Ken Onion Worksharp Blade Grinding Attachment Sharpening Tutorial

In this video I show how I sharpen folders on the Ken Onion Worksharp with the blade grinder attachment. My CRKT Pilar had edge damaged that I repaired and re-profiled to a 15 degree edge. Thanks for watching.

[@NickWeissMusic]

Those who are doubting the techniques in this video or wringing their hands over blade tempering simply haven't used this tool. This was the only video I needed to watch to get perfect results on mine on the first try, it's really easy, and an even faster, upgraded experience from the base model Ken Onion attachment. These belts are not like sandpaper (except the 120 grit belt which is for gross shaping and garden tools), they're cloth with impregnated abrasive that's smooth to the touch. *YES YOU CAN SCREW UP A BLADE AT HIGH SPEEDS... SO DON'T USE HIGH SPEEDS FOR DELICATE BLADES.* Not rocket surgery. You just use light passes and the blade barely gets warm. If you use a light touch it can take many passes to raise a burr, and as with any sharpening method, patience helps, yet you're still razor sharp in under 5 minutes on virtually any blade.

[@grovesy333]

Exactly you know what you’re talking about

[@weseasom6807]

Thanks for the tutorial. This was the best advice for a novice on how to know when you have a bur. love the qtip trick.

[@TyJee28]

Excellent video. One of the best I've seen demonstrating how-to use the WS-KO & blade grinder attachment. Good lighting, good camera placement, good explanation. I just received both and am trying to learn to use it effectively & efficiently.

[@gearbarrel6237]

We use this attachment to sharpen customers in our showroom all the times. We can get a hair popping edge in under 10 mins usually. Be sure to dunk the blade in water often while sharpening so as to ensure the heat treatment isn’t lost. Great video!

[@grovesy333]

If you’re careful like this guy was you won’t lose any heat treat just quick passes and it’s totally fine always use a practice for learning this is a learning curve but once you get the hang of it you can get everything razor sharp

[@grovesy333]

Incredible system and machine though can sharpen pretty much everything with this ! You’re totally right you can get uneven bevels on this it happened to my old beater which I practiced with now it’s fixed and razor sharp now too

[@bcjdwbiernfjherwfbowfib]

Do you think with a rougher grit sandpaper, that you could use this to put a bevel on a thinner knife? (Like 3/32 or 1/8" thick)

[@fuersliph]

I don't understand the heat treat comments, there's no way to mess up the temper of a blade unless your just laying on a grinder for a long time. If you can hold it in your hand, its under 120F, and that's no where near enough heat to damage it. It would need to be 250F or 300F to be anywhere close, these things are tempered at 1400F to 1900F, then retempered at 350F to 500F depending on the steel.

[@JohnSmith-gs4lw]

fuersliph Agree. People get so hypersensitive about this. The factory belts are high enough quality that you’d be hard pressed to come close to messing with a hardness. Not saying it couldn’t happen, but people think these things are like the large belt grinders knife makers use with a 36 grit belt. It’s a completely different tool and anyone who’s used it knows that.

[@robertsherman2285]

I hope an engineer or metallurgist will comment. I wonder if the knife edge can reach extreme temperatures, given it's small mass, even if the bulk of the blade is cool enough to hold. I have used this device hundreds of times and have never even felt the blade to be a little warm.@@JohnSmith-gs4lw

[@richardjones1743]

fuersliph it doesn't take as much as you think to overheat the metal and it only takes a minimal amount of the metal getting overheated to effect the temper. Being safe by cooling down the steel will protect your blade if you care about the results. I've worked with all types of metal for 25 yrs and believe me it only takes seconds to overheat a metal

[@TheGaffanon]

Having made knives for just under 40 years.just because the knife it’s self does not get hot does not mean the edge did not.it only takes a tiny amount of time to ruin the temper on an edge if you get any color when you sharpen your in the range of breaking that temper there are some steel exceptions which would be some of the high vanadium steel which temper in the 1000-1200 f degree range but factory knives are not made with those steels at least very few are. And that edge will cool quickly as well being a very thin section of metal. As for holding it to sharpen it like this tool does it’s how most knife makers not companies put an edge on their knives initially and with practice becomes second nature.

[@thedivineprotectorofmangos9841]

You clearly haven't experienced a Spyderco edge

[@richardjones1743]

Thanks for your example on using the KO work sharp I just ordered one with the angle grinder attachment. Your attention to detail was really helpful. I've seen a few others that have not been very careful working with this tool but you'll have that I'm from the school of respecting the tool to maximize what you want to achieve!!

[@gammarayburst4763]

Great video man. Thanks for making it. Appreciated.

[@MrTroflog]

This look great. Do you use this for thinning knives?

[@freedoomed]

I love the work sharp. I upgraded to the ken onion edition last year. been thinking about getting the grinder attachment but i have so much life left on the regular belts.

[@jasonburns956]

freedoomed it’s next level a much more professional setup

[@KickMe1177]

I got the grinder attachment after trying to get used to the angle guide on the ken onion. I never could get the hang of it for some reason.. I jumped on the grider attatchment the moment it came in and my results were soooo much better using this. I would totally recommend it.

