Description

Introducing a NEW Rapid Edge Profiler for the Edge Pro Sharpening System

How to quickly restore the bevel on a very dull knife.

No matter how long you’ve been sharpening knives, and whether you do it for yourself or as a side hustle, or as a full on business, I have no doubt you’ve experienced this:

Knives that are beyond dull.

Like a chef knife that has to work through butter.

Well, I offer a small knife sharpening service and I cater to the community of people who have maybe never had their knives sharpened…like…for decades. And I’m so happy to be able to bring my service to these people because they get to see firsthand the joy that can come from preparing food with sharp cutlery.

The problem is…it can take a  L  O  N  G  time to bring back an edge that is so far gone.

I used to do it with the stones and I found myself ordering 120 grit stones on a near monthly basis.

Then I purchased some diamond stones. They worked better, but I paid dearly for them. Upwards of $60 a pop.

I knew I needed a better system. So I made one.

How I Restore a Bevel in 2 Minutes

Here’s how I currently take a knife that is beyond butter knife dull and restore a consistent bevel along the whole length of the blade in about 2 minutes.

First, I take a pass or two with light pressure on my Grizzly 1×30 belt sander. I hold the knife as close as I can to 21 degrees and I cut back the bevels carefully until one meets the other at the edge.

Passing a super dull blade across a Grizzly 1×30 sander

Second, I load my custom built Rapid Edge Profiler into my Edge Pro and I establish a perfect bevel at the desired angle consistently along the whole length of the knife on both sides. I can usually accomplish this with one pass on either side, sometimes two.

Establishing the constant bevel with the rapid edge profiling file.

With the edge recovered, apex formed, and the bevel established I then use the standard Edge Pro whetstones or Diamond Matrix stones to refine the edge.

No more sawing away for 30 minutes trying to establish the bevel. No more headache and stress of    JUST   NOT   BUILDING   A   BURR.

The Details on the Rapid Edge Profiler

I started this journey with a traditional file from the hardware store. I tried both the 8 inch and the 10 inch flat and mill files, single and double cut.

Those files also work great, but I found that they lost their cutting ability after 10 to 20 knives. I kinda gave up on the idea until I found some files that are purpose built for Stainless Steel.

I have yet to feel the need to throw away one of these files. They are indeed far superior for work on Stainless Steel. They hold their teeth and they don’t get clogged. That said, I also use my file card consistently.

File card with both nylon bristles and wire bristles for cleaning files like the Rapid Edge Profiler.

The files for sale here are the best version that I’ve found for building a bevel on knives and they are sized to fit perfectly in the Edge Pro Sharpening System. (Please note that I use the spring upgrade on the stone arm but effort is made to size them exactly to stock EP stone blanks.)

These files cut in only one direction. A file is traditionally built to cut on the push stroke, but for use in the EP they should be used on the pull stroke, or in an edge trailing manner. I pick the file all the way off the knife on the push stroke. Medium to light consistent pressure is best when pulling.

Mount the file in the Edge Pro so that the cutting stroke is in the direction of the arrow.

The file is also milled on both sides, so after one side wears out the ends can be re-chamfered on a bench grinder to fit in the Edge Pro upside down – essentially doubling the life of the file.

The Rapid Edge Profiler is chamfered to fit in the Edge Pro. When one side gets dull the ends can be chamfered in the other direction on a bench grinder to use the other side of the file.

Lastly, the file has a nice hard line on the corners which helps in that spot where the edge meets the ricasso, especially if there’s no choil.

The Rapid Edge Profiler cuts nicely in the inside corner of the edge.

This File Pays For Itself #dothemath

Let’s just say you make a modest $20 per hour sharpening knives, noting, of course, that if you make more, and you probably do, it will expedite this timeline.

Let’s also assume that you have not invested in a 1×30 belt sander, so it’ll take a few more minutes than it takes me to re-profile a knife.

So at a price point of roughly $20, this file will need to save you 1 hours’ worth of work.

I don’t think it’s a stretch at all to suggest that a knife that takes you 20 minutes to re-profile with a 120 stone can be profiled in 10 minutes with one of these files. At that rate it would take you just 6 knives to justify the cost of this file in time alone. Not to mention the saved cost in 120 stones or diamond stones that you scallop or wear out.

BONUS

If you haven’t invested in the Scissor Chisel Attachment (SCA) I trust you’ve at least considered it. I love that attachment because it opens up so many other opportunities.

Here in New Hampshire, we love us some gardening. It didn’t take long after putting myself out there for people to ask if I sharpen pruners and loppers. Thanks to the SCA, I do!

The majority of the pruners and loppers that come across my bench have been in the dirt a few too many times, or worse yet, rocks. They are generally gummed up, chipped and in an otherwise sorry state.

I have some reservations about using my nice stones to cut back the bevels, pull the chips out and re-profile these tools. So now I do all the heavy lifting with a file, get the edge to a decent condition and only then refine it with my series of stones.

Do Yourself A Favor

Grab one of these files and give it a home on your workbench. You’ll be glad you did.

And while you’re at it, pick up a couple serrated blade shims to continue to get the most out of your Edge Pro.

Cheers,

-Matt