How do you keep your knives sharp

[Histrix]

Steve B - before you drop the bucks for the Edge Pro system it might be worth buying one of the cheap Chinese made clones that cost about $25 on Amazon or eBay. Something like one of these - https://www.amazon.com/Goplus%C2%AE-...ag=amazi0a8-20

I bought one of those clones a couple of years ago so I could try that type of sharpening system out. At first, having to hold the knife steady with one hand didn't feel comfortable. I'm left handed and sharpening one side of the blade felt fine but then flipping the knife over and having to switch hands was a bit tricky for me as it just felt awkward. Admittedly, that may have been just a personal quirk. I eventually did get comfortable operating the sharpening stone with my non-dominant right hand but it took a while.

Ultimately I did decide that I liked the system and went all in on an EdgePro Professional Kit #4. Very nice and I have come to really enjoy the system.

One electric sharpener that hasn't been mentioned and one that I know a lot of people really like and might be worth a look is the WorkSharp Ken Onion Edition sharpener. https://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-WS...ag=amazi0a8-20

[Steve B]

Again thanks for the advise. Knowing myself I think I will love the process of sharpening my knives on my own with the help of a device like the the edgepro. I'll let you know after a few trial runs. See how it goes.

[surfdog]

That's the one I'm looking at...
Kinda trying to decide between that and the Wicked Edge.

[Steve B]

surfdog I did get the edgepro. The one that goes up to 1000 grit. It does take a bit of getting used to. once you get the hang of it it's pretty easy. Using the marker like they show is a huge help. I found that I wound up changing the angle on my blades. They are definitely sharper than before

[FireMan]

I try to keep the knives away from my wife, please.

[Breadhead]

Is it a Ms Bobbit thing?

[BGWolf]

I use a Work Sharp Ken Onion sharpener. It is a belt system, pretty simple and puts a good edge on our knives.

[Meathead]

I have wetstones, an electric sharpener, but my secret weapon is Tony the Knife Man who comes through my neighborhood with his cart. Both were made in Italy years ago. I give him all my knives and my pruning shears, lawnmower blades, you name it. Here he is in front of my house.

[Steve B]

By the way I never got your meat temp guide when I joined.

[PaulstheRibList]

That is SUPER FUN!!!!!!!

[Powersmoke_80]

That is COOL!

[Oso21]

I use the Work Sharp System and a slick ceramic sharpener from A.G. Russell. All of my knives are super sharp and as a result: Safe!

[andy.wpg]

I know the OP has decided on the EdgePro, but I thought I'd throw in my 5 cents worth (we don't have pennies in Canada anymore).
I have a Smith's sharpening system and love it. Super sharp knives, super easy.

[Dr ROK]

Edge pro.

[Huskee]

I suppose buying new every 2 years is not a helpful answer in this thread. But admittedly that's what I end up doing. Regular cycle of cheapies, use, sell in yard sale, repeat.

[billg71]

As an amateur woodworker I've learned how to sharpen lots of edged tools so it wasn't a big jump to sharpening kitchen knives. I grew up with a pocketknife and learned early how to keep it sharp. The tools have evolved but the principles are the same.

First of all, get a honing steel and use it regularly. A good knife will keep its edge a long time between sharpenings if it's honed between uses. Once it does finally get dull it's your choice: The hand-held carbide sharpeners will get it cutting again but they waste a lot of steel and leave a fairly course edge. Next step up would be something like the Chef's Choice Trizor electric sharpeners which I have and use on the cheap knives in the drawer. After that, having them professionally sharpened would probably be the ultimate solution without going off the deep end.

Personally, I use the Shapton glass stones. You'll never know just how sharp a good tool can be until you've sharpened it through the grits and polished it on a 16,000-grit stone. It's a whole 'nother world. Go to YouTube and do a search for "Shapton", you'll get an idea. Or "Bob Kramer Knives".

But if you're new to good knives and just want something easy to deal with I'd recommend a good steel and the Chef's Choice sharpener. Those will get you to 90%, it's that last 10% that takes the dedication and practice.

HTH,
Bill

[vBlake]

I use the Spyderco Sharpmaker. I know its been mentioned a time or two. It is awesome for the guy that wants a custom sharpening and doesn't want to get into flat stones.

Another thing that I feel is a must is a good strop. I HIGHLY recommend Flexxx Strops. This guy hand builts each one they make right here in the USA. Great prices and wonderful product. I have the Quad strop. It has four compounds (grit) levels so take you edge from a great utility edge to a laser beam.

