sharpening system for kitchen knives

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Will

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Jan 4, 2003
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I am thinking of getting the Spyderco Sharpmaker as a gift to my family for sharpening kitchen knives. Is this is the best system for that sort of thing, or is it worth spending more on an electric sharpener?

The recipients of this gift probably don't have much patents for sharpening often, or expereince (but believe me their knives need it). I use a Lansky for my pocket knives, but I think that would be more effort for the longer kitchen blades, the Sharpmaker looks a lot faster an easier to use. As much as they need it, I don't know if it is worth the $50 for something they may only use once a year, or possibly never! I am just wondering if there is a better system for kitchen knives.

thanks
Will
 
if they are lower quality knives, the Chef's Choice is an option. It is easy to use, gives instant gratification, and so requires little patience. I have a friend who keeps his knives very sharp with this and I have one that I used to use also. So I would recommend an electric sharpener for many people such as you describe and not a Sharpmaker, which will as you say probably see little use.
 
You can expect knives to be damaged by amateurs with electric knife sharpeners. Most amateurs own a bunch of serrated knives that will lose their teeth in an electric sharpener. The Spyderco will handle serrated and plain edge knives. You might want to do the first sharpening for them. Their knives are probable very dull and it will take more time than they will be prepared for the first time the knives are sharpened. They will be more succesfull maintaining knives than sharpening really dull ones.
 
No way,would I use an ELECTRIC SHARPENER on EXPENSIVE kitchen knives,they will ruin them!!
Jim
 
The sharpmaker is very good for the kind of relatively cheap serrated knives you find in most kitchens. Really, with the generally thin steel, its 5 minutes per knife.

If they don't want to spend that much time, why bother getting them a sharpener. Get them a Ginsu Knife instead.
 
I will again take the contrarian view (what else is new)?

A Chef's Choice can wreck a good knife with a good edge.

But most kitchens have lousy knives with lousy edges.

People can use a Chef's Choice and in 2 minutes they have a relatively sharp knife. I've done it, I've seen others do it, it's easy and requires no skill or patience.

The result is a vast improvement in sharpness of cutlery for "knife amateurs." There is no doubt in my mind that these work.

Would I use them for my Globals or Henckels? No, because I know a better way. But for others, in a different situation, I recommend the electrics.

Does that make sense?
 
Their knives are actually of reasonable quality - Henckels, and are mostly plain edged, not serrated.
 
It would really depend on what type of knives, and how they are used. My parents have a cheaper set of Henkels that my mom just abuses the heck out of, cutting on ceramic plates and washing with brillo. Now for those knives something electric, or a Chiefs Choice sharpner works fine. It will improve the edge a great deal without taking much time or skill. Heck every now and then I teak the whole set down to my shop and sharpen them up with a belt sander, then finish off with the Sharpmaker. This leaves the knives as sharp as they will ever get.

Now for my Carter kitchen knives, which I hide when I am not using and nobody else is allowed to use, I would never use such a device. I use the Sharpmaker and it works just fine. I never let them get very dull, and I always treat them right. So making them sharp again doesn't take very long.

I would say that for most people, in most kitchens a Chefs Choice Diamond type sharpner would work best. Just make sure they understand it is not for serrated knives. If they happen to have better knives, or seem interested in maybe upgrading, then a Sharpmaker would be the way to go.
 
What about those manual slot type sharpeners like the one made by Henckels that I posted a link to above? For the price, is that a good comprimize?
 
The best knife sharpener in my parents' kitchen was me.

They had a set of old high-carbon French knives, beautiful-ugly dark patina, took a nice edge, that I maintained when I dropped by :)
 
Will said:
I am thinking of getting the Spyderco Sharpmaker as a gift to my family for sharpening kitchen knives. Is this is the best system for that sort of thing, or is it worth spending more on an electric sharpener?

