Looking for new knife sharpener

[twoSevenO]

Hi .... I'm looking for a recommendation for a new QUICK knife sharpener.

I have been using Lansky for a long time, but I am sick of it. I've marked where the knives go on the clamp but still, every time it takes some fiddling around to get the proper depth as before so that the angle guides are consistent. It's a pain in the azz. And if you have a small chip in the blade you're gonna be on there filing for days :roll:

Anyways .... my criteria is this:

- I don't care about angles too much, as long as the sharpener keeps it consistent. Since i always have a razor sharp Havalon on me, my fixed blade is more like a utility knife.
- Fast. If i notice i chipped the blade a little by hitting a rock while trying to cut a tree out of the way of my trail cam, i want to be able to restore that edge in seconds, not hours.
- Idiot proof. I honestly hate sharpening and take no pleasure in it nor do i have any interest in learning. Something easy to use that has no learning curve (so no stones etc)
- Flat grind. None of my knives have a convex edge, so i don't think any belt-sander type sharpeners would work for me.
- No need to sharpen serrated blades. None of my knives are serrated.

I was thinking maybe some electric option? Let me know what you guys use that isn't Lansky, or whetstones.

Thank you!!

[r106]

If your chipping blades and have a knife with good hard steel there is no quick answer. I find the lanksy to be awesome but i can use my knives for a few animals before i need to sharpen it again. A quik touch up on stone is all thats needed. Might be the knife thats the problem.

[Mikey66]

The Lansky is perfect if you need to re profile a blade, but you are right, it is a bit of a pita to use on a regular basis.
I have a Spyderco sharpmaker for quick touch ups, easy and foolproof to use.

[~T-BONE~]

Your angle is too flat or your knife is sporting poor metal. Bring your angle up and see how that goes.

[twoSevenO]

The Lansky is perfect if you need to re profile a blade, but you are right, it is a bit of a pita to use on a regular basis.
I have a Spyderco sharpmaker for quick touch ups, easy and foolproof to use.

How the hell is lansky perfect to reprofile a blade? That would honestly take hours of work.

Edit : I suppose it would depend on the size of said blade. LOL

[twoSevenO]

Your angle is too flat or your knife is sporting poor metal. Bring your angle up and see how that goes.

No, i'm just shitty with my knives. I used my Spyderco paramilitary to to undo a roberts head screw and it wasn't as loose as i thought .... blade chipped.
it's S30V steel.

[horshur]

Ignore the chip....

[Mikey66]

How the hell is lansky perfect to reprofile a blade? That would honestly take hours of work.

That depends on which stone you start with. I don't have acess to an electric sander/sharpener/grinder, so thats what I use.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Backtail custom designs

[r106]

I've used a lansky to profile a knife i made, didn't take long at all maybe 45 min. Don't think I've ever spent more than 15-20 min on knife that already had an edge

[AltaElkhunter]

Would the work sharp ken onion edition sharper not work for that? Anyone have one to comment on how well they actually work?

[horshur]

He is talking about grinding the chip out..that will take forever with lansky.

[twoSevenO]

Would the work sharp ken onion edition sharper not work for that? Anyone have one to comment on how well they actually work?

Wondering about this myself.... hopefully someone replies with info other than how to get me to continue to use the la sky lol :D

[twoSevenO]

He is talking about grinding the chip out..that will take forever with lansky.

Yes. That. Also for sharpening DULL knives.

Sure the lansky works but it takes time. Set up is a pain in the ass and if you have to reprofile or get a chip out it will take way too long.

[303savage]

I used my Spyderco paramilitary to to undo a roberts head screw and it wasn't as loose as i thought ..

You should use the proper tool for the job. If you haven't got the tool, borrow somebody else's knife :-)

[twoSevenO]

Ignore the chip....

While quite small now that i did probably 300 passes on the lansky It is very annoying to do the paper slice test and have it go smooth as butter only to stutter over that little nick on the edge every time. .... ughhhhhh

[wrenchhead]

I have one of those ken onion electric grinder units.....use it for quick grinds on the kitchen knives. Use the lansky for hunting knives for the exact edge.

