Best guided sharpening system kitchen knives?

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Jul 8, 2021
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Howdy, y'all! I'm new to this site. I just happened upon it in my quest for a quality, accurate, guided, foolproof knife sharpening system for my good kitchen cutlery. I want to sharpen my good kitchen knives myself, rather than sending them out to a service that will do God knows what to them. My best kitchen knives are Wusthof, Henckels and old Chicago Cutlery (when they made good knives). Cutting bevels or blade angles range from 14 degrees to 20 degrees or thereabouts. My collection runs the gamut from small pairing knives with blades around 2 to 3 inches long, to carving knives with blades from about 10 to 11 inches long. I've also got a couple cleavers with business ends around 6 inches long. I'm more concerned with my knives than the cleavers. I've sharpened various tools, axes & hunting knives with whetstones in the past. However, I do not have the skills to trust myself doing this with my good kitchen knives. Hence, my desire for a foolproof guided system of some sort. I've been doing a lot of reading and research on the web and checked out systems by Edge Pro; Wicked Edge; TSPROF; KME; Hapstone others I can't remember at the moment. Just about all of them have advantages and disadvantages, for my purposes. Thus far, the system that most appeals to me is the TSPROF Kadet Expert+. It's quite expensive, relatively speaking. However, I do understand you get what you pay for. Is there something out there, American or North American-made, comparable to TSPROF and Hapstone in build-quality, machining and accuracy that I just haven't stumbled upon yet? Thanks for any input!
 
My buddy coughed up the money last year for a wicked edge pro and multiple stones...he swears by that thing (I would too if I spent that much on it lol).

I personally use a spyderco sharpmaker for small knives and an old cheap whetstone for say, larger than 8in knives. I can get them shaving/whittling sharp without a really expensive guided system. I do have a worksharp guided sharpening system that I bought out of curiosity.

If you maintain your edge with say, a strop or high grit stone/stick, you will very rarely have to go to the guided systems...I find them more useful if you need to reprofile, get rid of chips, more heavy duty stuff.

Sorry if this isnt what you're looking for, best of luck!
 
I have been vary happy with my edge pro apex for the last 4 years, depending on what stones you youse! the sucker works fast once you get the hang of using it.
 
Is the TSPROF Kadet Expert in short supply? I've been reading that lot of people having been on a waiting list and/or have waited many months before receiving an order or just giving up and cancelling orders. Is this a similar problem with the Hapstone kits?
 
Hence, my desire for a foolproof guided system of some sort. I've been doing a lot of reading and research on the web and checked out systems by Edge Pro; Wicked Edge; TSPROF; KME; Hapstone others I can't remember at the moment. Just about all of them have advantages and disadvantages, for my purposes. Thus far, the system that most appeals to me is the TSPROF Kadet Expert+.
I don't have any experience with the TSPROF, but it looks like a great system, but time consuming compared to something like the Wicked Edge where you can sharpen both sides at the same time. I've been using the Wicked Edge on all of my nice knives for years and love it. It's very easy to use and the results are repeatable.
 
My thanks to all of you for your feedback & guidance. Very much appreciated!

Of all the systems or kits I researched & read about, I finally decided to invest in the TSPROF Kadet Expert. I wanted to order it directly from TSPROF's USA distributor but could not get them to respond to several emails I sent with questions about the system, availability and shipping. Their phone line was always busy, too. I was interested in the package that included the 5 diamond sharpening stones. GRITOMATIC never responded to my emails, either, but they answered the phone and were able to answer questions about availability and shipping. So, I ordered the Kadet through them with 5 silicon carbide whetstones. Ordering on-line through GRITOMATIC was a breeze and the package arrived 1 day ahead of schedule.

A couple of the Hapstone kits appealed to me because they were/are less expensive than the TSPROF Kadet. However, the Kadet looked a bit better machined & designed, to me. The Wicked Edge WE100 appealed, as well, but the info about it said it could only accommodate cutting bevels down to 15 degrees. My favorite Chef's knife has a 14 degree cutting bevel. Seemed like the WE120 would have taken care of that concern with its purported more precise settings but, in retrospect, I'm not sure how big a deal 1 degree would have been, anyway. Regardless, the Wicked Edge systems seemed way overpriced for what you get in one of their packages. Maybe this is a factor of the quality of their sharpening stones? No idea! However unlike TSPROF & Hapstone, it looks like Wicked Edge constrains you to using their stones and their accessories seem pricey, as well. Wicked Edge also looked a little more dangerous to use. If I had gone with them, I think I would have invested in a pair of those cut-protection gloves, just to be on the safe side. I don't want to imagine what could happen if your hand slipped off one of those sharpening stones! I really like the idea of being able to sharpen both sides of a knife simultaneously, though. Seems like this would be a time-saver. I wish there had been a store close by that would have allowed me to get up close & personal with some of these systems, instead of having to rely on internet info and videos.

Oh well! So far, I've only sharpened 2 knives with the Kadet (i.e. 3" pairing & 8" Chef's) and didn't achieve the results I was hoping for. I used a very accurate digital protractor to set bevel angles (i.e. 14 degrees for the Chef's and 18 degrees for the pairing knife), progressively went through all 5 whetstones from 120 to 2500 using a couple dozen passes (actually counted) on each side of the blade(s) and used as much of the entire length(s) of the stones, as possible. I was very careful to go only in the direction away from me, like sharpening free-hand on a whetstone; not sawing back & forth in both directions. I also honed each knife before putting them to the test. Sharpening the 3" pairing knife was a close fit. I can already see how small knives and thin-bladed knives are going to be a challenge with this system. My pairing knife is old but still has some life in it. The 8" Chef's knife is only a year old and I've taken very good care of it. Are the knives sharper? Yes. Razor sharp? No. Factory edge sharp? No. What am I doing wrong, folks? Is it my technique? Do I need to do more passes; spend more time on the blades? Would good diamond stones be better or quicker than silicon carbide whetstones? Would stropping help, even after using 1000 and 2500 grit? Would switching to a ceramic honing or sharpening rod help?
 
