How Do You Sharpen Your Knives?

Fred19Flintstone

My Mom gave us some cash for Christmas so I'm thinking about a big splurge. The Tormek T7 sharpening system. It works on knives and any woodworking tool that needs an edge. Before I plunk down close to $700, I thought I would ask you how you sharpen your knives and tools.

Mickey

All my kitchen knives and a bottle of good vodka from a professional knife maker down the street.

johnmitchell

Wowezer...Looks like you could take care of all your garden tools with that one as well.... :-O

Fred19Flintstone

Primarily, I want sharp knives in the kitchen, but my shop tools are all dull. Especially my chisels. When I try to sharpen them, I ruin them. When it comes to that, I'm like King Midas in reverse. Everything I touch turns to crap!

Brisket_Fanatic

I just got the Work Sharp Ken Onion for Christmas and it's super easy and works great so far. They do sell a tool attachment for outdoor stuff. That fancy bench grinder looks pretty dang impressive, however we have a knife sharpener in my hometown that will sharpen a kitchen knife for $2 so it's pretty tough to beat, except it's now 4 hours away!

erniemcclain

A guy I work with also just got the Ken Onion Work Sharp from Cabelas.  He loves it.  He says that finally his 30 year search for an easy and efficient way to have VERY sharp knives is over.  BUT, he did also say to follow the directions exactly. 

RickyBobby

Im about to make the same purchase ... I've been stashing some money away. I think Im sold on the Edge Pro Apex Professional knife sharpening system. That or the Wicked Edge system, but I'm pretty sure it'll be the Edge Pro for me.

Richard Fl

I recently got the Work Shop Ken Onion belt sharpener and have been very happy.  A few months ago I was talking to Bubba Tim on the other forum and he has the  Tormek.  He was eggstremely happy with it.  He has several high end oriental knives and his wife teaches at the CIA in South Florida. Perhaps you can visit the other side and track him down.  Happy holidays.

Chetscapes

1 x 30 inch belt sander from harbor freight puts a razor edge on all my knives. Order belts from pops knife supply. Also get surgi sharp leather belt with green or white compound for stropping. You will never have a dull knife again.

badinfluence

@sgh can you help with this?

NervousDad

my store does it for free

UrbanForestTurnings

I use an 8 inch slow speed (1725 rpm ) with a wolverine grinding attachments for all my shop tools. And a diamond card for my good knives. I looked at the Tormec years ago. Nice grinder but to slow for my needs. What type of grinder do you have now?

SGH

badinfluence said:

@sgh can you help with this?

Brother I have several different methods that I use depending on the size, shape and condition of the blade. For general sharpening I have some large 12x2 dual grit stones that I picked up when I worked for Siemans/Westinghouse. For small to medium size blades that are in good condition they work excellent. However for extensive blade work or re-cutting a hollow grind, I have a Baldor Knife machine. Let me say that for general home sharpening a Baldor Knife machine is not necessary. I have one simply because I use to do a lot of meat cutting and I like to change the angle on the big breaking and carcass knives. On semi wore out blades I use the Baldor to re-hollow grind the blades as well. If I did not already have the Baldor and was in the market for a affordable sharpening system it would probably consist of one large dual grit 12x2 stone and the Work Sharp. With this combination you could easily handle any reasonable knife sharpening situation that arose. If money was not a concern, the Tormek and the Baldor is the clear winner as you can not only sharpen, but you can do hollow grind work as well if you so chose. With the Baldor you can polish blades as well as any thing else that you chose. The Tormek has the a built in angle guide which is a huge plus for resetting the edge.

gdenby

I've heard a lot of good things about the Tormek system. There's a fellow at the farmers market who uses one at his sharpening stall. Its fast enough that one can drop blades off, and pick them up sharpened after doing other sharpening.

It is far more than I need for either my kitchen knives or wood chisels and gouges. I bought an Edge Pro Apex a few years ago, and supplemented it w. a medium coarse Dia-Sharp diamond plate and some Spydeco ceramic hones to work on the chisels, etc.

I also bought a magnifying visor so I could see the edge I was making. In the end, I may have spent about $500 total, but with some good light, and a bit of work, I can put a very fine edge on my stuff.

