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.
@@chrislamo6631 how about the belts? My only concern is if they last long enough so I don't have to buy more, or they get to a point that don't sharpen the blade anymore and you have to get new ones? Are there replacements belts for sale?
@@JoaoPereiraJBP The belts last a fairly long time. My original box of belts lasted me about two years. I sharpen about 20 knives about every three months. Now if you have extremely dull knives your experience maybe different. The belts I go through the quickest are the honing belts. When I replace belts I purchase the variety box with the green, red and purple belts, and I purchase an additional box of just purple belts. You can get the belts on Amazon or at the big box stores that sell the sharpeners.
@@steveniemyer9288 want to save money on them honing belts? Go on Amazon and get the leather strop belt! It’s amazing! Once you have the blade sharp... all you have to do is touch it once a week or so with just the strop. Depending on how much you use the knife and how sharp you like to keep it. I don’t have to use any belt but the strop now. Edit: only use the strop on the front part of the blade guide. So as the belt is going downward on the blade. I get the best results that way. And even if you don’t want to spend the ten bucks on the strop... keep that fine belt even after it turns black. And just put some white compound on it. Your gonna need more strokes. But it will still do it’s job nicely. I have not bought belts for mine since I bought it. Have had it probably over two years now. Found it at Lowe’s for 17 dollars!
I have to admit that I have had issues sharpening knives using guided rods, bench-stones and my Ken Onion edition belt sander. This video and the concept of raising a burr has been revolutionary for me! Thank you very much Work sharp.
I bought one of these when they first came out a few years ago. The instructions that came with it are far different than what is being presented here. I also believe the original belts were different. The original red belts threw sparks and seemed much more aggressive. The reason I searched out this video is because I purchased new belts and they just don’t seem to be the same. I went from being able to produce razor sharp knives to sharp enough knives. After watching this video and following his instructions with the new belts I’m back to razor sharp knives.
Really helpful video. I've had one for two years and love it, never had sharper knives. This video took it to the next level for me, especially the burr.
I own the Ken Onion version. I sharpen everything from folding pocket knives to large butcher knives with this thing. they all come out with hair popping, paper cutting edges. Just like anything else, there is a learning curve. This video is a good place to start that curve. Start with a cheap beat up old knife and practice. I've sharpened hundreds of knives for myself and others. Never found one that I could not get sharp.
Thanks for the "tips" I love my worksharp and can get a real good, sharp blade but have noticed that I was starting to lose my tip, after this video I know what I was doing worng, Thank You..
I ordered the Work Sharp on Saturday the 12th and received it on Monday the 14th of January. Great delivery. Very fast. I can't wait to use it. Thanks This is a great tutorial. He is easy to understand.
Every owner, especially a new one like myself, should be required to watch this video. And, prerequisite to calling customer service, you should have to watch this video.
Absolutely correct. I ruined a tanto blade which now has a profile of a drop point blade once I ground the middle intersection completely away. My knife has a thin blade which does not rest against the guides. Lesson learned.
Just picked one up. It's real nice. I think it really helps to have some experience with a stone. I'm using your tool to save me time putting that razor sharp mirror polished finish on my blades after I use my stones. It's very easy to remove alot of steel real fast if your not careful. Just starting out use all of your junk knifes for practice. Then move on to your nice ones. Great video.
Ypu saved my life! I had no idea to 1 use any of the other sandpaper. I only used the brown. And I was getting jagged edges also not sharp. I used brown then purple and waaalaaa sliced like a piece of cheese. Thanks so much!!!!
Thank you for this video!! Had the work sharp for years and always had good results so was looking to see any tips since for some reason my hunting knives weren't getting as sharp as what I felt they should be. Also the masking tape was a great tip since I've scratched some really nice knives. Thanks again!
Thanks it was very informative I did not know about placing the blade in first then starting the machine I have an old sharade I'm going to have to redo
I've had my Ken Onion for about a week. Love it, would definitely recommend it. My only complaint would be, I ran out of stuff to sharpen. Maybe my neighbors have some stuff.
I own the Ken Onion machine and it's a step up from the original machine . I be been Sharpening knives for a long time with a stone as butcher , the Ken Onion machine is a no brainer . The difference between the original work sharp and the Ken Onion machine is the belt is wider . The machine does the job !!!!
Its a workable system, learning curve can be challenging. With a motorised system a mistake can damage a blade very quickly. I am currently using a Lansky system and considering to aquire a Wicked Edge Go. I prefer a controlled unmachnined system. Its my preferance.
