I’m going to make a recommendation here…Don’t buy another knife. Wait, what?! Yes, I said that. Instead, buy a killer sharpening system to maintain the knives you already have (and the inevitable future ones as well).
I have been using the Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition for about 2 months now. And I have to say, this sharpening system has changed the game for me!
See full specs at WorksharpTools.com
Sharpening Shovels
The original reason I looked at getting a powered Work Sharp was that I desperately needed a way of putting a killer edge on my “survival” shovels…Which are notoriously hard to sharpen and maintain with manual stones.
The Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition has been a game changer for sharpening my shovels, as well as my axes and tomahawks. The cutting edges of these tools are generally blunt, chipped and downright tough to sharpen. But the speed and large belts supplied by the Ken Onion Work Sharp make short work of getting sharp edges on these tools.
Best Knife Sharpener
For general everyday carry knives, like the folder in your pocket, the Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition will leave you with a mirror polish in as little as 5 or 10 minutes. In fact, the edge I’ve gotten with this sharpener has beaten every factory edge I’ve ever received.
I’m sure, if you’re reading this review you have already looked up all of the specs of this machine, but here are a couple:
- Variable Bevel Angles:
15º, 20º, 25º, 30º - 5 Flexible Belts varying from extra coarse to extra fine:
This allows you to bring knives back from the dead (ie: heavily chipped, rounded, etc) and put a mirror polish on them.
To put more real-world substance to the specs above – The varying angles are perfect for kitchen knives, pocket knives and everything in between. While the varying belts allow you to choose the right one based on the condition of your blade. Do you need a light touch up? Use the fine or medium. Is your blade pretty worn out? Use the coarse or extra coarse.
Work Sharp Grinding Attachment Review
As if the standard Ken Onion Edition Work Sharp didn’t give enough versatility, there is an optional Grinding Attachment (see the “Elite” system) as you can see above. This allows you to remove the guides and go with a more ‘free-handed’ approach to sharpening your knives. This comes in very handy with Scandi Grinds or knives where you don’t want as much of a pronounced bevel.
It is also fantastic for sharpening bigger tools, as I mentioned earlier: Shovels, axes, tomahawks, etc. The larger surface area is perfect for maintaining these types of tools and gives you more room to work.
Best 90º Sharpener
I have tried getting sharp 90º spines on my knives multiple times with hand tools and files, only to find myself frustrated and still left with a dull spine. The Work Sharp Grinding Attachment in combination with the Ken Onion Sharpener gives me ridiculously sharp 90º spines on my bushcraft knives in a matter of minutes.
Being able to create and maintain sharp 90º spines on my knives means that they become more versatile tools for me. The Mora Classic, as you see above, is now a knife that I can strike a ferro rod with and scrape tinder with. This type of versatility is everything for me when I want to carry one tool that can do a lot of things well. And the Work Sharp afforded that versatility.
Work Sharp Ease of Use
When I dragged my Work Sharp Ken Onion sharpener out of the box, I was a little intimidated. I was looking at 10 belts, two attachments, and a powered sharpening system. However, the intimidation quickly wore off as I looked at the included instructions and perused the “How-To” Section of Work Sharp’s Site.
Now, I’m by no means an expert on this machine yet and I still have a lot to learn. But I felt comfortable using it after around an hour of tinkering and studying up on it. And, if I, the least handy person ever can use it with good results, I’m confident you’ll be able to as well.
Who would love the Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition?
Honestly, I think anyone who loves sharp knives and edged-tools would love the Ken Onion Edition Work Sharp. But, if I had to break it down further I would say EDC Enthusiasts, Avid Outdoorsman, and Knife Makers. This is a serious tool that produces production-level results.
Available now at WorksharpTools.com
Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition (10 out of a 10)
I seriously could not be more stoked on this sharpening system. Not only will it sharpen my knives, but it will also sharpen all of my other tools like survival shovels, axes, tomahawks and more. It is now an essential part of my maintenance process and I cannot imagine going back to not having one.
If you’re on the fence about it – Go ahead and jump on over. It’s absolutely worth it and I couldn’t recommend it more.
Ready to buy: Get yours at WorksharpTools.com | Amazon.com
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Ethics Statement: Work Sharp was kind enough to send me the Ken Onion Edition Sharpener and Grinding Attachment to try out, after reading my Work Sharp Field Sharpener Review. Work Sharp has not previously proof-read or influenced this article in any way. All opinions, statements, and content are my own.