[boxhitch]

also depends which lan ski kit you use
the Deluxe Diamond kit is the best, removes material quicker
extra hones can be bought, maybe add a diamond coarse or extra course to the kit you have

btaim, a chef/restaurateur friend uses a $800 Chefs Choice commercial electric unit
He says 'its made with cutting edge technology' )

[albravo2]

Would the work sharp ken onion edition sharper not work for that? Anyone have one to comment on how well they actually work?

I have one of these and it works well for convex blades but wouldn't help the OP. I have a Lansky type system for bevelled edges.

[REMINGTON JIM]

twoseven0

https://chefschoice.com/product/chefschoice-commercial-diamond-hone-knife-sharpener-model-2000/ RJ

[wrenchhead]

The onion unit works really well to restore a really messed up edge or rebevel an edge for someone not really handy with conventional stones. That's why I use it on kitchen knives....really quickly does the job.
But like I said the lansky still gets my vote for my hunting knives, to put a flawless edge on.

[weatherby_man]

Backtail custom designs

^^^ this!!!

Also, I only use a stone for sharpening, havent found any tool that will sharpen as well as a stone.

[~T-BONE~]

If you have a bench grinder reverse the polarity add a sand flap wheel along with a buffing wheel. Works pretty slick n easy

[twoSevenO]

After some more googling it seems most people do NOT recommend Chefs Choice type of sharpeners and for small chips most just advise to leave it alone and let it sharpen out over time.

The only electric one that seems to have consistently positive reviews is the Ken Onion work sharp system.

Tbone, that does sound like a fast system ... if only I could keep a perfectly consistent angle .... it's one of the reasons I suck at using whetstones. Lol.

*sigh* ... I guess I'll just have to do a better job of making sure the cardboard boxes I'm curing down dont have staples hidden in the corners... lol. :D

[VLD43]

Might want to check out "Edgepro" knife sharpeners. Seem to get good reviews.

[Ferenc]

I bought the Worksharp down at KMS Tools when they went on sale ... for a little over 100 bucks ... pick up some spare belts if you go this route .. even in camp its small enough to stow away and use an inverter and your vehicle ... you’ll be sharpening everyone’s knives for the house hold too.

[twoSevenO]

I bought the Worksharp down at KMS Tools when they went on sale ... for a little over 100 bucks ... pick up some spare belts if you go this route .. even in camp its small enough to stow away and use an inverter and your vehicle ... you’ll be sharpening everyone’s knives for the house hold too.

Easy to get a shaving sharp edge on every time?
Does it produce a flat edge or a rounded convex edge?
Not that I care much about the shape of my edges just wondering if would require reprofiling since mine are all flat ground.

Thanks for the heads up

[the_longwalker]

OR......you could just get a cheap scandi grind Mora and sharpen it with a file. Been doing it with the same knife since Boy Scouts and it works just fine.

[IronNoggin]

Been using a three stage Chef's Choice for years.
It works great.
Don't know or care about the negative reviews, for me it is excellent.

Then I finish with one of these:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fd/a6/d9/fda6d957193b1233881608cb4d6b3654.jpg
No hair on my left forearm all hunting season.
Beyond Razor Sharp! :-D

Cheers,
Nog

[twoSevenO]

Nog, which one? They have a couple with different angles. I assume the 20* one?? And the angle is fixed on yours, right?

[Downwindtracker2]

A Veil 1x42 belt sander and check out Lee Valley for both the sander and belts. It's both cheap and cool grinding.

[IronNoggin]

Nog, which one? They have a couple with different angles. I assume the 20* one?? And the angle is fixed on yours, right?

Here is the link to the one I have. The second stage is actually a steel. It works very well IMHO. Sharpen most of the hunting knives for my partners these days, and all seem rather pleased with the results:

https://chefschoice.com/product/chefschoice-professional-sharpening-station-model-130/

I highly recommend finishing with the ceramic rods. They true up the edge as good as a strop IMO.

Cheers,
Nog

[Ferenc]

Easy to get a shaving sharp edge on every time?
Does it produce a flat edge or a rounded convex edge?
Not that I care much about the shape of my edges just wondering if would require reprofiling since mine are all flat ground.

Thanks for the heads up

I find it easy to get a very sharp edge,you’ll get a rounded edge I find that you can shave hair with.... be careful with the coarse belt ... better to start with the medium belt then onto the fine... continued use with the fine belt ( with a drop of oil )will turn it into a kinda of leather texture and if you stay on top of it you’ll have a sharp knife ,and have had all the other hand sharpeners. Lansky ... Gatco ...Various stones and rod sharpeners .... to me the Worksharp works fast and as you get the hang of using it I doubt you’ll go back to anything else.

