Sharpening kit buyers guide?

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whowantstoknow

Joined
Dec 10, 2023
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I’m guessing there are lots of opinions on this but is there any general consensus on what are the best or at least high quality options for a sharpening kit at various price points?

I want to buy a good quality kit and don’t have a price point in mind but am curious to see if there are any reviews or buyers guides to let someone like me decide what is right for them.

Basically my criteria is something I will buy once, do a great job and last a long time without overpaying for features I don’t need.
 
My vote would go to Hapstone R2. It is middle of the pack priced, you may need to get some clamps or accessories to do everything you want to such as scissors or thicker/smaller blades. I have been really enjoying mine since I got it.

If you don't mind the style of the system then Edge Pro is also a good cheaper option. Both use the 6"x1" format stones that are available everywhere.

There are cheaper systems, but they usually need a few pieces or upgrades to be decent and they are usually smaller sharpeners. There is a Chinese TooHr #3 that is decent, but getting parts can be difficult and they don't have any of their own accessories. More expensive systems do not mean they are better or more capable for several times the price.

EVERY system has its own pros and cons, you just need to decide what you like about each style of system and if you can put up with the downsides.
 
The best value kit that will last if you don't abuse it is a 6"x2" double sided diamond stone and a paddle strop.
You can get both along with chrome oxide abrasives for about $35.
 
whowantstoknow said:
I’m guessing there are lots of opinions on this but is there any general consensus on what are the best or at least high quality options for a sharpening kit at various price points?

I want to buy a good quality kit and don’t have a price point in mind but am curious to see if there are any reviews or buyers guides to let someone like me decide what is right for them.

Basically my criteria is something I will buy once, do a great job and last a long time without overpaying for features I don’t need.
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I'm guessing that you don't know anything about knife sharpening.

My biggest advice to you would be not to spend a lot of money. Keep it under $100, because you have no idea what you are looking for yet. Your first "sharpening kit" is going to be like a pair of training wheels. You're going to use it to learn with, and then you can decide whether to sink more money into it or not.

So basically, you should be looking for something cheap but effective and not too difficult to use. I often recommend the Worksharp Precision Adjust to people like you. It's basically the most affordable and effective and easiest to use system for people who are just starting out, have no idea what they are doing, and probably also don't care about learning freehand sharpening.

If you want to learn freehand, then it can be even cheaper, as long as you are willing to put together your own "sharpening kit". But it takes effort which you may be unwilling or incapable of putting out.
 
I like Hapstone's sharpening systems, but I prefer the V8 system to the R2. I think it is more versatile than the R2. Particularly when it comes to large blades or very small blades. The down side of a magnetic table system, is you have to learn to use your off hand. That gives some people trouble. The nice thing about Hapstone, is most of their stuff is modular. The R2, V8, M3, plus a scissor sharpening attachment and a chisel and plane iron attachment, all fit on the same base. So you can expand you system if you need to.

As far as a buyers guide? This sub forum is probably a close as you will find. Do a search for whatever sharpening system or systems you are interested in, and you will probable find multiple threads on it.

O.B.
 
There’s plenty of videos on sharpening systems of all brands as well as info here to help you decide what you need. Regardless of what system you choose, there’s a learning curve. It will take some time be comfortable with the system you choose. Most all sharpening systems offer a basic setup and can be added to at any time.
So, you really don’t have to worry about having extras that are useless to you.

Before you choose, know your knives and what it’s going to take to have the level of sharpness you are expecting. Some steels need diamonds, some don’t.
 
Guy McVer said:
I'm guessing that you don't know anything about knife sharpening.

My biggest advice to you would be not to spend a lot of money. Keep it under $100, because you have no idea what you are looking for yet. Your first "sharpening kit" is going to be like a pair of training wheels. You're going to use it to learn with, and then you can decide whether to sink more money into it or not.

So basically, you should be looking for something cheap but effective and not too difficult to use. I often recommend the Worksharp Precision Adjust to people like you. It's basically the most affordable and effective and easiest to use system for people who are just starting out, have no idea what they are doing, and probably also don't care about learning freehand sharpening.

If you want to learn freehand, then it can be even cheaper, as long as you are willing to put together your own "sharpening kit". But it takes effort which you may be unwilling or incapable of putting out.
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This is true. I know nothing about knife sharpening but want to get a quality kit so I won’t damage the probably $7-10k of knives in my collection.
 
The big question you have to answer (for yourself) is: Do you want a fixed-angle sharpening system? Or do you prefer to sharpen freehand on bench stones?
The price range goes from cheap to very expensive. There are a lot of options when it comes to stones. For guided systems (mostly 6''x1'' or 6''x0,8'') or freehand like the famous Japanese stones or many cheaper - but good - options like Norton India or Crystolon.
A good compromise would be the Spyderco Sharpmaker. This system offers angle guidance but allows to sharpen freehand, too. The rods are triangular so you could sharpen breadknives, serrations, scissors, potatoe peelers and such. The system is low maintenance and lasts a long time as long as you don't break the ceramic rods or abuse the diamond or CBN rods with too much pressure.
 
whowantstoknow said:
I want to buy a good quality kit
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When you say kit are you talking a guided sharpening system? Or just generic term for whatever it takes as a whole to sharpen a knife?
whowantstoknow said:
Basically my criteria is something I will buy once
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I bought a Tormek T8 thinking I would love it and while it's a great setup I find I now hardly ever use it just because it's so big and involved. Point is, you could buy something great and only through use discover you're not really loving it.

