As one of the commenters who pointed out the design flaw of sharpening to two different angles, I really appreciate you guys redoing this test. For future sharpener comparisons, I would remove the confounding variable of the person doing the dulling from the dulling portion the test by switching halfway between each dulling task. The way one guy cuts through a rope and the way another guy cuts through a rope can have a big impact on dulling. If one guy is sawing more and the other guy is pushing down with more force, for example. Or if one guy is spreading the task more efficiently across the entire edge and the other guy is using more of the testing area of the knife. The same goes for every other task. To do this properly, you'd want a robot, but of course, those aren't easy to acquire and setup as well. Other than that, the design of the experiment improved a lot.
I was reading the comments to see if anyone else thought this before stating the same. Rope screamer was running the blade into the table during the cardboard cut until Skinny started doing the same. Also, on the BESS, there should have been a three part of the blade testing, not trying to get the same spot again and again. They didn't just sharpen one spot nor used one spot during the dulling test. So testing all the blade would be more accurate. But, this is just knit-picking. This isn't what they do for a lab where these test are controlled and conducted daily.
What I appreciate about these videos is your integrity. The first test was flawed, so you came back and conducted a second test. You stuck to your parameters and gave us the resulting data, which allows us to draw our own conclusions! Well done!
@@WorkSharpOutdoor maybe it would of held an even better edge? Lol. I have been using the KO for years now and honestly it is so fast to keep a Heavy use EDC sharp. I am constantly cutting tape on metal bins and cutting cardboard and packages. I touch up my 20 cv maybe once every 2 months or my cpm 154 every month depending. Of course I am of the mindset the sharpener you use is less important than mastering the sharpener you use.
Totally agree, that's a huge reason we carry so many different sharpeners. There are lots of ways to get a knife sharp, find one that works for you and master it.
@@WorkSharpOutdoor Well said. I have been using cheap stones and nothing else for years. Hell I have sharpened my axe with a stone out of the creek a few times with decent results. For me personally, the real value of the KO is the speed. The difference in sharpness is negligible either way, so why not save some time. Unless you are out in the field, but you guys have a great field sharpener too (although the name escapes me).
When I saw the first video, the biggest issue in my eyes was the fact that the Ken Onion one wasn't stropped. That's why it scored that much lower on the BESS test. You can sharpen at a 800 grit max, then strop, and then you'll still have a shaving edge. Stropping is the most important factor of sharpening and edge maintenance, but people usually don't see that
Just bought a Work Sharp Elite. Sharpened 2 edc knives and 3 kitchen knives. They were all really dull and now they're all incredibly sharp. A little bit of a learning curve but I couldn't be happier. Great sharpener!
This is why I feel personally that works sharp is the best company for sharpening products, "when you're in second place attack first place when you're in first place attack yourself" they have literally posted two videos comparing two of what I would imagine is their best selling products, and being honest about it
Worksharp in not the best for sharpening products. The precision adjust is Worksharps variant of a KME which is far superior. Then there’s Wicked Edge that is better than than both the Worksharp Precision and KME.
@@cornpop9262 You get what you pay for. The plastic is going to wear out at some point which will create variances in your angles. The wicked edge is all metal. Save for the best system.
Im glad yall redid this test this way. Btw I have both sharpeners with both all the upgrades the extra stones an extra belts I feel where the ken onion shines the best is with super steels I have a s35vn knife as my edc an it took a good minute to get sharpen with the precision adjust takes significantly less time with the ken onion. I feel like the finish is better on the precion adjust. But thats just a preference
Well said! Both are great options at the end of the day. Big knives that use super steels like s35vn are easier to sharpen on the Ken Onion but for a nice finish its tough to beat the Precision Adjust.
Awesome rematch guys! I am a bigtime WSKO/BG fan but not overly surprised at the results. I use the WSKO for crazy sharp convex grinds but for other knives I do want a crazy sharp flat grind from MY stones. I like the Precision Elite but it is too small for my applications. Hopefully, he will get a much bigger brother, that I would purchase.
My WSKO Elite was supposed to be delivered today, but delayed due to weather. I cannot wait to get started with it. I have a tri-stone oil system that work well enough, but I am not precise enough to stone sharpen, nor do I have the time that it would take to dedicate to stone / diamond / ceramic plates / etc... The competitors on Forged In Fire, that make knives; documentaries on knife companies, all seem to use belt methods of some kind. I know stone can give a better result in the hands of a well seasoned person, but that person is not me. Thank you for the great videos and two head-to-head on this. After owning a Lanske with those stupid rods and poor design, I just couldn't bring myself to buy the one from WS that appears to be way better. Maybe someday, just not today.
Ken onion hitting the desk on the cardboard cuts wouldn't have helped and then using the blade to scrape the cut rope across bench both would have hindered the longevity of the edge. However great video keep up the awesome content
Good point! We actually had it in that position for this test. Kyle used the top roller and the stropping belt to try and get that knife as sharp as he could.
@@WorkSharpOutdoor Oh ok. I love this little machine. I would love to see a larger version of the Ken Onion Elite with a wider belt. Something for the knife makers.
