Opinions on the best Knife Sharpener
- Thread starter GMan14
- Start date
That is more or less the same as my Ruixin one off ebay but the Ruixin one is a bit cheaper - most of them are about £36. I'm pleased with mine. Gets a cracking edge on my knives and is easy to use. Not perfect but very good and good value.
ruixin pro knife sharpener for sale | eBay
Thanks, it seems they are as different as Vauxhall vs. Opel cars
JosephKelly
Well-Known Member
Have a new knife from a v well recommended knife maker, shaved hair to start with. Been through some deer with it and just can’t get it back to that first edge (100% fault of my hands). It’s sharp but it’s not razor sharp. Have tried stropping and wet stones and looked at all the YouTube videos.
One for the knife makers - I’m just wondering if it’s best by something like a Ruixin or Lansky to make it more idiot proof or would I be better go to a knife sharpening class on how to use wet stones properly? Really annoys me when my gear isn’t performing as it should be.
One for the knife makers - I’m just wondering if it’s best by something like a Ruixin or Lansky to make it more idiot proof or would I be better go to a knife sharpening class on how to use wet stones properly? Really annoys me when my gear isn’t performing as it should be.
I'm not a knife maker, or someone who has the skills of Longstrider, so for me the Ruixin Pro with decent stones and 3m films on alloy blanks gives me very sharp knifes.
I strop the edge using a cork backed coaster impregnated with Rouge mixed with white spirit that has been left to dry after sharpening to 50000 grit, and put my knives on a decent steel after use, not a fancy diamond thing, just a plain steel that straightens the edge and knocks off any burrs, then give them a strop on my coaster.
My knives may not be up to some peoples standards, but to me they are bloody sharp!
I dont know the maker but most ( definitely myself) will sort the issue on their own product . TBF nearly every time i get one of my knives back for sharpening its the customer who has simply not completed removing the burr ( a task that takes a few seconds ) or they miss striking the burr off and screw up the edge geometry . Neither of these are a big deal outside the issues and costs of knife postage
The most damage i have seen is a forces instructor lending his own knife i made to one of the students in survival training - Who battoned through some sheep legs with it ! Even that was only 10 mins work .
Dont carry on removing metal though, strop it and if that doesn't work get it off to Longstrider etc
mickygism
Well-Known Member
Those worksharps are brilliant, I have one and use it regularly for hunting and kitchen knifes.loads of vids on YouTube showing techniques etc, just practice on a couple of old ones first.would I put a custom high end knife through it.. probably not.but moras, opinels and the like come up razor sharp
Being completely useless is a luxury of the rich.
One of the following options for edged tool sharpening will work for you. Choose the right one for your skill level, the tools in question and/or the level of "how much time do I have to give to the learning process"
I dislike battery or mains powered stuff. How is that going to work in the field or in times where you cannot carry that sort of stuff or even if there is a power cut? These are really tools for professionals who need more speed and have the skills to use them without altering the temper of metals, so they can output high levels and spend more time on design and building. Mortals simply want/need sharp tools once they own the tool.
In no particular order as such but obviously there is a basic stone whether it be diamond or a more traditional type of stone. If you like rewarding fulfilment and have experienced some form of natural dexterity in your life and tend to be the sort of person who doesn't understand giving up, then get these and practice. It is not impossible but there is a learning curve and I can accept that there will be a limit to how much time someone wants to give.
So you have identified that the simple stone is not for you. How about a Warthog V2? These are very very good for keeping more than a workable edge on any flat ground type of knife (not Moras/Scandi's unless you want a secondary bevel on it), so a good amount of hunting knives and pretty much all your non serrated kitchen knives. You will not get mirror finishes and rizla paper cutting sharp with these unless you invest in ancillary additions but that is not needed. You will however get blades that will shave and once you have a working edge, it is very very simple to maintain on the supplied steel hone attachments. If you cannot get a knife sharp on one of these, then you are useless. As in completely useless and it is probably a good thing that you don't possess sharp knives as they would be a danger to you and anyone standing in a blast radius of you. At this point, buy new knives every month or so and/or send them to someone to be sharpened and keep delivery services in business as well as professional knife sharpeners, who I imagine laugh manically when yet another knackered blade drops through the letterbox. Or maybe they grimace. Or probably both.
