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Having a pocket knife on you is an essential and basic supply for any outdoor adventure. There are plenty of different tasks you can do with a pocket knife from opening a bottle to helping someone out of a dangerous situation. Even a standard kitchen knife is important for preparing food both on a campsite and at home.
However, just like you clean your pocket knife, you need to make sure to keep any type of knife you own sharp as well. Not only does this make sure your knives complete the tasks that you need them too but dull knives are more dangerous to use than a sharp one. There are a lot of options out there, though, and it can seem a little overwhelming to find the best knife sharpener for you. That’s why we’ve created a guide for what you need to know to make a choice and given you a detailed knife sharpener review for each of our favorite products.
PriorityChef Knife Sharpener
- What Makes This Knife Sharpener Stand Out
- Two-stage design sharpens and hones your blade
- Diamond-coated wheel and ceramic wheel are durable
- Sharpens your blade in only 10 strokes
- Can be used on serrated blades as well as smooth ones
- Ergonomically designed for comfortable operation
- Non-slip bottom keeps the sharpener securely in place during use
- PriorityChef offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee on this sharpener
- Easy sharpening process
Type: Two-slot manual sharpener
Dimensions: 7.5” x 2.5” x 2.5”
Weight: 8.8 oz.
Smith’s Pocket Pal Knife Sharpener
- What Makes This Knife Sharpener Stand Out
- Handheld design is easy to take with you on your next outdoor adventure
- Lanyard hole makes it easy to carry around
- Includes two slots and an abrasive tapering rod
- Carbide blades help restore standard dull blades
Type: Multi-function manual sharpener
Dimensions: 3.5” x 1” x >1”
Weight: 0.32 oz.
KitchenIQ 2-Stage Knife Sharpener
- What Makes This Knife Sharpener Stand Out
- Compact size is easy to keep in any kitchen
- Non-slip bottom adds to stability and safety while you use it
- Edge Grip design makes sure your countertop stays safe from the edge of the knife while you sharpen it
- Can be used with standard, straight knives and double-beveled knives
- Coarse, carbide blades help bring your dull knife back to life
- Fine, ceramic rods hone and polish your blade
- Available in multiple colors to match your kitchen decor
- Easy sharpening process
Type: Two-slot manual sharpener
Dimensions: 4.3” x 2.1” x 5.9”
Weight: 0.48 oz.
Presto EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener
- What Makes This Knife Sharpener Stand Out
- Electric sharpener does most of the work for you in under a minute
- Sapphirite sharpening wheels are long-lasting
- Two slots per stage make sure your knife is sharpened from every angle
- Blade is pulled through the slots at a set pace for perfect results
- Two-stage design sharpens and hones knives for a razor-sharp finish
- Can sharpen your blade in less than a minute
- Gives your non-serrated kitchen knives a professional-level sharpening
- Attractive design won’t be an eyesore sitting on your kitchen counter
- Easy sharpening process
Type: Electric sharpener
Dimensions: 9.9” x 7.2” x 4.8”
Weight: 2.95 lbs.
SunrisePro Supreme Knife Sharpener
- What Makes This Knife Sharpener Stand Out
- Sharpener works perfectly for all unserrated kitchen knives and pocket knives
- Sharpening blades set at a 20-degree angle takes out concern over holding your knife at the right angle
- Only need to run your knife through the sharpening blades three times for effective results
- Suction cup bottom keeps this sharpener in place while you use it
- Compact design is easy to store when not in use
- Available in multiple colors to match your taste and kitchen decor
- High quality sharpening stone
Type: One-slot manual knife sharpener
Dimensions: 2.4” x 2.6” x 2.4”
Weight: 3.36 oz.
AccuSharp Knife Sharpener
- What Makes This Knife Sharpener Stand Out
- Handheld design is easy to store or travel with when you go camping, hiking, or hunting
- Design accommodates both right-handed and left-handed users
- Cover over the handle protects your hand from the blade as you sharpen a knife
- Can be used for both smooth and serrated blades
- Diamond-coated components are durable and long-lasting
- Sharpening blades can be replaced as they wear out
- Can be cleaned with soap and water or cleaning in a dishwasher
Type: One-slot manual sharpener
Dimensions: 5” x 5” x 5”
Weight: 2.08 oz.