Love my KO but the belts loose their grit too fast, especially sharpening Maxamet. I use a cleaning compound on the belts. Anyone have suggestions? I may have to try the Precision adjust
I've been using the precision adjust elite for some time now, (after a nice 2nd place finish in the Instagram photo contest) and I must say I'm absolutely loving the adjust elite, I sharpener most of my knives at 20° and I can tell you now my fox suru beater, I use for almost everything, from cutting cardboard to gardening, weeding etc etc the edge is still razor sharp, i will one day get the Ken onion elite to test out for myself but as of right now I'm happy with the precision adjust elite, those extra grits helps out massively for smoothening out the edge and getting that shiny mirrored finish I like to get on my knives 😊 keep up the great work guys 👍🏻
Thanks JW! If you guys love knives and are on Instagram you should go give JW a follow @jw_edc Great photographer but be warned, you will probably want a lot more knives because of it 😂
Great video, my curiosity as a butcher ask how do they perform with edge maintenance tools whilst working . I use a honing rod (steel) all day long, control the bur! Great video guys
These videos are great, but what if I don't want to sharpen a knife with a 3 inch blade, what if I want my 7-10 inch kitchen knives to be sharpened and the videos always tend to show little "EDC" knives, not chefs' knives being sharpened?
Curious what technique used with the PA Elite. Push, Pull, saw....or will that not affect sharpness. As mentioned knifes incredibly sharp so may be a mute point.
Personally I’d like to see you continue (Now using the new Precision Adjust Pro) your side by side testing until both knives are really dull.. How about a smaller diameter Sisal rope like Cedric uses.. That should dull both of them up pretty quickly. (With that steel I’d imagine 200-300 more cuts would make both knives really dull). Take them to butter knife dullness. Tape off the area of the knife that your wire sharpness tester uses and use that area to cut the rope. Just keep the number of cuts equal should produce a true measure of edge retention…
Seems like the best idea is to get both. If you have to get it done and move on, use the KO, if you are just chilling on the back porch watching the wildlife you break out the Elite. Seems like a win both ways.
my hypothesis is the convex edge will become duller because losing the very tip that makes it razor sharp will make the tip bigger faster than the V shape tip.
I bought the precision adjust a week or so ago. I would say it's very good for up to about a 6 inch knife, over that it becomes a chore. Big knives are also a problem as their weight makes the clamp move while sharpening and they can also tip the whole unit over. My 13.5 inch bowie had that problem. Reprofiling big knives also takes a long time due to the small plates and the fact they don't make a very coarse plate for the system. One of the powered sharpeners would be a lot better for the bigger knives and if reprofiling is involved.
Thank you Bruce , this is hand information for me. My other guided system is one of the Russian made with 6” stones so big knives are no problem. However the issue is unless you fully disassemble it the unit take of a LOT of real estate. I keep it in my shop. Would like to have a small unit for doing primarily edc knives at my desk or kitchen table. The Ken Onion would be Awesome for re profiling or my Bark River with a convex edge.
So even though one wasn’t stropped before, I’d like to see comparing how well they cut with different finishes. I use a Ken onion work sharp that you put the knife in the groove. I stop on medium belt the 2nd belt for my shop use. The micro tooth makes slicing through straps and cardboard etc much better in my opinion. My knife will bite in to rope and start fraying easily. I’d like to see yall test finish quality over longevity. For knifes that I use to push through a vegetable I tent to go fine, polished
Excellent video fellas! I'm not a professional sharpening guru, but I have watched other videos where the Work Sharp Manual sharpener was used and the "Pro?" used the rods in a different motion. ie. He went up and down the blade "perpendicularly?" (Is that even a word? LOL) rather than parallel along the edge front to back/back to front. I don't know if that really makes a difference or not. As I said I'm not a pro sharpener. But where I AM or could be considered a pro is in the actual proper usage of said cutting utensils (I have been a fish monger and imported fruit inspector for one of the biggest 3 companies in the world where I have cut tens of thousands of fruit and pineapples in my career) so I must absolutely comment about the scraping of the blade against the cutting surface (aka chopping block/cutting board) to "brush" the product into a nice and neat pile! When teaching good common practices at work, I would suggest turning the blade over and use the spine of the blade to scrape products or at the very least angle the blade and use it to "scoop" the product, so the blade retains a longer life. (I can't tell you how many times I had to repair a nick or a rolled edge from bad habits) A dull blade can cut you quicker than a sharp one; because more force is required to cut the same item, which can lead to some serious injuries! Sorry for the rant, but I pray that this info helps someone improve their lives in some small way. And thanks again for your tips... I will definitely be looking to add a Ken Onion to my arsenal because I have many blade styles I need to sharpen, and the K.O. is capable of handling them all. God Bless!
I watched your video since I already have the Ken onion special, and I’ve been making a lot of blades lately. The blade grinding attachment is absolutely fantastic. However, I have one question when you’re strapping I thought I saw some green rouge on your bench. Do you put that on your strapping blade like I would a piece of leather?
I ordered the precision adjust system but now I’m having second thoughts. The KO auto is looking very nice & time efficient. Guess ima have to try it out and see
Ken onion sharpener (with knife sharpening attachment) is the best sharpening product ever! Try it and you will never sharpen knives with anything else...
