What I've learned on the EP as a beginner...

CKTG has a large amount of Edge Pro products so we've dedicated a forum to questions on Edge Pro sharpening systems, accessories and techniques.
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Jason H
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What I've learned on the EP as a beginner...

Post by Jason H »

Hello All,

This is my first post here but I've been reading for a long time. I'm also fairly new to the EP so I'd like to share a few things I've learned along the way that may help others starting out. After sharpening about 90 knifes on the EP here is what I've found:

1. Be careful to not watch too much YouTube. There is lots of conflicting information- everyone has to find out what works for them personally; there isn't generally one right way.
2. No need to push down too hard on the stone, let it do the work.
3. The stop collar and spring are mandatory and cost about $3.
4. I have mixed feelings about Chosera stones. Some are better than others and they are quicker than stock EP but are messier so this has to be taken into account. They also do better with a couple minute soak in water.
5. The 140 grit CKTG diamond plate is brilliant and quickly flattens all stones.
6. Polishing isn't necessary but it is fun and also has the benefit of highlighting mistakes made along the way.
7. I had to learn that taking too many strokes serves no purpose other than wasting time and burning up the stones.
8. Swap meets and thrift stores are your best friend when finding knives to practice on. I've found some Wusthof and Henkels for $3-4 and can make the edge better than new. These are fun to give away to friends and neighbors!
9. I liked the table magnet at first then quit using it. It makes moving longer and/or curved blades difficult to move in a fluid motion.
10. Flattening the stones is also mandatory. It took me a while to figure out why all the sudden the results were very poor- my stones were all dished.
11. When your stones wear out or break they easily come off the blank if boiled in water for a few minutes. Acetone quickly removes any adhesive residue.
12. The 1/2" EP stones make the work easier on very small knives.
13. All my neighbors had knives that were incredibly dull. It is amazing to see what people actually use in kitchens. Lol.
14. It's an addicting hobby...once I had run out of knives I found myself asking neighbors if I could sharpen theirs for free. The word spread quick needless to say so keep this in mind when offering.
15. Be sure to keep band-aids in stock, you will need them. My wife cut herself a few times getting used to using very sharp blades.
16. I love CKTG!

Well I hope this info may help someone here and I look forward to learning more from you all that have far more experience than I do.

Jason
Radar53
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Re: What I've learned on the EP as a beginner...

Post by Radar53 »

Hi Jason, and welcome to the forum. Great first post BTW. Just some comments ....

2) Pressure - great thought also see Pete Nowlan's tutorials on this (and other stuff) here viewtopic.php?f=38&t=2694
4) The stock EP stones at the coarse end of the spectrum are pretty hopeless, although the EP1000 (3 -4 k Shapton) & the EP1200 (5k) do a pretty respectable job once the hard lifting has been done. I have a good selection of Shapton Glass and Nubatama stones and they rock!
7) ... and grinds excess metal of the blade. The more expensive the blade the less you want to do this!!
14) there's plenty more to learn & spend money on - so welcome to the rabbit hole
Cheers Grant

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Jason H
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Re: What I've learned on the EP as a beginner...

Post by Jason H »

Thanks Radar.

Yes, a rabbit hole it is! I just got the Shapton glass 1,2 & 4k but I've only done a few knives. So far, I am very impressed. I really like the lower grit Chosera's but found the 1k and 5k quite challenging as they required constant wiping off and water with almost every pass; I have found the same thing with the EP1200 so this may be due to my technique but it's fun learning.

And another thing I forgot to add- because I buy a lot of beat up knives I love the CKTG 140 for the EP. What used to take 10 minutes with the EP 120 & 220 now only takes a few passes and each side.

Jason
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Re: What I've learned on the EP as a beginner...

Post by Radar53 »

Hi Jason. Check my post here regarding stones, water, mess etc on the EP viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2765

I also have the EP 1200 and it certainly enjoys a good soak until the bubbles stop appearing - maybe 5 - 10 minutes. Follow with just a quick spritz & dab the free water off, but leave moist. This works well for me so have a bit of a play to find something that works for you.
Cheers Grant

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Re: What I've learned on the EP as a beginner...

Post by Jason H »

Thanks! I'll surely trying soaking them first.
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Re: What I've learned on the EP as a beginner...

Post by snipes »

Great post and thanks for sharing. For me it's about equal strokes per section and side along with your #2 point about easy pressure.
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Re: What I've learned on the EP as a beginner...

Post by ken123 »

Jason et al, EXCELLENT posting! Almost required reading for the new EP sharpener. Over time, more subtle points will be picked up, but this is a solid start.

I believe many freehand sharpeners try the EP and similar devices and too quickly dismiss it, not realizing that they are comparing their greater freehand experience with their beginning EP level of experience.

Your first point deserves extra emphasis. There is some decidedly negative 'information' out there on 'the net' that is clearly incorrect, reflecting a limited understanding of the device and is best ignored. Issues of edge asymmetry is one in particular.

---
Ken
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Re: What I've learned on the EP as a beginner...

Post by Kit Craft »

ken123 wrote: Mon Oct 23, 2017 1:37 am Jason et al, EXCELLENT posting! Almost required reading for the new EP sharpener. Over time, more subtle points will be picked up, but this is a solid start.

I believe many freehand sharpeners try the EP and similar devices and too quickly dismiss it, not realizing that they are comparing their greater freehand experience with their beginning EP level of experience.

Your first point deserves extra emphasis. There is some decidedly negative 'information' out there on 'the net' that is clearly incorrect, reflecting a limited understanding of the device and is best ignored. Issues of edge asymmetry is one in particular.

---
Ken
I wouldn't say that I dismiss the EP but it is really not for me. First, I have a very hard time doing anything at all with my left hand that requires even a modicum of finesse and this in and of itself makes the use of said device a challenge at best. Second, when dealing with stones of differing size there is some cumbersome adjustments to be made that just irritates me. :lol: Also, it makes the process feel robotic, to me, which takes away from the experience. I understand that is not the case for everyone. But for me sharpening is about enjoyment and if that was not the case I'd simply use an IB8 and call it a day.

Now, the EP does have advantages for me but with things I do not deal with often enough to use as a scale. I find it to excel with shortish thickly ground outdoor and pocket/edc type knives. Knives with loads and loads of belly at the front third of the blade also seem to be easier to sharpen this way, again to me, than freehand or at least it was that way when I started down this journey. Finally, repeatability seems to be more consistent from the onset. A bonus is that the apparatus and its accessories is easy to store and tote around.

I gave mine to my uncle and he thinks it a divine gift sent to him but the sharpening gods. I swear, he loves that thing oodles. He decided to stop using the shapton stones and go the diamond route and freehand strop to follow. Stones of the same thickness takes out some variability for his failing eyes.

But that is the thing, when it comes to terms like "feel" in sharpening we are getting into the world of subjectivity, deeply. Pure functionality is another matter entirely. As you state, people dismiss things quickly but I think in this case it has more to do with the way the device functions more than the end results.
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Re: What I've learned on the EP as a beginner...

Post by ken123 »

It's not for everyone ...
Personally, I think of it as one of several modalities I use.
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Ken
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