[albravo2]

Knife sharpening is one of the hardest things I've tried to learn and I am convinced most people struggle with it as well. A hair-popping, paper-slicing scary sharp blade is really hard to get. The Ken Onion works to produce a very sharp convex blade, but you have to carefully match the angle on the grinder with the angle of your blade and be sure to sharpen both sides equally (same angle, same time of stroke, same number of strokes, same pressure) or you will end up with a barbed edge that feels really sharp if you rub your thumb against it but the other side of the blade will be rounded and dull.

[Downwindtracker2]

Knife sharpening is easy, you only need 1000grit sharp, it's just flesh you are cutting. I work for 10,000grit sharp with my planes and chisels. Some steel can't be sharpened , early stainless steel was bad for that. Some steels are so hard as to be very time consuming requiring a soft stone so as to get fresh edges. But they will hold an edge. Any damm way to abrade steel.

[twoSevenO]

Albravo2 , that's a burr or a rolled edge depending on how bad it is. You will get that even with hand sharpeners if you spend too much time on one side.

[Lionhill]

If you make your own paper wheel, I recommend Tormek PA-70 polishing paste.:https://bigbeartools.com/store/Honing-Compound-p8470497


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d9LdONYOeo

[albravo2]

I tried the MDF wheel. It is only as good as the guy holding the knife.

As 270 says, too much time on one side creates a burr. Time per side has to create a near perfect, equal edge, just like the angle of the hone has to be just right (and equal on both sides) or you are making your blade more dull.

Every video I've ever watched of somebody using some redneck sharpening system to sharpen a knife like a scalpel has involved a sharpener that REALLY knew what he was doing. I watched one where the guy used the top of a car window as a stone to create a wicked sharp blade.

Sharpening is a skill, independent of the method used to sharpen.

[chele]

Nothing like a 250, 800 and 1200 sharpening stones and a piece of leather for stropping for sharpening your tools. Sharpening by hand it is not difficult at all, but if you are intimidated by it ... buy a knife sharpening guide.

[AgSilver]

I picked up the Worksharp Field Guide sharpener to use in the field after seeing/hearing MANY rave reviews. Picked it up after I did two deer this year, so haven't had a chance to use it yet...but will report back when it gets put to the test.

[Bistchen]

For a quick and effective knife sharpening job I rely on my spyderco Sharpmaker. Works great on my S35VN hunting knife. Cant say enough about this simple system. Sharpens almost anything.

[twoSevenO]

For a quick and effective knife sharpening job I rely on my spyderco Sharpmaker. Works great on my S35VN hunting knife. Cant say enough about this simple system. Sharpens almost anything.

Heard great things about this system as you only need to focus on holding the knife vertical.

But how is it for edges that are really dull or damaged? Is it a slow process?

Because to me it seems like a good way for sharpening an already sharp knife. (Sharp to hair popping sharp)

[Biggestfish]

Spyderco Sharpmaker for works great for me.

[walnutz]

Not sure if its in the budget or not but i got a wicked edge a few years back and i would say its the best sharpening system out there. Easy to use and in no time you can acheive a mirror razor edge.

[lovemywinchester]

I picked up one of these work sharp tools from Peavey on sale for $110 or so. I'm pretty happy with it. Has a few different angles and two guides. Did all my kitchen knives and fillet knives. Did a pretty good job on my skinning knife. Very easy to use.


https://i.imgur.com/TSAYeFPl.jpg

[twoSevenO]

Not sure if its in the budget or not but i got a wicked edge a few years back and i would say its the best sharpening system out there. Easy to use and in no time you can acheive a mirror razor edge.

Outside my budget ... but doesnt this system suffer the same problem as lansky? Inconsistent angles unless you fiddle around and make sure the knife is always clamped in exactly the same position?

If not, how do they manage to solve that? I do see that a regular looking clamp holds the knife blade in place.