Sharpened all my restaurant knives with the Ken onion, walked away happy that my employees would be safer using sharper knives. Now they'll be working in an even safer environment because this video sealed the urge to order the grinder attachment. We owe ya'll some musubis and pancakes!
Why use all the included belts, when only a couple are needed? Even the included instructions (for the Knife & Tool Sharpener Ken Onion Edition) only recommends the finer two belts for knives that are generally sharp already. Right??
Good video and great comparison. Wish you apply all the learning to design a better product. A mix of both - one you can change angles with, easily change grits and can be driven both by hand and machine. That would seem like a holy grail and fly off the shelf if you can pull it off with gearing and modularity.
Question: How much time was spent in the initial sharpening? Yes, I know that whoever got the KO sharpener had time to go get coffee, but literally how long did the initial sharpening take on each model? (Please provide the times for each model in each of the two test videos. Thanks!)
I have both and I use the Ken Onion for tools, kitchen knives, machetes and beaters and the Precision Adjust Elite for my good knives. I just can't bring myself to put mu expensive knives on a glorified grinder.
I cringed when I heard the power of the slam when that knife hit the table. That's significantly changed the test being Apples to Apples. Also grits are not mentioned. That is crucial and should be included.
I have the precision adjust and I love it. The only thing I don't like is the design of the abrasives. The plastic shell around the diamond plates makes it very difficult if not impossible to sharpen knives without a sharpening choil like spyderco or knives with a thick plunge grind like a bushcraft knife all the way to the end. I wish worksharp would improve on this!
I 3d printed the same type of stone holder for the precision adjust and used 3M lapping film for a supper mirror finish, up to a 60,000 grit. I also 3D printed one to use the DMT mini stones. FYI even printed something to fit under the blade holder to give it support. All Items are free if you have a printer or a friend with one.
A convex edge references the edge created when sharpening with a belt. The belt gives a little creating a convex shape vs the more common V or flat edge created on a stone.
You get flat using a flat stone, convex on the belt as the belt flex’s away and you get concave on something like a Tormek T5 where you sharpen on a wheel and the amount of the concave curve depends on the size of the wheel (T5 vs T3) and how the blade is presented.
I own one PA and two KO. I can polish an edge on both. Each grinde Is purpose built. A good test would be keeping the tip of the knife down on the table and cut an extension cord using the same spot. Like a chef would cutting a carrot. So both edges are cutting rubber and a soft metal and make contact with the table top. This way one edge doesn't hit a harder material more than another.
I would say that in my mind the knife sharpener that does not require electricity is the preferred in a "survival" situation. If you can only afford one then the non-electric still has it over the electric. It provides at home and away. So Precision Elite is the winner for me. PS. I've been told that it will accomodate up to a 7in blade.
I agree with what one commenter said after the first test, you need to test both knives until an unacceptable level of sharpness is reached to have a conclusive test. Here is that comment: @rofferdal 1 year ago (edited) Great test. It is just natural that a very sharp edge dulls faster than a less sharp edge. If you think about edge retention as amount of usage until you reach unacceptable dullness, I find this test inconclusive. You should decide what is unacceptably dull, and then keep on testing until you reach that same dullness in both knives. If you had done that, the one sharpened on the Precision adjust was in the lead when you stopped....
I really enjoy these comparison videos. I would like to see a video comparing the Ken Onion Elite vs the Elite Precision Adjust. I am trying to decide between the two. I am sure whatever I go with will be a great solution but I would like to see that comparison before pulling the trigger. Thanks for the great work guys.
I had the original work sharp belt system and the motor was shot an d started to make noise in less than a year. This along with having to replace belts frequently makes it less attractive for me. I would purchase the precision adjust because it uses stones and no motor to fail
Did you reach out to us about the sharpener? A motor failure that quickly should not happen and would be covered by the warranty. Our customer service is amazing and here to help. Reach them at info@worksharptools.com
I interpret it as worksharp has hands down the best sharpeners in the game! I don’t have a KO edition so I can’t speak for it in person but the rest I can!!! Don’t matter what you have worksharp has what you need to keep that edge cutting for a very long time!
First off UA-cam University for life! Lol. I have the (knife and tool sharpener and the percussion adjust elite) and have been able to get a great edge from both so whatever that adds to the “science data pool”.
Bearded dude was table slamming and giggling while he was doing it. The real test is price differential. If I was charging customers, KO wins. If I am just taking care of my own home knives PE wins. I am very happy with my PE, took a bottom of the drawer Wusthof chef from brick to razor blade.
I dont know what the result of my observation would be but the precision adjust retest had one test with the knife way farther onto the tester and the cutting edge tested was farther back on the blade where minimal cutting would have happened. It was the last test on that blade and the result was 288 which was far sharper than the first two. I think that may have skewed the result enough. Thoughts?
Gentlemen, I just got the workshop precision adjust, I will be sharpening my kitchen knives that I try to keep away from my wife who thinks knives are hatchets. Not thinking all the way through when I decided on this but now have a question. If o sharpen my boning knife that is about 3/4” wide and my chopping knife about 1 1/2” wide at the 20 degree setting I’m not thinking they will both be 20 degrees. This is not a deal breaker as I will be able to figure out the angle at a wider blade. If I’m wrong please correct me and if I’m right please tell me if there’s a calculation before I go and figure it out.
