Knife sharpening your method

JMCXL

How do you go about sharpening your collection of knifes?

Are you a Do it your Self or Send them to someone?

hoosier_egger

Botch

I used to take them to the local kitchenwares store, they would resharpen by the inch, economical.  
A couple years ago I purchased a Chef's Choice "XV Trizor Edge", which reshapes the blade to the narrower Japanese angle.  It took awhile to do all the knives (I left my heavier chef's knife at the stouter original angle, as I use it to hack cheekuns and squash) but since then, I've only used my steel.  If they ever need regrinding I just use the polishing wheel and I should be good.
 

DoubleEgger

I use a guy in Atlanta. At $5 a knife, it’s one less thing I have to mess with. I have yet to need a Shun sharpened but I’ll send them in for factory reconditioning when the time comes. 

NPHuskerFL

Honing rod (Steel and Ceramic).  Several Japanese wet stones. A two sided wood mounted strop...one side loaded with low grit and the other is naked.  After getting the blade where I want it I simply maintain the edge with the strop after each use (takes seconds).

hoosier_egger

That's receipt paper 

Tarpon65

I've used an Apex Edge Pro system for a couple years. Does a great job for me.

stlcharcoal

I have a Chef's Choice three stage, but I've also used a place in STL that does all the restaurant.  Those were for the Wusthoffs and Victorinoxs.  Once I got the Shun's though, now I'll just send them back to them if/when I ever need to.  

Komokaegger

@ColtsFan, do you ever have issue with rounding then tip with the belt? Looks like you’ve got a good edge on that.
I watched a Youtube video with Bob Kramer sharpening using wet stones. He makes it look so easy using a $400.00 kit.

hoosier_egger

@Komokaegger hasn't been an issue yet. It's important to stop the belt when the tip reaches the center of it

Woodchunk

Botch said:

I used to take them to the local kitchenwares store, they would resharpen by the inch, economical.  
A couple years ago I purchased a Chef's Choice "XV Trizor Edge", which reshapes the blade to the narrower Japanese angle.  It took awhile to do all the knives (I left my heavier chef's knife at the stouter original angle, as I use it to hack cheekuns and squash) but since then, I've only used my steel.  If they ever need regrinding I just use the polishing wheel and I should be good.
 

What I am using also. Got mine last December and it does a great job

westernbbq

Trizor xv . One of best investments ive ever made

littlerascal56

Depends on how dull they are when my buddies drop them off.  If I have to recontour the edge , the belt grinder is first.  Then the oil stones.  If it’s a Shun, usually just a few minutes on the water stone will get it “surgical” again.

Botch

@littlerascal56, more pics of your whole shop, please.  

littlerascal56

milesvdustin

I use the sharp maker from spyderco

JMCXL

Thanks for all the feed back. I like my local guy, charges $5-$7 and does a nice job. Would love to learn how to do it my self.

Jiggity

TSPROF russian knife sharpener. Its a bit pricey but it gives absolute repeatability. Love it. 

HeavyG

Jiggity said:

TSPROF russian knife sharpener. Its a bit pricey but it gives absolute repeatability. Love it. 

I've been looking at that for the last year or so. I already have an Apex Pro but there are times where I would find it advantageous to have a blade rigidly clamped/mounted.

Did you order yours direct or from an American vendor?

JMCXL

Jiggity said:

TSPROF russian knife sharpener. Its a bit pricey but it gives absolute repeatability. Love it. 

Just watched a video demo of the unit.That looks amazing, makes we want one, not sure I can justify the $900 price take for the K03

pgprescott

GoldenQ

As do others I use the chefs choice Trizor XV

Botch

Thank you, @littlerascal56 , beautiful shop!
 
I hate you now.  

newby84

pgprescott said:

How would this compare to that Ken Onion sharpener? This would be all new for me. 

pgprescott

newby84 said:

pgprescott said:

How would this compare to that Ken Onion sharpener? This would be all new for me. 

Easier to use but less versatile I assume. I’ve never used the ken onion version. If you are just sharpening your kitchen knives and not a bunch of other stuff this might be for you. 

gdenby

I do my own, and use an Edge Pro Apex. Its a manual system, and takes some practice, but will work on almost all knives. Another manual system is the Wicked Edge. Both systems are $$, but I use them mostly on J-knives that are fairly expensive.

My hands are not stable enough any more to consider a stone set, tho' that is what the best sharpeners tend to use.

Lower end kitchen sharpeners used to be awful, but I've read that some models will now do a good job, assuming the user doesn't use them too often, and runs the edge thru smoothly.

AFAIK, the ones mentioned above a better, and so less likely to remove too much metal.

There's a guy in town w. a Tormek. Charges a flat fee up to a certain size, then by the inch. Seems to do a good job, tho' he is mostly not doing kitvhen knives.

chabs

Got a Work Sharp Ken Onion for Christmas, and after practicing on some old knives I found it's drop dead easy to put a great edge on my Globals, so far the edge has been holding up great. Probably could get a better edge from a stone but I like the ease of use on the KO. 

I really like the ability to adjust the desired angle on the ken onion without having to purchase additional guides compared to the Kitchen version of the sharpener.

sctdg

I use Shapton splash and go glass stones . Makes a razor edge . If you use Work Sharp (Ken onion or original)  ,put painters tape on guides so you don't scratch sides of knife.

northGAcock

I take mine to a place in Charlotte a couple times a year. 

brianc

I agree with ColtsFan. I have a worksharp and love it. Also have a warthog vsharp and it is excellent also.

lkapigian

Got the Work Sharp KO from Amazon when is was extreme bargain- I am a complete knife sharpening novice and I am very pleased- I have off brand knives that I have had for years and keeps them fine for me-I do a LOT of knife work so sharpness counts