- Joined
- Dec 21, 2006
- Messages
- 3,158
Does anyone here use the Razor Edge Systems clamp on guides? (Besides the guy behind the keyboard who has his hand raised!) I love 'em. They come in two sizes. Regular and "cub" I think they call it. I actually have two of each. I had a set from years ago, and I found that the cub guide (the other one too for that matter), when clamped on blade properly, was WAY TOO high of an angle. Like factory type edge angles......YUCH.
So I took a saw to it and cut down each side of the cub guide to lower the angle you get. By mounting the guide on the blade at different positions (further in/further out), and using trigonometry (about the ONLY thing I paid attention to in high school), can figure out the angle and change as needed.
Usually pocket knives with small blades (ala swiss army classic and slightly bigger) the guide simply cannot be used. But from that size on up, I can usually use one of the two (actually four because I have two sets and modified the first set) guides and set the exact angle I want.
Rarely do I ever want under 10 dps, and the cut down guide will do that when placed properly on the blade. Usually my edges are 15dps, and the guides work really well.
There is an issue with the stone abrading the guide faces. I have found that if you can concentrate pressure being applied to the blade, the guide face will not suffer too bad at all. Tape works well to minimize the problem as well, and it is really only an issue with diamond stones. I find that waterstones, especially if you don't press down on the guide itself (just let it glide), the wear is minimal. The people at Razor Edge will tell you that you should only use the guides on their stones (which I don't know too much about....but they are proprietary I think), and they will not honor warranty if you use their guides on any stones except theirs.
I just thought I would throw that out there and see if anyone else uses them. Like I said, I really do like them, because I can pick an angle, stick with it accurately, and use any stone I like. The edges formed look like factory edges....cosmetically anyway. Nice and straight! And dead flat bevels.
Something to be said for slightly convex edge bevels due to hand sharpening without guides, tho!!!
So I took a saw to it and cut down each side of the cub guide to lower the angle you get. By mounting the guide on the blade at different positions (further in/further out), and using trigonometry (about the ONLY thing I paid attention to in high school), can figure out the angle and change as needed.
Usually pocket knives with small blades (ala swiss army classic and slightly bigger) the guide simply cannot be used. But from that size on up, I can usually use one of the two (actually four because I have two sets and modified the first set) guides and set the exact angle I want.
Rarely do I ever want under 10 dps, and the cut down guide will do that when placed properly on the blade. Usually my edges are 15dps, and the guides work really well.
There is an issue with the stone abrading the guide faces. I have found that if you can concentrate pressure being applied to the blade, the guide face will not suffer too bad at all. Tape works well to minimize the problem as well, and it is really only an issue with diamond stones. I find that waterstones, especially if you don't press down on the guide itself (just let it glide), the wear is minimal. The people at Razor Edge will tell you that you should only use the guides on their stones (which I don't know too much about....but they are proprietary I think), and they will not honor warranty if you use their guides on any stones except theirs.
I just thought I would throw that out there and see if anyone else uses them. Like I said, I really do like them, because I can pick an angle, stick with it accurately, and use any stone I like. The edges formed look like factory edges....cosmetically anyway. Nice and straight! And dead flat bevels.
Something to be said for slightly convex edge bevels due to hand sharpening without guides, tho!!!