TSPROF K02 Standart Professional Russian Knife Sharpening System, Knife Sharpener with Edge Angle Control for Chefs and Kitchen Knives

Awesome knife sharpener, and easy to use

I purchased the TSProf for one main reason: it has the capacity to sharpen longer blades. I've gotten into Historical European Martial Arts recently, which includes swords. This is the only product on the market I've seen that seems to be able to put a REALLY good cutting edge on blades that are 20-30 inches long (or longer). If you are only interested in sharpening items no longer than a chef's knife, then maybe an Edge Pro, Hapstone, or Wicked Edge would be either cheaper or better.With that out of the way, the TSProf itself is an absolute beast. This is a high-precision instrument that goes together flawlessly and just "feels" like it is extremely well made. No flimsy plastic parts, no stamped steel. Everything precision machined out of solid stock. So yes, it is worth the price.It includes sharpening stones that "only" go up to 1000 grit. You can certainly get a sharp knife, but I wasn't able to get silly-sharp, wicked-sharp, insanely-sharp (or whatever appropriate adjective you want to use). A sharpened blade would "slice" paper, but it would never just "cut" paper without adding a drawing motion. So I augmented this kit with a 1200 grit Edge Pro stone, plus a leather strop and some 7, 3, and 1 micron diamond paste. With that configuration, I can get a wicked-sharp edge on my kitchen knives.There are a couple of things that led me to rate it 4-stars instead of 5.The crate it comes in is quite nice. Looks like a WWII-vintage supply box. But it was shipped to me with no additional padding (just wrapped in a tightly-fitting cardboard box), and all the screws holding the box together stripped out. When I first opened the kit, all four sides of the box just fell apart. It was easy enough to put it back together, but it was still a minor disappointment.Second, it would be nice if it came with a 1200 or 1500 grit stone instead of topping out at 1000.Finally, the instructions that came with it don't seem to perfectly match the version on unit I received. The last few pages of the instructions are how to fine-tune the setup so everything is perfectly aligned. But the adjustments described in the instructions don't match the components on the unit I received. Luckily, everything went together like a dream and measured parallel within 0.3 degrees, so I didn't NEED to adjust anything. And so far, everything has stayed true. But if I ever do have to adjust it, the instructions aren't helpful, I haven't been able to figure it out on my own, and I haven't found a video on YouTube by another user that describes it either.So if you have long blades, or if you like to customize your edge angles (this kit has infinitely adjustable edge angles), this is a very well made, heirloom-quality instrument. But it is a couple minor quirks away from being perfect.

I am NOT reviewing the box, which as mentioned in another review, needed to be rebuilt the moment it was unpacked. I believe they sell one with a plastic case that I wish I had known about before I purchased this one, that being said, this thing is as well made as the box is flimsy. It seems a little daunting when you first open it, but, it goes together quite logically if you know much about knife sharpening. I suggest watching the youtube videos which provide a great tutorial to get things started.I do wish that the unit had come with a digital angle finder, which I didn't even know existed, because that is the key ingredient for achieving the real precision this machine is capable of producing. The gauge on the unit needs to be calibrated anyway, so why not just use the angle finder for every different edge. I have also upgraded to a finer grit finishing stone to polish the edge, not really necessary, but a lot of fun.If you are into cool machining, great fit and finish, and really sharp knives then this is the last sharpener you will ever need.

The best edge I have ever put on a knife. I've used Lansky, EdgePro, stones, steels, ceramic rods, etc and they all do a fair job of putting a good edge on a knife if you do your part. The beauty of this is the that the angle stays constant for both sides and makes it so easy to use the entire surface of the stone. It takes much less time to get an amazing edge.