KME Precision vs Edge Pro Shapton Price NI

[cmyhero]

i have been looking at a system for my smaller blade and some of my larger and if price is not important which would be a better kit between the KME Precision and the Edge Pro Shapton? The Russian unit looks good to but a bit too complicated for me to put together so my choice is between these two with the Wicked Edge not being considered.

[Tdog]

Can't speak to the KME as I've never used this. The Edge Pro with Shapton stones is a really good setup. Imo the 220, 500 and 1000k stones are good to have with the Edge Pro. Finer stones are also available for polishing. Chef Knives to go also sells inexpensive diamond plates for the Edge Pro. Forgot to mention if you get the Edge Pro, the spring for changing stones, stop collar, and magnets for underside of unit are really helpful to hold blades in place. Angle cube and loupe are also good to have. Dern, this stuff adds up fast. :rolleyes:

[Bloke]

I think you'll find the Russian Hapstone very simple to assemble and more versatile than the systems you mention.

They all have their shortcomings. :eek:

The Russian Venev bonded Diamond and CBN hones are exceptional. They come very flat, don't seem to 'dish' and are easily flattened with SiC loose grit. :)

[farnorthdan]

I've had my EP for a little over 2 years now, use it quite a bit, great system in my opinion, the stones that come with the system are adequate but better ones are available. I've picked up a bunch from other manufacturers.

[ZrowsN1s]

i have been looking at a system for my smaller blade and some of my larger and if price is not important which would be a better kit between the KME Precision and the Edge Pro Shapton? The Russian unit looks good to but a bit too complicated for me to put together so my choice is between these two with the Wicked Edge not being considered.

I've been using the KME system for a while and I really like it... but... I will say this. After about a year I ordered the hewlet jewel stick 1-2-3 diamond hone and the tapered diamond rod for serrations that KME sells on their site to try them out. I like both of these so much that I haven't used the 5 stones the KME sharp comes with in over a year. They also have a convex hone I'm thinking about getting. If you can find a used one, buy that, and just get a jewel stick to go with it.

[cmyhero]

ZrowsN1s..thank you..in discussing with Ron and my knives he said it most very likely would not work as the angle on these Japanese kitchen cutlery is too acute.

[ZrowsN1s]

ZrowsN1s..thank you..in discussing with Ron and my knives he said it most very likely would not work as the angle on these Japanese kitchen cutlery is too acute.

That reminds me. I had a similar issue not getting angles lower than 20 degree per side , I solved it by breaking the red locktite on the bolt that holds the eyelet of the sharpener unscrewing it and turning the eyelet upside down. I can get as low as 13 -16 degrees per side that way. I'll take a picture and circle the part I turned upside down.

[cmyhero]

ZRowsN1s...again thank you ..will your fix work for 8-10 degrees/side? I of course do not yet have anything so I have not seen the unfixed KME close up. Right now I am using 8" chosera and shaptons by hand but am looking for a more reproducible alternative.

[ZrowsN1s]

I'd be comfortable saying you could get 15 degrees per side (the farther the edge sticks out of the clamp the more acute of an angle you can get) but not 8-10 I'm not sure what to recommend. The KME was the best I could find in that price range, but it definitely has some limitations. For information sake the clamp itself is about 18 degrees so a really small knife might not be able to get lower than 16 degrees per side. Btw if no one has asked, are you sharpening sushi knives or something like that? I ask because I can split hairs at 15 degrees per side. The spyderco sharpmaker is only 20 degrees per side if I'm not mistaken and that will get knives razor sharp as well. I was just curious :o .

[farnorthdan]

I'd be comfortable saying you could get 15 degrees per side (the farther the edge sticks out of the clamp the more acute of an angle you can get) but not 8-10 I'm not sure what to recommend. The KME was the best I could find in that price range, but it definitely has some limitations. For information sake the clamp itself is about 18 degrees so a really small knife might not be able to get lower than 16 degrees per side. Btw if no one has asked, are you sharpening sushi knives or something like that? I ask because I can split hairs at 15 degrees per side. The spyderco sharpmaker is only 20 degrees per side if I'm not mistaken and that will get knives razor sharp as well. I was just curious :o .

Sharpmakers has 15 and 20 degree settings,

[ZrowsN1s]

Thanks for the correction farnorthdan.

[awa54]

I immediately noticed that the Hapstone Pro would have issues with ultra-low angles on kitchen cutlery. The lowest angle I have done is about 13dps on my Chaparral, that was close enough that I had only slight clearance between the blade rest fixing nut and the hone, it wouldn't have worked if I had to clamp the blade. My observation is that below 2" and above 6" blades can be cumbersome to work on with this system.

Overall though the Hapstone is a great tool and like Alex (Bloke) said the "bonded diamond" stones available from Gritomatic are fantastic, they make easy work of pretty much any steel as long as the knife fits on the blade/work table.

For my Japanese kitchen blades I still freehand with water stones and a sink bridge, the low angles and (comparatively) easy to grind steel make them much less of a challenge than modern stainless pocket knives IMO.

NOTE: I added a large diameter brass washer to the blade rest fixing nut on my Hapstone to prevent damage to the coating on the rest/clamp, if this was removed the clearance between the nut and sharpening hone would probably allow another few degrees of angle.