Guided Knife Sharpener

[PCustoms]

Haven't been keeping up on my own knives like I used to and noticed over thanksgiving most of the knives at my parents are in rough shape.

Not interested in power sharpening (no ken onion worksharp recs please).

I'm looking for a guided system. I see worksharp has one, edge pro and a bunch of knockoff. What works, what is garbage?

 

[exmaxima1]

I started out with a Lansky set which worked very well, and very easy to setup. Still recommended.

If I was buying a sharpener today, I'd look at a modern design with more features and flexibility. Probably some kind of "knockoff" that makes your spouse happy as illustrated here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZMP1DDD/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[dnschmidt]

Project Farm did a review of these types of sharpeners. Look it up on YouTube.

 

[Retroman]

Wicked Edge buy once cry once.

 

[JradM]

Work Sharp Precision Adjust.



It's very very good and surprising inexpensive for what it can accomplish. The Elite version is worth it, especially of you have a lot of knives to do, but the standard model can still achieve hair popping sharpness.

There are aftermarket upgrades available too (from Gritomatic, for example) that can expand its capabilities even further - both in terms of precision and what types of tools it can sharpen. E.g. there are attachments for chisels & scissors, for very small or extra large blades, to allow the use of aftermarket stones in different materials and sizes, etc.

The point being that it's already very good, but there's a ton of options if you want to push the limits.

The one downside to the system - and this applies to many guides systems - is that it's slow. Not a big deal if sharpening is a hobby, but I can forsee a complaint if you plan to sit down for an afternoon and sharpen a dozen knives. The Elite model helps because it has a wider range of diamond abrasives. But, you did say you didn't want a powered sharpener...

 

[slowtwitch73]

Those pull through Wustof sharpeners work really well. I have a Lansky, and for the money and effort, the pull through is the better choice esp for general users.

There are a number of threads on here covering this topic.

 

[Skyman]

Spyderco Triangle Sharpmaker. It's all I've used for at least 30 years, and it is fantastic. I gave one to each of the younger fellas in my family a few years ago for Christmas, and used one of theirs on Thanksgiving to sharpen a half-dozen large kitchen knives. It took only 30 seconds to put a fine edge on each of them.

Steve

 

[matthew]

Another Spyderco Sharpmaker user.

At the very least watch their instruction video to see what it’s about - there’s enough detail in it that it would make you a more informed buyer of any sharpening system.

 

[merkyworks]

I have a Lansky and it Works well enough but if I was to get a new guide sharpener system that isn’t crazy expensive it would be the Work Sharp Precision Adjust Elite kit.

 

[mhejl]

I've had Lanskey and Gatco, both with regular and diamond stones. I now have a KME system and gave the others away. The KME Gold Series diamond stones seem to last much longer than the others. The NEGOVORI Amazon link above seems to be a (really) cheap clone.

KME Sharpeners - Precision Knife, Arrowhead, and Blade Sharpeners

KME Sharpeners create blade sharpener systems, stones, and other products that dramatically simplify the process of precision sharpening of all types of blades.

www.kmesharp.com

A strop with green compound is also very useful between sharpenings.

I also have a Spyderco Sharpmaker with ceramic stones for quick touch-ups of Japanese kitchen knives. It has slots for 20 and 25 deg angles. It'd be pretty useless if you need to re-profile the edges unless you got the diamond stones but still really tedious and slow.

I also have a pull-trough and electric Chef's Choice with the shallower Japanese angles but they they're terrible for fine blades. I don't use them on anything but junk stuff like Henkels.

I also have a Ken Onion that goes unused. Much like the above, its brutal to fine blades - but worse.

 

[CS454]

Those pull through Wustof sharpeners work really well. I have a Lansky, and for the money and effort, the pull through is the better choice esp for general users.

There are a number of threads on here covering this topic.

No. These mutilate the edge. Bad touch.

I use the sharpmaker for maintenance and it's fine but can be unintuitive to people, and you need to buy the add on diamond stones at a minimum. The slots are for 15° and 20° per side.