Had a wicked edge. Not an easy setup and for sure not fast. Takes forever to break the stones in too. If the knife has a tappered blade it becomes a bitch to mount it in the same position everytime. Point is every system has its negatives
I got my belt sharpener, started working on a blade of mine, got it beautifully polished...and it wouldn't even cut cardboard. Was more dull then before. I had no concept of getting a burr then knocking it off to achieve sharpness. Thanks for the video, im sure it was in the instructions but who reads those lol.
Not knocking the product at all, but i practiced with cheap chinese made knives first rather than my benchmade or spyderco's. It made it easier to learn without any worry of messing up my favorite knives. Thanks for the video, take care, God bless one and all.
Thanks for sharing that tip. It's something we recommend as well. This is a power tool, both very capable and we recommend practice to get the best results.
Its funny all these people complaining about this thing rounding off the tips of knives. I've actually used this thing to grind tips back on at least three different knives that had the tips broken off.
@Semper Skeptical that was me, until I watched this video. I want complaining I came here to know why "I" was rounding my tip, I now know.. BTW thanks for your service..
Just bought one on sale at Cabela's for a good price. I wasn't expecting too much from it and only really bought it for cheap kitchen knives (it sharpened them up very well). I probably won't use it for my folders (at least with the guide) until I get more proficient with it. If a person follows the instructions in the video, you shouldn't have rounded tips, however, depending on the knife and thickness of the blade stock, you may start to put a recurve on it, so keep that in mind. I could be wrong (I remember I was wrong once a long time ago) but I think Benchmade uses these machines at knife shows to re-sharpen their knives for "walk-ups", so you may have had a knife sharpened on the WSKT and not even realize it.
Hello, I'm new around here, I just started doing leatherwork in my downtime and I've been doing slightly better than mediocre work. My only hang up being... I spend more money on replacing blades with new rather than sharpening old ones. I guess you can say I'm scared/nervous/apprehensive to sharpen because my worry is I won't do it right and my cuts will be sloppy. I started looking around on the RU-vid for how-to videos and after watching yours, I'll tell you.. there is a lot of bad bad information out there. Have you guys thought about doing a 'reaction' type video. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the way some of the other people (your "competition") are doing this. ... I feel like a lot of other people would too and I'd be willing to bet the first wallet I made, it will save some people a trip to the E.R if they know where to find the correct information. This isn't exactly the most exquisite of talents, although it is extremely overlooked but its definitel not complicated enough to require 'hacks' lol just a thought. Keep up the good and safe content boys. -m
Thanks for the video!! I’ve watched a ton, and yours is the only one to start & stop the unit with the knife in place. I learned something .... so thanks!
How can a burr be on both sides? I understand getting the first burr. Then same strokes on the other side and there should be another burr on both sides?
I would like to know if the blade face can be polished with a high micron belt and if the shoulders can be brought down along the face with this sharpener?
I thought I made a mistake buying this compared to the ken onion work sharp but doesn't seem so bad compared to some reviews I read . Been sharpening knives long enough . I know thing take some practice
My first work sharp came with a polishing compound to use with the honing belt. I don't see it being used in any videos or did it come with my second work sharp purchase. Is there a reason why it's not being used??
I've had mine for a few years and never really used it with any consistency because of rounding of the tips. I drug it out a few days ago to try to figure it out again. I got to where I could do better with it but when you get to the tip it is unsupported by the guide and you have to kinda hafta "freehand" the angle of the tip. If you watch the video closely, you will see him do this. He's pretty good at keeping the angle consistent but you can see him lift up when the tip looses the support of the guide. That, folks, is what makes it so hard to use with consistent results.