Guys, you are splitting hairs; however, that's seems to be point. Sharpen seems to be a personal preference. Some like a toothy edge, others want a mirror edge.
I wanted to like the precision adjust but it was a huge waste of money. Stroking up and down is not enjoyable and it makes my eyes feel weird. Getting a great edge is cumbersome. I just bought the elite to go with my original Ken onion that was good enough but annoying that I had to tape my expensive knives to avoid scratches. I also have the zwilling stones. If the elite works well I’ll be selling the precision adjust and using the elite and my stones for all my knives.
Using both of them… the only variable is the fixed blade in the elite where there is no human interaction with respect of the fix blade and its respective position … against the human variable trying to keep the blade horizontally align against the belt in the KO …. I have used tThe ken onion to do the first steps with coarse grits BELTS and then the finishing ones with the elite ….
Josh (red hair) taught Kyle (dark hair) most of what he knows, lol! But we are always up for more tests and may be a little competitive too! 😉 Stay tuned, that could be a fun one and thanks for watching!
I have both sharpeners. I prefer the precision adjust..just cause I can sit and watch TV while I sharpen knifes on my CHEST..I will use my ken onion to reprofile a knife to sharpener on my precision Adjust. I have sharpened a machete on it just to see and a 12inc bowe knife. Down to my smallest pocket knife So it was tie in my opinion but the precision adjust and be used ANYWHERE, ANYTIME 😊
The deviation between the results is well within the margin of error for this machine. This experiment would have to be done a hundred times to be able to draw any kind of conclusion about which sharpener makes a better edge.
Why slam the blade against the table cutting the cardboard Not too smart....Try hanging the cardboard over the table edge so you avoid hitting the table That slamming the table every time would dull the edge making this test useless.
It was something that happened in the moment and we rolled with it. That knife still did better so it must not have had that much of an effect on it. Thanks for watching!
A few comments... First, your BESS readings have too much variance. You are trying to draw conclusions based on averages that are too close. Your conclusions are not statistically valid. You might want to try taking 10 readings for each test. But in practical terms, it seems that these are the obvious conclusions: 1. 20 degrees on both sharpeners are about equal. 2. Both edges have about the same durability. 3. With the screw on the front, the blade grinding edge is not that convex. It is very comparable to a flat edge.
The first thing I noticed was how much faster the KO belt grinder was, but then there’s a sure unique benefit to the precision stones: they don’t need electricity! Personally, I’m planning on getting one of the belt grinders for normal use, and a Benchmade/Work Sharp field sharpener for camping. 🏕️
As one of the commenters who pointed out the design flaw of sharpening to two different angles, I really appreciate you guys redoing this test. For future sharpener comparisons, I would remove the confounding variable of the person doing the dulling from the dulling portion the test by switching halfway between each dulling task. The way one guy cuts through a rope and the way another guy cuts through a rope can have a big impact on dulling.
If one guy is sawing more and the other guy is pushing down with more force, for example. Or if one guy is spreading the task more efficiently across the entire edge and the other guy is using more of the testing area of the knife. The same goes for every other task.
To do this properly, you'd want a robot, but of course, those aren't easy to acquire and setup as well. Other than that, the design of the experiment improved a lot.
I was reading the comments to see if anyone else thought this before stating the same. Rope screamer was running the blade into the table during the cardboard cut until Skinny started doing the same.
Also, on the BESS, there should have been a three part of the blade testing, not trying to get the same spot again and again. They didn't just sharpen one spot nor used one spot during the dulling test. So testing all the blade would be more accurate.
But, this is just knit-picking. This isn't what they do for a lab where these test are controlled and conducted daily.
One dude was scraping the blade across the table a lot to clear debris. That will roll the edge over and dull it too.
What I appreciate about these videos is your integrity. The first test was flawed, so you came back and conducted a second test. You stuck to your parameters and gave us the resulting data, which allows us to draw our own conclusions! Well done!
Slamming one knife on the table 30 more times has to take something away from the edge retention.
😂 you would think! That knife still held an edge better somehow though!?!?
@@WorkSharpOutdoor maybe it would of held an even better edge? Lol. I have been using the KO for years now and honestly it is so fast to keep a Heavy use EDC sharp. I am constantly cutting tape on metal bins and cutting cardboard and packages. I touch up my 20 cv maybe once every 2 months or my cpm 154 every month depending. Of course I am of the mindset the sharpener you use is less important than mastering the sharpener you use.
Totally agree, that's a huge reason we carry so many different sharpeners. There are lots of ways to get a knife sharp, find one that works for you and master it.
@@WorkSharpOutdoor Well said. I have been using cheap stones and nothing else for years. Hell I have sharpened my axe with a stone out of the creek a few times with decent results. For me personally, the real value of the KO is the speed. The difference in sharpness is negligible either way, so why not save some time. Unless you are out in the field, but you guys have a great field sharpener too (although the name escapes me).
