I highly recommend this knife sharpener

[freudianfloyd]

I promise I have no connection to this product, just giving it a review....

http://www.worksharptools.com/sharpeners-28/power-sharpeners/work-sharp-knife-and-tool-sharpener.html

I was given a gift card to Bass Pro Shops for Christmas, and decided to use it to buy a knife sharpener. I have several knives, but I am by far the worst manual sharpener ever. I just can't seem to get the hang of it. Anyway, like I said, I have several knives, but they are all dull.

While walking around the store, I saw an end cap full of these sharpeners. I got on my phone to look at reviews and was amazed on Northern Tools website, they had over 400 reviews, and still had a 5 star rating. Good enough for me.

I got it home and watched the video that came with it, and in no time at all I had it set up and running. I sharpened several of my knives, and my boy's knife. I was amazed, they only took a minute or two each. Honestly, I never write reviews, but this thing just plain works.

So if you are needing a way to sharpen knives, and you are like me and cannot do it the old stone way, you might want to give it a try. It was one of my best tool purchases I have made it quite a while.

 

[Barty]

I have the Ken Onion version of the same tool. Very easy to use and there isn't a blunt knife in the house!

 

[doctordirt]

I have the exact same sharpener and love it.

 

[6PTsocket]

I looked at those. They are not lefty friendly. I will probably go with a 1" belt sander. I think I can get wider use out of it. What is the advantage of having to hold the trigger when that hand could be steadying the blade on a big chef's knife? For certain jobs, don't they abandon the guide and go to the top of the belt, for which they have another expensive attachment? I could be way off but spent a lot of time looking at it and decided to pass.

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[mtnwkr]

I got the Ken Onion model for christmas, I love it. Easy to use and puts a mirror polished edge on everything. For the lefty's, it does have a trigger lock so you can still use it.

 

[tcush]

I have the Ken Onion version. Used it a few time and while it definitely put an edge on everything I ran through it, I'm not too fond of the convex grind. I found the convex really diminished the ability of the knife to scrape (think wood or magnesium shavings to start a fire), though the edge held up great for chopping. Also, I have several thicker blades that wouldn't fit in the guides. I ended up going with a Wicked Edge kit and haven't looked back.

 

[Rich1028]

in the reviews it is either loved,or hated.

 

[6PTsocket]

I have the Ken Onion version. Used it a few time and while it definitely put an edge on everything I ran through it, I'm not too fond of the convex grind. I found the convex really diminished the ability of the knife to scrape (think wood or magnesium shavings to start a fire), though the edge held up great for chopping. Also, I have several thicker blades that wouldn't fit in the guides. I ended up going with a Wicked Edge kit and haven't looked back.

Just took a quick look at Wicked edge products. A bit pricy for me. When you sharpen on many belt sanders, it would seem you could control tension and how convex an edge you get or work against the back plate for a truly flat edge.

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[tcush]

Just took a quick look at Wicked edge products. A bit pricy for me. When you sharpen on many belt sanders, it would seem you could control tension and how convex an edge you get or work against the back plate for a truly flat edge.

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Yup, a true belt sander with a removeable flat platen would be the best way to go, but the Worksharp allows the blade to bow the belt. The Worksharp literature says the convex is intentional.

 

[theoldwizard1]

ANY powered knife sharpener in the hands of a novice will mean ruined knives.

 

[Teenager with old tools]

I never liked belt sanders. I don't have the same feel or fine control as I do on my stone.


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[engineer2]

I like the Ken Onion knife sharpener. Get the one with adjustable angles.

 

[6PTsocket]

ANY powered knife sharpener in the hands of a novice will mean ruined knives.

Everybody has to start some place. You don't learn if you don't practice. Start with cheap knives until you get the hang of it.

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[freudianfloyd]

ANY powered knife sharpener in the hands of a novice will mean ruined knives.

