Paper sharpening wheels

I've used paper wheels for years. I don't use the grit wheel anymore. I put an initial edge on using a worn out 320 belt on the grinder, and then go to the slotted paper wheel with green compound. I've found that a majority of the knives I re-sharpen for people only need some time on the slotted wheel. If you are using the gritted solid wheel, it will throw some sparks at times.
 
Do whatever feels right but GIVE IT A CHANCE. It is well worth it, in my opinion. Not that you can't get a knife sharp any other way. I find the slotted paper wheel is amazing with thin slicers, like kitchen knives and a little more finicky with heavier edges.

Richard_J really nudged me to try them out, initially. I've had mine for six yrs but only took a shine to them for these last two. I would recommend them to anyone, now.
 
Well I'll dig them back out. I tried them about 5 years ago, before I was really making any knives. Maybe I just didn't have the hand skills for it then. Hopefully I can find them. They did work quickly. I just couldn't get a consistent grind with them.

It was shortly after that that I built myself an edge pro-like jig and I've been using that ever since. But it has it's own deficiencies to work around too, depending on blade size/shape.
 
There is a guy on YT that made a jig for the paper wheels. Pretty slick.
 
Pretty interesting responses which leads me to think there is more than one way to get a sharp blade. Thanks for sharing. Think I will work with a worn belt and leather and if I need more try the paper wheel. The slotted wheel seems like a good way to go.
Best wishes.
 
There are only 1,047 ways to sharpen a knife. It was once proposed that 1,048 ways existed, but after much deliberation we found that #749 and #923 were actually duplicates.
 
kuraki said:
There are only 1,047 ways to sharpen a knife. It was once proposed that 1,048 ways existed, but after much deliberation we found that #749 and #923 were actually duplicates.
Click to expand...

You saw that study as well... cool.

That is the channel and jig... he has a time-lapse video of the build. I personally think he overthought it. Cool, none the less.
 
:D hahahaha.... you guys are funny.

You're also just about to convince me to dig my paper wheel (at least the smooth one) back out. Like many of you, I found that I used it the most, and didn't really bother with the grit wheel nearly as much.
 
kuraki: I get it, LOL, just like golf there are over 11,000 ways just to make the back swing, HA.
 
OK, well I'm convinced. I cast these aside years ago and I'm pretty sure it was because my hand skills just weren't up to par. I couldn't find the slotted wheel only the grit wheel, so I ordered a new set. I'm glad I did. I sharpened a few knives tonight, edge down, no problem, very quickly with a nice consistent edge. I still went to the strop after the slotted wheel, but I'll likely be using this quite a bit going forward.
 
I too got into them after having some long talks with Richard J. He's a good guy.

I don't use the grit wheel a lot anymore because I like to be real precise with my edge angles. The slotted strop/polishing wheel is AWESOME for removing the burr and making a mirror edge. It's SO much faster to get a high polished edge than using stones. I rarely use the grit wheel because I feel like it could damage a heat treat pretty easily. I'm always very paranoid about that. What I've been doing for a while now is using my belt grinder with the flat platen. I set the desired edge angle, put the knife edge down in a angle iron jig. The blade clamped between two pieces of angle iron with one of the sides glued to a plastic bottom, so it will slide easy. I run the belt as slow as possible, work up to 320 and then hit the paper stropping/polishing wheel and it's whittling hairs and push cutting paper.

Like most of you guys, I have a tone of different sharpening kits, stones, and devices. I picked up a Grizzly Tormak clone a few months ago but really haven't done a lot with it yet. I like that it sets the edge angle fairly precisely and uses a solid jig/blade holder to ensure the edge stay consistent at that angle.

Oh and I sharpen on the top of the wheel with the wheel rotating away from me. I have to turn the machine around to do it though. I like doing it that way because I can look down right at the edg and see the burr forming. Also, I don't like the idea of using it spinning towards me.
 
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I've tried the paper wheels, they work and are easy for final sharpening, but I would still strop it after.

I found that it has no advantage over my belt grinder, I can put an edge on a new knife in under 3 mins up to 2k grit if I want, usually stop at 800g.

Not a lot of guys can sharpen freehand in a belt grinder, it takes a lot of practice, especially when you have 2" width. The wheels are slimmer and a lot easier to learn how to maintain angle.

But once you learn how to sharpen on a belt grinder there's no reason to use the wheels. Just belt and strop.
 
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