It is most likely that you aren’t getting the blade sharpened to an apex. Have you made sure you get a burr on each side and removing them? If the answer is no, then it is your technique for sure. There are good guides in the stickies at the start of the forum. Have you read those?
 
The Wicked Edge WE100 appealed, as well, but the info about it said it could only accommodate cutting bevels down to 15 degrees. My favorite Chef's knife has a 14 degree cutting bevel. Seemed like the WE120 would have taken care of that concern with its purported more precise settings but, in retrospect, I'm not sure how big a deal 1 degree would have been, anyway.
The angles listed on the Wicked Edge are simply for reference. Depending on the width of the blade and the mounting height you use, the angle is going be different. You would need and angle cube to get the actual angle at the time of sharpening.

Wicked Edge also looked a little more dangerous to use. If I had gone with them, I think I would have invested in a pair of those cut-protection gloves, just to be on the safe side. I don't want to imagine what could happen if your hand slipped off one of those sharpening stones! I really like the idea of being able to sharpen both sides of a knife simultaneously, though. Seems like this would be a time-saver.
I've never cut myself on the Wicked Edge in the many years and hundreds of knives I've sharpened on the system. You're sharpening away from the blade. You're not supposed to be sharpening towards the base.

Oh well! So far, I've only sharpened 2 knives with the Kadet (i.e. 3" pairing & 8" Chef's) and didn't achieve the results I was hoping for. I used a very accurate digital protractor to set bevel angles (i.e. 14 degrees for the Chef's and 18 degrees for the pairing knife), progressively went through all 5 whetstones from 120 to 2500 using a couple dozen passes (actually counted) on each side of the blade(s) and used as much of the entire length(s) of the stones, as possible. I was very careful to go only in the direction away from me, like sharpening free-hand on a whetstone; not sawing back & forth in both directions. I also honed each knife before putting them to the test. Sharpening the 3" pairing knife was a close fit. I can already see how small knives and thin-bladed knives are going to be a challenge with this system. My pairing knife is old but still has some life in it. The 8" Chef's knife is only a year old and I've taken very good care of it. Are the knives sharper? Yes. Razor sharp? No. Factory edge sharp? No. What am I doing wrong, folks? Is it my technique? Do I need to do more passes; spend more time on the blades? Would good diamond stones be better or quicker than silicon carbide whetstones? Would stropping help, even after using 1000 and 2500 grit? Would switching to a ceramic honing or sharpening rod help?
It's possible that the Kadet stones need to be broken in. I know for the Wicked Edge, you need to sharpen a few dozen knives before the stones will perform really well. Also don't be afraid to use the Sharpie trick and color the edge to see what you are actually sharpening with each pass.
 
Thanks, folks! Really appreciate the guidance & training!

I did feel for a burr(s) and thought I could feel it but, frankly, whatever I felt or thought I felt was really slight. Maybe I should work the blade(s) a little longer with the grittier stones?

I had no idea silicon carbide whetstones might need break-in. I thought they'd be good to go right off the bat. I soaked them for 3 or 4 minutes before use and kept the ones I wasn't using at the time in the water until I changed them out. I also rubbed a few drops of water on the stones in use every 12 passes, or so, on the blades. Any chance I was being too liberal with the water lubrication? I have honing oil, if that's better than water, but I'd really like to avoid that because it's messier.
 
I think you are right. You should spend time on course stones. Even on course stones, you should be able to get a hair shaving edge. Haven’t heard of too much water. Haven’t used the Wicked Edge system, so can’t help ya there.
 
Is the TSPROF Kadet Expert in short supply? I've been reading that lot of people having been on a waiting list and/or have waited many months before receiving an order or just giving up and cancelling orders. Is this a similar problem with the Hapstone kits?
We also have them in stock. Same day, free shipping in continental US.
 
I love my KME sharpener for most of the knives I sharpen. The problem is that when I wind up doing kitchen knives I usually have a bunch of them at once and I don't want to spend all day on them.
For that reason I use the Ken Onion Worksharp with the blade grinder attachment. I've found that using it without the blade grinder it's very easy to mess up the blades with all of the dust created, I don't have that issue with the blade grinder. Also with the blade grinder I can get to a finer angle.
 
I am happy with my Worksharp Ken Onion knife sharpener. I use it for all my kitchen knives. It works well on 10-inch blades. You just need to pull straight. They make a free hand adapter for my Worksharp which I bought that I only use for power stropping. I like the guide on the original Ken Onion sharpener for long kitchen knives. The Worksharp is very fast. It only takes minutes to sharpen a knife. I have 30 kitchen knives so I don't want to sharpen them by hand.
 
I use a Sharpmaker for a quick working edge and a Wicked Edge system with the 130 clamp for reprofiling.
 
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I have a Gen3 Wicked Edge but for my kitchen knives I now only use stones and hand sharpening. The WE I still use for my folding knives to fix edges that are >20dps so I can take them to the stones for regular touch-ups.
 
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