I'll use my diamond stone maybe twice a year on my knives, and I don't envision using the Worksharp 220 grit belt any more than that. Using the 220 belt on a weekly basis, yes, valid point, but using it sparingly, not so valid.

I can see using the 6,000 grit belt a little more often, maybe monthly on my high use knives, but the amount of material taken off with that is infinitesimal, so I can't see any long term damage over time.

I use a sharpening steel to keep a keen edge, and after 10 years in restaurants, yes, I know how to use one on my knives.

i personally wouldnt use the 220 for anything but lawnmower blades... deffinately not knives of any value...

i keep my knives in check, to where i only need to sharpen them for about 5 minutes on my Norton, or if i borrow a friends Shun, at the beginning of the season, and maybe touch them up 1 or 2 times throughout (i have several knives, so i dont always keep them all tip top sharp, just my nice ones)...

speaking of that, i have some sharpening to do

Andy, thats one of the only tools i own that i dont know how to use correctly... could you possibly show me the correct way to use it some day? it as well is an old Chicago Cutlery from the 60s, when they were pretty much the elite of the elite.... ive just never gotten the hang of it, same with a Strop, id like to learn that process effectively as well... the Norton works great, but i dont like carrying around 60 dollar stones to the river with me, a small stone and small Strop to me sounds a bit easier to store if i ever do need to sharpen on the river if something happens or whatnot...

There's no trick to steel. It's just a matter of keeping your knife held at the SAME proper angle on both sides of the blade as you make a continuous down and across motion against the steel. Only problem with that is you can't really tell someone how to do it.

The only "trick" is to remember to tuck your thumb in to the handle of the steel, so you don't slice it off on accident as you are bringing the knife blade down towards your thumbs...in a series of rapid swings. Dangerous as all hell, but I still have all my digits and have NEVER cut myself using a steel. Ever.

Oh, and it takes practice, practice, practice, and more practice to be good with a knife and steel. And more practice then practice some more.

My great uncle was a butcher. I got my first pocket knife when I was 10, followed shortly by getting one of his hardened butcher steels. Been using one ever since. I inherited his set of steels.

Pretty sure it's true in that "they just don't make them like they used to" when it comes to knife steels.

That being said, the Worksharp is a great tool for *most* people (me included) to really get a basic knife, one that's been used and abused, exceptionally sharp. From there, if one has the experience, a few schwacks on a good butcher's steel is all one needs to keep the edge fit and sound.....until your Mom get's a hold of it and uses it to hack on one of your thick-ass plants in the back yard. So much for that edge.......and thank goodness for the Worksharp!

For the average user, using an average knife (we can't all be professional chefs, or inherit the family knives), it's a great tool that does an exceptional job on just about all levels of knives.

...and I've used the fine grit on my high end and they are fine. Sharp as [Bleeeeep!], too.

same goes for knives in general... look at all the big companies that went to crap, Chicago, Buck, Schrade, even Gerber was good back when they were still made in Portland... now, they are SS peices of crap... yeah, they might get sharp for a bit, but compared to HC Steel, or other high grade knife steels, they dont stand a chance, or put up with the same use/abuse...

heres 2 of my CC knives, one, from the 60s that i bought my dad a long time ago when i found it at a yard sale, the second, was his, i dont know when he got it, but its from the early 80s i believe... his favorite knife was the one i got him, and not the one he purchased... these are the same model knife too, just a bit different sized, because 1 is legit, and the other, aint sh!t.... (one was made here, one was made in China)



see whats going on there?

and Parker and Andy, as you said, i wouldnt be so concerned with the high grit belts especially when used by someone that knows what they heck they are doing... its lower grit belts with idiots you have to worry about... or the people that drag their blades through gravel and have to sharpen them 40 times per year...

and then, there is the morons, that think its ok to use a grinder to put an "edge" on the knife... and when they cant figure it out, this is what happens when you think you let someone that you think knows what they are doing, go ahead and work their magic on one of your dads old Case knives...



lovely isnt it?

heres something thats been with me on the banks forever it seems... some of you older folks may appreciate this... not 100% but i think its 60+ years old... still works like a charm... and i love the hook groove... used to have 2 of these cant find the other one, this one was given to me when i was probably like 8 or 9...

vintage Eze-Lap diamond steel/stone (i dont know why they call it a stone, its a chunk of steel)

Handle up, steel pointing down, and you don't have to tuck your thumb.

Then again, I always wondered if Parker was a "tucker". Guess he answered that question.

same 22 degrees Andy?

For those that have a hard time reading and need pictures, this would be bad:



As a "tucker", I recommend tucking in that thumb to fellow tuckers.

http://youtu.be/RE0esHpQ-qc

Away from body.

I always have a knife on me, especially at a gun fight. How else do you cut off their ears or fingers for trophies? Also very useful when mining the gold - off of fast swollen fingers, teeth, etc. The knife is sharp too, as I used the WorkSharp to sharpen it!

Hopefully the rug would already be cut...............just sayin.Good luck,
SZ

But will the curtains match...............Good luck,
SZ

59.99 sportco tent sale right now

For those that are wondering.....Should I buy or just continue to sharpen as I've done in the past?????

I have the Work Sharp, bought in past 6 months and a Chef's Choice "Edge Select 120", that I've had for many years. Both do a very good job on knife shapening,

Now if having sharp scissors is important at your house, and I do mean sharp then "hands down" its the Work Sharp.

I bought the Work Sharp off Ebay for less than $60.00, the Chef's Choice, also Ebay, was about $119.00.

I even sharpen my scissors, that I use to cut Power Pro braid......wow, does a great job.

Good luck!!!!!!

Enough already! I drank the koolaid. Ordered mine today.

I like mine..works great on all "grades" of knives (including the Wusthof set)...especially happy with the fistfull of old Rapala's that I had lying around that wouldn't cut butter...now they're razor sharp boat knives!

Used mine for the first time yesterday. Very little work to put good edges on the knives. Made a couple of passes with the green belt to get one knife started. A couple of passes with the red belt and it is good to go. The other knives just needed a light application of the red belt. Ordered up the extra belts on-line.

I agree it is great product, almost too good. It took me mere minutes to get everything sharp, knives tools,etc....
Now it will sit in the drawer for months. The only thing better than buying one is having a friend with one.

Ordered my "free" belts on 8-7-13. Got them today.

Stopped by Sportco and got one of these last week, since they were on sale for $60, and went right home and did my fillet knives before heading to Buoy 10...worked absolutely fantastic, I must say.

I've got a bunch of other knives I can't wait to get at with it...did a couple of our Henkel kitchen knives and they went from "good" to "awesome" in about a minute.

Fish on...

Todd

Damn you people! I have bills to pay and I shouldn't be wantin' a new toy right now. It's on the wish list - but in 967th place.