Recently picked up a nice kitchen knife set, fairly good quality. I’m inclined to keep them sharp, since my wife mentioned often how dull the last set were. Any recommendations as to a general purpose knife sharpener that works, is simple to use and doesn’t cost more then the knives I’m sharpening. Thanks guys……

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"Your other right........."

For kitchen knives I have had good results with the Work Sharp products. Not especially cheap but not prohibitively expensive IMO.
I borrow my buddies when the kitchen knives need attention.

Been using this a few years.

I am with twodog max: I have stopped using my Lansky systems in favor of the Work Sharp Precision Adjust.



Precision Adjust™ Knife Sharpener
– Work Sharp

(And I didn't pay anywhere near $70 for mine - keep an eye out for Black Friday sales coming up, eh?)

My experience has been that there's always some "better" system out there - and I have dozens of friends who'll tell me about theirs. Hey, I'm a retired lawyer: I don't need to impress anyone with a one-molecule-thick edge; I just need sharp knives.

And - while I have many pocket knives - the use this sucker gets most often is on the kitchen knives. It does a great job - restoring the edges to "shaving sharp" in just a couple minutes total (including unpacking the sharpener box, assembling it, using it, and repacking everything) - with the caveat that I strop on a piece of denim from some long-ago jeans when I'm done with the polishing step.

I use this sucker about once a month and I'm glad to have it - it's SO much simpler and quicker than what I did previously. But it might not be right for you - and there are dozens of other great systems out there.

Note that you'll have to figure out the edge angle on any given knife (I write them down on the box so that I can skip this step the next time), but that doesn't take a lot of time. Also, this particular sharpener only has two "stone" grits and one polisher, so it's more of a "touch up" sharpener and not so much what you'd want to change a blade angle. But the infinite edge gradation is a whole lot nicer than the limited choices in the Lansky sets I'd used before and - I'm looking for fast utility, not pursuing the hobby of The Immaculate Blade Edge.

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How God has blessed us!

After trying several types (manual and electric) and brands, the Spyderco sharpening system is the one I ended up with. I use it for pretty much anything that needs an edge, including scissors.





They used to come with a DVD, but I think now you go to a website (maybe Youtube) for instructions. It's not difficult to learn to use, but if you are trying to sharpen something that has really been abused with deep nicks, I recommend getting a couple diamond coated sticks to go with it. They are expensive but will really take off the metal compared to a stone.

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So many S&W's, so few funds!!

Lansky


....

I use a simple whet stone.

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No baby we aint

I bought the top of the line Lansky diamond system on sale at Academy Sports and its a little crude and awkward and took many times to get used to it but I like it very well now. I can put a shaving sharp edge pretty quickly on a hunting knife, pocket knife, kitchen knife, or meat cleaver.

For kitchen knives we have always used a design which resembles a traditional sharpening steel, but shorter. Except it is a metal rod impregnated with Diamond dust. A few swipes produces a razor-sharp edge. I do not remember where we got it as it was many years ago. On the handle it is stamped “EZE-LAP DIAMOND”.

Apparently they are still made.

Lansky diamond.

SWCA# 3713

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SWCA #3713

Electric - Chef's Choice.

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Mike Maher #283

I learned from my brother who used to work cutting beef. I use one of these. And then a ceramic rod and a steel.

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The best I can with what I got

Another vote for Lansky here - been using that system for many years and have never been disappointed.

Use a steel and diamond rod. Check by shaving the hair on my left arm. Guys that know me always say, See you’ve been sharpening your knives”….

An electric sharpener will burn the temper out of a blade.

I've used Arkansas soft and hard stones for decades, started sharpening knives when I was six. A few years ago I bought a worksharp like Wood 714 posted. It has spoiled me. And no you don't burn out the temper of the blade if you use it correctly.

For you guys using diamond/steel rods, is it difficult to figure out and maintain the proper angle?

I use a steel occasionally to maintain kitchen knife edges, but have never used one for sharpening.