Lansky Deluxe Knife Sharpener
- What Makes This Knife Sharpener Stand Out
- Kit includes five hones including grits of 70, 120, 280, 600, and 1,000
- Accommodates bevel angles of 17, 20, 25, and 30 degrees
- Versatile enough to use for everything from razors to heavy-duty knives
- Includes honing oil, multi-angle clamp, and guiding rods, so you don’t have to make any extra purchases
- Hones are multi-colored for easy differentiation
- Case included to keep everything organized
Type: Whetstone
Dimensions: 5” hones
Weight: 2 lbs. total
LINKYO Electric Knife Sharpener
- What Makes This Knife Sharpener Stand Out
- Two-stage system sharpens and polishes your blade back into working order
- Slanted slots allow you to sharpen your knives without worrying about finding the right angle
- Stop feature protects your blade from any damage caused by too much downward pressure
- Non-slip, suction cup feet keep the sharpener firmly in place during use
- Built-in receptacles capture metal shards for easy cleaning
Type: Electric sharpener
Dimensions: 8.25” x 5.75” x 3.25”
Weight: 2.4 lbs.
Spyderco Tri-Angle Knife Sharpener
- What Makes This Knife Sharpener Stand Out
- Compact design makes this sharpener easy to store and carry
- Keyed holes in the plastic base help you sharpen your knives at the right angle
- Sharpener can be used for both smooth and serrated blades
- Brass safety rods help protect your hands while you work
- Medium and fine grit stones allow you to sharpen and refine your blade
- ABS plastic lid lets you neatly store everything together when it’s not being used
Type: Whetstone
Dimensions: 9.8” x 9.8” x 1.5”
Weight: 1 lbs.
How To Choose A Knife Sharpener – Buying Guide
Type
When you’re looking at knife sharpeners, the first thing you’ll notice is that you have a lot of options. This includes a number of different types of knife sharpeners to choose from.
If you want something easy to use, some of your best choices include a countertop electric sharpener or a pull-through sharpener.
An electric sharpener does most of the work for you and it works quickly. All you need to do is slide the knife through the slot at approximately a 15 to 20-degree angle. Since the system is electric, you only need to pass the knife through around twice on each side for it to sharpen it effectively.
Pull-through knife sharpeners are a type of manual sharpener. These work in much the same way as an electric sharpener but you’re going to need to run the blade through more times than you would with an electric sharpener. There are different forms of pull-through sharpeners and they’re usually either handheld or built into a knife block. Handheld versions are often more versatile and they’re perfect if you want to carry a pocket sharpener with you on your next camping trip.
Pull-through knife sharpeners can be further categorized into subsets as well. The two most common designs are triangulated rod pull-throughs and slotted pull-throughs. Triangulated rod pull-throughs create a V-shaped rod connection out of two rods with an abrasive coating. These don’t require a lot of pressure to use and some even adjust to accommodate different edge angles. Slotted pull-throughs are the smaller option and usually come at a low cost. While these are easy to carry and won’t run you an arm and a leg, they aren’t going to work well for extremely dull knives.
Another type of kitchen sharpener you might have is sharpening steel. This is a long, rounded length of steel with a handle. When you use one of these, you should hold the steel vertically and run your knife down the steel at an approximate 20-degree angle. You’ll need to do this for around 10 to 20 strokes.
Whetstones are a traditional choice that uses an abrasive, flat stone. These are lubricated with either water or oil and the knife is alternatively ground on the stone. While incredibly effective, this method takes a lot of technique and practice to be done properly.
There are more advanced systems such as belt sanders and water wheels. While these definitely yield results, they’re not the best if you’re just looking for an option for kitchen knives or pocket knives. They’re more often used at workbenches but they are an effective knife sharpening system if you have the technique to use them effectively.
If you want to step out of the realm of a home sharpener, you can always turn to a professional sharpener service. This involves you getting someone else to sharpen your knives for you who are skilled or even use industrial-level machinery for the best results. This process can take a while and, of course, comes at a fee. If you have an expensive knife set this can be well worth it. If you just want a sharp pocket knife, though, this can be overkill compared to a home sharpener.
Bevel Angle
The bevel angle of your knife refers to the factory sharpened angle of your knife. To keep your knives in the same condition as the day you bought it, you’re going to need to use a sharpener that accommodates that bevel angle. For this purpose, you’ll want to choose a sharpener that fits the bevel angle of the majority of your knives.
That being said, you also don’t have to stick to the factory bevel of your knives. You can adjust the bevel to fit your needs. For instance, delicate foods will do better with a 15-degree bevel while a 20-degree bevel would work better for harder to cut foods like bone-in meat.