I would have to disagree on this. I have ruined the edge of plenty of blades with a stone. I have yet to ruin one with this sharpener. I'm not saying it is the better than a stone and lots of practice, but for someone like me that doesn't have the skill, this thing makes it much easier.

 

[ndr1968]

I haven't looked at the manuals for any of these machines so correct me if I'm wrong but any belt sander is only going to get you to the first stage of getting a razor sharp edge. That is; it lets you get the burr ground onto both sides at the correct angle so that you then can stone or "polish" off the burr which leaves the true working edge.

 

[B.S.A. (ret.)]

Just an old geezer here that's used a Lansky Hone for the past 30 years or so. While it's true that a good blade can be ruined by any incorrect technique, a belt sander has the ability to do it faster and cause more permanent damage as in ruining the temper. Just my "2 sense worth".

 

[exmaxima1]

Just an old geezer here that's used a Lansky Hone for the past 30 years or so. While it's true that a good blade can be ruined by any incorrect technique, a belt sander has the ability to do it faster and cause more permanent damage as in ruining the temper. Just my "2 sense worth".

I've been sharpening knives and planes for many years and tried virtually every conceivable method. Lansky, Arkansas stones, Japanese waterstones, WickedEdge, iron plates with diamond paste, etc. While I still employ rigid stones or plates for many planes and chisels, I prefer a slightly convex edge on my knives. In particular, many steels that are prone to chipping (ZDP-189, for example) benefit from a convex edge geometry. And that's where belt grinders/sanders are ideal.

The key is to minimize heating by using sharp belts and a light touch. In addition, belt speed control is a worthwhile feature. There are many commercially available belt grinders with speed control, but I built my own from scraps. The motor is a DC drive that my buddy gave me. I use silicon carbide belts to get the "burr" and then polish it off with a leather strop belt. Works great, and I can sharpen a drawer full of knives in a few minutes.

 

[B.S.A. (ret.)]

The key is to minimize heating by using sharp belts and a light touch. In addition, belt speed control is a worthwhile feature. There are many commercially available belt grinders with speed control, but I built my own from scraps. The motor is a DC drive that my buddy gave me. I use silicon carbide belts to get the "burr" and then polish it off with a leather strop belt. Works great, and I can sharpen a drawer full of knives in a few minutes.

Agreed, I understand completely and your device is probably equivalent to a professional rig. My point was that what the term "belt sander" means to the uninitiated a normal garage power tool designed to take off lots of metal in a very short time. that individual will then proceed to ruin a good blade.

 

[PMD1966]

Why make knife sharpening so complicated? I bought a $13.00 dollar, 4 sided diamond sharpener at Harbor Freight. It will sharpen anything from a pocket knife to an axe.

 

[cvcman]

I use the razorsharp system cardboard wheels...I can do very well with my hand stones,,,but these wheels are great !!! Shaving sharp in minutes

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I personally use a wet stone or for quick touch ups a spyderco sharpmaker, but always wondered about the work sharp system. I have also been interested in trying a guided system but what i'm doing is working for me. To each their own. Some people even just prefer the sandpaper and mouse pad method for a convex edge. I ended up taking the strange almost convex edge off of my sebenza and i had wished while doing that i had a guided system to set the bevel, by hand seemed to take forever!

 

[exmaxima1]

Why make knife sharpening so complicated? I bought a $13.00 dollar, 4 sided diamond sharpener at Harbor Freight. It will sharpen anything from a pocket knife to an axe.

What do you mean "so complicated"? Much of the fun of collecting knives is the care and maintenance. I built a guided system awhile back and although it's not especially fast, it is very accurate and makes gorgeous bevels. It uses diamond plates and diamond paste (on maple).

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Its not complicated. Like tools, knives are specific to tasks. Blade steel, tips, grinds, handle material, etc. All play a role. Knife sharpening is no different

 

[slip knot]

GATCO has been my go to sharpening system for 20+ yrs.