A good knife sharpener?

[roverboy]

Can anybody recommend a good knife sharpener? I know I need to learn the art of sharpening with a good old whit rock, but I just never learned it. I need something that will sharpen quick and easy. I had one of the pull through sharpeners that worked good , but lost it and can't find another.

[mav]

The following sharpener was recommended to someone on another thread, Apex 4 kit.

I have yet to purchase one. The person who recommended the sharpener is a knife aficionado, so I would say that it is definitely top quality.

[USMCJG]

I have a Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker that works really well and is easy to use. I have a sharpening disability and have never been able to get a knife really, really sharp with traditional methods, but with the Sharpmaker I can get a knife shaving sharp quickly and easily.

[enfield]

I use a Lansky for heavy duty sharpening and crock sticks for light touchups. I get shaving edges. I'm sure there are other ways to get the same results.

[Westwindmike]

+1 for Lansky also.

[willis68]

The Edge Pro is the best that money can buy, you will not be disapointed

[tnhawk]

Lansky has done a good job and easy to sharpen.

[hammerdrop99]

If you want a no fuss sharpener that will put a shaving edge on any blade, go with the Spyderco Sharpmaker. It is easy to use and works every time. Get the ultra fine rods and it will put an unbelievably sharp edge on your knives and will relieve you of most of your arm hair.

[Handsome Rob]

KME Precision Knife Sharpening System (Works for many broadheads too)

I've tried the all and this is the best I've ever used!

[doughnut]

Here's another vote for the Spyderco Sharpmaker, effective and easy to use.

[Guest ab28]

Can anybody recommend a good knife sharpener? I know I need to learn the art of sharpening with a good old whit rock, but I just never learned it. I need something that will sharpen quick and easy. I had one of the pull through sharpeners that worked good , but lost it and can't find another.

I like a cut down diamond rod. I carried one on my Appalachian Trail thru hike and constantly sharpened other hiker's knives. I can put a razor edge on a knife now with one. They are about 10 bucks on ebay. You really don't need some giant fancy kit, unless you just want one.

[East_TN_Patriot]

You really don't need some giant fancy kit, unless you just want one.

+1

I learned how to sharpen from a semi-retired professional knife maker and he recommended a simple diamond stone and a ceramic crock stick. I have a Smith's DCS4 combination stone with a coarse surface on one side a fine surface on the other. They store in the handle and it has a lanyard loop if you are in need of it. Then I picked up a little $1 crock stick at Smoky Mountain Knife Works. I can put one heck of an edge on a knife with that stuff. The key is to use the crock stick regularly to keep the edge maintained. I have a fancy sharpening kit with all the guides and such, but it was such a hassle to use and didn't do as good a job for me so now it sits collecting dust in my garage.

[Jonnin]

Can anybody recommend a good knife sharpener? I know I need to learn the art of sharpening with a good old whit rock, but I just never learned it. I need something that will sharpen quick and easy. I had one of the pull through sharpeners that worked good , but lost it and can't find another.

While a lot of these products work, its not a difficult thing to learn. If you are willing to spend a couple of weekends, you could do it the old fashioned way.

What you need: about 3-4 whetstones, from rough/diamond (be very careful, takes off a lot of metal, only good for somethign so dull it is beyond hope), medium (the starting point for a work-knife that is not ruined), fine (the starting point for a new knife, or one that can already cut a little but isnt quite sharp), and surgical (optional, use this if you want to shave with the item). From here you need a soft rag and a bottle of 3 in 1 oil.

Simple, you take the oil and put a few drops on the stone (if the stone is of the proper type to use oil. Non oil stones are the rough ones that tear up your metal fast). Spread the oil out thin with a finger and wipe off. Now, slice the rock as if you could cut into it with a sharp knife. Flip it over and do the same in the other direction. Over and over. Once you can "shave" the oil from the stone, the sound and feel change, you are ready for the next smoothest stone. Stop when it is sharp enough to suit you -- for most of my knives, I stop when I can shave my arm with them, but for cheap, soft steel like my swiss army knife or cheapo work knife, I stop when its able to cut into soft wood decently well, like a pencil or non-hardwood stick of some sort.

Try it on a few cheap knives until you learn what not to do (scrape the backbone, scratch the blade, uneven sharpening, etc). After doing 2-3 blades of 3 inches or so, you will be good enough for most jobs.

If you still prefer to use other methods, whatever you do, avoid diamond *anything*. Diamond stones and devices pull of metal at an alarming rate, wearing out the blade rapidly and in time you will need a new knife. Yea, its faster, and yea if you are really careful you can do good work with diamond, but if you are that good, you can do the real stone sharpening that I described too. Careless use of diamond products has ruined more good steel in this country than anything else I can think of. The ceramic v-shaped auto sharpeners are great, but take a while (thats ok, its better than ripping off 1/10 an inch of blade every month or 2).