When I saw the first video, the biggest issue in my eyes was the fact that the Ken Onion one wasn't stropped. That's why it scored that much lower on the BESS test. You can sharpen at a 800 grit max, then strop, and then you'll still have a shaving edge. Stropping is the most important factor of sharpening and edge maintenance, but people usually don't see that
Just bought a Work Sharp Elite.
Sharpened 2 edc knives and 3 kitchen knives. They were all really dull and now they're all incredibly sharp.
A little bit of a learning curve but I couldn't be happier. Great sharpener!
This is why I feel personally that works sharp is the best company for sharpening products, "when you're in second place attack first place when you're in first place attack yourself" they have literally posted two videos comparing two of what I would imagine is their best selling products, and being honest about it
Worksharp in not the best for sharpening products. The precision adjust is Worksharps variant of a KME which is far superior. Then there’s Wicked Edge that is better than than both the Worksharp Precision and KME.
@@jaxbeach09 I feel they are for the $$$
@@jaxbeach09 500$ or 100$.
@@cornpop9262 You get what you pay for. The plastic is going to wear out at some point which will create variances in your angles. The wicked edge is all metal. Save for the best system.
@@jaxbeach09 yeah. I agree. I returned the worksharp and I have a kme coming Monday. The wicked edge is realistically the best but way overpriced
Keep making these videos appreciate, I just purchased Ken Onion Mk2 and also field sharpener tool, look forward to using all the tools
Im glad yall redid this test this way. Btw I have both sharpeners with both all the upgrades the extra stones an extra belts I feel where the ken onion shines the best is with super steels I have a s35vn knife as my edc an it took a good minute to get sharpen with the precision adjust takes significantly less time with the ken onion. I feel like the finish is better on the precion adjust. But thats just a preference
Well said! Both are great options at the end of the day. Big knives that use super steels like s35vn are easier to sharpen on the Ken Onion but for a nice finish its tough to beat the Precision Adjust.
Awesome rematch guys! I am a bigtime WSKO/BG fan but not overly surprised at the results. I use the WSKO for crazy sharp convex grinds but for other knives I do want a crazy sharp flat grind from MY stones. I like the Precision Elite but it is too small for my applications. Hopefully, he will get a much bigger brother, that I would purchase.
My WSKO Elite was supposed to be delivered today, but delayed due to weather. I cannot wait to get started with it. I have a tri-stone oil system that work well enough, but I am not precise enough to stone sharpen, nor do I have the time that it would take to dedicate to stone / diamond / ceramic plates / etc...
The competitors on Forged In Fire, that make knives; documentaries on knife companies, all seem to use belt methods of some kind. I know stone can give a better result in the hands of a well seasoned person, but that person is not me.
Thank you for the great videos and two head-to-head on this. After owning a Lanske with those stupid rods and poor design, I just couldn't bring myself to buy the one from WS that appears to be way better. Maybe someday, just not today.
Work Sharp looks like a fun place to work.
100%
PS I watched a couple other of your videos this one made me subscribe good job guys keep up the good work!
Ken onion hitting the desk on the cardboard cuts wouldn't have helped and then using the blade to scrape the cut rope across bench both would have hindered the longevity of the edge.
However great video keep up the awesome content
Just got my precision adjust elite the other day. Absolutely love. It makes knives sharp!
What about changing the top roller position to where it will create more of a flat edge?
Good point! We actually had it in that position for this test. Kyle used the top roller and the stropping belt to try and get that knife as sharp as he could.
@@WorkSharpOutdoor Oh ok. I love this little machine. I would love to see a larger version of the Ken Onion Elite with a wider belt. Something for the knife makers.
@@r.e.sharpening991 it’s an awesome tool! We will pass the feedback along to the team
Love my KO but the belts loose their grit too fast, especially sharpening Maxamet. I use a cleaning compound on the belts. Anyone have suggestions? I may have to try the Precision adjust
I've been using the precision adjust elite for some time now, (after a nice 2nd place finish in the Instagram photo contest) and I must say I'm absolutely loving the adjust elite, I sharpener most of my knives at 20° and I can tell you now my fox suru beater, I use for almost everything, from cutting cardboard to gardening, weeding etc etc the edge is still razor sharp, i will one day get the Ken onion elite to test out for myself but as of right now I'm happy with the precision adjust elite, those extra grits helps out massively for smoothening out the edge and getting that shiny mirrored finish I like to get on my knives 😊 keep up the great work guys 👍🏻
Thanks JW! If you guys love knives and are on Instagram you should go give JW a follow @jw_edc Great photographer but be warned, you will probably want a lot more knives because of it 😂
Nice job.....but as a prepper I dont want any system that relies on electricity. the Work Sharp wins hands down for me.
Love the Vortex hat!
actual time spent on each knife would be interesting
Great video, my curiosity as a butcher ask how do they perform with edge maintenance tools whilst working . I use a honing rod (steel) all day long, control the bur! Great video guys
These videos are great, but what if I don't want to sharpen a knife with a 3 inch blade, what if I want my 7-10 inch kitchen knives to be sharpened and the videos always tend to show little "EDC" knives, not chefs' knives being sharpened?
Good feedback! We can certainly do more with chefs knives in the future.
@@WorkSharpOutdoor Thank you! That would be amazing! I recently bought a Precision Adjust sharpener (not the Elite) to keep my kitchen knives sharp.
