This Lansky model and this one have more reviews and rate four stars on Amazon, but there are complaints that they will not handle blades longer than about three inches. Could be technique, or it could be the sharpener. I don’t know, as I’ve never used this kind. I want something I can use for knives the length of a Buck 110 Folding Hunter to bayonet-size.
This Smith’s model has an overall rating of four stars, but the negative reviews comment on quality and say the angles are inconsistent. But the image shows a Buck 110 being sharpened.
Gatco has a similar device. There are only a dozen reviews, two of which are ‘1-star’.
I’m not skilled enough to hold a consistent angle with a whetstone. A cross-stick style looks better than a whetstone, but I wonder if I can hold the blade perfectly.
In my opinion, knife sharpening is an art. I used to watch my grandfather do it in awe. He had several whetstones and was a master with them. He tried to teach me but I never got better than OK at it.
In the end I use the cross stick style. They work great if the knife has a basic good edge and you keep it that way. When my knives needs it I take them in and have them professionally sharpened. Then they are good for cross sticking for another year or so.
It doesn’t accommodate extremely thick blades, but for kitchen and utility knife use, I don’t believe you can beat a ChefMaster 130. I bought one based on Cook’s enthusiastic endorsement over several years of tests, and even after years of using it, it continues to astound me.
Understand, I spent several years making knives and swords and have several shelf-inches of books on sharpening alone. I have a full case of stones and sticks and sharpening tools, all well-used. But the 130 consistently puts an edge on my cutlery that is within ticks of what the best master sharpener could do by hand, and it does it almost effortlessly.
But it has to be the model 130. The other ChefMaster models are good, but not in the same class.
No, this is. Sorry, it’s Chef’s Choice, not ChefMaster. I really sound like I know what I’m talking about, right?
I meant to add that the OP could try taking one or two of his bigger knives to a store that has a 130, and see if it handles his blade thicknesses. It might. The design is flexible.
I don’t trust electric sharpeners; though I have to admit I have little experience with them. When I was a kid we had a sharpener built into the electric can opener. I still have one of the paring knives we used back then, and the butt end of it is concave due to using this sharpener. (It also would not handle my Buck 110, which I also still have.) Granted, the Chef’s Choice is a dedicated sharpener and not a cheap add-on; but I’m prejudiced against electric sharpeners.
I’ve mentioned my Buck 110 a couple of times. (I also have another one I found in the desert in the early-'80s.) I also have a Gerber Mk. II from that era, and a Bowie knife (just the blade pictured) that I made. The latter can be used as an axe. I need a sharpener that can handle the whole range.
I had a Lansky and a couple clones and didn’t care for them much. The knives I use regularly range from tiny inch blades to some 7 and 8 inch monsters and that style just couldn’t handle them. It worked well for my Buck 110 and I’ll still use it for that now and then but thats just about all.
My favorite is my Rhino; so much so that I stockpiled a few when the company was first closing.
Drag alongs allow you to do everything from tiny keychain pocket knives to fargin swords and everything inbetween. Long thin filet knives to meat choppers. Get at least a two stage – three is even better.
That will eventually happen with any sharpener, you’ll get a little step at the heel, but granted if an electric sharpener is too coarse it’ll happen quite a bit faster. The bolster will have to be ground down so the edge contacts the board again.
I agree, and there is a lot of crap in the market that is somewhere between ineffective and downright damaging. We had one of those sharpener/openers, too, and I shudder to think of the knives ruined by it.
The better grade of electrics these days are very different, and the 130 really is a marvel. For one thing, it uses “soft” wheels - wires with tungsten ball tips - so it’s very difficult to chew away at an edge. You also only use the sharpen slot for a really dull or damaged blade, and use the center steel slot and right honing slot for regular use.
I use a stone. I think the key is to put the stone in a vise, so it is stationary. Drag the knife across it a few times at a 15-20 degree angle and it is fine. Use a steel to keep it sharp.
I’ll second this recommendation. I have one and I love it.
My MIL gives me her knives to sharpen, and they come to me so dull that you can’t cut a piece of bread with them. When I return them I always look her straight in the eye and say, very slowly and carefully: “These knives are extremely sharp. Be careful with them - you can cut yourself very easily until you get used to how sharp they are.”
I also use a crock stick to put a final edge on knives that are not too dull.
I have had much better luck with the ceramic stick style of sharpener than the other models you listed. I sharpen then to the point that I can cleanly shave the hair on my arm. I’ve never understood the need for 5 grades of grit. 2 works fine for my use so I’d say 3 grades would be the max unless you’re a knife thrower who prefers to use bamboo boards as a backstop.
IMO it’s the fine consistent grade of the ceramic stick that lays down a nice smooth edge. The finer stones in my other kit don’t seem to be as consistently smooth as the ceramic rod. The rods also allow you to move quickly and smoothly over a greater length for each sharpening stroke. In theory the exact angle of my other kit should lay down a better edge but it doesn’t for me and God knows I tried.
One thing to know when using the ceramic is that it coats the rod with each pass so you have to rotate them slightly each time and eventually clean them with fine scouring powder to remove the metal.
My grandfather taught me to use an Arkansas stone. It takes practice and patience. Sadly, I’m impatient!
I’ve tried everything over the years, and still have several systems and stones, but thisis what I use most often. I can set one of my nephews loose with it; you just slice down on each stick. A lot.
If you have a lot of knives to keep up with like I do, you may want to try the Work Sharp system. I have one and use it a good bit as well.
This is the best by far that I’ve found. It is really a small belt sander, and will put a razor edge on anything in just a few minutes. No kidding, it will make a standard knife just as sharp as the sharpest razor you can find, and is dead easy. Works on almost anything, including lawn mower blades.
I use the Spyderco Sharpmaker. It works reasonably well as long as you keep the rods clean. If you really want a sharp blade, get some strops. I usually carry a Benchmade Gripilian 551 that I can shave with.
To the table, yes. Just keep the blade straight down. What you don’t see is that there are different holes for the ceramic sticks that you can use to change the angle of attack, if you will.
