I've never had a GOOD knife sharpener, just a couple of pull throughs...manmade abrasive sticks and ceramic sticks. And of course the old standby handheld whetstone. But I'm not ever really satisfied with my edges. What's a good one that's available these days??
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What kind of knife sharpener should I get?
- Thread starter coyotewillie
- Start date
I really like my Whicked Edge sharpener. It’s extremely user friendly and makes it incredibly simple to put a razor sharp edge on just about any metal. Even S90V is doable. I’ve added stones to it over the years. Finer and finer grit. Some ceramics. And leather strops as well. I typically only use it for the “heavy work”. Resetting bevels or fixing edges that are chipped.
for quick touch ups or in the field sharpening i have good results with the Worskhop combo sharpener. It has bevel guides, coarse, fine,ceramic, and strops on it. Can even do fish hooks and serrations.
for quick touch ups or in the field sharpening i have good results with the Worskhop combo sharpener. It has bevel guides, coarse, fine,ceramic, and strops on it. Can even do fish hooks and serrations.
I've got a wicked edge and it works great on your pocket knives, hunting knives, and heavy or short kitchen knives.
But it's no good for knives that flex under the stone. Think a filet knife, the blade is clamped in the middle. Even an ounce of pressure will change the angle at the tip. Most kitchen knives are too flexible to sharpen easily.
For the money I wish the clamp had a better design. For me it's also difficult to know when to switch to the finer stone. People with good hearing can hear a change in pitch when it's time to switch. I usually miss it and put extra time and ware on each stone.
Last it takes time. By far not the quickest sharpener. And the way your hands move in relation to the edge you want to pay careful attention to the process.
But it's no good for knives that flex under the stone. Think a filet knife, the blade is clamped in the middle. Even an ounce of pressure will change the angle at the tip. Most kitchen knives are too flexible to sharpen easily.
For the money I wish the clamp had a better design. For me it's also difficult to know when to switch to the finer stone. People with good hearing can hear a change in pitch when it's time to switch. I usually miss it and put extra time and ware on each stone.
Last it takes time. By far not the quickest sharpener. And the way your hands move in relation to the edge you want to pay careful attention to the process.
Wet stones and a Arkansas for your pocket.
I do my Shun Kitchen knives when I am processing animals. Sorry this is not a better photo. In the rear (out of the frame) I have a couple 2” wide slip sticks with a small c-clamp to prop the handle up. I then run 2” packing tape at an angle down to the granite base. This indexes the handle in place so the blade is now rigid. Finally I pinch the tape into a folded position which adjusts the tension and a quick wrap around that spot to keep it to gether.
After you do it a couple times it is fast and works flawlessly.
I've been sharpening free hand for a long time and I've tried a lot of different stones, strops and strop compounds, here's what works for me:
For lower carbide steels (4V at the most)
Chosera 400
Chosera 800
Chosera 3000
You can finish at a higher grit, but I've found the chosera 3000 to be a very good finishing stone.
For high carbide steels
DMT Diasharp stones
Venev OCB diamond stones
Stropman strops with DMT Diapaste. Don't waste your time with the abrasive wax type compound. The DMT Diapaste works better and faster. There's some more exotic diamond sprays but the DMTs are very easy to find.
For lower carbide steels (4V at the most)
Chosera 400
Chosera 800
Chosera 3000
You can finish at a higher grit, but I've found the chosera 3000 to be a very good finishing stone.
For high carbide steels
DMT Diasharp stones
Venev OCB diamond stones
Stropman strops with DMT Diapaste. Don't waste your time with the abrasive wax type compound. The DMT Diapaste works better and faster. There's some more exotic diamond sprays but the DMTs are very easy to find.
I use a Worksharp mini slack belt grinder. I've got the Ken Onion version that uses the wider belts and its extremely easy to use and you can get VERY sharp with it. It's also pretty versatile, you can go from pocket knife to axe to lawnmower blades with the right belts.
1. A good set of Japanese stones and instruction on how to use them.
2. Worksharp Ken Onion edition... On Amazon
2. Worksharp Ken Onion edition... On Amazon
Ken Onion Works Sharp with the Blade Grinding Attachment to set your edge and a Spyderco Sharpmaker for touchups
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But if you want the best get yourself a Wicked Edge Gen 3, they really are pretty awesome, though they can take a while to set-up and use.