[AgSilver]

You can always take the angles out of play with something like this:

Edge Pro Apex
https://www.paulsfinest.com/Edge-Pro-Apex-Knife-Sharpening-System-Kit-4.html?category_id=85

And for field sharpening:

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5038-667/Guided-Field-Sharpener-2-2-1-

[VLD43]

You can always take the angles out of play with something like this:

Edge Pro Apex
https://www.paulsfinest.com/Edge-Pro-Apex-Knife-Sharpening-System-Kit-4.html?category_id=85

And for field sharpening:

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5038-667/Guided-Field-Sharpener-2-2-1-

Think I suggested the edge pro back in post 25. Good call though

[horshur]

Yes. That. Also for sharpening DULL knives.

Sure the lansky works but it takes time. Set up is a pain in the ass and if you have to reprofile or get a chip out it will take way too long.
You just need a coarse stone..or sandpaper. Draw blade till you get a bur on one side. Draw blade till a bur on opposite. Then move to finer grit and repeat till bur is formed Eventually you are down to stropping to remove bur. Strop 100 strokes one side and repeat other. You will have a sharp edge then.
Biggest deal is using a coarse enough stone to get started..the more steel needed to be removed the coarser the grit. A kid can do it!

[horshur]

The issue with using a belt or grinder is too much stock removal and overheating causing loss of hardness.
you can take an old belt grinder turn it upside down in vice. Use a wood or plastic wedge piece for support and remove the chip easy just have a pail of water ready and dump the knife frequently to keep it cool....use 180g to start. Same process. But if you overheat and have colours run...it has gone soft.

[Blacktail]

if your blade is made from s30V then it is likely hardened around 62-64 Rockwell
Being this hard is why it chips as it is more brittle.
It will also hold an edge for a very long time but being that hard the normal every day guy will take forever to get the edge back.
Hunting knives should be sharpened at 25 degrees for a utility type edge that will last longer than ones at 15 -20 degrees.
I have seen just about every type of sharpener there is around and my pick for none electric or belt would be the lansky or something similar as it keeps that angle consistant.
I personally have belt grinders and sanders and sharpeners as that what I need to make knives but there is a lansky kit with diamond hones with me where ever I go when not home.
If the edge is really bad send it to me and for a small fee I can sharpen it for you.

[AgSilver]

Think I suggested the edge pro back in post 25. Good call though

Yeah, I picked one up a few years ago for my kitchen knives. I haven't quite mastered it yet (it's not hard, but still takes some practice). I've just been too busy for too long to ever really take the time to sit down and get good with it. It's the same reason my Chosera stones sit in the closet and I just pull out the Chef's Choice 1520 to get things back up to the appropriate level of sharpness in a few strokes.

[twoSevenO]

Yeah, I picked one up a few years ago for my kitchen knives. I haven't quite mastered it yet (it's not hard, but still takes some practice). I've just been too busy for too long to ever really take the time to sit down and get good with it. It's the same reason my Chosera stones sit in the closet and I just pull out the Chef's Choice 1520 to get things back up to the appropriate level of sharpness in a few strokes.

This is what it comes down to. Yes lansky works, yes anyone can use it, yes you can get the chips out ..... but how much time are you willing to waste Sharpening?

If sharpening is not something you enjoy why the hell sit there and file away with the coarsest stone for 40 minutes when something else like a chefs choice can do it in 2 minutes .... I guess some of us take more enjoyment in sharpening than others.

[AgSilver]

I specifically chose the Chef's Choice 1520 because of the multi-angle support. I could easily do 20 on my outdoor knives and 15 on my kitchen knives. I might actually re-profile my New West KnifeWorks Hunter/Forager (http://www.newwestknifeworks.com/product/kitchen-knives--fusionwood-20-line/gfusion-4-jh-hunter-forager/69263) from 35 to 30 (inclusive) using the CC, just to simply my life a bit.

I'll still, someday, get proficient with the stones and the Edge Pro....but it's just not my priority right now.

[wlbc]

Hi .... I'm looking for a recommendation for a new QUICK knife sharpener.