Wicked Edge is the way to go if you're serious.

 

[matt_i]

I've always been turned off by what I consider to be the relatively brutal tools that are commonly on-hand to sharpen kitchen knives...I've used a 1/2" square india stone from the shop for touching up HSS toolbit edges as well as a diamond pad-file from the shop. I feel like if I can't improve a dull cutting edge on a kitchen knife by hand I shouldn't be allowed to play with higher end edge tools .

 

[slowtwitch73]

No. These mutilate the edge. Bad touch.

I use the sharpmaker for maintenance and it's fine but can be unintuitive to people, and you need to buy the add on diamond stones at a minimum. The slots are for 15° and 20° per side.

Wicked Edge is the way to go if you're serious.

Op said it's for parents.

I don't care what the edge what looks like if it will easily shave my arm after <1 minute of effort. For the money, for the ease of use, for the results, can't be beat.

 

[JradM]

Sharpmaker and the Lansky are both good systems, I just think the Worksharp Precision Adjust has leapfrogged them - which makes sense as it's like 30 years newer.

If you're doing different types of knives, I would pick something with adjustable angles. That way you can easily copy the factory edge - or reprofile.

Duplicating the existing angle reduces how much material you need to remove. To be fair, most knives end up being around 20 degrees anyway, but kitchen knives can be more acute, utility knives more obtuse.

Work sharp also has upgrade options the others don't.

 

[Zeus36]

Lansky with 4 diamond hones for the initial guided edge. Spyderco Sharpmaker with the medium rods for touch up sharpening (I don't bother with the white fine rods) , then a good steel for quick honing before slicing or carving (Gerber Gungnir). Norton Tri Stone for most anything else (IM313).

 

[PCustoms]

Sharpmaker and the Lansky are both good systems, I just think the Worksharp Precision Adjust has leapfrogged them - which makes sense as it's like 30 years newer.

If you're doing different types of knives, I would pick something with adjustable angles. That way you can easily copy the factory edge - or reprofile.

Duplicating the existing angle reduces how much material you need to remove. To be fair, most knives end up being around 20 degrees anyway, but kitchen knives can be more acute, utility knives more obtuse.

Work sharp also has upgrade options the others don't.

This post sums up my current thoughts. Work sharp precision adjust seems easiest to use.


What are the larger "rod" style systems you see of forged in fire?

 

[slowtwitch73]

Lansky came out over 40 yrs ago.

 

[acer66]

I've had Lanskey and Gatco, both with regular and diamond stones. I now have a KME system and gave the others away. The KME Gold Series diamond stones seem to last much longer than the others. The NEGOVORI Amazon link above seems to be a (really) cheap clone.

KME Sharpeners - Precision Knife, Arrowhead, and Blade Sharpeners

KME Sharpeners create blade sharpener systems, stones, and other products that dramatically simplify the process of precision sharpening of all types of blades.

www.kmesharp.com

A strop with green compound is also very useful between sharpenings.

I also have a Spyderco Sharpmaker with ceramic stones for quick touch-ups of Japanese kitchen knives. It has slots for 20 and 25 deg angles. It'd be pretty useless if you need to re-profile the edges unless you got the diamond stones but still really tedious and slow.

I also have a pull-trough and electric Chef's Choice with the shallower Japanese angles but they they're terrible for fine blades. I don't use them on anything but junk stuff like Henkels.

I also have a Ken Onion that goes unused. Much like the above, its brutal to fine blades - but worse.

Which one are you using and are they still made in the US?

Thank you.

 

[mhejl]

Which one are you using and are they still made in the US?

Thank you.

The 4-stone diamond kit KD-D4 and I've added a few glass stones with scary-sharp papers. I I don't usually use the latter, just a wooden-backed strop with green compound to finish up. The cheaper DMT stones don't last as long.

A base is pretty necessary. I made one from scrap oak and a 1/2" dia brass lamp rod.

Everything they make is USA - see the home page.