I sent in my EDC RSK Mk1 Mini for LifeSharp service -- it needed sharpening and I was wanting to spend some time with another knife for a bit. I sent it via Priority Mail a month ago and got it back today.

In addition to putting an incredible edge on the knife they took it completely apart, cleaned it thoroughly, and replaced the screws and springs. I'll need to work on my sharpening technique to regularly get results this good.

The knife I was trying out will be demoted to a spare, or maybe sold.

I've had good experiences with Benchmade, too. They are a quality company with outstanding customer service. I much prefer their products to Cold Steel, except when it comes to things I want to use as a pry bar, I guess.

I also suspect that because of their connection to Filipino culture, the design of some of their knives is well-informed about certain applications.

I wish I had the skill/knowledge to put a super edge on a blade. I can create a "serviceable edge" that is pretty decent. Which I guess is good enough for my meager everyday needs. Still, good sharpening is a skill that I've always wanted to learn. Just never have. I have tried several tools to "cheat". The Spyderco "V" sharpener. The Lansky sharpener. I'm not sure those help me all that much over a regular stone.

We bought an electric sharpener (on a whim) to try on our kitchen knives. I think the brand is Chef's Choice IIRC. It wasn't horribly expensive, but not all that cheap either. Haven't used it for a while. But I will admit, our kitchen knives cut a whole lot better after just a few minutes with that electric. I don't know if that indicates "a good edge", but in any case, the edge was "a whole lot better than before!" I gotta go find that sucker in the basement - our kitchen knives could use a touch-up again. I haven't tried this electric on anything but inexpensive kitchen knives. We only have a few good knives, and then a whole lot of more economical stuff. The good stuff never seems to need sharpening. Maybe because we treat it with kid gloves since it cost a bit. But we only have three "good stuff", ... and 99 bazillion "economical stuff".