The recipients of this gift probably don't have much patents for sharpening often, or expereince (but believe me their knives need it). I use a Lansky for my pocket knives, but I think that would be more effort for the longer kitchen blades, the Sharpmaker looks a lot faster an easier to use. As much as they need it, I don't know if it is worth the $50 for something they may only use once a year, or possibly never! I am just wondering if there is a better system for kitchen knives.

thanks
Will
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I use the Lansky on my two chef knives (both cheap), and I can get them to perform like mad. Of course, this requires thinning the factory edge and many many passes along the blade edge. It's a great deal of work, and you have to deal with the lansky stone changing angle slightly if the blade is long... ugh. I'm getting a sharpmaker to replace the lansky. If you do thin the edges just about any knife will cut well and will be easier to sharpen. I would suggest aluminum oxide sandpaper to get the edges to 15 degrees and then use the sharpmaker at 20. Factory edges on average kitchen knives are crap.

P.S. Stay away from any carbide v-notch sharpener. They tear up the edge. It took me hours to fix the damage caused by one of these things.
 
Will said:
What about something like this:

http://www.macys.com/catalog/produc...=CrossSell&PseudoCat=7673&LinkLoc=7673&bhcp=1

cheeper than an electeric sharpener, but probably not a whole lot harder to use. In general though, I have the understanding that slot sharpeners often do more harm than good.
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I notice Lansky make some sharpening systems similar to Spyderco's Sharpmaker. I wonder if they are any good. I have the Lansky system with the guide rods and it works quite well. I notice the Shaprmaker only comes with Med. and fine grit rods. Are those arrgessive enough to reprofile an edge, or fix up really dull knives?
 
LA Times had a two page article on Japanese kitchen knives, and also tested 9 sharpening systems to keep them sharp. The one they picked was the Spyderco Sharpmaker. Simple to use, moderate price, and excellent results. One of the sharpeners they tested was the Henckles slot type. They rated it as the worst, and having one myself a can confirm it as absolutly worthless.
 
LJK said:
LA Times had a two page article on Japanese kitchen knives, and also tested 9 sharpening systems to keep them sharp. The one they picked was the Spyderco Sharpmaker. Simple to use, moderate price, and excellent results. One of the sharpeners they tested was the Henckles slot type. They rated it as the worst, and having one myself a can confirm it as absolutly worthless.
Click to expand...

Intersting. I will take that one off my list. Sharpmaker is still at the top! I will see if I can dig up that article.

thanks
Will
 
Will said:
I notice Lansky make some sharpening systems similar to Spyderco's Sharpmaker. I wonder if they are any good. I have the Lansky system with the guide rods and it works quite well. I notice the Shaprmaker only comes with Med. and fine grit rods. Are those arrgessive enough to reprofile an edge, or fix up really dull knives?
Click to expand...

You can purchase extra fine rods for the sharpmaker (cheap), and coarse diamond rods (more expensive than the sharpmaker itself) for reprofiling. That's why I suggest the sandpaper. Some have wrapped the paper around the sharpmaker rods to do reprofiling, since the meds are too slow.

I think the lansky crock rods are ceramic and may be even less aggresive than the sharpmaker, but that's just a guess.
 
Will:
Just wanted to add it was Yesterday's LA Times, Wed 12-8-04, that had the write up.
 
I had a chefs choice electric shapener for 15 years before I got into knives. It did a great job on my Mac kitchen knives. I just bought the pro diamond model 120 to give my Dad and father in law for Christmas. They are both 80 and this will allow them to keep their kitchen knives sharp. Yes, they are also both sharpening challenged. The chefs choice will be easy for them to use and will give a shaving sharp edge. I also think they will have fun with it. I have an Edge pro Apex I use on my kitchen knives. The sharpmaker is good for touch ups. I don't think they would enjoy my method.
 
Maybe I should give the electric ones a closer look. Is ther any one in particular that merits a closer look? I see that Chef's Choice have many models, some 2 step and some three step. The descriptions make them all sound about the same and I am trying to understand the diffence between the many models.
 
The Chef's Choice with three slots is the model to get. One slot is for removing metal on very dull knives and is used infrequently. The other two slots are for routine sharpening.
 
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