Fred19Flintstone

UrbanForestTurnings said:

I use an 8 inch slow speed (1725 rpm ) with a wolverine grinding attachments for all my shop tools. And a diamond card for my good knives. I looked at the Tormec years ago. Nice grinder but to slow for my needs. What type of grinder do you have now?

Just a normal bench grinder. My nemises are the 2 Bs: bevel (getting it correct) & bluing (overheating & dis tempering). I'm too impatient for bench stones as sharpening is drudgery and therefore doesn't get done. The Tormec seems fast, fun & from everything I've seen, does a fine job.

SGH

Fred19Flintstone said:

  The Tormec seems fast, fun & from everything I've seen, does a fine job.

If money is not a limiting factor, the Tormek is tough to beat. Been eyeing one myself as its getting much harder to use my Baldor with my nerve condition.

noregard

I've been using the Wicked Edge for several years now with great results, highly recommend it.  Very consistent, which is the key to a great edge.  

pasoegg

1" x 30" belt sander - ordered one off ebay with a baldor motor....been very happy with this and there are several videos on youtube on the mechanics of using these machines.  Knife sharpeners are as good as the users and the time they will take to learn how to use them properly.  Learn the proper technique and there are many options available.  Depends on how much you want to  spend.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Damn Fred that thing is awesome. I use the ken onion work sharp and really like it. I think they are like $149. I've had it for a year now and haven't found that I needed anything more. But now I WANT more . It's a really nice little tool for the money though and my knives are like scalpels when I want them to be.

bboulier

That is an impressive machine.  I'm low-tech.  For kitchen knives, I have some Arkansas stones, a Lansky knife sharpening system, and a Furi Ozitech (as seen on TV).  Most of the time when I am in the kitchen, I just go with the Oziitech for a quick sharpenng.  I do have a separate sharpener for my Fiskar's splitting axes.

Fred19Flintstone

I have a few blued chisels & other tools. Buying new ones (& planer blades, carving knives & spoons...) sucks. Bluing a chisel or anything else you're sharpening is impossible on the Tormek. That leaves my other enemy of incorrect bevel to think about. Their jigs look straight forward to use, but a pretty penny to buy. Couple that with the ability to sharpen kitchen knives and I think I made up my mind. I wonder if Wilma will change it for me.

jls9595

what's the big difference between the Work Sharp and the Ken Onion Work Sharp? besides the name and price that is. 

SGH

jls9595 said:

what's the big difference between the Work Sharp and the Ken Onion Work Sharp? besides the name and price that is. 

The KO edition is a lot heavier built. Variable speed motor and will adjust down to 15 degrees on the guide. All great features for sure. I would go with the KO over the standard model.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

SGH said:

jls9595 said:

what's the big difference between the Work Sharp and the Ken Onion Work Sharp? besides the name and price that is. 

The KO edition is a lot heavier built. Variable speed motor and will adjust down to 15 degrees on the guide. All great features for sure. I would go with the KO over the standard model.

it has wider belts as well

bigalsworth

I have a 1000/4000 grit dual stone and an 8000 grit stone to do my sharpening and polishing. Bought them off of japanesechefknives.com and they work excellent for a reasonable (to me) price

jls9595

ok, thanks guys

DieselkW

My kitchen knives and I are old friends, I forgive the chef's knife that nearly took my thumb in a recent potato dicing massacre. (Right across the nail, what a mess that made!)

I get mine professionally sharpened. It would take me years of sharpening bills to pay for a high end sharpener like the one you're looking at.

What's the return on investment for you? If sharpening all your knives and tools amounts to a couple years worth of outsourcing the job, then it's a no brainer.

Lit

You can get a king 1000/6000 stone for like $50 and then watch some YouTube videos on how to use it. 6000 grit will get you to shaving sharpness.

BigWings

Arkansas stone and a felt wheel for my bench grinder.   Everyone should learn how to sharpen their own tools.   If I find one of my blades or chisels not up to snuff I can have it sharp enough to shave with in moments.   Sure beats making a trip to town to get someone else to do it for me.

The Tormek would be nice, but for less that $60 I bet you could get it just as sharp with my setup.

Canugghead

I have the standard Work Sharp, not great but does an adequate job.

jls9595

I just ordered the Ken Onion Work Sharp. I had been contemplating for almost a year but thanks to this thread and probably the Tito's I'm sipping I took the plunge. Thanks again eggheadforum! This place has separated me from more of my money over the past 3 years than my wife and kids have.