We've looked at a few higher priced sharpening systems, and I feel we need to take a look at a more affordable option. Not everyone has the dinero to drop on a professional system and that's understandable. There's a ton of systems and methods out there, all with different price points. One that really grabbed my attention was by a company named Xarilk. Xarilk says they were born from a passion for quality and innovation, specializing in crafting precision knife sharpeners. The company has not long launched their new Pro Precision Gen2 model. This update address issues with the old model as well as improvements from customer feedback. Issues are always going to pop up when consumers spend countless hours testing out a product. It's good to see companies listen to that feedback and make proper changes.
Xarilk took the basic platform of the fixed angle sharpener and put their own spin on things. Before we dive in let's go over some specs. The Precision Pro has a sharpening range of 10-30°. It features a clamp that can be rotated via a latch on the side of the system. The guide rod features a bubble to help ensure the stone is level. And it comes with 3 stones. A 320 coarse, an 800 medium, and a 2000 fine. For testing purposes I also got the whole progression set of stones that go from 180 to 3000. I felt the ones that come with the system jumped to much in grit and felt a gentle progression would give better results.
The Precision Pro comes packed in a nicely foam padded box. Each part of the system is cradled in foam to keep things from getting messed up during shipping. Pulling it all out of the box you realize there's not too many parts to worry about. You've got the main system, the guide arm, the height adjustment, and the stone holder. Assembly is so easy I didn't need the instruction booklet, but I did read it to make sure I didn't miss anything. There's no storage case for the Precision Pro so I've been using the box to keep it safe when not in use. Fully assembled the system is very impressive. It gives the impression that it's well built and thought it. Let's take a look at the different parts of the Precision Pro and how it performs.
The system has a nice wide base to ensure there's no rock or movement during use. It's a nice touch and it feels designed better than some others out there. I like the stone holders that are affixed to the base. There's nothing worse than having multiple stones for your system with no way to store them. I've got a lot of my stones sitting in a plastic pencil box until I find a better solution. What separates the Precision Pro from some other sharpeners out there is the angle adjuster is part of the clamp instead of adjusting the arm height. The adjustment towards the back of the system is used to keep the stone level, and that's it. TSProf has taken this approach before with some of it's models, but it's not the norm. Adjusting your angle is done via a knob at the front of the system. Turning the knob moves the clamp up or down to meet the desired angle. The angle is found on the side of the Precision Pro via markers by the pivot. These degrees are mainly a reference point similar to that on other systems, and not a precise measurement. Many factors such as blade height, and clamp positioning can effect your angle. I recommend using an angle cube or something similar to make sure your angle is correct. Of course, if you intend on keeping your factory angle use the marker method.
Clamping your knife in the jaws of the Precision Pro is easy and done with the provided allen wrench. I feel the clamp is solid, and did not leave any marks on my blade. After your clamped adjust to your desired angle, in my case I like this around 20°. Some prefer something near 25° for a more robust edge but I typically don't use my knives that hard. When you angle is set you need to make sure your stone arm is level to the clamp. Put a stone in of your choice, lower grit if your needing to repair or reprofile a knife. Pull back on the handle of the stone arm while holding the top of the stone holder. This will pull back on the spring mechanism that holds your stone in place. With the stone in place I recommend tightening both knobs on the stone arm. They keep things from moving during use, plus they will eliminate some of the wiggle you currently experience. Make sure your stone arm is level by loosening the knob on the back, and lifting the leveler until the bubble on the back of the arm is in the middle. This is the first system I've used that has a bubble level, it's a nice feature, and eliminates the guesswork.
I appreciate the large handle on the end of the stone arm, it's something unique to the system. I much prefer a ball compared to this elongated handle because I feel it makes me heavy handed on the stone. On the plus side it's comfortable and easy to control. Flipping the blade over is done via the latch on the right hand side of the system. You pull the lever to towards you to release tension, allowing the clamp to rotate freely. When you have the clamp flipped over you can push the lever back to keep it fixed. I personally don't like the placement of the lever, it puts my hand in close proximity to the blade when it's flipped that way. It's not a major issues but something you need to be mindful of when flipping back and forth on your edge passes. The stones performed well, they had plenty of bite or finish similar to their rating. The stones do feel cheap due to the plastic backs as opposed to aluminum blanks like competitors. I can't say how well these will hold up long term but they do a good job so far. Truth be told they're so affordable you could replace the whole set for next to nothing.
The Xarilk Precision Pro is a solid built system that delivered results comparable to others more than twice the price. The system is well built, and should last you for a long time. I look forward to what else this company has up their sleeve, they're one to watch. If your looking for a precision budget sharpener this is sure not to disappoint.
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