Personally I find of the several systems I own I use the Work Sharp Precision Adjust with the extra hones the most. If I ever change from that one it will be for a very similar setup but with larger hones like the Hapstone.
 
whowantstoknow said:
I know nothing about knife sharpening but want to get a quality kit so I won’t damage the probably $7-10k of knives in my collection.
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If you want to avoid damaging your knives, put them away somewhere safe in a temperature and humidity controlled environment and never use them. You will not be able to avoid damaging your expensive knives otherwise. Sharpening is also technically damaging them. You are using abrasive surfaces to remove material from the knife when you sharpen or hone it.

If instead you simply wish to avoid cosmetic damages such as scratches to the finish, uneven bevels, or removing too much material from the knife, then go buy some cheap knives to practice on before you attempt to sharpen your expensive ones.

You can't get out of having to learn and practice, so don't try to avoid it. Start small, start simple, start cheap. Learn and work your way up. Or you can decide you'll pay someone skilled and trustworthy to just do it for you. 🤷‍♂️ I believe there are people on the forums who offer that service. You'll have to send them your knives by mail.
 
If you care about how your edge looks, and whether it's symmetrical (neither of which make it sharper) get a lansky for about 50$ You may or may not need the diamond stones which cost a bit more depending on how hard your knife is. If you just want it to cut and don't mind freehanding, I'd pick up a Shapton resin bonded stone (40ish)
 
Maximumbob54 said:
When you say kit are you talking a guided sharpening system? Or just generic term for whatever it takes as a whole to sharpen a knife?
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I think a guided system would be best for me. When I have messed around a stone in the past on cheap knives I haven’t had much luck keeping a consistent angle.
 
I used a Lansky kit, diamond and regular stones, for years. Then I got the Kme diamond kit. The Kme is a definite upgrade, though more expensive.
 
I have been a big fan of the Spyderco Sharpmaker for the ease of learning how to use it and its versatility. Lately I have embraced the use of bench stones. Yes, the learning curve is much steeper but you have many options when it comes to bench stones.
 
The Spyderco sharpmaker is a nice system to try and see if you like it. They are ~$100, but maybe you could put that toward a nicer system if you were sure you knew what you wanted. It is easy to spend a lot on many items out of the gate, but try to avoid that early on. I started with a Lanky, then an Edge Pro and finally a Sharpmaker.
 
Easiest novice sharpener kit that is still my go to is the Spyderco Tri-Angle SharpMaker. Nowadays I just use the triangle rods from it instead of the guide, but the guide help me get the motion and angles until I was confident enough to do it without. Once I became more experienced with a good edge, I bought the more abrasive Tr-Angle options (sold separately) for reprofiling.

Another option is to get a wet stone and play around with it... I have a cheapie I bought from a local hardware store, but I only use it for reprofiling now, and finish up with the Spyderco Tri-Angle rods and sometimes a strop.

A big part of the sharpening strategy is learning how to tell if you've worked off the burr. I can usually feel it by running my fingernail down the side of the blade (perpendicular to the spine) and passing the edge.

IMO, if I was just to use one thing (assuming a decent knife steel, I didn't let the edge get too dull, and I was mostly interested in a working edge), I could get away with just the brown Spyderco Tri-Angle ceramic rod for most of my needs. However, I don't often carry or sharpen things above S30V /35VN or CPM 20CV, so you might want a diamond rod or stone for M4, S90V, etc.

My most carried and used knives are in D2, 154CM, 420HC, and S30V, and tocuh ups are usually quick and easy.
 
Anyone interested in TSPROF should go to their website and sign up for their newsletter (?). They have a sale every year about now and usually offer some significant savings. Just sayin". . .
 
Spyderco Sharpmaker, mine lives in the kitchen and gets used all the time. Does bread knives, kitchen knives and pocket knives going on 4 years.
 
I would ditto sharpmaker. It’s sharpening for dummies like me. I’ve been using it for over ten years. It’s gets what I believe is a very sharp edge, enough to glide through a piece of regular 8 1/2 x 11 paper.
 
If the prices are as high as I’ve seen lately, I can’t say I’d get a Sharpmaker again. I’ve had one so long I dished out the corners of the brown stones and replaced them. It will give you an extremely sharp edge and is one of the better deburring and edge finishing systems out there as long as you can work within the angle limits or improvise. It must be paired with a course option though. Removing damage and changing a bevel angle is beyond its capabilities in a reasonable amount of time.

I’m currently testing out a Worksharp Precision Adjust and it seems like it will work well for my knives. I have a couple of larger blades that it won’t be able to handle though. I’ve only sharpened a couple of knives so I’m still in the learning curve.
 
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