That's the steels job, edge maintenance. Really it's just for straightening the wire edge. Ceramics can be used for actual sharpening but are best for quick touch ups during the work. For actual sharpening I use Arkansas oil stones. Angles get to be more of a feel thing. There are some little wedges that you can use to lay the knife on to get a specific angle, but that's on the stone and all knives are different, so, unless you're re-doing the whole edge, it might not match.

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The best I can with what I got

Same here. Much quicker than Lansky with the same results. Gave away my Lansky.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I sharpen knives for a living. I pay my mortgage, car loan, etc by sharpening knives for folks. Roughly 2500-3000 items a month. I find the DMT diamond stones to be the most efficient and easiest to use. Electric sharpeners, be very careful! They remove a lot of metal in the blink of an eye.

Once you master the flat stone, you never go back.

And for all who say they need a razor’s edge, you need to redifine what sharp really is!

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

A few months back I started a small knife and cutting tool sharpening service. I am good at it and enjoy it very much, so I figured, why not!

Most of my life (since I was a Boy Scout) I have used Arkansas Stones to do my sharpening. Arkansas stones work well and give a keen edge, however they cut fairly slow, are pretty expensive and need to be used with either oil or water. I used oil and it is a fairly messy job. Arkansas stones are just not practical or cost effective for multiple daily usage.

After sharpening many knives, I spoke to StrawHat and at his suggestion I switched over to Diamond stones. When sharpening many knives on a daily basis Arkansas stones are not practical and diamond stones cut many times faster and last many times as long. No water or oil is required.

I have a few Sharpal 325/1200 grit two sided stones as well as a few from DMT. They work incredibly well as StrawHat states. Sharpening on diamond stones is a little different than using Arkansas stones and there is a slight learning curve but it does not take long to transition and is well worth the small effort.

Over the years I have bought and used many sharpening systems as well. I have a Spyderco, a Lansky and a KME. The Spyderco (uses ceramic stick stones) is a very easy, clean and straight forward system however while it will easily sharpen knives that are only somewhat dull very well, the system is very slow in bringing back abused, blunt or chipped knives. If you are one who always keeps after your knives and they never get all that dull, the Spyderco system is excellent.

The KME system works very very well and will also work great for blunt, dull knives. It will hold an exact angle all throughout the grit progression and will result in a very sharp knife. The downside to the KME system is that it is very slow and buying the stones gets a bit pricey if done on a commercial level. For a casual knife sharpening or to sharpen your kitchen knives a few times a year, that is not a concern. All in all it works very well but again, not a quick method of sharpening. A typical set of a dozen or so kitchen knives can take hours.

I can now sharpen pretty much any knife, even really dull and abused ones on a diamond stone in under 10 minutes, - most in 5. The key to using diamond stones is you need to develop muscle memory and be able to hold a consistent angle by hand. It does take time and lots of practice however once you have "got it", it becomes well worth the effort. Like StrawHat says, diamond's are very cost effective, they last for a very long time and will sharpen pretty much anything with a blade edge.

Electric sharpeners, pull through sharpeners, and carbide sharpeners ruin knives and wear down the metal blades in no time by removing way too much metal. The edges they put on are crude at best. Belt grinders can give very good results (if properly used), however they are also metal hogs and will eat up precious metal from a good knife's edge very rapidly. Personally I only use a belt grinder to repair a badly damaged edge, re-profile or remove large dings and chips - then I go to the diamond stones for actual sharpening. The belt grinder is not something I'd recommend for normal knife sharpening tasks and must be used in a skilled and gentle way.

As far as bench grinders are concerned, I'd say stay away from them for knife sharpening. This statement does not apply to the Tormek system. That is a very nice system and does a very good job but will cost you big bucks after getting all the attachments wheels, etc. It is also very hard to justify spending that much on a casual knife sharpening system as just a homeowner.

So while some of the better sharpening systems do work well, they can get very expensive and will not give any better results than a plain & simple diamond stone. One the skill is developed, diamond stones by far are the way to go. Don't get frustrated, just keep practicing and you will soon become proficient with them.

I purchased my Lansky sharpening system nigh on 40 years ago.

It has served me well.

I championed it's use early on because I didn't want to spend my money trying out all the gadgets and widgets of the period.

