Sorby Pro Edge

[Ron McKinley]

Soon after buying the Pro Edge I realized that it had a major inconvenience: you had to remove the table in order to sharpen a gouge using their fingernail jig. Then you had to reinstall the table to sharpen scrapers or skews.
I wrote Sorby that if they made the boss (the piece that lets you mount the fingernail jig) longer, users wouldn’t have to remove the table. They wrote back that they had sold over 10,000 of them and nobody had ever complained. So, I made a prototype of a longer boss out of wood and got the measurements I needed and intended to have a metal one made. That was 4 and half years ago! Well, I finally got one made. It’s made of aluminum instead of steel like the original and it’s the same diameter. However, the holes for mounting the fingernail jig is 3 3/8” from the boss mounting holes, whereas the original is only 1 ¼” apart. Now I can lower the table to the 15 degree setting and mount the fingernail jig and sharpen without removing the table. Note that I’m still sharpening on the platen. The fingernail jig has enough adjustment built in to set the tool for whatever angle you want………Ron

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[Steve Vaughan]

I don't have that set up, but I think I'd email them back and tell them politely that you weren't complaining. You were pointing out something that they and 10,000 others had simply overlooked. For whatever reason, they took it as a complaint when you were just pointing out a convenient solution. I'd then show them pics of what you did. Great work there!

[Hilel Salomon]

That kind of arrogance is inexcusable. Over the last few years, there have been other complaints about the system. I'm the world worst sharpener and have so many different systems it isn't funny. Compare Sorby's response to those of Tormek and Oneway reps, and you'll see an enormous difference. A while back, one of the demonstrators showed how he used a simple Delta belt sander which costs about 1/8 of the Sorby.
Hilel

[Ron McKinley]

I don't think Sorby is arrogant, they just think they have a good product. And they do. But they could have a great product if they made a few changes. I've met several of their representatives and all have been very friendly and helpful, especially Peter Gill..........Ron

[Terry Quiram]

I run into "Not invented here" all the time. In other words if they didn't think of it then the idea isn't any good. I have a pro edge and find it user unfriendly when it comes to sharpening bowl gouges. The problem I have is the handle of the tool bumps into the motor and will not allow the left side of the bevel to be sharpened completely. I like your idea and plan to make one for myself.

[Bernie Weishapl]

My friend has one and I alerted him to this post. He is having the same problems.

[Jeff Fagen]

I worked for a guy who when someone went to him with an idea he always shot it down immediately as a poor idea.Then in exactly two weeks he would come to you with this great idea that was to be immediately implemented and sounded strangely like your idea of two weeks ago.

[Ron McKinley]

Yep, the "not invented here" syndrome is alive and well all over. Jeff, I've run into a lot of people like that. You just have to congratulate them on their good idea! ..........Ron