Gravy's Cooking Thread

The Worksharp is "ok"

I mean it is the best under $100 semi automatic knife sharpener.

I have the worksharp, it does a good "i don't know what the fuck i'm doing" job. I don't use it anymore i've since graduated to more precise tools and currently my apt super loves it cuz it really works nice on the lawnmower. (i just put my worksharp in the area where he puts his tools, nice gestures and all you know)

but it's simple operation. there's 2 belts (well 3, one is for the outside). a coarse belt that will grind away your knife in seconds, use this when you're knife can't cut paper like a razor, or if heaven forbid you have chips and use your knives like an axe.

strap on the coarse belt, put the cheap plastic guide over it, plug it in, hold it with your off hand turn it on and pull thru like 3-5x alternative sides. do this pretty fast, an 8inch chef knife should take no more than 2sec per pull through, otherwise you'll take off a large chunk of metal and you're knife will get super hot.

watch the tip, the main drawback is that you can destroy your tip and round it off, google for videos on how to properly do it so that you don't "round off" your tip.

then let it cool down for 2 mins (belt is super hot) and change it to the "fine" belt, this will give you a nice almost razor edge, and repeat.

the guides are simple, 20degrees for european kitchen knives and 25degrees for hunting/ outdoor pocket knives, you also get a scissor guide.

if this is all you know about your knives, then it'll work fine, if you have japanese knives, this won't do shit for you, you need "at least" at 15degree angle.

(note sometimes you'll see extreme angles like 30/40/50 degress, thats just measuring both sides, divide by 2, most of that sharpen knives talk about the angle per side, not combined, but most machines will be this way)

If you still want a worksharp but you have japanese knives and are scared of stones and want something automatic still you need the more expensive version

Amazon.com: Work Sharp WSKTS-KO Knife and Tool Sharpener Ken Onion Edition: Home Improvement

that has a 15 degree angle guide.

honestly this is good enough for most ppl

if you want to take your car to the dealer for an oil change solution, this is kinda it.

if you become nerdy about, omg, there might be math involved.

for instance lots of ppl try to shoot for the 15 degrees in a japanese knife, how do you do that if you're doing freehand sharpening? well measurement. how do you measure a knife angle on the blade?

idk how most of these knife guys do it (they seemingly, believe they have the proper angle) but i like precision so i use math, basically i use SSS basic trig to solve it. i use calipers to measure one side from the bevel to the edge. then flip it around for the other side (this is 2 sides now). so where's the 3rd side? it's how thick the knife is, use your calipers and you have SSS
Triangle Theorems Calculator
(choose SSS)
cuz even i don't remember sine/ co sine shit, wtf high school!

for quicker anglers i have an angle cube
AccuRemote Digital Electronic Magnetic Angle Gage Level / Protractor / Bevel Gauge - Angle Finder - Amazon.com

i lay the knife on my wicked edge clone, zero then use the slide to measure.

currently i freehand with japanese whetstones, strops, compounds etc.

what I can do with the knives is too much for the cook at home. The few friends I visit and offer to sharpen a knife or 2 is like putting a ferrari engine in a beat up civic.