The ken onion would be great for a large chef knife.
I run my machete through my mk 2 knife and tool sharpener works great
#1 your videos are awesome. #2 I have several of your products due to these videos!
Glad you like them and thanks for watching! Is there anything you want to see us do next?
Curious what technique used with the PA Elite. Push, Pull, saw....or will that not affect sharpness. As mentioned knifes incredibly sharp so may be a mute point.
Is the model on my right sharpening with a guide?
Personally I’d like to see you continue (Now using the new Precision Adjust Pro) your side by side testing until both knives are really dull.. How about a smaller diameter Sisal rope like Cedric uses.. That should dull both of them up pretty quickly. (With that steel I’d imagine 200-300 more cuts would make both knives really dull). Take them to butter knife dullness. Tape off the area of the knife that your wire sharpness tester uses and use that area to cut the rope. Just keep the number of cuts equal should produce a true measure of edge retention…
Seems like the best idea is to get both. If you have to get it done and move on, use the KO, if you are just chilling on the back porch watching the wildlife you break out the Elite. Seems like a win both ways.
my hypothesis is the convex edge will become duller because losing the very tip that makes it razor sharp will make the tip bigger faster than the V shape tip.
What about repeating the test with kitchen knives?
This was AWESOME !! I lean toward the precision adjust , I enjoy sharpening. I would feel differently if I sharpened knives for a living.
I bought the precision adjust a week or so ago. I would say it's very good for up to about a 6 inch knife, over that it becomes a chore. Big knives are also a problem as their weight makes the clamp move while sharpening and they can also tip the whole unit over. My 13.5 inch bowie had that problem. Reprofiling big knives also takes a long time due to the small plates and the fact they don't make a very coarse plate for the system. One of the powered sharpeners would be a lot better for the bigger knives and if reprofiling is involved.
Thank you Bruce , this is hand information for me. My other guided system is one of the Russian made with 6” stones so big knives are no problem. However the issue is unless you fully disassemble it the unit take of a LOT of real estate. I keep it in my shop. Would like to have a small unit for doing primarily edc knives at my desk or kitchen table. The Ken Onion would be Awesome for re profiling or my Bark River with a convex edge.
So even though one wasn’t stropped before, I’d like to see comparing how well they cut with different finishes. I use a Ken onion work sharp that you put the knife in the groove. I stop on medium belt the 2nd belt for my shop use. The micro tooth makes slicing through straps and cardboard etc much better in my opinion.
My knife will bite in to rope and start fraying easily. I’d like to see yall test finish quality over longevity. For knifes that I use to push through a vegetable I tent to go fine, polished
You guys should have Ben Peterson 3d print that guide for the ken onion mk2. I seen a few on Etsy Keeps the blade flush and you cant slip.
I would love to see this rematch, rematched with the Professional PA and throw in the MK2 for a three-way comparison.
We are for sure going to run it back. Stay tuned!
Excellent video fellas! I'm not a professional sharpening guru, but I have watched other videos where the Work Sharp Manual sharpener was used and the "Pro?" used the rods in a different motion. ie. He went up and down the blade "perpendicularly?" (Is that even a word? LOL) rather than parallel along the edge front to back/back to front. I don't know if that really makes a difference or not. As I said I'm not a pro sharpener. But where I AM or could be considered a pro is in the actual proper usage of said cutting utensils (I have been a fish monger and imported fruit inspector for one of the biggest 3 companies in the world where I have cut tens of thousands of fruit and pineapples in my career) so I must absolutely comment about the scraping of the blade against the cutting surface (aka chopping block/cutting board) to "brush" the product into a nice and neat pile! When teaching good common practices at work, I would suggest turning the blade over and use the spine of the blade to scrape products or at the very least angle the blade and use it to "scoop" the product, so the blade retains a longer life. (I can't tell you how many times I had to repair a nick or a rolled edge from bad habits) A dull blade can cut you quicker than a sharp one; because more force is required to cut the same item, which can lead to some serious injuries! Sorry for the rant, but I pray that this info helps someone improve their lives in some small way. And thanks again for your tips... I will definitely be looking to add a Ken Onion to my arsenal because I have many blade styles I need to sharpen, and the K.O. is capable of handling them all. God Bless!
I watched your video since I already have the Ken onion special, and I’ve been making a lot of blades lately. The blade grinding attachment is absolutely fantastic. However, I have one question when you’re strapping I thought I saw some green rouge on your bench. Do you put that on your strapping blade like I would a piece of leather?
We used the cloth stropping belt and added the green .5 micron compound.
I ordered the precision adjust system but now I’m having second thoughts. The KO auto is looking very nice & time efficient. Guess ima have to try it out and see
Ken onion sharpener (with knife sharpening attachment) is the best sharpening product ever! Try it and you will never sharpen knives with anything else...
Don't order the KO if your a lefty. As far as the the angle guides are concerned it's for right-handed users you so only..
As someone that would strictly be sharpening chefs knives occasionally. Which would you recommend? Thanks
KOE
Sharpened all my restaurant knives with the Ken onion, walked away happy that my employees would be safer using sharper knives. Now they'll be working in an even safer environment because this video sealed the urge to order the grinder attachment. We owe ya'll some musubis and pancakes!
