Do it yourself knife sharpening

**teleee** · 02-27-2020, 05:03 PM

I am sure it has been discussed before but the search functions sucks (also known as I am lazy)

There is one place that sharpens knifes here and I took my set of decent kitchen steel in for a good tune up and was SERIOUSLY disappointed. So I am looking at buying a knife sharpener of some sorts and doing it myself. So what should I be looking for?

**Danno** · 02-27-2020, 05:13 PM

I know this isn't what you're looking for, but I use this thing and it works great for my cheap-ass knives: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004VWKQ/

**iceman** · 02-27-2020, 05:14 PM

I have a Chef's Choice, one of the older cheaper ones, it works fine, I like it, but I hardly ever use it, I use a Henckels diamond steel that works great. I wouldn't want to have to bring a seriously dull knofe back with the steel, it might not even work, but for keeping knives sharp it's perfect for me: https://www.cutleryandmore.com/henck...SAAEgITmfD_BwE

The newer Chef's Choice Trizor is supposed to be tits though:

**El Chupacabra** · 02-27-2020, 05:25 PM

I have the Chef's Choice Trizor posted above. Don't have anything to compare it to other than cheap "draw it through a V" type sharpeners, but I'm pleased with it.

I don't use it often, maybe once a year.

**Meadow Skipper** · 02-27-2020, 05:26 PM

I’ve got a cheap Chef’s Choice too, and it works pretty good. It’s old, but sort of like this one:
https://smile.amazon.com/Chefs-Choic...ZS/ref=sr_1_41

I use this steel thingy fairly often between Chef’s Choice sessions.
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/wusth...rpener-p133022

The best thing is to try to work the knives before they get really dull - keep ‘em sharp as best you can.

**iceman** · 02-27-2020, 05:30 PM

I keep that diamond steel I posted right next to the knives in the drawer and pretty much always give it a couple swipes when I take a knife out. Takes 2 seconds and the knives are sharp as shit.

**GeezerSteve** · 02-27-2020, 05:30 PM

Most knife nuts eschew electric sharpeners, but our 10 y.o. Chef's Choice DiamondHone has worked well for me w/SS, high carbon and a couple tool steel DIY blades I made. It grinds a 20 degree edge, which may differ from your original grind. If so, the first make take awhile.

If you want to get 'em scary sharp, finish by putting on a micro convex edge by hand with mouse pad and sandpaper. It's easy after a bit of practice. There a couple different techniques. Videos are out there. See bladeforums posts and re technique what grit sandpaper to use (usually no coarser than 600 and as fine as 1500).

**Dantheman** · 02-27-2020, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by Danno

I know this isn't what you're looking for, but I use this thing and it works great for my cheap-ass knives: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004VWKQ/

Yup. Cooks/ATK said the results were 95% as good as their winning powered sharpener and better than almost every other powered sharpener they tested. I don't know if I'd use it for super fancy knives, but my knives aren't super fancy and that thing works ridiculously well for $10.

**iceman** · 02-27-2020, 05:32 PM

I know it's just a figure of speech but there's no such thing as scary sharp, it's dull that's fuckin scary.

**Dantheman** · 02-27-2020, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by iceman

I know it's just a figure of speech but there's no such thing as scary sharp, it's dull that's fuckin scary.

QFT

**GeezerSteve** · 02-27-2020, 05:36 PM

"Scary sharp" is a knife nut term of art for sharpening cutting tools with sandpaper, often with a mouse pad.

**oftpiste** · 02-27-2020, 05:36 PM

this is the one that's the closest to what the pros use without spending the dough on their gear, and has great reviews. I covet one but haven't pulled the trigger.

https://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-Kn...s%2C211&sr=1-4

**dan_pdx** · 02-27-2020, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by Danno

I know this isn't what you're looking for, but I use this thing and it works great for my cheap-ass knives: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004VWKQ/

I have Global knives and they have a sharpener that's similar to that, but specific for their edge angles. It works great. It may be pearls before swine, but I don't really notice a difference between sharpening it myself using that sharpener and when I get it professionally sharpened. Oink oink.

**teleee** · 02-27-2020, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by iceman

I know it's just a figure of speech but there's no such thing as scary sharp, it's dull that's fuckin scary.

A-Fucking- Men! I am pretty careful about always hitting my knifes with a steel before use, but I have a wife, and she is not careful whatsoever. I like to take them and get them all professionally sharpened once a year or so. Here in the remotes that just aint going to work. No I have to wade through all the recommendations here and decide just how expensive of a once a year sharpener I want. Leaning towards the chefs choice, cause I hate dull knifes!