So, I manufactured a couple of pieces of stainless rod into a 'holder' to place in my vice.

This way you can keep the knife indexed to you as you stroke it and won't fatigue your hand by hanging onto the blade clamp to secure the knife.

I milled the flats on one end to place in the jaws of the vice.
I turned down the other end to place the knife clamp on it's pivoting axis.

Works like a charm.

The whetstones pictured are very serviceable, but, I kinda got away from them years back.

Fortunately those were my first knife sharpening stone purchases as it afforded me the learning curve one needs to do it all manually. Ha.

I also have a couple of fists full of 'stone files'. Soft, medium, and, hard Arkansas.

I use those frequently for everything else. Sharpening, polishing and fitting.

I will always have my Lansky's.

If you wear out a stone they used to replace them free. Haven't experienced that in a few years.

Oh, and the Lansky really does have a pretty good reach on the longer blades.

What you see in the pictures is my original clamp.

I modified it a number of years ago.

All I did was mill the 'pinch' points on the leading edge a bit deeper for a better engagement on stabilizing the blade.

enjoy,

bdGreen

Tap on image to enlarge.

Another vote for Lansky.
A touch up on 25 degrees dose all my pocket knives...

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

Well guys, thanks for all your inputs and suggestions. Lots of good ideas. What I was looking for was something simple that I can use in the kitchen to put an edge back on the blade when needed. Wife bought this Henckels (sp?) set with some add-on blades, 25 in total. Don't ask why…. Simple too that gets an edge back is fine. Wet or dry stoning a Razor edge is nice but not required for my purposes.Again thanks

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"Your other right........."

Work Sharp portable field sharpener. Two diamond-impregnated steel plates, a ceramic rod and a leather strop, in a package about the size of a large harmonica. About $30.

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Not in jail.

I've found it fairly easy to sharpen most kitchen knives but where I've struggled is with longer (11"-12") knives. I find the lansky systems too cumbersome for long knives.
I bought the Chef's Choice machine with the "Asian" setting and found it to be easy to use and that if used according to the directions did not remove too much metal or burn the blades.
However once I established an edge I didn't need it again and probably haven't used it for two years.
I think this is because every time I take a knife out of the block I use a honing steel to renew and straighten the edge. Unlike diamond or ceramic rods it doesn't remove any metal.

I am not a professional knife sharpener, in fact I'm not very good at it at all Worksharp systems Make me look like I am.

The first one I bought was the guided field sharpener.



It's probably the cheapest one that they make and it's great to keep in my field pack. I can put a good working edge on a knife with it.

A couple of years ago we got a notification from our credit card company that if we didn't buy something within the next month they were going to cancel the card.

I went to Sportsman's Warehouse looking for something to buy they had a Worksharp Precision adjust sharpening system and a Work Sharp guided sharpening system.

I wanted the Precision Adjust and I'm seriously considering asking my wife to look for it this year during Black Friday But it seemed to remember it being over $200. So I bought the guided sharpening system for I think $75.



Was the guided sharpening system I can get a knife pretty close to razor sharp in about 10 minutes.

Having said all that I have to say this, my first real job was working in a restaurant and I remember watching the chef work all night and from what I saw every 20 or 30 minutes he would pick up a steel and touches knives up on that whatever knife he was using at the moment he would touch up on that.

I didn't know the man well he was the boss and I was a dishwasher but he knew his business and if the steel was good enough for him that's what I would use in the kitchen.

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Retired Career Security Guard

Chefs Choice (yes I have one)


5 Best Knife Sharpeners - Nov. 2024 - Chicago Tribune


The 7 Best Knife Sharpeners of 2024 - Manual and Electric Knife Sharpener Reviews

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Still Running Against the Wind

I'm Going To Blame Erich

After reading this discussion I asked my wife to keep an eye out see if there were any good Black Friday deals on the Precision Adjust Elite sharpener. Long story short we ended up buying one today.

On my very first try using it, I put a mirror edge on my buck 110 and got it sharp enough to shave the hair off my arm

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Retired Career Security Guard