Any 'Pull Through' Sharpeners worth a Darn?

[bearfacedkiller]

I suppose you could call the Worksharp a pull through sharpener. I have wanted the Ken Onion edition for a long time now. It seems to be very well reviewed and quite popular.

[Bloke]

I suppose you could call the Worksharp a pull through sharpener. I have wanted the Ken Onion edition for a long time now. It seems to be very well reviewed and quite popular.

A mate of mine is the editor of an Australasian shooting magazine and gets all sort of goodies from different distributors to try, amongst them is a driven belt, Ken Onion sharpening system so I’d presume it’s what you mention. He brought it round for to me to try a few months ago now and it's still here, but I’ve been a little reluctant to try it. I’d be interested in hearing about anyone’s firsthand experience in using it.

[10SBUM]

I appreciate all the input and advice.

A question concerning the Spyderco Sharpmaker...what makes it better than the Lansky Diamond Ceramic 4 Rod Turn Box that I currently have (other than the fact it's made my Spyderco)?

Thanks again for all your help.

10SBUM

[bearfacedkiller]

I do not have the lansky so I cannot comment on the quality of the stones or stand but the other main difference is the available angles. The sharpmaker can produce more acute angles.

[Halfneck]

I have a Worksharp - if you're not careful you'll sharpen your knife into a recurved edge.

[Archimedes]

I Really like the KO Worksharp. For small folders like Spydercos you do not need it. The Sharpmaker works fine on these thinner blades. I like the WorkSharp for bigger blades, and axes. Like mentioned above you can ruin a knife with it if not careful. If you need to reprofile a smaller knife set the belt speed as low as possible and go very slowly. It take practice but is an awesome tool.

[clovisc]

The pull-throughs are extremely popular amidst the fishing scene in Alaska, but can destroy a knife pretty quickly if they get a little sand or rock stuck inside of them.

[JD Spydo]

The only "pull through" sharpener I ever seen that even looked like a quality built unit is made by a company known as "Chef's Choice". And they aren't cheap either. I've never tried one or ever talked to anyone who ever used one but they sure advertise them a lot. It seems like they target market the culinary and meat packing industries from what I can tell.

But I've never heard anyone brag about one nor have I talked to anyone who ever used one either. But that is the only unit of it's type that did appear like it was quality built for whatever that's worth. I think their parent company is "EdgeCraft" I believe to the best of my memory. But I would sure scrutinize one heavily before I would even think of buying one.

And with all the good quality sharpening kits out there and the Spyderco 204 Sharpmaker being one of my favorites it might not even be worth wasting your time on. But these guys are right most of those types of sharpening units are truly bargain-bin trash IMO.

[dplafoll]

I suppose you could call the Worksharp a pull through sharpener. I have wanted the Ken Onion edition for a long time now. It seems to be very well reviewed and quite popular.

A mate of mine is the editor of an Australasian shooting magazine and gets all sort of goodies from different distributors to try, amongst them is a driven belt, Ken Onion sharpening system so I’d presume it’s what you mention. He brought it round for to me to try a few months ago now and it's still here, but I’ve been a little reluctant to try it. I’d be interested in hearing about anyone’s firsthand experience in using it.

One of the guys that works at my local knife shop has one, and he also has literally hundreds (maybe even thousands) of knives. He told me that the WorkSharp works ok, but it can burn your blade and that it's happened several times to him. If I were going to buy a sharpener nicer than a SharpMaker I'd buy a Wicked Edge or Edge Pro.

[Blerv]

I appreciate all the input and advice.

A question concerning the Spyderco Sharpmaker...what makes it better than the Lansky Diamond Ceramic 4 Rod Turn Box that I currently have (other than the fact it's made my Spyderco)?

Thanks again for all your help.

10SBUM

We never said it was :). Just said it's vastly better than any pull-through sharpener on the market.

Lansky makes a good system from what I hear. There is some debate on clamp vs benchstone vs Sharpmaker. The one thing the SM will do that the other cannot is sharpen really anything. From scissors to fish hooks to fixed blades to serrated hawkbills. As I understand many clamps will do some of those things with specialty stones.

IMHO, for the price the SM 204 does more than other systems on the market. As for putting the best edge on 3" traditional blades? There is more room for user error than the guide systems and without the optional diamond stones reprofiling can take a while. If I had your Lansky kit and was looking for something to fill the gaps I would probably get a nice bench stone and something that can hit weird angles. Unfortunately Spyderco discontinued the 701 profile set which is my fave.

[kwakster]

Never handled or tested an ERU sharpener (not available outside the US), but maker Fred Rowe is most certainly no dummy when i read what he writes on Bladeforums about knives & sharpening in general.

This is his product: http://edgeru.com/

And here the review thread on Bladeforums: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showt ... dback-2-14

[Blerv]

Never handled or tested an ERU sharpener (not available outside the US), but maker Fred Rowe is most certainly no dummy when i read what he writes on Bladeforums about knives & sharpening in general.