He scraped the edge on the table!
twice, like it was an effin broom!!!!
Why use all the included belts, when only a couple are needed? Even the included instructions (for the Knife & Tool Sharpener Ken Onion Edition) only recommends the finer two belts for knives that are generally sharp already. Right??
Do you still sell a Stropping belt?
How was the "flat/convex" screw set on the Blade Grinding attachment?
It was set to the "front" position for a flatter convex grind.
Good video and great comparison. Wish you apply all the learning to design a better product. A mix of both - one you can change angles with, easily change grits and can be driven both by hand and machine. That would seem like a holy grail and fly off the shelf if you can pull it off with gearing and modularity.
Great video guys!
cardboard? with the grain or against the grain?
Question: How much time was spent in the initial sharpening? Yes, I know that whoever got the KO sharpener had time to go get coffee, but literally how long did the initial sharpening take on each model? (Please provide the times for each model in each of the two test videos. Thanks!)
I have both and I use the Ken Onion for tools, kitchen knives, machetes and beaters and the Precision Adjust Elite for my good knives. I just can't bring myself to put mu expensive knives on a glorified grinder.
I cringed when I heard the power of the slam when that knife hit the table. That's significantly changed the test being Apples to Apples. Also grits are not mentioned. That is crucial and should be included.
Please teach us the technique for sharpening on the Precision Adjust.
Anything specific? Check out one of our previous video "Push vs Pull". We cover lots of technique in that one.
I have the precision adjust and I love it. The only thing I don't like is the design of the abrasives. The plastic shell around the diamond plates makes it very difficult if not impossible to sharpen knives without a sharpening choil like spyderco or knives with a thick plunge grind like a bushcraft knife all the way to the end.
I wish worksharp would improve on this!
I 3d printed the same type of stone holder for the precision adjust and used 3M lapping film for a supper mirror finish, up to a 60,000 grit. I also 3D printed one to use the DMT mini stones. FYI even printed something to fit under the blade holder to give it support. All Items are free if you have a printer or a friend with one.
Things you need for this system digital angle finder box, jeweler's loop magnifying thing with light...
What were you talking about convex knife edges? Can knife edges be concave?
A convex edge references the edge created when sharpening with a belt. The belt gives a little creating a convex shape vs the more common V or flat edge created on a stone.
@@WorkSharpOutdoor so it's not the edge that is convex or flat, it's the slopes that are convex or flat.
You get flat using a flat stone, convex on the belt as the belt flex’s away and you get concave on something like a Tormek T5 where you sharpen on a wheel and the amount of the concave curve depends on the size of the wheel (T5 vs T3) and how the blade is presented.
I own one PA and two KO. I can polish an edge on both. Each grinde Is purpose built. A good test would be keeping the tip of the knife down on the table and cut an extension cord using the same spot. Like a chef would cutting a carrot. So both edges are cutting rubber and a soft metal and make contact with the table top. This way one edge doesn't hit a harder material more than another.
which one would you recommend for kitchen knives
I would say that in my mind the knife sharpener that does not require electricity is the preferred in a "survival" situation. If you can only afford one then the non-electric still has it over the electric. It provides at home and away. So Precision Elite is the winner for me.
PS. I've been told that it will accomodate up to a 7in blade.
The simpler the better.
The unsaid advantage of the KO would be the ability to sharpen bigger tools like hatchets and Hedge clippers.
When it comes to versatility its no contest. The KO wins!
What about serrated knives?
I agree with what one commenter said after the first test, you need to test both knives until an unacceptable level of sharpness is reached to have a conclusive test. Here is that comment: @rofferdal 1 year ago (edited)
Great test. It is just natural that a very sharp edge dulls faster than a less sharp edge. If you think about edge retention as amount of usage until you reach unacceptable dullness, I find this test inconclusive. You should decide what is unacceptably dull, and then keep on testing until you reach that same dullness in both knives. If you had done that, the one sharpened on the Precision adjust was in the lead when you stopped....
I really enjoy these comparison videos. I would like to see a video comparing the Ken Onion Elite vs the Elite Precision Adjust. I am trying to decide between the two. I am sure whatever I go with will be a great solution but I would like to see that comparison before pulling the trigger. Thanks for the great work guys.
I think they should use the same knives as last time, and use 2 people who are good at using each system and try it that way
Because you say "razor sharp" a lot, what kind of numbers does a 50pc bulk razor blade get?
These are not controlled tests, the amount of variables are huge, you can only make VERY general conclusions IF 👎
Most important thing I learned? The Beard is better at sharpening knives...
Didn't line the knives up the same on the best test.... church the line up of the blades
I had the original work sharp belt system and the motor was shot an d started to make noise in less than a year. This along with having to replace belts frequently makes it less attractive for me. I would purchase the precision adjust because it uses stones and no motor to fail
Did you reach out to us about the sharpener? A motor failure that quickly should not happen and would be covered by the warranty. Our customer service is amazing and here to help. Reach them at info@worksharptools.com
@@WorkSharpOutdoor yes I did and got a replacement at a reduced cost, but still I would buy the non belt one if I had to do it again.
