Hand and Power Tools
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Yes to both questions.
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Beautiful!
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Going to pick up one of these soon:
My 1x30 belt sander shit the bed and I have a couple knives that need to be reprofiled. I have an axe too with a couple big chunks taken out of the edge so that needs some major reprofiling done to it.
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Hipster
You know you want one, too…
(I bought it about five years ago at Lowe's, which is the most hipster big box hardware store, I'll concede)
And no lie- I've had that exact sharpener on my Amazon wish list since November 20, 2016, after one of my favorite bootmakers recommended it. Now that all my stuff is finally out of storage, maybe I'll finally get it.
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From the Iron Heart Boss Talk.
Tool set in an IH made roll-up case. Stamped serial number 1/21 to 21/21 and with flannel inside. -
Got the Worksharp Ken Onion Edition this week. It's ok for large knives, but I almost immediately bought this thing:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J9AADN6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
After ten+ years of freehand sharpening on a belt sander, this is my speed. I got it last night and it's a nice upgrade.
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@Aetas , is the IH roll case available for purchase?
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Just gave this bit of advice to Giles because he's thinking of getting the Worksharp. Might be handy to anyone else thinking of getting it
Get some extra belts too. You'll need three different sets. One for the main kit.One for the knife grinder kit.And a stropping kit for the knife grinder.You'll burn through a bunch of belts learning how to grind. It's also handy to have new belts handy so you can tell how worn in your belts are. You should be able to tell by feel.The easiest way to find out if you're using the right angle is to color in the edge with a sharpie and see how the edge is contacting the edge.Success is measured by how consistent your edge is from heel to tip and then symmetry between both sides.Start on a slow speed or you'll wind up with recurved edges.Don't let your edge get hot. If the edge feels warm dunk it in some water.The cheapest knives you'll find are best for learning. The steel is softer. Remember that the steel is softer when you start on nicer knives, which have a harder steel.I've been grinding steel for a LONG time. The funny thing is you'll find that even shitty knives are really useful when you know how to sharpen and reprofile. The cost to benefit ratio becomes pretty narrow when you get good at this.The real test is when you can make a 79 cent knife work as good as a 300 dollar kitchen knife.
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@Aetas , is the IH roll case available for purchase?
Haraki only made 21 and I think they'll all be staying in Japan I am afraid….
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ten+ years of freehand sharpening
See, this is the part I'm trying to avoid. I want to spend my time making things using sharp knives, not spend my time making knives sharp. If I can get something that gives me a good edge without much time or effort, then that's the option I'm taking…
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Spyderco Sharpmaker?
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If you're looking for "good enough" the Worksharp Ken Onion will do the job (without the blade grinding attachment)
I would still get a bit of practice on a couple cheap knives.
Once you have your knives reprofiled, you can just do quick touch ups on a Spyderco Sharpmaker. Set the edge to 15 degrees each side, then sharpen on the Sharpmaker at 20 (40 degrees inclusive) and you should be good for awhile. When touch ups just don't do it anymore, take it back to the Worksharp.
I don't recommend most people use the Worksharp regularly and for touch ups, it takes off a lot of steel.
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Do you use the Spyderco a lot, Doug? I've used similar, though cheaper, sharpeners and didn't really like them. I think what appeals to me about the Worksharp is that I'm less likely to move the knife around and screw up the sharpening process. I like your tip about the marker; definitely gonna use that one.
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I do use the Spyderco a lot. It's handy for touch ups right before a carving task, or just routine touch ups.
One warning, you can't go on autopilot for the Worksharp. At some point the blade is going to narrow (I guess with the exception of a cleaver) and it's going to slip off the guide if you're not paying attention. If you let that happen weird things are going to happen to the tip.
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The problem you're probably encountering with the cheaper sharpeners is probably one of two things:
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You've sharpened/steeled the knife too many times and it needs to be reprofiled. The Worksharp is good for that. I like a 30 degree primary bevel and a 40 degree secondary bevel
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You have knives set at the factory with a stupidly obtuse angle and it needs to be reprofiled (see above)
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Festool T-Lock Systainers as far as the eye can reach ;D. Great shot @RoxRocks86
We have the pendulum jigsaw from Festool.
What do you use? -
Hey @Aetas that jigsaw is somewhere in the stack behind me as well
Out of the systainers in the pic actual festools included a rotex 125, cordless drywall gun, cxs Li 1.3 cordless drills, and a bunch of misc. hand tools, accessories, abrasives & bits.
But the main work horses that come along on almost every interior job are two CT HEPA dust extractors. One is usually hooked up to a track/table/miter saw and a mini HEPA used with various rotex & ets sanders.
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I am extremely pleased with this $25 Harbor Freight saws-all I got. I was surprised by how powerful it is! I got it to cut my old sofa up into manageable pieces since I don't have any help. Of it was any cheaper they'd be giving them away for free. The pack of blades was almost as much as the saw
I should have gotten the cuff off grinder while I was there too.
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My experiences with Harbor Freight tools have been that they are either amazingly solid for the price, or they are cheap in every sense of the word and break almost immediately. Unfortunately, there's no way to tell which it will be until you're knee deep in the project.
