Knife sharpener

[Ag76]

Well, you guys sold me. I just ordered one. I have never been very good at sharpening knives, so hopefully the Ken Onion Work Sharp knife & tool sharpener will change that.

 

[retired trucker]

Tip to avoid the line you are getting.......put blue painters tape on the guide faces and make sure to clean the grit every once in a while. Also just let the knife glide through on its own weight. No need to force it against the guides.

I have sharpened with water stones for years but wanted something quick and easy so I bought the Work Sharp Ken Onion edition and may never need my stones again. Pair it up with a leather strop and I can easily shave with any knife I have. I just went through and sharpened every knife we had and my wife is now scared to death to use any of them. Have the bald spots on my left arm from testing to prove it. :shocked:

Another good tip is to not use the guides, and freehand the blade near the upper pulley. It takes some practice, but will give you excellent results once you get it down. I find the guides a real pain in the #%% and can do a better job freehand where there is little give in the belts. Use light pressure and do not pull the tip past the middle of the belt, or you may round off the tip. When the tip reaches mid belt, pull the blade away from contact of the belt. Practice, practice, and think about what you are doing. Don't let the blade get hot to the touch. Use a water dip often to keep the blade cool.

When you get it down, you will love the job it does for you.

Omar

 

[BIG ALAN]

If you have Japanese knives with a 17 degree bevel, there is no better non-mechanical grind sharpener than the Mino Sharp III. Please watch the video to see the ease of use. Our kitchen knives are Global, and even my wife can touch them up effortlessly. It is hand held with 3 stages of round ceramic stones, with guide, and the knife is pulled a few times through each station. Just add tap water to lubricate while sharpening.
My traveling knives are Wustohf, with 20 degree bevel, and are new. I am hap-hazard at best with a butcher's steel, which is of course the best way to keep a blade properly honed. I will change the bevel angle as they dull, to use the Mino Sharp III. (Do not buy the Mino Sharp II with 2 ceramic grades, not as efficient as the III).

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl0e1U2KIcU"]Minosharp Hand Held Sharpener Demonstration - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Goyo626]

I use waterstones. It takes me longer than 2 minutes but I find it very satisfying and kinda therapeutic. There is something very primal about it. Most of my knives are over $100, and I would match them against anyone else's for sharpness. Since most of them are high carbon though, they will only be matched by other high carbon knives. It's almost like cheating :becky:

The concentration and the sound the blade makes against the stones is indeed very satisfying.

 

[THoey1963]

Tip to avoid the line you are getting.......put blue painters tape on the guide faces and make sure to clean the grit every once in a while. Also just let the knife glide through on its own weight. No need to force it against the guides.

Yeah, that's the biggest thing for me is learning how light a touch it takes. Too late now, all of our knives have that line on them, and I don't really mind. If I get new knives, I'll remember this trick then. By then, I also expect to have more experience and have the "touch" mastered.

 

[TedW]

Just ordered the KO sharpener. Thanks for all the great dialogue

 

[Melissaredhead]

I own one of these and love it

https://youtu.be/oecKMd0PUvU

What's with the William Wallace music eh?