They aren't sharp because the angle of the edge is too great. A good edge is around 20 degrees, razors down to 14, G5's are much greater, more like a wedge instead of a cut. The shortness of the head doesn't help the degree of the edge. You lay the head flat on a stone to sharpen. The head makes up a 360 degree circle making 3 120 degree points, divide that by 2 and each edge is 60. Lengthen the head and the angle drops but not enough to get to 20, you have to do that yourself. A much longer head which some of them are can get to 20. I think magnus makes one.