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Hard to beat the Lansky system for the money. I've bought my first set 35yrs ago, 2nd set 3yrs ago.
What kind of steel are you sharpening and what's it for?
The lansky is a lot of bang for the buck. I'd spring for the extra 2000 grit blue stone for a few bucks if you go that route.
There are a lot of edge pro knockoffs that use the same stones for around $30 that work well. Get some good stones for it (ideally edge pro stones) and one of the aluminum mounting plates with a pack of 3m microabrasive sheets and you can have a scary sharp edge for pretty cheap without the skill involved with regular whetstones.
I take my 52100 and 26c3 kitchen knives to 10,000 grit with those 3m pads and they turn into lasers. They'll cut most produce like it's not even there.
Lansky is really great, but I sold mine and went back to whetstones (with water, not oil) and stropping. Slightly slower, and takes more relative skill, but once you get the technique down you can sharpen anything.
Wet/Dry sand paper on a hard and flat surface works great for reprofiling an edge, but you’ll get more of a convex edge than from using a stone. My wife puts wet/dry sand paper in my Christmas stocking. Backed by leather or a medium with some give, you can put a pretty wicked convex edge on a blade. Sand paper offers you great flexibility for modest cost, and you just throw away the strip when it stops cutting, and get a fresh one. Use adhesive backed paper, or grab a can of spray adhesive.
But, I bought a combination Japanese Waterstone (1000/7000) several years ago. This is “the business,” though You do have to flatten it periodically. Requiring water to work, the waterstone is messier than other options, and you have to soak most of them for some amount of time before you start. There is some planning and prep to using a water stone. I store mine in a small pelican filled with water.
That said, I finish my blades (convex or v-grind) on a set of Lansky crock sticks- just to add the barest of secondary bevels. That takes them from sharp, to SHARP...
But, I bought a combination Japanese Waterstone (1000/7000) several years ago. This is “the business,” though You do have to flatten it periodically. Requiring water to work, the waterstone is messier than other options, and you have to soak most of them for some amount of time before you start. There is some planning and prep to using a water stone. I store mine in a small pelican filled with water.
That said, I finish my blades (convex or v-grind) on a set of Lansky crock sticks- just to add the barest of secondary bevels. That takes them from sharp, to SHARP...
I’m a complete idiot when it comes to getting an edge on a knife. Have tried a Ken Onion worksharp, and did not find it completely idiot proof. Just can’t get confident that I’m getting a consistent angle ground on the curved part of any blade. I’m wondering if some of the manual units would be better.
what I use now is a warthog. It’s pretty dummy proof and provides a decent enough edge to get some work done.
what I use now is a warthog. It’s pretty dummy proof and provides a decent enough edge to get some work done.
I use a Spyderco Sharpmaker, with which I have put very good edges on all my knives except two:
But I don't get the Benchmade. I've tried all the tricks like marking the edge with a Sharpie so I can see where the stones are hitting it... it almost appears the bevel is rounded rather than straight. Sigh.
Anyway, I'm otherwise satisfied with the Spyderco Sharpmaker.
- A '70s-vintage Buck folder with a sorely-abused edge
- A new Benchmade out-the-front knife which was in the showcase and wasn't very sharp
But I don't get the Benchmade. I've tried all the tricks like marking the edge with a Sharpie so I can see where the stones are hitting it... it almost appears the bevel is rounded rather than straight. Sigh.
Anyway, I'm otherwise satisfied with the Spyderco Sharpmaker.
Smith's Adjustable Pull Through is almost dummy proof. I bought my Dad one for Christmas and he loves it. You can get a finer, sharper edge with stones, or sand paper, but Smith's is simple.
Another big fan of the Worksharp Ken Onion. If I am refreshing a really rough blade, I will get the basic contour and a starting edge on my 2x72 belt grinder and finish on the Worksharp. Makes for a wicked sharp blade if used correctly.
Since I don't see it above, I use the Edgepro apex. Great system, get the 1000 grit kit for a really fine polished edge. it is quick to use, and does a great job. It allows for you to adjust the angle and get the result you want. I just stand by the sink when I use it to rinse the stones off quick. Put a couple inches of water in the bottom of the sink, keep all the stones you are not using in it and go to town. The leveling kit is also nice for a stand and to keep everything in tip top shape.