Worked out wonderful, thanks. For those who are rounding of the tip just listen to the man and pay attention. First time using it for me and it worked flawlessly. Get yourself a basic understanding of tools and handy work or get back in the kitchen. Yes it will burn through metal quick, try and use the smoothest belt, and if not go down to a coarser one. Also keep a bucket of water handy, don’t want to ruin the knife’s heat treat. After using this I can also say that this is not for regular sharpening, but instead to add a fresh flawless edge every couple of times a year, unless you have a beater edc or heavy duty tool. Touch up the blade with a stone, honing, and leather polish as much as possible. Otherwise, great product 👍
I’ve had my Ken Onion sharpener for over two years and right away challenged the instructions to shut the tool off at the end of each stroke. But before I continue, I strongly suggest owners follow the manufacturer’s instructions. The odds of avoiding blade damage and producing good results will be at their highest. I chose not to follow the instructions for several reasons. First, will a motor wear out faster if it is turned on and off numerous times during a single sharpening, or turning it on and off only once? Second, the method used takes much longer than my approach, and lastly, I’m sharpening blades used for often rough use, none of which is over $40. Here’s how I do it: Using the variable speed trigger, I start the machine at a medium speed and lean my blade against the angle guide but above the belt at the plunge line then i gently make contact with the belt at the same time pulling the knife towards me at roughly the recommended one inch per second. I never let the blade sit stationary against the belt. As I reach the curve in my blade I move the handle away from my body allowing the belt/blade angle to remain the same throughout the entire sharpening stroke. At the tip, I lift off the belt at the place where the belt would round it off, but admit that that is hard to judge; that the belt flexes slightly around the end of the point and so yes, my knives do show a slow degradation of the point. Very slow with care though. I then return to start position and repeat until I feel a burr along the entire blade length. Then I switch to the other side and repeat the same number of strokes. When I graduate to finer belts I shift from right to left more often to approach the final degree of sharpness I want more gently. I’m no expert on anything so i admit that I don’t know if turning modern motors on and off actually has a negative impact over time or not, or if changing sides with the blade during grinding makes any real difference. I can touch up a blade with a 320 or finer belt in a very short time, under 30 seconds if no edge damage is apparent, so offer this to anyone in a hurry with similar knives and time available. Obviously, restoring a damaged edge will take much longer and include multiple belt changes.
Pulling a knife through the angled guide has the belt moving in one direction on one side of the blade and in the opposite direction on the other side. Is it important that opposite sides receive opposite belt directions? I ask this because I use my Work Sharp to sharpen a lot of machetes and I have built a jig to hold the machetes and end up with the belt traveling the same direction on both sides.
How do you avoid rounding the tips of your knives while using this? I’ve had the og worksharp for a few years and have lost a few knives to that. Any pointers?
Make sure and stop with the knife tip still in contact with the belt that way the belt cant wrap around the tip of the knife which can cause some rounding over time. Good new is, stopping on the belt will start to restore your tip!
10:40...the red 220 grit? I guess your belt colors have changed since this video was made. The belts that came with the one I just bought have 120 red, and the 220 is gray.
Any tips on sharpening a tanto blade and keeping the profile factory correct? I sharpened mine today and deformed it a bit.. do I just need steadier hands? Do you stop at each edge of the blade? (Since tantos have 2 edges technically)
I have one of rhese and it works great. My only complaint is that i dont use it much because it has managed to round off the tip of every knife ive sharpened, extremely disappointed in this
So am i the only one wondering why you repetitively sharpen one side of the knife opposite of the other. There should be a guide wheel on both sides. It sharpens the blade down on one side and up on the other.
So right off, I noticed the sharpener is being held with the handle and belt perpendicular to one's body, instead of parallel in the instructional video... I always held it parallel... does it matter ? I've had my WS Sharpener for several years... good too watch some new videos on using this tool !
Great question - it doesn't matter. We showed it like this to help give a better camera angle. Do what's comfortable for you, the only really important part is where the knife makes contact with the abrasive.
Metal that you "remove" on one side of the blade accumulates on the opposite side of the blade... That's why you polish your blade afterwards! The equal burr all along the entire edge confirms that you have sharpened the entire edge and that that there are no "dead spots" that you didn't sharpen! You can remove that burr on a leather strop afterwards to get an even better edge. Sharpening process is actually a grinding process... What you grind off this side don't evaporate, it accumulates on the opposite side! While sharpening you actually move the excess metal from one side to the other. After sharpening you use a leather strop to remove the excess metal
I think Matt was referencing the side of the grinder where the belt runs into the blade (as opposed to running away from the blade on the first side). With the belt running into the blade, the burr would be ground off, rather than pushed over to the other side
I was confused when trying to get a burr. So the burr actually occurs on the opposite side of the knife you are sharpening, correct? If I was sharpening the right side of the blade, the burr would be on the left since you are essentially push the metal with the red belt. Does that make sense. Thanks
Good question, yes! The burr is pushed over from the side you are sharpening and forms on the opposing side of the bevel. You got it, hopefully this unlocks the next level of sharpening.
Factory Worksharp guide for pocket knifes is 25°. Most of my knifes are 20° to 22° edge bevel. So in essence, your forced to regrind the factory edge to Worksharps guide. How about offering extra guides to purchase?
