Functionally, how is this actually different from the stock sharpener?

This attachment is MUCH better than the stock attachment, especially if you are sharpening a knife such as a Chef's knife. The stock attachment tends to grind away more material at the first part when you start the pass. On a chef's knife, this creates a concave section at the bolster which is a very important section on a chef's knife. if you're trying to dice things like mint, onions, basil, etc., this raised area will not cut and on a chef's knife, that is a real pain in the butt. This attachment has worked well for me sharpening chef's knifes and any other blade.

could this (along with the KO work sharp, of course) be used to shape a steel blank to make knives from scratch?

You can get 60 and 80 grit belts that work great i just got mine and am impressed with thecbuild quality i made the mistake of buying a cheap 1x30 belt geinder teust me you can do way better work with this i am making a viking seax with mine now its doing great for a hobby knife maker its gold

Has anyone used this for shaping knife handles etc? I am looking for something to use with assembling knife kits.

This is very good making flat grinds. Both on handles and blades. However, for shaping handles from blank to finish, I would suggest a spindle sander like the combo by Ridgid.

Is it possible to get it to go slower than 1200 SFM? I don't want to risk ruining the temper on my best knives!

This attachment is probably the best sharpener on the market for someone not working as a professional. I doubt you'll risk ruining the temper of your blade, but if you are unsure of how much heat is being generated when you are using it, put your fingers on the knife and apply the most gentle of pressure. If you are feeling enough heat that you have to remove your fingers, you're pushing too hard. If you move your blade about 1 inch per second with proper pressure, the blade will not heat up enough to burn you, or anywhere near enough to ruin the temper on the blade. If you feel like you need to put more pressure to remove metal faster, you should drop down to a more coarse belt instead.

Material	Synthetic
Brand	Work Sharp
Colour	Black
Product Dimensions	26.7L x 7.6W x 19.7H Centimeters
Item Weight	91 g
Grit Type	Coarse
Number of Items	1
Manufacturer	Work Sharp
Global Trade Identification Number	00662949038904
UPC	662949038904
Country of Origin	USA
Item model number	WSSAKO81112
ASIN	B00J9AADN6

WSSAKO81112 Blade Grinder Attachment

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Description

Specifications

Common Questions