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Kavik
5531
Apr 3, 2018
Damn, that sold out quick. Really glad I didn't wait to make a decision on this one lol
KavikI thought the exact same thing. I wonder if this means they'll submit the order early.
DougFLA123
1404
Apr 3, 2018
KavikWhen I saw that 42 of these had already been sold...the pressure got to me and I bought in. I don’t even like recurved blades! I am so weak! When will it stop!?
DougFLA123Interesting designs are interesting. Doesn't matter much if they meet all your practical requirements unless you use knives for work purposes all day.
Kavik
5531
Apr 3, 2018
MaxwellDemonicNow wouldn't that be nice! 😁
Kavik
5531
Apr 3, 2018
DougFLA123That is such a minor recurve! Lol Can i ask what you don't like about them? I see so many comments complaining about recurves on here and I just don't understand the dislike
I love a nice recurve, both for the aesthetic and the functionality
DougFLA123
1404
Apr 3, 2018
KavikI don’t know what it is about recurves that I don’t like, but this one’s recurve is very subtle, like you said, so I went for it. Plus, I do love a good swedge, and a good steel, and bearings, and a titanium handle, and a steel lock bar insert, and what seems to be a very, very low price. It seems that almost once a month a Kizer knife shows up on this website at half the price of every other online knife retailer. Its very hard to resist!
Kavik
5531
Apr 3, 2018
DougFLA123Fair enough, was just curious :)
Yeah, the deals they get here on Kizers are really some of the best deals I've seen on this site. And definitely way less than I ever see them for sale anywhere else
KavikYeah, this is why I have more Kizers than any other brand.
Kavik
5531
Apr 3, 2018
MaxwellDemonicThis will actually only be my third.... Though, I've only been back into collecting knives for a few months now lol
Want another? I've got a fine Spear Point Wakulla here 😁
Hatuletoh
850
Apr 3, 2018
MaxwellDemonicMe too. Ti body, s35vn blade, flipper on bearings, snappy color accents, design by know knife maker? For <$100? Can't beat it. And they come w/ a very decent carrying case + polishing cloth. Hooray for the people who say "I won't buy Chinese-made knives" and keep down prices for those of us unencumbered by such sweeping declarations. I'd buy a knife from Timbuktu if it was high-quality and well-priced.
Hatuletoh
850
Apr 3, 2018
KavikAmen. I feel like the recurve on the blade of my Alter Ego gives it much more "bite" when the blade initially impacts and is trying to disrupt the surface integrity of the material being cut.
I think some people don't like recurved blades because they feel they're harder to sharpen. Which...I guess is true? A little bit? But i also notice--and I'm not saying this about anyone here, I mean people I personally know--a lot folks who like and own good knives don't know how to sharpen them at all, or they kind of suck at it, and do some weird off-the-edge scraping motion. Ever seen a blade that's pretty sharp, but has a wild spray of little scratches coming in all directions off the cutting edge? Tell-tale sign of the weird edge-scraper technique. I'm the least handy person around, and it took a few months and a few dozen 3-buck Wal-Mart blades destroyed, but eventually I got the sharpening technique down well enough.
Sigh. Then I discovered strops. Oh well. Never hurts to be able to sharpen with stones.
HatuletohI'm currently using an Accusharp system. I'm probably going to swap to a KME or Edgepro when I've got the cash floating about.
Hatuletoh
850
Apr 3, 2018
MaxwellDemonicYou know, I've never actually tried using something like an Accusharp. Ive heard ppl swear by them, esp the EdgePro, but I seemed to be doing all right with a few DMT stones, esp paired with the magic of leather and green chromium-oxide. And I notice you'll need rather of lot of cash floating around, and for some models a hell of a lot, so im quite ignorant on the subject.
I'm curious though, if you previously used a different method--and were good at it--but feel like the Accusharp takes it to a level that was physically beyond what could be done using water stones, or diamond,or whatever you might have used before? Or did you start out with the Accusharp, or at least start using it before you were expert in another method?
What about your usual starting point? I rarely have a blade that needs reconstructive work--small nicks would be unusually rare and severe, though it's happned. And Ive even reprofiled a cpl of blades for friends that were considered ready for the garbage; it took a long time and I probably took off a lot more steel than I should have, but in the end a blade that was cracked, with 2-2 1/2" split running about 20 degrees to the cutting edge became a usable, albeit much slimmer, knife. And with and edge be beveled abour twice as steeply.
So what I'm rambling to is: you think I should get a sharpening device? Im pretty satisfied with what I can achieve right now, but maybe there's an entirely higher, sublime plane of sharpness I'm missing out on? I love sharp blades and flat out refuse to use dull ones--i once worked in a deli, and saw and suffered cuts too many times at the end of busy days, when we'd worn down our knife blades and not had time even to quickly hone them; but there as always one last order, and someone would grab a knife that was as sharp as a spoon, grab the prosciutto in one hand, lean into a cut using the other, and...BAM! The sounds in quick succession of knife slamming cutting board, employee's swearing, customer's "ohmygodyourebleeding!", and there's $500 bucks worth of salty pig leg that can't be sold to anyone other than an Italian vampire. And Arturo only came into the deli once or twice a month, and even then only if was pretty cloudy out, and if the roasted garlic foccacia wasn't the day's bakery special.