Scandi ground blades. Just use a stone. Or any abrasive attached to something flat. Some folk find it easier to attach the knife to a welders magnet, set in a vice and then move the flat abrasive across the wide scandi bevel rather than moving the bevel (knife in hand) across the abrasive. Both work and both are easy due to the large and obvious surface area of a scandi ground knife that must be in contact with the abrasive in order to apex both bevels. This can be practiced and basically perfected in less than 30mins. If you cannot realise a properly sharp blade from your first go, get a flat ground blade and buy a V2.
If you want something that can sharpen plane irons, chisels, leather skiving machine blades, even axes and scissors and even scalpels, along with basically any edged tool that you can lay flat on the platform, then the Edge Pro Apex is, in my view, the best versatile and intuitively designed system I have ever used. There is no limitation on adjustment and no stupid clamp system that requires some form of memory each time you redo a tool on it. You can lay the tool on the platform and adjust the abrasive surface to the existing geometry of the tool which is basically its party trick. Yes it requires a degree of ambidextrous skill as you will need to turn the tool over and hold it stable and then use your other hand and vice versa but if you can wipe your arse whilst scrolling through Youtube shorts, you will be fine. If you cannot do this, refer back to the points above.
I just corrected the edge on a mate's Buck knife. I don't have any before pictures alas but this was basically not a sharpening but a full resetting of the bevels. You can also see the scrapes on the body of knife where I assume previous sharpening attempts have failed. When I am removing a lot of damage, I definitely use a system that guarantees an even bevel as long as I do my bit. The Edge Pro Apex will do this if you can use it properly. You can get knock off copies but the stones are poor quality and not all the same depth size wise which is not helpful when swapping stones to maintain the same surface area contact on the bevels. People look at the price and think "jeez, thick end of £200 for something so simple, I am not paying that" Ok, I have had mine for years. I have sharpened hundreds and hundreds of tools, some for paying people and the price has definitely been covered. The stones have barely worn such is their quality but if you do get through them, replacements are available and not cost prohibitive. You can also get diamond stones for them for seriously hard material knivees like modern powder steels or ceramics etc.
This knife was knackered, chipped and ridiculous attempts at sharpening it made it look like a basket case. 15mins later and the bevels glow, you can see your face in them no issue and maintainence from this point on will literally be a minute (if mateyboy gives it back before he totally knackers it again) You risk cutting yourself if you put more than a tiny amount of pressure on the edge. It is very sharp.
Best of luck choosing the one which suits you. I use all 3 depending on the application. They all have their place.
One of the following options for edged tool sharpening will work for you. Choose the right one for your skill level, the tools in question and/or the level of "how much time do I have to give to the learning process"
I dislike battery or mains powered stuff. How is that going to work in the field or in times where you cannot carry that sort of stuff or even if there is a power cut? These are really tools for professionals who need more speed and have the skills to use them without altering the temper of metals, so they can output high levels and spend more time on design and building. Mortals simply want/need sharp tools once they own the tool.
In no particular order as such but obviously there is a basic stone whether it be diamond or a more traditional type of stone. If you like rewarding fulfilment and have experienced some form of natural dexterity in your life and tend to be the sort of person who doesn't understand giving up, then get these and practice. It is not impossible but there is a learning curve and I can accept that there will be a limit to how much time someone wants to give.
So you have identified that the simple stone is not for you. How about a Warthog V2? These are very very good for keeping more than a workable edge on any flat ground type of knife (not Moras/Scandi's unless you want a secondary bevel on it), so a good amount of hunting knives and pretty much all your non serrated kitchen knives. You will not get mirror finishes and rizla paper cutting sharp with these unless you invest in ancillary additions but that is not needed. You will however get blades that will shave and once you have a working edge, it is very very simple to maintain on the supplied steel hone attachments. If you cannot get a knife sharp on one of these, then you are useless. As in completely useless and it is probably a good thing that you don't possess sharp knives as they would be a danger to you and anyone standing in a blast radius of you. At this point, buy new knives every month or so and/or send them to someone to be sharpened and keep delivery services in business as well as professional knife sharpeners, who I imagine laugh manically when yet another knackered blade drops through the letterbox. Or maybe they grimace. Or probably both.