I have been using Lansky for a long time, but I am sick of it. I've marked where the knives go on the clamp but still, every time it takes some fiddling around to get the proper depth as before so that the angle guides are consistent. It's a pain in the azz. And if you have a small chip in the blade you're gonna be on there filing for days :roll:

Anyways .... my criteria is this:

- I don't care about angles too much, as long as the sharpener keeps it consistent. Since i always have a razor sharp Havalon on me, my fixed blade is more like a utility knife.
- Fast. If i notice i chipped the blade a little by hitting a rock while trying to cut a tree out of the way of my trail cam, i want to be able to restore that edge in seconds, not hours.
- Idiot proof. I honestly hate sharpening and take no pleasure in it nor do i have any interest in learning. Something easy to use that has no learning curve (so no stones etc)
- Flat grind. None of my knives have a convex edge, so i don't think any belt-sander type sharpeners would work for me.
- No need to sharpen serrated blades. None of my knives are serrated.

I was thinking maybe some electric option? Let me know what you guys use that isn't Lansky, or whetstones.

Thank you!!

Greetings twoseven0,

I have used the edgepro for over a decade now with good results. Not cheap but not expensive.

I find it gives a little more control and precision than the Lansky.

I have also found it good for fixing edges. I did a bad thing to a older Buck folder and broke the tip off. With the coarse stone I was able to in a reasonable period reshape the end of the blade and return it to it's original utility.

They work well.

I would be cautious about any kind of power sharpener.

[Bistchen]

I picked up one of these work sharp tools from Peavey on sale for $110 or so. I'm pretty happy with it. Has a few different angles and two guides. Did all my kitchen knives and fillet knives. Did a pretty good job on my skinning knife. Very easy to use.





https://i.imgur.com/TSAYeFPl.jpg



This belt is good. The Ken Onion version of this model is better. This one has only 2 or 3 angles whereas the Ken Onion is freestlye angled and has some better upgrades. I heard you can turn your knife into a Spatula if you dont know what youre doing with a belt like this. However it can hone and prep your knife for a conventional sharpener for quick touch ups.

[Bistchen]

Heard great things about this system as you only need to focus on holding the knife vertical.

But how is it for edges that are really dull or damaged? Is it a slow process?

Because to me it seems like a good way for sharpening an already sharp knife. (Sharp to hair popping sharp)


Well worn knives due to excessive use and sharpening will probably require something a bit more more hardcore. The Spyderco Sharp maker comes with two sharpening triangles. One triangle is ceramic and the other one I cant remember at this time. You can get other sharpening stones for this as well.

[beerhunter]

Chef's Choice 315XV - just bought one a few days ago and sharpened all of my kitchen knives, filleting knives and hunting knives. All of them are shave sharp and I am totally impressed. I am now an ex-Lansky guy.

[AgSilver]

I would be cautious about any kind of power sharpener.

I see this often, but am not totally sure as to why. I don't think there's any evidence (that I've seen - admittedly, haven't looked super hard) to suggest that something like a Chef's Choice actually damages knives. I've read a lot of anecdotal stuff about removing too much steel, etc, but I assume that most of us wouldn't be jamming a knife down in there so hard as to be overdoing it or doing it excessively.

It's a curious thing...is it a wive's tale or is it legit?

[beerhunter]

The unit I purchased puts a 15 degree edge on the blade and it takes a few passes through the coarse diamond stone to establish this. Once the edge is established it takes one pass through the coarse diamond to put the edge back to perfect again. So if someone was to get carried away they could definitely remove too much material so it would take some experience and a keen eye to know when to stop.

[twoSevenO]

I see this often, but am not totally sure as to why. I don't think there's any evidence (that I've seen - admittedly, haven't looked super hard) to suggest that something like a Chef's Choice actually damages knives. I've read a lot of anecdotal stuff about removing too much steel, etc, but I assume that most of us wouldn't be jamming a knife down in there so hard as to be overdoing it or doing it excessively.

It's a curious thing...is it a wive's tale or is it legit?

One of the problems with power sharpeners can be heat. Any power tool will generate heat on the blade and it can, technically, affect the heat treating of the blade.

While I believe that this is totally possible on the very thin edge of the blade, I dont think it should be a concern as long as you arent dragging the knife across your power tool (ex. Belt sander) at a snail's pace and allowing the thin edge to get red hot.

[AgSilver]

I dont think it should be a concern as long as you arent dragging the knife across your power tool (ex. Belt sander) at a snail's pace and allowing the thin edge to get red hot.

Yeah, that's kinda what I was getting at...a knife has to get pretty hot to affect the heat treatment (I'm assuming...I'm no metallurgist, but it seems like a "given", so to speak).

