my skin up. Ended up using multiple nuts on the middle portion for double tightening the knife on since 1 nut backs itself off. And a bigger surface to push on at the back to compress the jumbo spring so i dont wear out the dimples every time i rotate the knife during sharpening. Lil bit of oil every use and it's been smooth sailing since. Oh and they sell smaller jaws for the tiny knives. Comes in handy. I'd also suggest getting a decent digital level for precise angle setting for those finnicky kitchen knives.

I've looked at this and that other expensive system a few times, never decided to order either since I get by just fine with freehand sharpening. Took a while to get used to and practised on some bad cheap knives initially just to get the basic technique right. The trickiest part to get the hang of is the tip, so easy to mess up. So just freehand combined with a simple spyderco sharpmaker for quick maintenance of a less than ideal edge in a kitchen drawer (triangular ceramic rods that fit into a plastic base for a 30 and 40 degrees inclusive angle guide). I'm still slightly tempted to get one of these though for more consistent edge angles. But I really like the modifications you made here, very practical especially how the clamps and handle work now. Only slightly unsure about the cylindrical smooth base seemed like something coarser or perhaps oval/octagonal might be easier to hold on to and stop the knife from rotating as you're sharpening but it does look nice.

Hey Adam, on the back end of the rod, you can modify the o-ring to include a metal arm coming down and attach a small button magnet that could hold the arm assembly onto a metal bracket. When done sharpening, just lift it all the way.

You and I would get along famously! I'm always taking something and tweaking it to be a little bit better within the realm of my equipment's abilities. I have trays and trays of stuff I have taken apart to use for parts to fix or tweak other things. The gratification of taking junk and making parts of it useful again is something I love to do.

Also, the vanish move on the knob/ball was brilliant. Not expected, and it made me crack up that you did that.