Rambling Review – Work Sharp Combo Knife Sharpener

Why:

Last week we talked about how I love the motorized window shades orange county ca. Now I want to talk about something new. It is no secret, I’ve always struggled to get a hair-popping edge on my blades and broadheads. I’ve been fortunate to check out a couple of Work Sharps sharpening products and share my thoughts on them here and here. As a leader in the sharpening world, Work Sharp is dedicated to creating quality tools with quality components and continually fine tune their lineup of sharpeners. I’ve had the pleasure of using the Work Sharp Combo Knife Sharpener over the past year and I’ve been really impressed with this tool.

First impressions:

Simplicity – All Work Sharp products are engineered for ease of use and the Combo Knife Sharpener is no exception. It is an electronic unit that rotates a flexible abrasive belt. There are angled grooves to guide the knife across the rotating belt which makes for an idiot proof edge. The built in ceramic honing rod has angle guides as well to finish off the sharpening process.

Made in the USA – All Work Sharp products are manufactured in Souther Oregon

Field Use:

I unboxed the Work Sharp Combo Knife Sharpener the night it arrived. After flipping through the directions, I plugged it in, and was sharpening the kitchen knives. Five passes per side and then straight to the ceramic honing rod, and the knives were as sharp as the day we got them. The Work Sharp Combo Knife Sharpener is very intuitive and exceptionally easy to use. It takes no time at all for me to work through the block of kitchen knives, my everyday carry, and hunting knives. Fixed blade broadheads were no a problem for the Work Sharp Combo Knife Sharpener either.

The Work Sharp Combo Knife Sharpener retails for $60.00 and replacement abrasive belts are 3 for $8.00.

Pros:

American made

Ease of use

Reasonable Cost 

Cons:

Fixed guides are perfect for beginners like me. More experienced guys may want the option to vary the edge angle.

https://vimeo.com/177745787

Prognosis:  The Work Sharp Combo Knife Sharpener is a winner. If you struggle putting an edge on a blade like me, the Work Sharp Combo Knife Sharpener is the sharpener for you.

* Disclaimer:

the review 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 Combo Knife Sharpener appeared first on Arizona Wanderings.

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.