**neufox47** · 02-27-2020, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Danno

I know this isn't what you're looking for, but I use this thing and it works great for my cheap-ass knives: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004VWKQ/

Oh man, I cringe at the thought. I’m a bit of a purist and knife nut. I haven’t went full on Japanese water stone, but I prefer a tri-stone with two diamond grits and one real stone. Then I use a ceramic “steel” and maybe a real steel. The knife should shave the hair off your arm after the course stone, and it should jump off when holding the blade at a very low angle when done. If you’re sick of shaving little patches of your arm it should cut a loosely held newspaper, no tearing. It takes a little practice but it’s very doable. I also find it cathartic (maybe that means I’m a creep?)

Once you learn to sharpen knives you also realize that cheap blades generally can’t get really sharp or will dull super fast.

**oftpiste** · 02-27-2020, 06:19 PM

I have a good pal who works for Zwilling, is a good pal of Bob Kramer's and has a bunch of ridiculous and very high end steel including TWO Kramer's, mostly received as gifts, or prototypes out of the dusty back room somewhere in Solingen or Japan.

He would disown me if he ever saw me using my chef's choice (thrifted) on the good knives that he helped me acquire though I do use it on the lesser stainless stuff. He takes his to a pro (there's a good one here) or does them himself on stones and a strop. And yes, a couple swipes on the steel are mandatory each use if they're carbon.

**TBS** · 02-27-2020, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by teleee

A-Fucking- Men! I am pretty careful about always hitting my knifes with a steel before use, but I have a wife, and she is not careful whatsoever. I like to take them and get them all professionally sharpened once a year or so. Here in the remotes that just aint going to work. No I have to wade through all the recommendations here and decide just how expensive of a once a year sharpener I want. Leaning towards the chefs choice, cause I hate dull knifes!

I hear ya about the wife. She uses our Sabatiers on hard surfaces (glass and granite) while I just cringe. No amount of steel work will put an edge back on after a couple of days doing that. Oh yea, she uses a 6" fileting knife for basically all tasks.

Fortunately there's a guy who comes through our little burg once a week. Leave your knives at the hardware store (or the quilt shop) on Tuesdays and get them after 3PM Wednesday. It's hard to beat at $2 per knife. The local restaurants keep him in business.

**Viva** · 02-27-2020, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by neufox47

I’m a bit of a purist and knife nut. I haven’t went full on Japanese water stone...

Consider giving 'em a try. Mine's roved me rong, rong time. While I use my Jap knives a lot, I only need to stone-sharpen them once a year or so. Once you figure out the angles to use, it's so easy even an iceman can do it. The instructions that came with mine were a bitch to understand, but I figured it out (Drinking heavily helped).

**frorider** · 02-27-2020, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by TBS

I hear ya about the wife. She uses our Sabatiers on hard surfaces (glass and granite) while I just cringe.

Gah. That’s hard to read.

**hutash** · 02-27-2020, 07:55 PM

This is what I have used for years. Certainly not the best, (real Akansas stone of various grades is), but easy and almost idiot proof.

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tri-.../dp/B000Q9C4AE

Steels do not sharpen knives, they just straighten out the feather which makes them cut better. A good knife should be steeled frequently (actually so should a shitty knife), and should not need to be sharpened all that frequently. Obviously frequency depends on use and abuse.

**frorider** · 02-27-2020, 08:04 PM

.....

**SKIP IN7RO** · 02-27-2020, 08:13 PM

Wicked Edge out of Santa Fe gets lots of love, but their sharpeners are kinda pricey. A paper wheel setup on a bench grinder is an inexpensive option, if you already have a grinder.

**warthog** · 02-27-2020, 10:55 PM

I just call the Cutco rep and try to resist buying anything else from them.

**old goat** · 02-27-2020, 11:06 PM

Oil or water stones to sharpen (I use oil --a synthetic india and a hard Arkansas --because water stones would crack in my unheated garage), a hone with buffing compound (I use a paper wheel but a leather strop works fine) to hone, and a diamond stone in the kitchen to keep them sharp.

**Cruiser** · 02-28-2020, 07:53 AM

Been using my chef's choice model 130 for quite a few years now and I couldn't be happier. I've got a stable of globals that I cook with 7 days a week and every damned one of them is very sharp all the time. Once the knives are sharpened to the angle of the sharpener, touching them up takes less than a minute per knife. And that's the key, for me at least, because if it's tedious and time consuming then it's going to get done less frequently.