So, how do you know the level of your knives? If you’re lucky, it’ll be disclosed in the product information about your knives. Sometimes, you’ll have to dig around a little or even call the manufacturer to find out the level of the knives.
There are some generally standard bevel angles you can expect but it’s important to remember that some knives fall out of this standard. Kitchen knives, for instance, usually have a 15 or 20-degree bevel. If your knife is described as “inclusionary” this number is doubled to 30 to 40 degrees.
When it comes to western-style blades, the historical standard is a 20-degree bevel angle. This angle stands up well to harder chopping on your cutting board but the softer metal they’re going to need to be sharpened more often. Asian-style blades, on the other hand, usually have a 15-degree bevel angle that stays sharper longer but won’t last long if you’re too harsh with them. American and European blades switched to this lower bevel angle in around 2010.
Number of Stages
While there are many single stage knife sharpeners, the best knife sharpeners will have a multi-stage sharpening system. These usually have three stages and manufacturers often refer to these as “sharpening, honing, and polishing” models.
The first step to these sharpeners grinds the blade for coarse reprofiling. The following step uses a medium grind to refine that bevel angle. Finally, the third step polishes the knife to clean up the edges.
You won’t need to use every stage every time you sharpen a knife. The second and third stages are perfect for standard, regular sharpening. If you notice chips in your knife or they’re showing heavy wear, the course first stage can be called into play.
Type of Abrasives
The abrasives of a sharpener are what help sharpen the blade back into prime use. There are different types of abrasives that a top-rated sharpener for knives may use. The most common abrasives, in order of popularity, are diamond, alumina ceramic, and tungsten carbide. These abrasives are embedded in the belts or metal disks the sharpener uses.
It’s important to understand that these abrasives don’t last forever. The general estimate for these materials is a five-year lifespan. This estimate can increase or decrease depending on how frequently you use the sharpener. Many of the more expensive models of knife sharpeners will allow you to replace these abrasives once they wear out.
Versatility
Not every sharpener will accommodate the type of blades that you need sharpened. As such, you’ll need to carefully consider what your needs are and pay attention to what the model you’re looking at the offer to find the best tactical knife sharpener for you. As an example, a lot of knife sharpeners can handle serrated knives but not as many will let you sharpen scissors. It’s also crucial to note that ceramic knives need a specialized device to sharpen them rather than a standard sharpener.
Ease of Use
No one wants a product that makes their life harder. So, you’ll want to look at how simple the process of using the sharpener you’re looking at is. The difficulty of a knife sharpener is usually dependent on the level of technique that’s needed to operate it. An electric sharpener, for instance, is going to be much easier to use than a whetstone.
FAQs
Q: How does a knife sharpener work?
The operation of a sharpener, in any form, is a pretty basic one. The abrasive material in the sharpener grinds the blade’s shape back into a sharp edge.
Q: Can I sharpen scissors with a knife sharpener?
For most sharpeners, the answer is no. Sharpening a pair of scissors on a standard sharpener will end up causing rough edges and burrs. If you want to sharpen your scissors, make sure to purchase a sharpener that specifically states that it can be used for scissors.
Q: Can sharpening damage the knife?
A big concern for many is that using a sharpener will actually damage their knives. If you purchase one of the best knife sharpeners, you aren’t going to have this problem. The only time you’ll really run into this problem is if you get a poorly made sharpener.
You can also damage your knives if you don’t properly use the sharpener. Specifically, you don’t want to roughly and quickly use a sharpener. This is especially important for manual sharpeners. Doing this can cause chipped edges on your knife.
A standard sharpener will damage ceramic knives. These types of knives require special tools to sharpen them properly.
Q: How often should I use a knife sharpener?
The frequency for sharpening a knife greatly depends on how often you use them. If you don’t use them very often, you can get away with only sharpening them three or four times a year. If you use your knives very frequently, it can be a good idea to sharpen them before every use. Stainless steel and carbon steel knives work best when sharpened before every use as well.
A good rule of thumb is, at the very least, to sharpen your knife as soon as you notice that it’s getting dull.
GloboSurf Overview
Keeping your knives sharp is essential to keeping them safe and useful. So, you’re going to need the best knife sharpener on the market to fulfill your needs. Luckily, with the information we’ve gathered for you, it will be really easy to pick the best knife sharpener for your needs.