[twoSevenO]

Yeah, that's kinda what I was getting at...a knife has to get pretty hot to affect the heat treatment (I'm assuming...I'm no metallurgist, but it seems like a "given", so to speak).

I know .... but it's one of those things people hear and take out of context and before you know it all power sharpeners are bad.

[horshur]

It gets hot very fast on thin section. If you have a colour change it has gone soft.

[MattW]

OR......you could just get a cheap scandi grind Mora and sharpen it with a file. Been doing it with the same knife since Boy Scouts and it works just fine.
That's what I do. Hand file right outta the toolchest and touch it up at the end with a stone. Only takes a couple minutes.

[twoSevenO]

That's what I do. Hand file right outta the toolchest and touch it up at the end with a stone. Only takes a couple minutes.

It's a knife .. not a chisel. Not going to carry around a scandi grind knife and a file like some savage. Have some class you guys. Lol

[troutseeker]

I bought a diamond hone for my Lansky, it takes material off pretty quick. I don't find it hard at all to clamp the knife in, once in there it get's the right angle everytime. Maybe you are overthinking it?

[twoSevenO]

once in there it get's the right angle everytime

Except that it doesn't ;)

The lansky suffers from several major flaws, the biggest of which, is that there is no CONSISTENT way to ensure you are clamping the knife in the exact same position on the clamp jaws. Seat the knife a little further in or a little forward and the angle changes, despite you using the exact same angle guide every time. As you can see in the picture below, the same 20* angle guide is used yet the resulting angles 1 & 2 are different, simply because the knife wasn't positioned in the same way. I've tried marking the jaws myself, but if you have more than 2 knives you eventually get confused and have to spend time doing "trial" runs anyways to ensure you've set it up correctly or as close to as last time as possible.

Even if the difference is not as drastic as the picture below depicts it is still enough to move the angles out of alignment with your blade and you are effectively "reprofiling" your blade. It might be VERY slight, but its there. This means slightly longer sharpening times. you can easily prove this by using a sharpie and coloring the blade edge then proceeding with the sharpening. If you did not position the knife exactly as your previous sharpening you will notice it on the way the sharpie is coming off.

Something else I hate: Sharpening small blades (ex swiss army knife) with small angles (ex.15*) is difficult as the stone can hit the top of the jaws or top of the adjusting screw when the stone is so low.

https://i.imgur.com/sA1jofL.png



Another problem with Lansky is the clamping system. Some blades can be difficult to clamp securely without resorting to "hugging" the blade. As most blades are a wedge shape you end up with your guides looking like this (pic found on google). Well .... with your guides set up like this, now the angles are not correct at all. While this will still provide a CONSISTENT sharpening, you can't claim that it's a true 20* or 17* or whatever.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--7aW-7COqLE/UCxGjkKTK7I/AAAAAAAABkk/dwZbH4x4SqU/s800/DSCN0097.jpg




Again, don't get me wrong .... the system DOES work. I just find it too much of a pain in the ass after years of fiddling with the setup to maintain consistency.

[twoSevenO]

This guy is obviously having the same issue ... another pic found on google:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-K72r3dQAJCk/UCxGfuBPo6I/AAAAAAAABjk/R4j9gvRMpK0/s800/DSCN0088.jpg

[wrenchhead]

Theres a small step on my lansky clamp that most of my knives securely clamp at.....if there wasn't one could just scribe a mark or use a sharpie.

[MattW]

It's a knife .. not a chisel. Not going to carry around a scandi grind knife and a file like some savage. Have some class you guys. Lol

True, but like a chisel it's a tool and this is one straightforward way to get the job done.

[GOLDEN TOP SNIPER]

Take your time and practisce with the lansky you will get rewarded .. and i just use a pop bottle or a beer bottle to hone it . using the sides and sometimes the rim . rim first then the sides . just a couple of good presses worked to get it back to shape . using a car window works too just as a quick touch up.. roll it down and use the edge . works just fine

[SaintSix]

I have worksharp ken onion edition, i love it and use it for most my knives, you can get a good edge in seconds and fix a chipped edge in minutes (more belt changes) watch a few how-to videos so you understand the concept and what to look for. The only hard part is watching to make sure you dont round the tip off. Start with a shitty knife for practice. Yes it give it a convex micro bevel. If anyone is on the island and wants to try it shoot me a PM.