[@j.p.4541]

Do you need the attachment to clean up a convex edge on a machete or kuhkuri?

[@fatheremmons85]

What degree do you shoot for on your survive knives? Im hoping this thing will convex the edge as well.

[@ichipanx4064]

So first you verified the 15 degrees precisely from 15,1 to 15 degrees....and than grinding free hand? Sorry i dont get the point. IMHO it is impossible to hold the blade that steady while moving on the belt. 😬 Ok, maybe if you are a zen master and practising that movement your whole life. I just ordered the ken onion worksharp and the grinding attachment. My plan is, to build a rest, high enough so the angle can be precise (half a degree would already be great i guess)

[@DeanMD77]

Great video! Thx. I just received mine yesterday. When going from aV grind (Benchmade for instance) to a convex on the Grinder attachment, do I need to start on the coarsest grit or where to begin?

[@overlandedc]

Dean Bailey depends if you’re following the factory angle or reprofiling the blade

[@macnitro902]

Ues

[@supermoto2012]

Hi mate, what knive do you use in your Video ?

[@ivan4634]

This video is awesome. I used this system on all my knives, from folder to fixed blade. I don't know if this will change anything but I usually like to put a cup of water on the side, a lot of time I feel the blade is too hot and I don't know if that will change edge retention, so I like to put in water after 2-3 pass.

[@MrEric0822]

Ivan Chen You don’t need to cool your blade.

[@joshnd1978]

does the belt grinder use the same belts as the ken onion worksharp? or do you have to buy different belts to use this attachment?

[@overlandedc]

They are much wider belts, the attachment comes with all of the belts .

[@BloodEagleTactical]

Could you do a crkt m16-14sfg tanto like this for us? We would really appreciate it.

[@gillmanjr87]

I just got this and it seems to work good but one thing I just don't understand is why they didn't put the guide plate up higher where you actually grind the blade. That way you can have the blade sitting on the plate AS YOU GRIND IT. This guarantees that the angle is perfect and stays constant the whole time. Makes no sense to me. The way it is you are still sharpening the knife freehand.

[@regel303]

Bingo. It seems the designer got so much right, then put the rest in the wrong place. I'm thinking I will either get a rest similar to the Veritas or make one.

[@EricHorchuck]

I totally agree! I thought that's how it worked until I saw this video. All I want to do is sharpen two knives. Do I need this attachment or should I just get the KO without this attachment? I mean what does the attachment do that the KO doesn't?? Thanks for the video.

[@regel303]

@Blake This: www.woodcraft.com/products/veritas-grinder-tool-rest?gclid=Cj0KCQjw0rr4BRCtARIsAB0_48PwEokJ5G1sEe_EvoKrkKOgS6Ygpz_wUlxi_VXtGWKP_p3-Ogk8JlgaAts6EALw_wcB It's a tool rest, Blake. Nice stuff, though pricey.

[@DabFiend710]

Gonna buy this and modify it to do just that. Awsome tip.

[@EricHorchuck]

@@regel303 Great tip, RS. Thanks! 😀

[@LogicBob]

Hey man! Thanks so much for doing that! I think you must have been talking about my comment. This video couldn't have come at a better time either! I really appreciate it! One question, what's the purpose of the blue tape?

[@overlandedc]

Logic Bob protect the finish of the blade. If you don’t tape it you can get some marks on the blade from the belt

[@JohnSmith-gs4lw]

Also super important if you are using it without the blade grinding attachment. The standard guides scratch the crap out of a blade face. I couldn’t care less on some of my folders, but I’ve got some nice kitchen knives that taught me this the hard way.

[@independentrealist9299]

For protecting the primary bevel from scratch or rub marks.

[@BizzeB-nq1jb]

Do you prefer the work sharp or the wicked edge go?

[@overlandedc]

Aaron Baldwin hard to say since they are very different. I get great edges from both. I may do a comparison on how long it takes to sharpen on both but I would say the work sharp with the blade grinder is faster.

[@stevemilk4526]

Are you on the narrow or wide setting for the pulleys?

[@overlandedc]

Steve Milk wide

[@MrEric0822]

Steve Milk Wide setting will result in a more convex blade. Narrow setting less convex.

[@shawnlavigne9069]

Yup, sometimes you run into steel that takes forever, even on a belt sander. And usually the burr can be a bear to get off. I think I prefer the ken onion to the tormek. So much faster.

[@abelmonters1]

Hola, creo que aun te falta para conseguir buen afilado con Ken Onion, sigue practicando y lo conseguirás. Por el test de papel y el sonido, lo has afilado, pero aun te queda mucho por mejorar, un abrazo!!

[@magz0394]

Is it necessary to get this attachment if I’m only using it for kitchen knives? Or is the Ken onion work sharp enough??

