Kitchen knife sharpener

J

Just Machete

Joined
Mar 10, 2018
Messages
28
Hey guys,
Can you suggest me a sharpener for kitchen knives? There are lots out there and I'm a bit puzzled. So far I've known the sharp pebble's and utopia kitchen's ones. Are BearMoo's ones good enough?? Appreciate your help :)
 
I have had the sharpmaker for many years. I have a place where I leave it permanently assembled and a box of barkeepers friend to clean the stones from time to time.
Once you have done the initial sharpening on the sharpmaker, touch up take a matter of seconds. My kitchen knives are always sharp.
I recently made a few strops some bare and some with dialux green compound which takes the edges that much further.
For the fun of it I am now thinking of getting something like the King 1000/6000 or one of the Shapton Pros just to challenge myself a little.
 
jc57 said:
I use a sequence of Shapton Pro water stones and a balsa strop with 1 micron diamond.
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I know a lot of people like the Shaptons. How do they compare to the Naniwa Professional/Chosera stones? I have heard they are very hard. but curious to hear the edges you are getting.
 
captainsb965 said:
I know a lot of people like the Shaptons. How do they compare to the Naniwa Professional/Chosera stones? I have heard they are very hard. but curious to hear the edges you are getting.
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I have no idea. I have never used a Naniwa. I get sharper edges than the factory, so that's good enough for me.
 
jc57 said:
I have no idea. I have never used a Naniwa. I get sharper edges than the factory, so that's good enough for me.
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I can agree with that. I have heard Shapton makes some good stones, but I have never tried the Shapton Professional or Glass series. I recently tried the Suehiro Rika series waterstones and am amazed. They have great feedback, leave a matte finish which I prefer, and are relatively fast cutters. Unfortunately, they aren't splash and go. However, I am getting used to them.
 
I am not sharpening anything really sexy. Just some Shun kitchen knives in VG-MAX and SG-2. Splash and go was what I was looking for. I use a loupe to make sure I am getting fully apexed edges and that the scratch pattern is consistent.

I usually go up to the Shapton Pro 2000 and then the strop for a few finishing strokes, though I do have a SP 5000 that I have used occasionally. For what I need, it's good enough. I never let the knives get particularly dull and don't abuse them, so they don't require a lot to restore the edge when needed.
 
I know a lot of people love the Naniwa waterstones which are also made for the Edgepro and I agree that they are great stones. but I prefer the Suehiro Rika series. I have always been interested in the Shapton series as well, but never bought them.
 
Multiple options for sure. If you are committed to free-hand then I would suggest a set of water stones. Jon has great stones on his site as well as a wealth of tips https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/. I do freehand from time to time but my go-to for my knives is a Wicked Edge that I primarily use for setting the initial bevel. From there I either do a light micro-bevel touch-up on my stones or if I want something quick then a 30dps or 40dps touch-up on my SharpMaker depending on the initial bevel I established on the WE. Oh, and if I'm doing a lot of cutting I have a ceramic "Steel" that I used to realign the edge.
 
Noob here; both to the forum and to a "higher level" of knife knowledge. My kids bought me a Ken Onion Work Sharp for my 60th last summer and I've been pretty happy with it, compared to my 15 year old Edgecraft which I never really mastered. I bought a set of King brand 1000/6000 stones as well but have yet to try them just out of laziness, even though it's a skill I really want to learn. My question how close am I getting on the Work Sharp compared to what a somewhat skilled person can get on stones? I know it's a broad based question with a lot of variables. Also, any tricks or aftermarket parts for the Work Sharp? I'm pretty much doing my kitchen knives (Shun, Miyabi, Cutco, Global), have not used it on any of my pocket knives yet. Thanks for the help.
 
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Sharpmaker is a manual sharpening product from Spyderco. There is a Ken Onion Worksharp, which is a power tool. Which are you talking about?
 
jc57 said:
Sharpmaker is a manual sharpening product from Spyderco. There is a Ken Onion Worksharp, which is a power tool. Which are you talking about?
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Sorry; told you I was a noob! I have the Work Sharp.
 
I use Shaptons (Alumina) waterstones for non Vanadium blades, They are splash and go. I use Venev and Naniwa bonded Diamond “stones” on my Vanadium containing blades. They are spash and go also.
I use a home made jig over a pond to prop the stones at the correct angle. One side is 15 degrees off vertical, the other is 20 degrees off. These angles mimic the Sharpmaker which I use for touch up.BACB5AAA-469D-41F4-8CEC-D959998D7C5A.jpeg
 
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My power sharpener, which I call “the handle maker”, is used for flea market knives. It is mounted on a tilt table which I can set to match the angles on the hand sharpening stuff. The edge of the blade is pointed at the ground, and the belt runs downhill backed by a platen. A large water pail is used after every pass. When one side of the blade is given a few passes, you walk around the apparatus and do the other side. Using successively finer belts yields a working edge.E98F70C4-380A-41DB-B793-232F18FDA525.jpeg
 
5881 said:
I think OSHA might refer to that sharpener as "the finger taker". Nice rig.
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There is a picture out there of foot of an accomplished knife sharpener after an accident with a power sharpener. He does admit he forgot his steel toed boots.
 
tomsch said:
Multiple options for sure. If you are committed to free-hand then I would suggest a set of water stones. Jon has great stones on his site as well as a wealth of tips https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/. I do freehand from time to time but my go-to for my knives is a Wicked Edge that I primarily use for setting the initial bevel. From there I either do a light micro-bevel touch-up on my stones or if I want something quick then a 30dps or 40dps touch-up on my SharpMaker depending on the initial bevel I established on the WE. Oh, and if I'm doing a lot of cutting I have a ceramic "Steel" that I used to realign the edge.
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Thanks man. That is helpful.
 
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