Learning the Edge Pro Apex for an over-analytical.

Joined
Dec 10, 2014
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48
Just got an Edge Pro. I ignored a lot of advice and started with one of my decent knives.

I obviously want as much blade laying on the deck near the edge of the deck.

I tend to overanalyze things, and I probably did so in this case.
The knife and the issues I found are pictured below. I couldn't decide whether to lay the flats or the primary bevel on the deck. The blade has enough flat near the ricasso to hold it stable on the deck, but very little flat towards the tip. When positioning the blade to sharpen the tip, I had to used a lot of pressure to keep the narrow flat against the deck. My Edge Pro has a serious magnet under it.

The primary bevel or grind is broad and holds the blade to the deck more securely than the flat. But, this blade has a distal taper that takes a curve toward the tip. So the ricasso part of the blade bevel lays flat to the deck, while the taper make the beve curve up off the deck towards the tip. I think I would have to actually roll the blade along this curve as I moved the knife across the deck to maintain a consistent bevel to deck contact.

Obsessing about the curved taper and wishing I had learned more math, I went against my gut and tried to use the flats. I don't think it worked out very well. I wasn't able to make steady strokes while trying to balance the short flat to the deck. My thumbs are still numb from trying to keep the flats on the deck while sharpening that tip area of the knife.

What would you have done in this situation? I think I should have used the bevel. If I were to use the bevel against the deck, would it be better to push the bevel to the deck along the taper's curve? That would seem to be the only way to keep a consistent cutting angle.

On a blade this size with its curved belly, do I need to move the blade left to right across the deck, to keep the bevel at 90 degrees to the cutting edge? Or could I have just set the blade down and sharpened the entire blade?

I know a lot of the answers to these questions are relative to a list of conditions and preferences. I also know that answers and info won't substitute for sharpening a hundred knives will.

Holding the primary against the deck.
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Holding the flat against the deck. This is why my thumbs are still numb the day after.
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The bevel laying on the deck, with the tip sitting off the deck.
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The magnet may not be a good idea for this knife. My issue with them is they are too big. I like my magnets no more than 1/2" wide and as close to the front of the table as possible, like 1/16". The problem with wide magnets is the blade isn't sure if it should sit on the primary bevel or flat with knives that have enough of a flat on them. The way you should sharpen knives on the EP is to loosely hold the knife in place with your hand and use the stone pressure to hold the blade to the table, without using a magnet. In theory, a magnet should only help you hold the blade to the table. If your knife wants to sit on the flat next to the spine then you may want to disengage the magnet.
 
The magnet may not be a good idea for this knife. My issue with them is they are too big. I like my magnets no more than 1/2" wide and as close to the front of the table as possible, like 1/16". The problem with wide magnets is the blade isn't sure if it should sit on the primary bevel or flat with knives that have enough of a flat on them. The way you should sharpen knives on the EP is to loosely hold the knife in place with your hand and use the stone pressure to hold the blade to the table, without using a magnet. In theory, a magnet should only help you hold the blade to the table. If your knife wants to sit on the flat next to the spine then you may want to disengage the magnet.

Thank you. So would you lay this knife on the bevel instead of the flat? I know I will next time I mess with it.
 
Bevel. Keep your knife holding had loose, it is just there to guide the knife. The stone holds the blade to the table.
 
you should also remove the plastic clip on the guide plate for narrow knives at small angles it looks like you are scrapping it and it may throw your angel off.
 
Bevel.
You should put masking tape on the blade to protect it from loose grits.
 
similar "tabled" guided systems (Ruixin Pro iii, hapstone) have a support plate at the front face of the device. the plate is secured to support the curved taper. like a wood table with 3 supporting legs, the blade can't wobble anymore.
https://www.bladeforums.com/posts/17987105
it was added to the hapstone as an afterthought, after the device had hit the market, see the V7 revision history.
the Edgepro doesn't have that front plate. so my post is not helping:oops:
 
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