[@grovesy333]

Honestly get the attachment it’s so much easier for kitchen knives I got both my dad and brother’s kitchen knife set all razor sharp in 40 minutes

[@dellahicks7231]

Does anyone have experience using this for ice auger blades?

[@grovesy333]

No but it will definitely sharpen them

[@DennisThaMenace]

About how long did this take you without the speed ups?

[@overlandedc]

dberrjr 30 minutes and that was repairing a bad roll

[@DennisThaMenace]

EDC Gear Reviews That's damn quick. My KME takes me like 2 hours but that's probably because I'm a very unmotivated sharpener. I've been looking into faster things, but I didn't like the stock WKO and a Tormek was too expensive for a hobbyist. Do you prefer the Grinder Attachment to the stock WKO, and does the Grinder do more of a V bevel or a convex still?

[@overlandedc]

dberrjr definitely the grinder attachment. You can adjust the pulleys to do either a convex or v grind

[@DennisThaMenace]

EDC Gear Reviews Thank you for the insight! I'll be sure to pick one of these up now

[@unklecorky2181]

@@DennisThaMenace I'm in the same boat you're in. I'm looking for quick sharpening system without a steep learning curve that could potentially damage my knives. I'm also an unmotivated sharpener and don't really take pleasure in the sharpening process like many people do. Also time is an issue for me as well. I was about to get the ken onion but i'm seeing this system has it's own set of issues as well. My next thing i'm considering is just a belt grinder with paper wheels. I've never heard of Tormek? I don't mind paying more if it gets the job done quick and achieves nice sharp edges without damaging the knife.

[@DANMOTYL]

If the table is not perfectly level, how do you know the cube is correct?

[@damon4557]

He zeroes the cube when he sets it on the table, so the angle of the belt will show correctly

[@don0giorgio]

Anyone tried maxamet on this?

[@JohnSmith-gs4lw]

Couple thoughts. First, why the heck isn’t the leveling table closer to the belt surface up top where you do the actual grinding? I always find it hinky that I get it level, and then have to move like 6 inches up (past a moving belt at a very acute angle) to get it to the grinding position. Just build that little shelf higher and further forward. Also, be careful with your metal dust. Not saying you need to wear a respirator for this (wouldn’t hurt) but just know that you are making metal dust and it’s getting all over your bench there. One little blade like that and you probably don’t notice it, but it’s there. And when you do a whole block of kitchen knives, you WILL notice it! Also, I think the price point for this thing is a bit high. The base WSKO is $120 when my gut tells me it should be a $60-$70 tool. Don’t remember what I paid for the BGA but that was on top of the basic tool. Lastly, did you mention that this produces a convex edge? Not saying that’s good or bad, just worth mentioning. People shouldn’t use this for their Moras. ;-)

[@gunfighterzero]

i was thinking the same thing on angle determination, that little shelf seems kind of worthless. like the equivalent of checking the width of 2 items with your thumb and forefinger, and dang it i just bought a mora

[@GetMeThere1]

I thought about the same thing: why isn't the table right up near where you're going to work. However, it works fine right where it is. The analogy that's mentioned somewhere in the user guide relates to walking with a bowl of soup -- you can do it easily "by feel." The problem isn't the location of the table; the problem is holding the angle really steady WHILE you're sharpening -- i.e., as you move your arms to go down the blade. Also, it sharpens Moras (i.e., Scandi grinds) just fine. You end up with a Scandi grind with a slight convex character. I sharpen all my Moras on the grinder attachment and they're MORE than razor sharp.

[@zaheerkader7426]

If you so finicky about angles get an angle cube... This is a belt system which convexes so a few degrees off ain't gonna matter. I use a normal vertical 1x30 belt grinder and it's all by eye and the results are awesome

[@JohnSmith-gs4lw]

Yep. They’re going to push the price point up until people stop buying it. It’s a shame because it’s a great tool and they should be focusing and building up the customer base instead of squeezing every penny out of every sale.

[@jhebertutube]

If the alignment plate was higher it would also give you less room to work around the belt with bigger or odd-shaped blades. It’s meant to be a reference, not a robot arm CNC-equivalent. That job is for other tools.

[@SnwBrdFrvr]

Seems like you would be removing a lot of material with all those strokes on a powered system.

[@KickMe1177]

Thats the point. It takes material off quicker. This is more for reshaping a blade. Sharpening is quick and easy too if your careful and on low setting.

[@grovesy333]

You’ve got to really cut the metal on any blade that’s damaged I had to with my dads axe which I sharpened on this thing

[@huydinh3305]

The angle will wrong when moving the knife up

[@romeoliwanag6483]

He’ using it wrong

[@italianrelic]

Dumbest sharpener on market! 👎🏼

[@kodyking3090]

What do you use?

[@shawnlavigne9069]

Well, I have a tormek t4, also sharpen by hand and have this. This by far is the fastest way to sharpen knives and I've got some of the sharpest edges ever with this thing. I think it's a pretty good system. Although, for my own folders, I do prefer to sharpen by hand. But for kitchen knives - this thing is tops.

[@GG-ml3vr]

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