Scandi ground blades. Just use a stone. Or any abrasive attached to something flat. Some folk find it easier to attach the knife to a welders magnet, set in a vice and then move the flat abrasive across the wide scandi bevel rather than moving the bevel (knife in hand) across the abrasive. Both work and both are easy due to the large and obvious surface area of a scandi ground knife that must be in contact with the abrasive in order to apex both bevels. This can be practiced and basically perfected in less than 30mins. If you cannot realise a properly sharp blade from your first go, get a flat ground blade and buy a V2.
If you want something that can sharpen plane irons, chisels, leather skiving machine blades, even axes and scissors and even scalpels, along with basically any edged tool that you can lay flat on the platform, then the Edge Pro Apex is, in my view, the best versatile and intuitively designed system I have ever used. There is no limitation on adjustment and no stupid clamp system that requires some form of memory each time you redo a tool on it. You can lay the tool on the platform and adjust the abrasive surface to the existing geometry of the tool which is basically its party trick. Yes it requires a degree of ambidextrous skill as you will need to turn the tool over and hold it stable and then use your other hand and vice versa but if you can wipe your arse whilst scrolling through Youtube shorts, you will be fine. If you cannot do this, refer back to the points above.
I just corrected the edge on a mate's Buck knife. I don't have any before pictures alas but this was basically not a sharpening but a full resetting of the bevels. You can also see the scrapes on the body of knife where I assume previous sharpening attempts have failed. When I am removing a lot of damage, I definitely use a system that guarantees an even bevel as long as I do my bit. The Edge Pro Apex will do this if you can use it properly. You can get knock off copies but the stones are poor quality and not all the same depth size wise which is not helpful when swapping stones to maintain the same surface area contact on the bevels. People look at the price and think "jeez, thick end of £200 for something so simple, I am not paying that" Ok, I have had mine for years. I have sharpened hundreds and hundreds of tools, some for paying people and the price has definitely been covered. The stones have barely worn such is their quality but if you do get through them, replacements are available and not cost prohibitive. You can also get diamond stones for them for seriously hard material knivees like modern powder steels or ceramics etc.
This knife was knackered, chipped and ridiculous attempts at sharpening it made it look like a basket case. 15mins later and the bevels glow, you can see your face in them no issue and maintainence from this point on will literally be a minute (if mateyboy gives it back before he totally knackers it again) You risk cutting yourself if you put more than a tiny amount of pressure on the edge. It is very sharp.
Best of luck choosing the one which suits you. I use all 3 depending on the application. They all have their place.
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My top tip is black marker.
Colour the edge of the knife, then adjust the angle that you’re moving the blade over whatever system you’re using until you see the marker being removed right at the tip. It really helps learn the angle you need for each knife, and shows you where you’re missing spots.
I recently got a custom knife that wasn’t as sharp as I’d like, and which I struggled to sharpen. An hour or so of experimenting with black marker, a DC4 stone and a strop and I have it exactly as I want it.
Colour the edge of the knife, then adjust the angle that you’re moving the blade over whatever system you’re using until you see the marker being removed right at the tip. It really helps learn the angle you need for each knife, and shows you where you’re missing spots.
I recently got a custom knife that wasn’t as sharp as I’d like, and which I struggled to sharpen. An hour or so of experimenting with black marker, a DC4 stone and a strop and I have it exactly as I want it.
So based on your write up here, I asked for (and received) an Edge Pro Apex for my birthday.Being completely useless is a luxury of the rich.
One of the following options for edged tool sharpening will work for you. Choose the right one for your skill level, the tools in question and/or the level of "how much time do I have to give to the learning process"
I dislike battery or mains powered stuff. How is that going to work in the field or in times where you cannot carry that sort of stuff or even if there is a power cut? These are really tools for professionals who need more speed and have the skills to use them without altering the temper of metals, so they can output high levels and spend more time on design and building. Mortals simply want/need sharp tools once they own the tool.
In no particular order as such but obviously there is a basic stone whether it be diamond or a more traditional type of stone. If you like rewarding fulfilment and have experienced some form of natural dexterity in your life and tend to be the sort of person who doesn't understand giving up, then get these and practice. It is not impossible but there is a learning curve and I can accept that there will be a limit to how much time someone wants to give.
