pricing on KME

[vernon]

Last question for anyone and everyone!  I've decided to get the KME sharpener and have looked at the KME website as well as 3rivers.  There is about a $20 difference with 3Rivers being around $59 and KME being around $79.  I've looked at both kits and they appear to be almost identical, however, is one of these kits better than the other?  

I've lost a lot of sleep pondering over the KME and the Xblock and since I've made my decision (thanks to everyone for replying) I just want to get it order.  I imagine I will spend my christmas sharpening my broadheads which should impress my family.

Thanks,
James Kozisek
Cody, Wyoming

[centaur]

If you already have good sharpening stones, why not just get the jig? I did that, and I'm really pleased with how sharp my broadheads become with minimal effort. KME makes a great product.

[heartshoth]

i got mine from 3 rivers and it is all i needed for my eclpse heads (triple laminations at tip)

heartshot

[vernon]

I don't have any good sharpening stones so i want to buy the kit.

[Jeremy]

The 3rivers kit just has the Norton stone.  The kit from KME has the Norton stone and a hard Arkansas stone as well.

The Norton stone has two sides, a coarse and "fine"... the fine side is still coarse, about the equivalent of 300grit sandpaper.  The hard Arkansas stone is the equivalent of 1000grit paper and is well worth the money, especially if you'll be sharpening anything else.

[Dave2old]

The KME stones and diamond steels are sized for the jig, so just no any old stone will work. If you're getting either stones or steels, and I have both, I'd recommend going with the stones. Re the price difference ... this is a question for Sharpster. Perhaps his price includes both stones and steels, three each, while the 3Rivers version has only one or the other?

[buckracks7]

David, do you feel the regular stones work better than the diamond stones, or just as well? I think the set with the diamond stones is about $20 more.

[Sharpster]

Originally posted by Jeremy:
The 3rivers kit just has the Norton stone.  The kit from KME has the Norton stone and a hard Arkansas stone as well.

The Norton stone has two sides, a coarse and "fine"... the fine side is still coarse, about the equivalent of 300grit sandpaper.  The hard Arkansas stone is the equivalent of 1000grit paper and is well worth the money, especially if you'll be sharpening anything else.

Jeremy nailed it.

The "standard" Kit from 3Rivers has only the combination C/F ceramic stone. (and it's supposed to be 64.95 BTW and that's what it will cost in next years catalog).

Our "standard" kit has the same stone and a hard Arkansas as well. Ours is really a "Deluxe" kit. Norton calls the combination stone a coarse/fine but to me it's more like a coarse/Medium. So we add the hard Arkansas to give the the full line-up of coarse, medium, fine grits.

As much as I hate to see anyone spend more money than necessary, if you're sharpening laminated tip broadheads like Zwicky, Magnus, Eclipse, STOS, a coarse or extra coarse diamond can be worth it's weight in gold for the time and sweat it saves on the first out of the pack sharpening of these type of heads.

Diamonds are great for rapidly removing stock and getting a blade sharp quickly but, they can't polish anything like a ceramic or Arkansas can. Likewise the ceramics and Arkansas stones can't remove metal nearly as quickly as the diamonds can. Each type has it's place.

If anyone has any questions about any of our products you can call me direct till 8PM eastern 7 days. If I know exactly what you will be sharpening then I can make an informed recommendation. I would actually prefer that people call with questions before ordering for the same reason. Plus, I always enjoy meeting new friends, even if it is only on the phone.

Thanks,

Ron
800 561-4339

[Gator1]

Rest assured, Ron spends a great deal of time helping to pick out the "right combination"....

Unparalelled help and expertise...

"Comeon Santa"....

[mooseman76]

Ron, on your stones page which Arkansas stone goes with the kit?  I'm trying to price out a great set for taking a new, out of the package, head to scary sharp without breaking the bank...Mike

[Sharpster]

Mike,

Need to know what broadheads you'll be sharpening. unfortunately, there is no "one size fits all set up.

Ron

[sou-pawbowhunter]

Ron is agreat guy to deal with, and makes a top notch product.  Another option he can tell you more about is a plate of glass, like you would use for a shelf, and automotive wet/dry sandpaper.  Work through from coarse to very fine, and you can get them scary sharp.  This worked great on my Grizzly elGrande heads with the KME jig.

[mike g]

Ron....
    Will your KME work well on Tusker Javelins 125 grn.
    And since these are like a butter knife out of the Pckg, would you reccomend the Diamond to start them off....
    And I would want to just do a single bevel on these....

[Doc Nock]

Ron is breaking me in as a charter member of the "SIA"..sharpening impaired annonymous!

I had been using a tool that put a 20 degree edge on my broadheads.  They were sharp...but with that very acute bevel, dind't stay sharp and raised questions addressed here in other threads about "sharp in...sharp out". Mine dulled very easily with that fragile bevel.

I spent a good bit of time trying to knock down the laminated edge on a STOS to get a working 25* bevel! Partly, no doubt, because I had that really thin 20* under the laminate layer...so I had to take off even more???

I wish I had some very coarse diamond stone. You'd only use it one time-to set the bevel! But... oy! The hours I put in and not yet sure I'm totally there, but have much more durable sharp heads already...

Ron hates to see folks spend money for just that first time, but I think it'd be worth it in time saved and frustration! And besides...we DO lose heads time to time and need to replace with new ones...so a good, coarse diamond might be used more'n for 6 heads!  

[mooseman76]

Ron, unfortunately I'm not sure what heads I want yet.  I'm leaning towards the 250 grain left bevel Tusker broadheads.  That is the way I'm leaning right now anyway     So what your saying is I should decide on my head then give you a call.  Is there any stone/stones that work with em all?  Thanks...Mike

[Jeremy]

Mikeg, I just sharpened a bunch of Tuskars (the 160gr though).  Your best bet is to carefully hit 'em on a grinder first... there's a ton of metal that needs to be removed.  An extra coarse diamond of aggressive file will do it, but it'll take time.

[Sharpster]

Originally posted by mooseman76:
Ron, unfortunately I'm not sure what heads I want yet.  I'm leaning towards the 250 grain left bevel Tusker broadheads.  That is the way I'm leaning right now anyway         So what your saying is I should decide on my head then give you a call.  Is there any stone/stones that work with em all?  Thanks...Mike

Yea Mike there's a set-up that will work for any two blade head you can think of BUT, it will cost you a fortune and you may not need every stone in it.

The Tuskers are great broadheads and if you haven't had one in your hand yet, Jeremy is right... they are made from hardened spring steel and the factory grind is minimal. Lot's of work to get those "tuned" and a X-coarse/coarse diamond is definately in order if you're not good with a file to do the initial stock removal.

Diamonds are great for stock removal but not even in the same league as the ceramics and Arkansas for the final polishing/honing though.

I actually have a pile of blank Tuskers that I can pre-sharpen for you if you like. Since they're blanks, I can make them RH or LH single bevel or standard double bevel. You'll need to call me about that too though.

Ron

[mooseman76]

Thanks Ron, something to think about.  I'd end up buying the xcoarse/coarse diamond anyway, cause that is how I am     I gotta have it.  Anyway, after I get some arrows tuned the way I want I'll have a better idea of what heads I want to shoot.  Hope to talk to you soon...Mike

[Slasher]

Sharpster,, I'd seen these and said...Hmmm sounds really good, but was unsure how good and I have a nice set of stones down to the Black arkansas... but how wide do the stones have to be to work with the jig???

[mike g]

Slasher....
    Watch the KME video, the stone dose need to be as wide as the Broadhead....It's nice if it is, but it dose not have to be....