Rambling Review: Work Sharp Guided Sharpening System

Why:

I’ve always struggled to get a hair popping edge on a blade, and I have run through several different  sharpening systems.  The Work Sharp Guided Sharpening System is the real deal and has taken my edge sharpening to the next level.

First impressions:

What’s included – 

• 6” coarse (320 grit) and fine (600 grit) Diamond Sharpening Plates
• 17° and 20° Angle Guides
• Coarse and Fine Ceramic Hone with built-in Angle Guides
• 3 sizes of ceramic rods to sharpen serrations
• Pivot-Response technology
• Removable diamond plate holder for sharpening tools

– 42 year warranty –  The Work Sharp Guided Sharpening System comes with a 42 year warranty. Why 42 years? According to Work Sharp “that’s how long we’ve been serving our customers, and we’re looking forward to another 42.”

Field Use:

I have always had trouble getting a good edge on my knives and broadheads, but the Work Sharp Guided Sharpening System is the perfect tool for a novice like myself. One of the most important aspects of the Guided Sharpening System is the fact that it is guided. The 17 and 20 allows for a consistent starting angle for each swipe of the blade.

The one feature that makes the Work Sharp Guided Sharpening System stand out is the Pivot-Response technology. Different blade profiles require different sharpening techniques. With the Pivot-Response System, the stone surface is allowed to rotate down when sharpening a curved blade. The Pivot-Response system is able to be locked out for straight blade sharpening as well.

I usually dread having to sharpen my broadheads and knives, because I spend so much time trying to get it right. The Work Sharp Guided Sharpening System certainly cuts down the learning curve and gives me confidence when putting an edge on a blade. One thing I did find helpful was the The Guided Sharpening System Upgrade Kit which includes:

• Extra-Coarse Diamond Plate (220 Grit)
• Extra-Fine Diamond Plate (800 Grit)
• Leather Stropping Plate
• 25° Stropping Angle Guides (2)
• 0.5 Micron Honing Compound

Pros:

Perfect for beginner or someone more experienced

Straightforward ease of use

Angle guides

Pivot-Response System

Multiple interchangeable diamond plates and ceramic rods

42 year warranty

Cons:

Warranty applies to only non-consumable parts – in other words, everything except the abrasives (diamond plates and ceramic rods).

Upgrade Kit not included – This upgrade kit really completes the package 

Prognosis:  If you’re like me and need a little extra help getting your knives razor sharp, definitely check out the Work Sharp Guided Sharpening System.

https://vimeo.com/127774643

* Disclaimer:

The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review.  My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.

The post Rambling Review – Work Sharp Guided Sharpening System appeared first on Arizona Wanderings.

Rambling Review – Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener

Why:

Every outdoorsman requires his tools to perform at their highest level. This means keeping knives, broadheads, fishhooks and everything else with an blade razor sharp. I will be the first to admit that I have always struggled with honing a sharp edge on my knives and broadheads. When I received the opportunity to check out Work Sharp’s Guided Field Sharpener, I lept at the chance to try it out.

First impressions:

Fool Proof – Many of the sharpeners on the market today are a bit tricky to use and consistently hone a sharp edge. The Work Sharp  Guided Sharpener does exactly what it says – Guides. On either side of the diamond plates, the 20º guides allow the user to maintain a   consistant angle on the blade.

All-in-one design – The Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener is an all encompassing. It has a two diamond plates (one fine and one course) which are able to be removed and replaced. The Field Sharpener also sports two separate ceramic rods. The larger of the two has the ability to be turned to either a course or fine side, and the other side allows you to sharpen fishhooks. The smaller ceramic rod is for sharpening a serrated blade. A leather strop, broadhead head wrenches, and a small storage compartment finish out the major features of this all-in-one sharpening unit.

Field Use:

I spent an afternoon messing around with the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener on several different knives that I had and I could not have been more pleased. I was able to sharpen some very dull knives to a razor sharp edge. I also spent some time working on my two-blade broadheads and found I could sharpen them with relative ease as well.

The Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener is light weight and compact. It makes it the perfect addition to a hunting pack in order to touch up a blade while butchering out an animal.

The one thing about the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener that I would change would be the grip. The unit has a place to grip the  sharpener between the thumb and index finger, but I believe this sharpener would be even better with a more substantial handle to hold on to.

Pros:

Fool Proof Guides

All-in-one unit

Very reasonable price for all the parts that are included

Small and light enough to fit in a hunting pack

Cons:

Lack of a substantial handle to hold on to

 Prognosis: The Work Sharp’s Guided Field Sharpener is an excellent, lightweight option for the outdoorsman looking for an all-in-one sharpening tool.

* Disclaimer:

The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review.  The Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener was provided by the Outdoor Blogger Network and Work Sharp for the purpose of this review. My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.

The post Rambling Review: Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener appeared first on Arizona Wanderings.

I will be the first to admit it. I have a very difficult time getting a blade to the point of being razor sharp. At the end of the day I can get a broadhead or knife fairly sharp with some of the “dumbed-down” tools that they have on the market today, but getting a ridiculously sharp broad-head is difficult for me. Luckily I have some pretty talented friends, so with several hunts coming up in the near future, I called up my buddy David and asked him to explain and teach me some of the finer points of sharpening a broadheads.

David originally learned to sharpen broadheads when he started shooting Grizzly heads which are arguably some of the most difficult two blade broadheads on the market. With his sharpening techniques, David uses three basic tools to get his edges sharp.

1. A good file (he recommended a double-cut file)

2. Sharpening Steel

3. Ceramic Crock Stick

I watched as David took one of my beat up old Magnus heads that looked like it had been shot into a rock pile and work out some of the dings from the steel, and before long he was working with a beautiful straight edge.

Once he had the edge to the relative sharpness he wanted, David switched over to the sharpening steel and continued to put a very fine edge on the broadhead, which was then finished off with the cerami crock stick. The razor sharp edge he put on this old broadhead was something I could only marvel at. I tried my hand at it for a while on another Magnus and focused on keeping a consistent angle with my file. It is definitely something that I am going to be practicing over these next couple of weeks.

David is a wealth of information and truly a master at putting a razor sharp edge on a blade. He showed me one of his new toys that he has been using recently to sharpen knives, broadheads, and other tools.  I will not attempt to explain the intricacies of the paper wheel, but I saw first hand how sharp a knife could get by using this contraption.

So begins my journey into the world of sharpening. As time progresses, I hope to become more confident in my blade honing abilities. I welcome any thoughts or tips anyone has.

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