Wicked edge
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TSPROF from Russia
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I’ve got whetstones, and I suck with them. Every time I’ll get them sharp, but not as sharp as I want them. I’ve watched all kinds of videos to figure out what I’m doing wrong, but still come up with the same result. Pretty frustrating.
Whet stones do take some practice, but stick with it and you will get there.
The biggest leap in my personal hand sharpening journey came when I got a good magnifier. Being able to actually see the fine details such as the edge developing and how/when the scratches from the previous stone were completely removed. Actually quite surprising how much a single thing such as changing the pressure used on a given stone can change the scratch pattern(i.e. cutting edge).
Any Diamond set with a strop and abrasives.
The key is putting a wire edge that forms on the offside. If you make the wire edge then flip and repeat until a wire edge is on the other side. Then switch stones and repeat, the wire edge gets smaller with grit until you polish it off with the strop.
If you always get the wire edge, you have always sharpened it to the cutting edge of the blade. Keeping an angle consistent only helps you get to it faster.
The wire edge is proof you are actually taking off metal in the right spot.
The key is putting a wire edge that forms on the offside. If you make the wire edge then flip and repeat until a wire edge is on the other side. Then switch stones and repeat, the wire edge gets smaller with grit until you polish it off with the strop.
If you always get the wire edge, you have always sharpened it to the cutting edge of the blade. Keeping an angle consistent only helps you get to it faster.
The wire edge is proof you are actually taking off metal in the right spot.
I've used Smiths Abrasives PP1 sharpeners for my hunting knives and pocket knives. I'm sure there are easier/quicker options out there tho.
It sharpens any blade from a complete dull edge to a razor that you can use to shave yourself with.
Best knife sharpeners - https://huntingprofy.com/best-hunting-knife-sharpeners/
It sharpens any blade from a complete dull edge to a razor that you can use to shave yourself with.
Best knife sharpeners - https://huntingprofy.com/best-hunting-knife-sharpeners/
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Good luck with your knife sharpener...
Thanks for reviving an old thread.... It reminded me I had some knives that needed sharpening.
As I was sharpening, I ran some of the above comments through my brain and my thoughts evolved a bit about the difficulty some men have sharpening a knife.
A man has to accept a few things before he even picks up a knife in need of sharpening.
No two knives are the same. With mass production, poor quality control, materials from all over the world and a host of other variables there will be differences the naked eye can not pick up. After two identical knives have been in service for a while they, for sure, will be different.
Next, every knife is used in a different manner. Different environment, different maintenance, different task on different material.
Third, no two men / women will use a knife exactly. One may have different arm strength, different muscle memory, different methods to sharpen or have a different outlook on knife maintenance.
As a commercial diver I always had a very rough edge on my knife because it was used more in a sawing motion on ropes, nets or debris that could tangle me up.
When dressing out a deer, I prefer a knife smaller than most folks or even a skinning knife.
When filleting fish, I use a knife designed for that. The list goes on.
My message here is "Make that knife your own"... Sharpen it for the task. Not every knife sharpening method above is for you. It will take some time and practice. Once you get into it, you will want to make the next sharpening job a bit better than the last one.
A very timely topic given the conditions of our world.
As I was sharpening, I ran some of the above comments through my brain and my thoughts evolved a bit about the difficulty some men have sharpening a knife.
A man has to accept a few things before he even picks up a knife in need of sharpening.
No two knives are the same. With mass production, poor quality control, materials from all over the world and a host of other variables there will be differences the naked eye can not pick up. After two identical knives have been in service for a while they, for sure, will be different.
Next, every knife is used in a different manner. Different environment, different maintenance, different task on different material.
Third, no two men / women will use a knife exactly. One may have different arm strength, different muscle memory, different methods to sharpen or have a different outlook on knife maintenance.
As a commercial diver I always had a very rough edge on my knife because it was used more in a sawing motion on ropes, nets or debris that could tangle me up.
When dressing out a deer, I prefer a knife smaller than most folks or even a skinning knife.
When filleting fish, I use a knife designed for that. The list goes on.
