Electric Knife Sharpeners
Equipment
Contributors to this thread:
Trying to decide on an electric knife sharpener. I know how to sharpen my hunting knives manually but I want something I can keep a draw full of kitchen and steak knives sharp or possibly even do some quick work on broadhead blades.
I know some of you have the Chef's Choice and others have the Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition. What do you like and what else is out there?
I’ve got a Work Sharp (not the Ken Onion version) and I’m satisfied with the edge it puts on our kitchen knives, as well as my hunting/filet knives. I suck at putting an edge on a knife, and I can get a decent edge on them with the WS.
EBay has a few different ones. The Smith one looks like a knockoff of the Work Sharp. I have two of the Work Sharps and like them. I keep one in the kitchen just for what you mention....keeping the kitchen knives sharp.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/324798300157?epid=147765917&hash=item4b9f7cbffd:g:mOEAAOSwo6hhSmWV
Had a Chef's Choice 120 with coarse and medium diamond wheels plus diamond stropping wheels for around 20 years. It has been wonderful! Kitchen knives all shaving sharp, same with my Leatherman. I even use it to sharpen unbroken but used Havalon blades. Works great.
I've been touching up the blades on the imported (Taiwan) Spitfire heads as well. Without disassembly I've managed to strop the last inch of the new blades and get them razor sharp
I have the Smith, won it at a raffle. It works very well. Easy to keep knives touched up, I use the old worn down fine belts to just hone with, a couple swipes and done. I have also found multiple uses for it around the shop. Only thing I don't like is the battery charge doesn't last long and it won't work if plugged in.
Work Sharp fan here for kitchen knifes and all other knives and scissors.
I had the Ken Onion work sharp. Used it several times and tossed in the trash. I use a Lansky for all my sharpening, knives and broadheads, but it does not work real well on blades longer than about 6”.
I have the work sharp. It does ok on knives. Can’t get it to put a hair popping edge on a broadhead though.
Work Sharp Ken Onion model. The key to making it into a superb all-around sharpener is to buy the Blade Grinding Attachment. With that setup and the correct abrasive belts I can do anything from a pen knife to hedge shears and have them mowing hair. A drawer full of kitchen knives is nothing at all. I use it for broadheads with great results. I can take a dull, discolored head and give the edge a mirror polished bevel that will exceed what most manufacturers provide; at least on re-sharpenable COC broadheads. One of the best tools I own and worth every dollar it cost.
Found a new use for HavaLon, hanging wall paper, really works slick instead of breaking off the ends of al those little kinves.
I have work sharp. Have 1 knife it stinks on for some reason, figures its my wife's hunting knife
Get lots of replacement belts
What exactly does the blade grinding attachment do for the Work Sharp?
I really like this one.
I've had like 2-3 over the years.
Good luck, Robb
Make sure you get one for the grind angle you need. Some are made for 20 degrees, others for the 'newer' 15 degree kitchen knives. (Doesn't hurt to know what angle your kitchen knives are either.)
Edit - this one will handle both -
https://chefschoice.com/collections/electric-knife-sharpeners/products/chefschoice-diamond-hone-angleselect-sharpener-model-1520-white
"What exactly does the blade grinding attachment do for the Work Sharp?"
First, it allows you to use both hands as the Work Sharp + attachment make for a stable hands-free unit. It uses a longer (set of) belts which run a bit slower and cooler. The attachment allows you to free-hand any blade against the belt and establish your own preferred angles. There is basically no limit on blade size and you can sharpen an axe, machete, paring knife, hunting knife, broadheads and anything else without hassle.
Before:
After:
Yep, that’s what I need. I can’t get the angle right on my single bevels. Thanks Kevin.
I have a Work Sharp and it does OK but not like the edge my daddy used to put on knives. He was a contractor and could put an edge on a knife that was like a razor. On rainy days he would sharpen his knives, chisels and saws. On the knives and chisels use used stones and a strop. You could shave with his knives. I don't have his talent.
For me - nothing compares to what my Work Sharp does. I've tried a few different things over the years. I've certainly killed my share of knives in the process. With the Work Sharp, I can easily shave the hair off my arms when I'm done.
Thanks, guys. The gf ordered me the Work Sharp Ken Onion with the blade grinding attachment for my birthday. :-)
Kevin I have a Ken Onion Work Sharp and lm curious do you use the grinder on all your knives and then go to the original knife sharpener to finish.I think I will be getting one but didn’t for sure how you got your angles Thanks Lewis
lewis: I basically never use anything except the combination of the Work Sharp Ken Onion with the Blade Grinding Attachment (as in my picture above). I've got a healthy selection of various belts for it, and I choose whatever belt I want based on the condition of the blade I'm working. I generally free-hand my blades and don't worry about keeping exact angles. That's the nice thing about the flexible belts. They 'find' the blade's edge and work it nicely.
Kevin so you are using the grinder and the knife sharpener or just the grinder remember I’m kinda slow thanks Lewis
I have the work sharp and really like it. I also noticed them on Camofire in the last week. I think they were about 50% off.
Lewis: I only use the grinder and the belts which fit it. Just be aware that you have to use the grinder as an attachment to the Work Sharp Ken Onion model. What you see in my picture above is all I ever use for everything I sharpen.
Being a tool junky, bad habit according to some.... have to check out the grinder attachment.
You can also get leather belts for the worksharp std and onion models (likely the attachment as well) and use compound on them to polish or "strop" your blades. Just make sure you "back strop" in the right direction..... um, heard from a friend you can snag the belt and slice it in half going the wrong way.....
Wore out two standard worksharps pretty quickly, the Ken Onion is a much better unit. Use them to sharpen all sorts of things but have some serious hours on them grinding/polishing welds on round shafts for different tools. Awesome on odd shaped stuff like zipper blades on Flip Blades and such. For most knives, broadheads and such it's a great time saver, but I'll normally finish them on a big ol fine/extra fine diamond stone. But often used the leather strop when I had some time and wanted to get "next level". Have to order a new one though...... seems my old one was, um, misplaced....
I have a Work Sharp. Great for kitchen knives. Especially if the have been abused. I can reestablish bevel and get an edge back. I use KME for hunting knives. Better end product, but takes way more time.
"Thanks, guys. The gf ordered me the Work Sharp Ken Onion with the blade grinding attachment for my birthday. :-) "
That's a really really nice gf to have. Like 350 bulls, they ain't behind every tree.
"Just a gigolo, and everywhere I go......" heheheheh....