Rolling Sharpeners: Why not favored?

PeteCress

PeteCress

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Jan 2, 2023
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It would seem that angle precision and replicability would be important characteristics of a sharpening system. i.e. if I sharpen a blade at 17° today, it is important that when I clamp it into the sharpener next month that 17° angle is precisely replicated.

That said, it would also seem that the rolling-type sharpeners like Horl, Tumblr, and RollingStone excel at angle precision and replicability.

But everything I read by Greater Minds Than Mine seems to favor guided systems like
Work Sharp's Precision Adjust Elite and gloss over or ignore the roller-types.

Sharpening speed aside and assuming reasonable stone quality, what am I missing?
 
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Poor build quality, high price, gimmicky design and vague sources where to buy them. The market is flooded with replicas that are even more cheaply built, and you have no clue weather or not you're buying a genuine article. They also wear out incredibly fast. For cheap dollar store kitchen knives it may work just fine, but don't expect it to last more than a dozen times, especially if you expect to remove material.
 
I bought one of the rollers a year back or so just to check it out - not a cheap one (HORL). It works "fine" for the 2 angles it offers, but it just reminded me why I prefer just using stones.

The blocks are always smallish so long blades flex and throw everything off. Folders have to be put up on a base of some sort so they are high enough. You can buy 3rd party magnetic blocks with more angles, but it's just not worth it to me.

I just find it satisfying to sharpen on stones, even though it has a learning curve and maybe my knives don't end up being as pretty on the bevel as a precision angle sharpener. For something really simple and easy to sharpen with, I think the HORL has some merit. It's a better solution than having a bunch of dull kitchen knives for folks who don't want to be bothered, and there's some value in that - someone who knows nothing about sharpening can use this and get a decent result, without having to have a work bench with a complex set of clamps and stones or the muscle memory and skill (or want) to use a stone.
 
The Horl has received some positive reviews. I recall that the DBK boys thought it was good for beginners. But the design limits the variety of blades that it can be used with.

The Tumbler, which I keep getting ads for on Facebook even though I have reported it several times, is crap according to Outdoors55 and some other reviewers.
 
It's just another gimmicky limited design. It's fine for those who don't have something better or more versatile, but you could just as easily ask why aren't some of the better quality electric pull through sharpeners more popular.
 
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There are things in life you have to work at. Accomplishing them builds confidence and character. I think of them as life skills. Everyone’s list is different.

Free hand sharpening is one of those things. If you have the dexterity to use a knife, you have the dexterity to free hand sharpen a knife.

My dad was a professional woodcarver. Everyone was amazed at his ability to carve wood. I was amazed at his ability to sharpen his knives and chisels.

I would sharpen my knives and bring it to him, and he would make it better. One day he handed it back and said good job. It was an amazing feeling. It wasn’t as good as he could do, but it passed inspection.
 
Kryme said:
Poor build quality, high price, gimmicky design and vague sources where to buy them. The market is flooded with replicas that are even more cheaply built, and you have no clue weather or not you're buying a genuine article. They also wear out incredibly fast. For cheap dollar store kitchen knives it may work just fine, but don't expect it to last more than a dozen times, especially if you expect to remove material.
Click to expand...
I am an avowed sharpening system guy. I have and use Tormek, WickedEdge, TSProf, EsgePro, SharpMaker, and a few others. I have full sets of stones/diamonds for all of them.

I just bought a Horl 3 Pro (geared with 6 angles) I also got the ceramic finishing stones.

The value of these rolling systems is limited by the quality of the diamonds used. I went with Horl because they supposedly use high quality diamonds ( and I have some really hard steels)

I bought it for quick touch-ups in the kitchen. So far (about 15 knives) it is holding up.

My issue, which I was aware of prior to purchase, is that it does mot work on narrow or short blades. So forget about touching-up paring knives.

Also, there is technique involved. It requires twisting the block a little when doing the curve at the tip. The tendancy is to curl the roller … wrong. That makes it skid and not roll.
 
Stringjam7 said:
I bought one of the rollers a year back or so just to check it out - not a cheap one (HORL). It works "fine" for the 2 angles it offers, but it just reminded me why I prefer just using stones.

The blocks are always smallish so long blades flex and throw everything off. Folders have to be put up on a base of some sort so they are high enough. You can buy 3rd party magnetic blocks with more angles, but it's just not worth it to me.

I just find it satisfying to sharpen on stones, even though it has a learning curve and maybe my knives don't end up being as pretty on the bevel as a precision angle sharpener. For something really simple and easy to sharpen with, I think the HORL has some merit. It's a better solution than having a bunch of dull kitchen knives for folks who don't want to be bothered, and there's some value in that - someone who knows nothing about sharpening can use this and get a decent result, without having to have a work bench with a complex set of clamps and stones or the muscle memory and skill (or want) to use a stone.
Click to expand...
I got my Horl 3 Pro for in-kitchen touch ups - kind of like a honing steel. I let kitchen “guests” sharpen my “guest” knives.
 
There are many deficiencies and complications caused by the system as outlined by others already. For the amount of fuss involved you can just use a bench stone freehand and get as good or better results without so many limitations and better control of things like pressure modulation. Literally the simplest way to throw training wheels on someone with freehand sharpening is teach them these things:

• Use both hands. One on the grip, one on the back of the blade.
• Lock your wrists and elbows. Use your torso to guide the path of the stroke.
• Use an angle as if you were trying to take a thin slice off the face of the stone as if it were a block of cheese, working both sides equally.
• Work the edge until you can't see any light reflecting off the edge when looking straight into it under good light.

That'll get folks a good enough edge with a thin backing geometry. If you want to add an extra diagnostic step (it's a little longer to explain but still simple) I like to add:

• Rest a section of the edge on the back of your thumbnail under its own weight and waggle it gently side to side. If it slips easily both directions, that section is dull and needs more work. If it sticks in both directions, it's sharp. If it slides in one direction and sticks in the other, that section of edge is rolled over and hooking and the sticking side needs a little more work to remove the burr.

Just those simple instructions will get most folks an edge that'll be as good or better than what they'd get off a rolling sharpener, and they can do it on basically any conventional culinary knife.
 
I can see the appeal to those looking for a specific quick solution to easily sharpen a given small subset of whatever cutlery they are using. To each his own. If it works for their needs when they need it, problem solved.

But I'm continually struck by the irony that most any device made to make things 'simpler' will always come with more limitations on how it can be used with success. I became fully committed to freehand sharpening as soon as I realized that the guided systems I previously used were starting to literally restrict what I could do with my hands in sharpening, interfering with what had become muscle memory, fluidity and intuitiveness in making on-the-fly adjustments to angle, pressure, etc.

Once freehand sharpening is learned, there are no restrictions or limitations anymore. It's worth it.
 
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