Kavik
5531
Apr 4, 2018
HatuletohLol entertaining rambling, and a great question
It's funny, for ALL the sharpening equipment I own, I've never had a rod guided system either, but have always been curious as well
And when I say all..... -Standard 6" bench grinder with fryable wheel, with jigs (for tools) -Tormek SuperGrind 2000, low speed water wheel (for tools and knives and scissors) -WorkSharp, Ken Onion Edition (like a mini belt sander for knives) -4 various diamond plates -lapping films on granite -Gesshin water stones from JapaneseKnifeImports - 400, 2000, 5000 grits (HIGHLY recommend both the retailer and the stones. These replaced my Norton stones and not an ounce of regret) -a Coticle (forget the type off the top of my head) -a 'Chinese 12k' natural stone -3 Welsh slate stones ranging from about 8k to about 15k grit (straight razor stones) -Spyderco SharpMaker with ultra fine rod add on (this will handle your recurves just as easy as any straight blade) -and someone gifted me this "Wasboard Sharpener" that I haven't even gotten around to trying yet. Don't know how to describe it, so here's a link: http://www.washboardsharpening.com -plus, of course, an Idahone ceramic rod for kitchen knife touchups, a couple paddle strops with compounds for knives and chisels, and a dozen or so hanging strops for the razors
It's an obsession in and of itself lol
Hatuletoh
850
Apr 16, 2018
KavikHey, I know this is kind of late, but I stay away from screens and civilization whenever possible, and when I am connected I often have to stick to the business of buying and selling knives rather than talkint about them. But its been on my mind ever since I laughed my way through a list that took five or six scrolls to get to the end of: which sharpener do you like best, and/or use most often? Which method gets the blade to the absolute pinnacle of openness? And which method would you recommend to, firstly, a total beginner; secondly, to someone with moderate experience and solid-not-spectacular skills?
Also..thanks for making me feel Im actually restrained and conservative about knife and knife-relate purchases.
Kavik
5531
Apr 16, 2018
HatuletohLol I'm glad I can make you feel better about your restraint...... I think haha
Oh man, that's a tough question. It really is different tools for different tasks. But I'll assume you're asking just about knives.
Let me preface this by saying: I do okay, but I'm not a pro or an expert, it's just something I've enjoyed doing since I was a kid
The WorkSharp has probably been used the least. I'm sure it's something that can be learned, but I just haven't taken much time with it yet. It was an impulse buy when someone was selling the Ken Onion version new in box for less than the base model. But it's aggressive, like any belt sander sharpening, and care needs to be taken with it. Also, belts could be a bit expensive over time if used regularly.
Absolute easiest for getting a knife hair popping sharp is probably the Spyderco SharpMaker. As long as you can hold a knife straight while making a slicing motion, you can do it. Limitations: -ceramic rods may not be the best for some of the newer "super steels" -angles are fixed at 15 and 20 degrees per side -can wind up rounding your tips pretty easily if you aren't careful at the end of the strokes
Overall I've probably used the bench stones / diamond plates freehand more than anything else. Too many different types/styles/shapes of knives, i just find it quicker to grab a stone and do what needs doing rather than sitting there fiddling with jigs or whatever to be sure I'm exactly recreating what setup I used last on that particular knife.
Plus, i just find doing by hand to be more enjoyable and relaxing.
Is it the absolute most precise method? No. But as long as you get decently good at it, it doesn't really matter as much as we all like to pretend it does.
I think the most important thing is to try different methods and find the one you actually enjoy. Regular sharpenings that only get your knives 90% "there" is still better than having the ultimate sharpening equipment and still using dull knives because you can't stand sharpening on it, y'know?
DougFLA123
1404
Apr 16, 2018
KavikI impulsively bought a WorkSharp and I’m glad I only tried it on a couple of cheap-ish fixed blade knives. Like you said, it’s a belt sander and there’s no real way to put a precise angle on a blade. You run the knife through and pray. I can’t imagine putting a ZT or a WE or a Reate through it. Ugh, the thought makes me cringe.
I know it’s an expensive option, but have you ever used a Wicked Edge Gen 3 Sharpener? The demos I’ve seen on it look great...but super expensive.
MaxwellDemonic
838
Apr 16, 2018
DougFLA123I've heard great things about Edgepro and KME. I would pick one up but I just don't have the cash on hand to do so ><
Kavik
5531
Apr 16, 2018
DougFLA123The ken onion version is supposed to have a better angle guide than the base model, but even this one seemed a little floppy. Maybe one day I'll pick up the tool sharpener or blade grinder attachments so I can get some other uses out of it. Could probably do well for things like mower blades and axes....but the damn attachments cost $$$ too, and use different size belts, so that hasn't been a priority
I still haven't tried any of those types of sharpeners. Some day... In theory I'm sure they're quite good. As long as you can set them up precisely, and keep track of keeping both sides equal, I'm sure it's way more accurate than going by hand. I just don't have much space for keeping stuff like that set up all the time, so it's kinda a hassle adding all the setup time each and every time I need to sharpen something.