I take my carving and kitchen blades from

Medium:600 Grit
Fine: 1200 Grit

then to the strop that has four levels:

Black - 3,000 Grit
Green - 6,000 Grit
White - 12,000 Grit
Custom - 20,000 Grit

http://www.flexstrops.com/

http://www.dlttrading.com/bark-river-3-bar-compound

[Greg A BigBillsFan]

Folks complain about how expensive "Cutco" knives are. I have several "upper end" brands. Zwilling Henkells, Wustoff and more. My last few additions were Cutco. Best handle, surgical sharpness, American made. ALL the upper ends are lifetime warranted. What makes Cutco the best and in reality not too expensive? FREE lifetime sharpening!! And if it's been sharpened so many times it cannot be sharpened again?, they replace it. Buy Cutco, thank me later. Send in a Zwilling to a professional for sharpening, 1 knife can be $20-40!! (Zwilling doesn't even offer sharpening) Buy American!
BTW, I too have a 2 piece whet stone. I've gotten pretty good too. But it is dam near a time consuming hobby! AND the whet stones are expensive too!

[vBlake]

I agree with the Cutco being the brand to choose. I have the Butcher Knife and the 9 1/4" French Chef knife. Both are great choices. I will say that the 9 1/4" chef knife is a bit large for those that don't want to feel like Highlander... there can be only one...

[ExtraChrispy]

I've been sharpening blades for decades. Chisels, wood carving knives, pocket knives, hunting/fishing knives, etc. Yes, I can get a "razor sharp" edge using whet stones and a strop. Yes, it's a vanishing art. Yes, it takes a LOT of time to learn and master.

If you're not looking to invest that kind of time, I use the Work Sharp belt sharpener. Two or three passes, and it's nearly as good as an hour on the stones.

http://www.worksharptools.com/sharpeners-28/power-sharpeners/work-sharp-knife-and-tool-sharpener.html

[7x57mm]

While I believe I am proficient at sharpening knives on stones and prefer to use them, I've used the Sharpmaker for 10 years or so...excellent piece of kit. For those who don't have experience sharpening freehand or feel intimidated doing so, you can get a VERY sharp edge with a bit of practice and without spending hours on the sharpening bench. This gent opened my eyes a few years ago on how simple (though not necessarily easy) a razor edge can be obtained:

http://www.cliffstamp.com/knives/forum/read.php?7,6571

I am not able to freehand the type of edge required for paper thin cherry tomato slices (most impressive) but I can have a durable working edge within 5 or so minutes starting with a dull knife. For those that do have a Sharpmaker, use the flat portion of the base and stones to practice freehand sharpening.

[jbeck1986]

Steve B I have been on the same hunt as you for a while now. I have researched the crap out of this subject and spent more hours than I want to admit on this. After all my time researching this I came down to the same exact conclusion as you did.

The Edge Pro Apex system seems to be a very reasonable value for what your getting. It looks like it's very simple, easy, and safe to use. It's capable of sharpening knives to a ridiculous degree and doing so efficiently. With out wearing down your blades way too fast like the electric sharpeners seem to do. It looks like it's easy to produce consistent sharp blades in a reasonable amount of time too. My #2 choice was the Wicked edge sharpener but it was too expensive.

I think you made the right choice and I will be doing the same very soon. Please post some feedback when you get a chance to form some opinions about it.

[Steve B]

Maybe mine were really dull and haven't gotten the full hang of it. My henckels are 15 years old and never sharpened before. Hopefully with a new edge on them my times will be much shorter.

[jbeck1986]

Histrix how long have you had your apex? Sounds like you have it down pretty well

[Histrix]

jbeck1986 Have had mine for about a year and a half. It really is a simple/reliable/repeatable system.

[PaulstheRibList]

When this Barbecue hobby really started kicking in, I got into trouble. I had bought sharp knives, Wusthof's included. And man, are they great! But if you use them a bunch, even using the Steel regularly and not using the blade as a scraper, the edge dulls.

Before I found how to sharpen well, I would buy a new $20 victrinox for every big brisket cook.

Then I bought this, http://www.kmesharp.com/, which is similar to the Edgepro mentioned earlier.

Now, I have consistently sharp knives...a lot of them.



P.S. My wife does NOT enjoy the sound of sharpening knives. So when she goes off with the girlfriends for coffee, Knife sharpening is in the rotation of activities we do. But I don't usually include beer drinking on knife sharpening night...

[Powersmoke_80]

Paul, you are my HERO!

[vandy]

I just got the KME system a few days ago and so far so good, lot of work though when you start sharpening knives that are kind of dull.

[PaulstheRibList]

vandy, you are right - when they get dull, it's some work to grind those blades back! #WorthIt