Best Knife Sharpener

[Fred from MO]

I have some hunting knives. Ol timers 5103 I believe? Anyway my old sharpening guy passed away. He was a pretty neat old guy and would sharpen anything for a reasonable price. So know I wonder if I should invest in a knife sharpener for the house. What are some good brands. I don't have a lot of time to sit there and work a stone over. Looking more toward the electric kind. I would be interested in hearing anyone who has had luck with a brand OR bad luck with a brand.

 

[kcm.MN]

I've used many different sharpeners over the years. I like diamond sharpeners best, but in the end it all depends on just how sharp an edge you're looking to have. I don't need anything sharp enough to shave with, so my sharpening time is cut dramatically.

I just bought a new sharpener: Chef's Choice, model #478

I bought mine in town, but is also available on Amazon for the same price
https://www.amazon.com/Chefs-Choice...p;creative=165953&creativeASIN=B008AF0Y9Y

Have not yet tried this one, but got it to replace my well-used Edge Craft sharpener, which is identical to this Chef's Choice and other brands:
https://www.amazon.com/EdgeCraft-48...sr=8-3&keywords=edgecraft+knife+sharpener

These sharpeners require no power and, so far, have done an amazingly simple and quick job of putting an edge on my knives. Simply pull the blade through the #1 slot until you have a suitably coarse edge, then pull it through the #2 slot to hone the edge.

I've tried electric sharpeners, yet have sent them ALL packing with low ratings! These I believe in.

 

[kcm.MN]

Guess I should clarify - the one I hadn't tried yet is the first link, and it's replacing my older unit, the 2nd link.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[rrlund]

We bought my son in law a Drill Doctor brand knife sharpener for Christmas. Seems to be a pretty nice,solid unit.

 

[old]

Don't have time?? I know better Fred. I can sharpen up a knife in less then 10 minutes and then shave with it. I do them all the time wit ha simple wet stone and I have probably at least 10 different stones on hand. But what it does take is the know how to do it but I have been doing it for 40 plus years now

 

[Fred from MO]

Ah HA!! Maybe when I have time to buy parts off that 60, you can show me. Been hectic here for the last 6 months. I did get the 60 back together though without needing the part I thought I might try to get from you. We shall see if she holds together??? Now onto knives. I tried to skin a turkey the other day with the knife my dad (who is an old butcher) skinned my deer with and he complained my knife was duller than a door knob. I thought he was just complaining, but I tried to skin this turkey and the knife wouldn't go through the skin. That was pretty sad and I believed my dad was right! I do have some of his old butcher stones. I may try that. Put some oil on the old stone and hold at a 10 degree and go after it is what I have been told. Is that the way you do it Richard?

 

[old]

I use water on my stones and you work it as if your cutting into the stone at a slight angle. and you do that side to side. I sharpen them while watching TV or when I am in the kitchen cooking. If i pick up a knife to cut a tomato and it does not cut well I sharpen it right on the spot. Shoot I keep my double edge ax sharp enough to skin a deer and yes I have skinned a deer wit h them

 

[RayP(MI)]

My butcher uses a belt sander with a narrow belt.

 

[dr sportster]

I remember the two sticks that were held up in a block of wood and as long as you kept the knife straight it would put a good edge . Sort of dummy proof. In the Marines some guys could sharpen , some could not . The guys with the sticks would sharpen every ones knives. Some could shave arm hair , those were the guys to sharpen yours.

 

[rlp in Co.]

My can opener has a sharpener stone on it. It works pretty good.

 

[300jk]

I do all mine by hand also. Smith tri hone. Everything from hunting to pocket knives and broadheads too. Doesn't take long once you get the hang of it. I can also she hair when done. As far as electric sharpeners chef's choice. We use one when boning pork butts for sausage. Four hundred pounds of butts is quite a bit and the knives come out nice and sharp. Also use a steel on them too while cutting.

 

[TimV]

Fred: there's lots of ways to sharpen, but in general you'll get a much better job over a wider range of knife types and you'll treat your knives better if you learn to hand sharpen versus using a machine. As Old mentioned, it's no great chore to sharpen by hand--5 minutes on a couple different stones--coarse to get the major nicks out and define your edge followed by fine to clean things up will get most knives sharp enough for most chores. Yes, you can certainly spend more time than that, but most people who spend hours sharpening a knife are doing it because they don't have any idea of proper technique, not because they're actually getting the knife any sharper than a knowledgeable person could in a fraction of the time. Among many other sharpening tools, I've had a DMT diamond kit similar to the one in the link (it's just the first on that came up on Amazon--you can probably get it cheaper with a bit of shopping) for many years and can put shaving-sharp (if necessary) edges on practically anything with it. Be VERY careful with any electric setup on a carbon steel knife like the typical Old Timer--it's very easy to draw the temper from the blade by getting it too hot and ruin the knife.
diamond stone kit

 

[El Hombre]

That Chef Choice was $40 a couple of weeks ago. At $30, I'm gonna buy it.

 

[Fred Werring]

I have one of the Work Sharp belt type sharpeners and like it. Works fast.

I'll still hit them with a steel when I'm done.

I don't try to sharpen shovels, mower blades or anything else with it, just knives.

Fred
What I have

 

[MarkB_MI]

I prefer to use Japanese water stones in different grits. They cut fast and can make as fine an edge as you care to have. You soak them in a bucket of water before use, then keep them wet as you hone. Get them from Japan Woodworker.
Water stones at Japan Woodworker

 

[sec1939]

Edge pro is perhaps the best

http://www.edgeproinc.com/

 

[Brian G. NY]

My favorite for the kitchen knives is a 12" Sheffield sharpening steel I picked up at a garage sale a few years ago for two bucks. Very High quality! Use it all the time!


Bought this CatCo sharpening kit last summer at a garage sale for ten bucks.
Haven't even tried it yet....looks a little complicated. LOL

 

[Goose]

I've used a DA sander with different grits.

Clamp the knife onto something solid and run the sander flat against the side of the blade, tilted slightly toward the cutting edge.

 

[47fivewindow]

DA is the fastest way to do a pretty good job. Follow up with a steel even better.

 

[rbhuntn]

For ease of use and getting a good edge when you don't want to use a good stone set these are the next best thing.

Puts a good edge on in just a few minutes. Follow the cleaning instructions and these will last for many decades.

https://agrussell.com/knife/A-G-Russell-Ceramic-Sharpener--CS94#