# Ken onion will it ruin my knife



## Atrain316 (Oct 16, 2016)

So I have a Jen onion work sharp sharpener and just curious if it's except able to use on most Japanese knives. I am kinda worried that if I put a 15 degree angle on a knife that had like an 8 degree angle would it ruin my knife? I can't do the by hand thing I know myself and it would never get done


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## Mrmnms (Oct 16, 2016)

What knives in particular are you talking about? I was given a Ken Onion sharpener by a customer who got frustrated with it. I've used it on a few knives like Global's and shuns. The results were fine for most people, but perhaps not forum types with higher expectations. I expected it to work faster than it did. Stones are faster and more flexible. You may get some cosmetic lines pulling your knives through, but it's a decent 15 degree convex edge. Maybe a temporary rather than ideal solution. If your knives are currently at 8 degrees, you're going to be hitting and altering the edge, not much behind it. It will have some effect on performance, but some people swear by microbevels and don't have much negative effect if any.


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## Benuser (Oct 16, 2016)

http://www.messerforum.net/showthre...rk-Sharp-Messersch%E4rfer&highlight=worksharp

I hope you read German, this is the outcome of a passaround with our German counterparts. From their findings I would retain a few elements. The Work Sharp seems to produce very easily an acceptable edge with outdoor knives, when thickness behind the edge isn't the very first preoccupation. With thin knives a high temperature is reached, which can't be evacuated by the thick steel behind the edge. So you destroy the temper, one of the very few ways to effectively ruin a blade. Most users complained about rounded tips. To be avoided, I would say.


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## Atrain316 (Oct 16, 2016)

A miyabi and debating on gettin Takamura r2


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## gic (Oct 16, 2016)

I think the belt grinder attachment works fine and can sharpen most knives since the angle goes down to 10 degrees. However like any motorized gadget, it needs practice!

But the combination of the base unit and the belt grinding attachment is way overpriced.

Still, it's basically a bit easier to use than a standard say 1x42 belt grinder so that is a plus and it is quite portable another plus...

As with using any belt grinder, be sure to dip the knife after every pass and keep it a wee bit wet so as not to ruin the temper!

but in the end the results will be pretty similar to what you get with any belt grinder (hence the concerns than Benuser raises about loss of temper at the edge if you don't cool the knife...). 

And of course, you will have to thin the knife periodically ..

As far as the pull through thing goes that comes in the base model, I would only used it on cheap beater knives and maybe not then


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## Benuser (Oct 16, 2016)

Not sure whether the result will be similar to what's obtained with a belt grinder, as one of the German testers wrote it's OK for cutting paper, but not for cigarette paper.


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## gic (Oct 16, 2016)

The base unit won't get it super sharp, just OK sharp (and it's 15 degrees at the lowest) I think, the blade grinder attachment has a full compliment of belts and can get something quite scary sharp - if one knows what one sis doing and is careful not to ruin things - just like any belt grinder can


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## Benuser (Oct 16, 2016)

The angle isn't that important for sharpness, I can cut the finest cigarette paper with a carbon yo-deba @55 degree inclusive!


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## Atrain316 (Oct 16, 2016)

Oh see I thought angle was super important so it won't ruin it putting a 15 degree angle on anything


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## Dave Martell (Oct 16, 2016)

Can you thin each time you sharpen? If not, skip it.


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## gic (Oct 16, 2016)

You can thin with the blade grinding attachment - pretty much like you would do on any grinder, not sure about the base unit!


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## Atrain316 (Oct 16, 2016)

I may sound dumb not really sure what thinning will do or how to do it


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## Benuser (Oct 17, 2016)

Atrain316 said:


> Oh see I thought angle was super important so it won't ruin it putting a 15 degree angle on anything



If you put one and the same edge on every knife, regardless of the configuration behind it, you won't ruin the knife, it can be repaired. After a few sharpenings it you just made it unusable because of crazy steering and wedging.


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