Will let you know on my next hunt if it can keep it sharp in the field It looks good so far
Nice sharpener but I am skeptical about the life of the grit on the stones. I've about 10 knives so far with light passes and the stone already seems to wearing slick, even after a good cleaning with soap and water. The 800 grit works better to put on an edge at this point.
we need more free shipping ,your killing me with the shipping charges
your products are good ,and expensive enough so give us guys that are just trying to keep our knives sharp a break !
sometimes it takes you awhile to get an order right like with the race package i ordered but i understand sometimes **** happens and you made it right ... with no shipping thank you
Works good on one knife but not so good on others
Hi Derek,
Thank you for your review. I'm sorry to hear that only one of your knives was getting sharp. Can you share the make/models of the other knives? Also, here is a tip to help with a common issue that people find when using the sharpener for the first time:
Troubleshooting Your Venture Sharpener: Reaching the Edge
Having trouble getting your knife razor-sharp with your new Venture Sharpener? Don't worry—this is a common experience when you are first learning to sharpen.
Whether your knife is incredibly dull or was manufactured with a wider angle, the core issue is exactly the same: your sharpening stones are not reaching the actual cutting edge.
The knife is very dull: When a knife is dull, the very tip of the blade is rounded off. You need to remove a little more metal from the angled sides of the blade (called the bevels) until they finally meet at a fine, sharp point (called the apex).
The knife's factory angle is wider than 20°: Your Venture Sharpener is set to sharpen at a 20° angle. If your knife was manufactured with a wider angle, your sharpening stones are only rubbing against the top portion of the bevel (the 'shoulder') and completely missing the actual cutting edge.
The Marker Test: How to diagnose the issue
Fortunately, the way to figure out exactly what is happening is the same for both issues. We call it 'The Marker Test.' Here is how to do it:
Color the entire angled edge of your blade (the bevel) on both sides using a dark permanent marker.
Make a few normal sharpening strokes on each side of the knife using your Venture Sharpener.
Look closely at the blade to see where the marker was rubbed off.
Understanding your results: If the marker is completely gone, you are hitting the edge perfectly! However, if you still see marker remaining right at the very edge of the blade, your stones aren't reaching the apex yet, which means the knife won't be sharp.
Pro-Tips for the Marker Test:
Grab a magnifying glass or use your phone's camera zoom! It makes it much easier to see if there is a tiny line of marker left at the edge.
You might find that the marker is fully removed on one side of the blade, but not the other. This is completely normal; just focus on the side with the remaining marker until it is gone.
Three ways to fix the issue and get your knife sharp
If your marker test showed that the stones aren't reaching the very edge of your blade, you have three options to fix it:
1. Keep Sharpening (The Patient Route) You don't necessarily need new equipment. You can simply continue sharpening with your current diamond stone until enough metal is removed and all the marker is gone from the edge. It just takes a little extra time and patience!
2. Speed up the process with a coarser stone If you want to save time, using a rougher (coarser) stone will remove metal much faster. We recommend our Dual-Sided 100/200 Grit Diamond Stones to speed up the early stages of sharpening.
3. Adjust to a wider angle If your knife has a naturally wider angle, you can adjust your sharpener to match it. This allows the stones to reach the edge immediately. We offer a 25° Precision Knife Guide specifically designed for Venture Series sharpeners to handle these wider-angled blades.
The Good News: It's a One-Time Fix
Getting your bevels perfectly shaped so that they meet at the apex takes a bit of effort the first time you sharpen a knife. However, this is a one-time activity.
Once you have formed that perfect edge with your Venture Sharpener, future maintenance is incredibly easy. The next time your knife gets dull, your stones will already match the bevels you created, meaning it will only take a few quick passes to bring the blade right back to a razor-sharp finish.
If you are running into some other issue, please let us know and we'll work to help you get the results you're looking for.
Excellent field sharpener. Very lightweight and easy to maintain a great edge with. I can’t wait for the thumbscrew friendly guides!