What I've learned on the EP as a beginner...
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 4:11 pm
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
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