Work Sharp has a new sharpening system as you probably noticed today (May 1, 2023) if you are at all plugged into the Knife Industry YouTube/Blog/Podcast scene. They sent the new units to members of the online knife community last month, but the press embargo (silent period) expired today. I did cover it in my Knife News column in the June issue which just went to press last week, and won’t be arriving in mailboxes until closer to June.
Rather than reinvent the wheel entirely, I am going to include my short Knife News piece, to give everyone some background and get on the same page.
Work Sharp Introduces Professional Precision Adjust Sharpening System
When Oregon-based Work Sharp Tools debuted the original Precision Adjust Knife Sharpener, it represented one of the best values in a sliding guide-bar style sharpening system. They have just launched an upgraded Professional Precision Adjust Knife Sharpener, with significant improvements in the function of the V-Block Clamping mechanism, both in terms of the clamp itself, but more importantly in how it interfaces with the unit’s base.
On the original Precision Adjust, the mechanism slid into the base and held in place largely by friction. It required the user to pull the mechanism free of the base before rotating the knife 180 degrees and reinserting. In the Professional model, there is a release button, allowing the knife to be flipped to the opposite side without removing the mechanism from the base. This is a considerable ergonomic and safety improvement, as pulling the mechanism (and consequentially the knife’s edge) towards you in the original model was suboptimal. The Pro’s base also pivots to allow larger knives to be rotated without interference from the table or bench upon which the unit is being used.
Included with the Professional Precision Adjust System is a digital angle gauge, 5 diamond impregnated plates ranging in grit from 220 to 800, a ceramic plate, and a leather stropping plate. These plates attach magnetically to the sliding handle/carriage, and are easy to swap out as one progresses through the grits.
The new Work Sharp Professional Precision Adjust Knife Sharpener will be available directly from WorkSharp beginning May 1st. (MSRP $299.95) It will reach Work Sharp Authorized dealers in June. For more information visit www.worksharptools.com or call 1-800-597-6170.
Now that you understand the basics, let’s dive a little deeper.
Unboxing:
This is not a small unit. As packaged it measures 14″ x 10″ x 6″ and weighs 7 lbs 7 oz, which coincidentally was the same as each of my children as newborns. it is certainly robust.
I haven’t done a ton of thinking, but there is no better off-the-shelf storage solution that comes to mind than the original packaging.
I say this because the magnetic abrasive plates line up in a way that is easy to keep organized and ready to quickly swap as needed.
So far so good.
Assembly:
As I was already quite familiar with the original Precision Adjust, I attempted to use the unit without referring to the directions the first time out. I was successful, but they do include a very helpful and thorough instruction guide. Plus there is a demonstration video on the Work Sharp YouTube Channel.
I clamped a Condor Compact Kephart in the V-Block clamp and I got to work. I tested the digital angle gauge, but since I wasn’t wanting to completely reprofile the edge, I used the Sharpie marker trick to figure out the angle that already existed, and worked on it from there.
The gauge was intuitive, and I set about using the unit for the first time.
As mentioned above in my Knife News piece, the biggest improvement is how the knife can be flipped around to the other side just by pressing the red button, rather than removing the clamp from the unit base.
For long knives, such as a chef’s knife, the chasis tilts back on the base, as you can see in this photo from Work Sharp:
I worked my way through the various grits, and was impressed with how easily the plates swapped out, and how securely the magnets held them in place during use. Finally, I used the leather strop plate, being careful to only slide in the direction of the edge.
The results were dramatic.
You can see the whole unit in action in Work Sharp’s demonstration video:
I found the unit to be intuitive to set up and use, and the results were impressive across the range of knives I tested. I did try it on a “beater” chef’s knife, where I had to tilt the chasis, but that required both hands and I was unable to photograph it myself.
I have not yet tried the small knife table. Mostly because all my small slipjoints are currently in pretty good shape and I usually just touch them up with a ceramic rod. But when I do, I will post an update. I also have an old fillet knife that I would like to try, simply to see how the unit can handle the odd length and shape.
Conclusion:
At $299.95 MSRP, the Work Sharp Professional Precision Adjust Sharpener is not the “Best Value” in a sliding-bar style sharpening system that the original was when it debuted at $59.95. However, with its upgraded features, robust construction, and repeatable results, it is a strong contender for “Best Overall” in the category.
For more information, check out www.worksharptools.com/shop/benchtop/manual/professional-precision-adjust-knife-sharpener/
Acknowledgements: I would like to think Work Sharp for sending us this unit for review. It was provided gratis, but there was no promise of a favorable review. It simply earned it. I will update this post with links to other reviews as they become available.So you won’t need to take my word for it.