Work sharp Mk2 Vs Work sharp Ken onion addition Vs Work sharp Ken Onion addition Elite
Now we are talking! Powered sharpener showdown! 💪
I interpret it as worksharp has hands down the best sharpeners in the game! I don’t have a KO edition so I can’t speak for it in person but the rest I can!!! Don’t matter what you have worksharp has what you need to keep that edge cutting for a very long time!
I think hitting the table helped out
If you do precision detailed videos you're going to get precision detailed comments! 🧐🤔
First off UA-cam University for life! Lol. I have the (knife and tool sharpener and the percussion adjust elite) and have been able to get a great edge from both so whatever that adds to the “science data pool”.
Bearded dude was table slamming and giggling while he was doing it. The real test is price differential. If I was charging customers, KO wins. If I am just taking care of my own home knives PE wins. I am very happy with my PE, took a bottom of the drawer Wusthof chef from brick to razor blade.
Take both sharpeners and Sharpen butter knifes then test
The guy who likes Precision Adjust should use it. The Ken Onion dude cuts corners. lol
I dont know what the result of my observation would be but the precision adjust retest had one test with the knife way farther onto the tester and the cutting edge tested was farther back on the blade where minimal cutting would have happened. It was the last test on that blade and the result was 288 which was far sharper than the first two. I think that may have skewed the result enough. Thoughts?
Gentlemen, I just got the workshop precision adjust, I will be sharpening my kitchen knives that I try to keep away from my wife who thinks knives are hatchets. Not thinking all the way through when I decided on this but now have a question. If o sharpen my boning knife that is about 3/4” wide and my chopping knife about 1 1/2” wide at the 20 degree setting I’m not thinking they will both be 20 degrees. This is not a deal breaker as I will be able to figure out the angle at a wider blade. If I’m wrong please correct me and if I’m right please tell me if there’s a calculation before I go and figure it out.
Guys, you are splitting hairs; however, that's seems to be point. Sharpen seems to be a personal preference. Some like a toothy edge, others want a mirror edge.
I wanted to like the precision adjust but it was a huge waste of money. Stroking up and down is not enjoyable and it makes my eyes feel weird. Getting a great edge is cumbersome. I just bought the elite to go with my original Ken onion that was good enough but annoying that I had to tape my expensive knives to avoid scratches. I also have the zwilling stones. If the elite works well I’ll be selling the precision adjust and using the elite and my stones for all my knives.
Using both of them… the only variable is the fixed blade in the elite where there is no human interaction with respect of the fix blade and its respective position … against the human variable trying to keep the blade horizontally align against the belt in the KO …. I have used tThe ken onion to do the first steps with coarse grits BELTS and then the finishing ones with the elite ….
How you gonna smack one knife off the table considerably more than the other and call that fair. You need to start over and make everything equal
A good point and one we have heard before but that knife still out performed the other so it must not have made that much of a difference 😂
Maybe dark hair guy is just better sharpener:lol you should have him sharpen the same knife on both systems and redo the test
Josh (red hair) taught Kyle (dark hair) most of what he knows, lol! But we are always up for more tests and may be a little competitive too! 😉 Stay tuned, that could be a fun one and thanks for watching!
Beard guy sabotaged his knife. He really wanted the KO to lose. Shame!
Sharpen knife, it gets sharp…
yeah, that's a pretty good summary 😂
I don't think he used the belts in the right order. The white belt should be second to last.
I have both sharpeners. I prefer the precision adjust..just cause I can sit and watch TV while I sharpen knifes on my CHEST..I will use my ken onion to reprofile a knife to sharpener on my precision Adjust.
I have sharpened a machete on it just to see and a 12inc bowe knife. Down to my smallest pocket knife
So it was tie in my opinion but the precision adjust and be used ANYWHERE, ANYTIME 😊
There is something relaxing about using the Precision Adjust that is for sure! Almost therapeutic
The big guy is just better at sharpening knives
The deviation between the results is well within the margin of error for this machine. This experiment would have to be done a hundred times to be able to draw any kind of conclusion about which sharpener makes a better edge.
I know Grant Loberg
We need to get Grant in on an episode soon!
Why slam the blade against the table cutting the cardboard Not too smart....Try hanging the cardboard over the table edge so you avoid hitting the table That slamming the table every time would dull the edge making this test useless.
It was something that happened in the moment and we rolled with it. That knife still did better so it must not have had that much of an effect on it. Thanks for watching!
Send me the Ken onion and I will do some testing of my own.
Looks like one of you are a better sharpener....HAHA
A few comments...
First, your BESS readings have too much variance. You are trying to draw conclusions based on averages that are too close. Your conclusions are not statistically valid. You might want to try taking 10 readings for each test.
But in practical terms, it seems that these are the obvious conclusions: 1. 20 degrees on both sharpeners are about equal. 2. Both edges have about the same durability. 3. With the screw on the front, the blade grinding edge is not that convex. It is very comparable to a flat edge.
The first thing I noticed was how much faster the KO belt grinder was, but then there’s a sure unique benefit to the precision stones: they don’t need electricity!
Personally, I’m planning on getting one of the belt grinders for normal use, and a Benchmade/Work Sharp field sharpener for camping. 🏕️