Hi Kenneth, we include a 20 degree guide as well which is indicated for kitchen knives but can be used for pocket knives as well. Other Work Sharp tools offer different angle options.
Wait till you really look at your knives and you notice the heal of your blades where never sharpened. The newer system is a little better but only with the extra attachment you have to purchase.
The burr will form on one side, then repeat the same number of passes on the opposing side and a burr will form on the other side - but only one side at a time. The burr signifies that you have reached the apex of the edge.
So I have always followed the directions where they have you starting with the red band 120 and then working your way down each band from there, but I saw another one of the Work Sharp videos where the go from the red band to the 6000 grit right away. Which is correct? If you go from the red, heavy grit, to the medium grit next aren't you still removing more metal still with the medium grit? Is using each band from heavy to all the way down to 6000 overkill? Thanks for your help. It seemed I got better results using the heavy grit to get a burr and then going right to the 6000 grit.
Using all of the belts will create a different edge than using the coarse belt and skipping to the fine 6000. This is primarily preference and not a matter of better or best. Starting with coarse grit and skipping straight down to fine will leave small teeth in the edge, which may cut more like a saw, and increase durability of the edge as some teeth may fold or bend but others remain sharp. Using all of the belts will yield a more polished edge. The level of refinement will be higher and the final result may be technically sharpener, however also considered more delicate and may not hold up as well with high use. Using two belts certainly saves time and is my preferred method.
Hello, I want to move up from sharping knives by stone. I have reviewed a KME and Wicked Edge and the Work Shop belt sharper. All three seem to do a great job, and all three have disadvantages. Please no arguing, but can the Work Shop be used without rounding tips? I only want to sharpen kitchen and pocket knives to have a good edge. Hair splitting would be a great edge, but not required. Thanks for the video.
No it can't it's s fast sharpener but either of the others you've mentioned will give you better edges..any guided system will get better results they just take longer..I've runied many knives on this same model worksharp
I agree with Jim Yocum. I also have ruined many knives with this thing. (See comment above...) I can't say anything about the KME or the Wicked Edge, but I've had many, many years of success with the Edge Pro Apex. Great, hair-popping edges.
What is the matter you're using for the guide thing? It's look like soft metal (aluminum?) but I don't feel like it's soft enough... Look at the big marks you're putting on the side on the blade between 5:42 and 6:01! Another thing that bother is that the belt is not running in the same direction for each side of the blade, it's important especially when talking about the burr formation. But this can be easily fix by turning the blade 180° when changing side.
I own this and love it but always wondered why the guide couldn't be manufactured with a non scratching surface or even just lined with thin felt, etc? We can certainly diy something. But if it was done in manufacturing any blade angle changes would be accounted for.
I have found two things that stop that scratching. Ist and foremost, I used to use the guide for kitchen knives on my pocket knives to make them sharper. Doing that resulted in scratching the blade because it fit too tight in the guide. The other is to use the paint brush to clean out the guide.
My Work Sharp just ruined two of my edc blades by putting a recurve into them and dulling the edge for no reason. An Ontario RAT II in Aus-8 and a TOPS UTE in 1095. Took my time, followed the angle guides and watched and read probably 100 things before trying it out could not get a burr and the one time I did the honing grit belt dulled the blade to nothing after two strokes per side. Maybe mine is defective because it's just ridiculous I've never seen anyone else have issues.
Thanks for saying something - Your experience with our tools is extremely important to us. A few things to keep in mind: Rest the knife in the guide THEN, SIMULTANEOUSLY, power on and begin drawing the knife through. This will prevent creating a recurve shape. Sharpen one side at a time, 3-5 strokes on one side, then feel the opposite side for a burr. Then repeat the same number of strokes on the opposing side. Use the fine belt to remove the burr. At first, the burr may feel sharp, and the first stroke on the fine belt may create a dull feeling, however, it is only dulling the burr as it removes that bit of material. Alternate strokes on the fine belt and do as many as 10 strokes per side to refine the edge. If you have any questions get in touch with our customer service team, they will walk you through step by step.
A rolled edge can feel the same as a burr but a rolled edge happens because of pressure on the edge of the blade, a burr is formed when restoring an edge. Metal is pushed from one side and across the dull edge and then forms a burr on the opposing side, this is a physical indicator that the dull portion of the knife is now gone. Then repeat the same number of strokes on the other side to maintain symmetrical bevel height.