My message here is "Make that knife your own"... Sharpen it for the task. Not every knife sharpening method above is for you. It will take some time and practice. Once you get into it, you will want to make the next sharpening job a bit better than the last one.
A very timely topic given the conditions of our world.
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I bought a Lansky 40 years ago, then got another one about 4 years ago. Simple, but puts on a nice "machined" edge. Tons of options for stones, which I do have quite the assortment of.
Old thread, but get a Work Sharp! I’ve had mine for years, and it’s worth every penny. True time saver!!! You can sharpen anything from knives, kitchen knives (different blade angle), ceramic blades, scissors, etc…
I even have a leather strop belt and blade polish for it if I want to get fancy. It’s made by a different company, but you can get it on Amazon, as well.
I even have a leather strop belt and blade polish for it if I want to get fancy. It’s made by a different company, but you can get it on Amazon, as well.
if you want to save your self headache and extra expense and you like the knives you want to sharpen Id say let someone who knows what they are doing do it paying them to fix your screw ups is going to cost you extra if you want to learn buy a couple cheap knives and wreck I mean learn with them no idea what the cost to have it done by a professional is but , also don't know what the cost of your knife is best of luck if you do it your self fingers crosses you don't loose yours . ( I finally did it , It's razor sharp oh shit my hand ) lol send pics .
100% agree with this. I've had mine for at least 5 years and have sharpened hundreds of knifes. Would have never finished them all using stones. I practiced on cheap kitchen knifes.
This is what I'm using these days - Like a higher tech Lansky sharpener.
You'll be amazed at how bad the OEM edges are on some less expensive knives
Amazon product ASIN B09FWWDFF9
You'll be amazed at how bad the OEM edges are on some less expensive knives
Amazon product ASIN B09FWWDFF9
I found a used Lansky set but then a stumbled upon the work sharp precision adjust on amazon for $60. there's a $120 version but it looks like it comes with extra stones and a case. which work sharp r u using?
I really like the design of this jig.
I'm tempted to buy one and take a trip to the hardware store to see if I can modify it to accept edge pro stones and strops. I usually take my kitchen knives to 3k-10k and then strop with 1 micron diamond paste. The proprietary coarse/medium/fine "tri-stone" isn't giving me the warm and fuzzies.
I use the electric one that looks like a mini belt-sander. Works great, and it's super fast.
I have been very happy with my Wicked Edge. On the thin bladed knives that flex I just hold pressure on the opposite side of the blade with my finger. It works just fine.
I've used many different sharpeners over my lifetime. Stones are difficult to master, Spyderco rods work ok but take time, and Lansky systems work good but they take forever to use. I have used and stayed with the Worksharp electric belt tool for the last 15 years and will never go back to anything else. The Worksharp is quick to master and it gets a great edge quicker than anything else I ever used.
I agree, it seems like the Lansky is nice but damn, it takes forever to sharpen. I was going to go with the work sharp precision adjust but that belt work sharp looks like the easy button. I’ll have to give it some more YouTube views before I purchase. Thank u
1x42 belt sander with 3m trizact belts.
Ive got more stones than i can keep track of...ceramic, water, india, diamond, carborundum, etc..., as well as a wicked edge and others....
i use the sander, a leather strop, and a ceramic rod for quick touch ups.
I can do axes to kitchen knives, s30v or 5160 or 1095...with no setup.
The trizact belt put very little to no heat into the steel.
Shred
Ive got more stones than i can keep track of...ceramic, water, india, diamond, carborundum, etc..., as well as a wicked edge and others....
i use the sander, a leather strop, and a ceramic rod for quick touch ups.
I can do axes to kitchen knives, s30v or 5160 or 1095...with no setup.
The trizact belt put very little to no heat into the steel.
Shred
I have watched countless YouTube vids and have yet to find any dislikes. I'm assuming you might have the 1st generation knife sharpener bc looks like a couple years ago they came out with a MK.2 version. I'm not looking to spend wicked edge kind of money nor am I any sort of knife guru but I carry an edc knife and use them like they should so a sharp edge as needed would be nice. can you, if you can, give me any dislikes about the work sharp tool and knife sharpener? looks like the belts wear out and replacement belts cost around $12.