So you have identified that the simple stone is not for you. How about a Warthog V2? These are very very good for keeping more than a workable edge on any flat ground type of knife (not Moras/Scandi's unless you want a secondary bevel on it), so a good amount of hunting knives and pretty much all your non serrated kitchen knives. You will not get mirror finishes and rizla paper cutting sharp with these unless you invest in ancillary additions but that is not needed. You will however get blades that will shave and once you have a working edge, it is very very simple to maintain on the supplied steel hone attachments. If you cannot get a knife sharp on one of these, then you are useless. As in completely useless and it is probably a good thing that you don't possess sharp knives as they would be a danger to you and anyone standing in a blast radius of you. At this point, buy new knives every month or so and/or send them to someone to be sharpened and keep delivery services in business as well as professional knife sharpeners, who I imagine laugh manically when yet another knackered blade drops through the letterbox. Or maybe they grimace. Or probably both.
Scandi ground blades. Just use a stone. Or any abrasive attached to something flat. Some folk find it easier to attach the knife to a welders magnet, set in a vice and then move the flat abrasive across the wide scandi bevel rather than moving the bevel (knife in hand) across the abrasive. Both work and both are easy due to the large and obvious surface area of a scandi ground knife that must be in contact with the abrasive in order to apex both bevels. This can be practiced and basically perfected in less than 30mins. If you cannot realise a properly sharp blade from your first go, get a flat ground blade and buy a V2.
If you want something that can sharpen plane irons, chisels, leather skiving machine blades, even axes and scissors and even scalpels, along with basically any edged tool that you can lay flat on the platform, then the Edge Pro Apex is, in my view, the best versatile and intuitively designed system I have ever used. There is no limitation on adjustment and no stupid clamp system that requires some form of memory each time you redo a tool on it. You can lay the tool on the platform and adjust the abrasive surface to the existing geometry of the tool which is basically its party trick. Yes it requires a degree of ambidextrous skill as you will need to turn the tool over and hold it stable and then use your other hand and vice versa but if you can wipe your arse whilst scrolling through Youtube shorts, you will be fine. If you cannot do this, refer back to the points above.
I just corrected the edge on a mate's Buck knife. I don't have any before pictures alas but this was basically not a sharpening but a full resetting of the bevels. You can also see the scrapes on the body of knife where I assume previous sharpening attempts have failed. When I am removing a lot of damage, I definitely use a system that guarantees an even bevel as long as I do my bit. The Edge Pro Apex will do this if you can use it properly. You can get knock off copies but the stones are poor quality and not all the same depth size wise which is not helpful when swapping stones to maintain the same surface area contact on the bevels. People look at the price and think "jeez, thick end of £200 for something so simple, I am not paying that" Ok, I have had mine for years. I have sharpened hundreds and hundreds of tools, some for paying people and the price has definitely been covered. The stones have barely worn such is their quality but if you do get through them, replacements are available and not cost prohibitive. You can also get diamond stones for them for seriously hard material knivees like modern powder steels or ceramics etc.
This knife was knackered, chipped and ridiculous attempts at sharpening it made it look like a basket case. 15mins later and the bevels glow, you can see your face in them no issue and maintainence from this point on will literally be a minute (if mateyboy gives it back before he totally knackers it again) You risk cutting yourself if you put more than a tiny amount of pressure on the edge. It is very sharp.
Best of luck choosing the one which suits you. I use all 3 depending on the application. They all have their place.
Oh my! It’s absolutely superb. And as close to idiot proof as it’s possible to get (and I reckon I push the edges of what it’s reasonable to expect of an idiot).
Very simple, very intuitive, extremely effective. I wish I’d come across it years ago.
What a great gift to receive. The sort of thing that I found quite hard to bring myself to spend the money on but as you now know, they are bloody brilliant. So versatile and wonderfully intuitive to use. The best things are often very simple.
Glad you got some use from my ramblings on edged tool sharpening.
It takes the underlying idea of things like the Lansky and removes all the issues that made them almost work, but not quite. So obvious once you see it…
You have now created a situation for yourself though. When your friends and family see what you can now achieve with edged tools, you will be everyone's friend
You will also find yourself honing things to within an inch of your life to see exactly how sharp you can get things. Which is very very very very sharp. Successful knife sharpening is like an illness.
I have already been accused by loved ones of having a problem, even before getting this…You have now created a situation for yourself though. When your friends and family see what you can now achieve with edged tools, you will be everyone's friend
You will also find yourself honing things to within an inch of your life to see exactly how sharp you can get things. Which is very very very very sharp. Successful knife sharpening is like an illness.
I can control it, really I can…
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