This is his product: http://edgeru.com/

And here the review thread on Bladeforums: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showt ... dback-2-14

I don't doubt it's far better than all of those pull-through's. That said, Fred's unit is $62 plus shipping so has the ability to be engineered with a bit more thought. Most it's competitors are $15-40 at most.

If it indeed works that's good for people who have no ability to sharpen their knives, mostly for lack of wanting to learn. One should be next to every knife block in every kitchen because dull knives are dangerous. I'm just curious how good you have to be with a set of stones, clamps, or whatever to put even a better edge on a knife.

[Bodog]

Never handled or tested an ERU sharpener (not available outside the US), but maker Fred Rowe is most certainly no dummy when i read what he writes on Bladeforums about knives & sharpening in general.

This is his product: http://edgeru.com/

And here the review thread on Bladeforums: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showt ... dback-2-14

I agree. Fred Rowe does seen to be legitimately into knives and some other people heavily into knives say his stuff is GTG. I wouldn't mind trying his stuff, tbh. If I can quickly straighten an edge without any hassle at all that seems worthwhile to me.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I will ask this on this question:

I will admit it to you all: I too am a horrible sharpener. In literally years of knife ownership and use, I have NEVER learned to sharpen a knife. At least not in a pro sort of way. There, I said it.

1 Why are the pull-through sharpeners so bad? Is it because they will rip off more steel than is necessary to keep the edge honed?

2 What do you think of the cheap sharpeners that have X shaped ceramic or carbide rods in them? Those are also pull-throughs, aren't they?

3 What should I do if I don't want to learn to sharpen a knife using a Sharp Maker (which appears to be one of the best sharpeners on the planet) or other complex sharpening systems?

[demoncase]

I will ask this on this question:

I will admit it to you all: I too am a horrible sharpener. In literally years of knife ownership and use, I have NEVER learned to sharpen a knife. At least not in a pro sort of way. There, I said it.

1 Why are the pull-through sharpeners so bad? Is it because they will rip off more steel than is necessary to keep the edge honed?
That, and you're attacking both sides of the edge at once AND the angle is fixed between the two (which is unlikely to be optimum) AND on many the edge is actually running into the bottom of the V....so blunting as you go

2 What do you think of the cheap sharpeners that have X shaped ceramic or carbide rods in them? Those are also pull-throughs, aren't they?
Yes. And no better than any other solution

3 What should I do if I don't want to learn to sharpen a knife using a Sharp Maker (which appears to be one of the best sharpeners on the planet) or other complex sharpening systems?
Get a Sharpmaker- it's easy to use....Bench stones are harder to learn, but the DVD with the Sharpmaker makes it super easy to get it right....Your other alternative is to allow your beloved knives to get steadily blunter and blunter. Not a happy thought

[Doc Dan]

Apparently there are some electric sharpeners that are at least decent enough to put a 30 degree bevel on a blade, but I never trusted anything powered to sharpen my knives, I remove enough metal on my own I don't need a grinder helping me along.

Those things can ruin the temper of your edge.

[Doc Dan]

The Lansky system is pretty good. I have had one for many, many years. (Didn't they invent this type of sharpening system?) Their products are usually very good. I normally sharpen by hand but if it is a really tough job I get out my Lansky. I have no complaints.
Like Clovisc said, those pull through types are popular in AK with fishermen. I think that is where I was first introduced to them. When your hands are covered in goo and you have a mound of fish or bear to clean or skin, who is going to reach into their pack and pull out a Sharpmaker? A few licks on a quality pull through and you are back in business. If you do this too often then you will need to fix the edge on your Sharpmaker or Lansky, but it is not that big of a deal. The Blademedic (which I keep in my bugout/outdoor bag) does not remove a lot of metal like some fear. It merely uses a rod (like the SM) but sharpens only a very slim part of the edge. Therefore, the edge does not last as long. At least that is the way I see it.

So, they are not ideal, but they are useful in certain situations and they are much better than a dull knife. I usually buy something like these for people who have no inclination (woman who runs a school for mentally challenged kids to keep in the kitchen, etc.) to learn to sharpen and no time to do so. I have never seen an electric sharpener or pull through metal sharpener that would not ruin a blade. So I avoid them like the plague.

[Jazz]

I think they are garbage with a capital G. The edge is all wavy and crazy when you're done. Good for NKP's, but that's it. Lots of trial and error on a freehand bench stone is good knowledge gained, and when you can finally get an excellent edge that way, it's worth it.

[Bloke]

I suppose you could call the Worksharp a pull through sharpener. I have wanted the Ken Onion edition for a long time now. It seems to be very well reviewed and quite popular.

A mate of mine is the editor of an Australasian shooting magazine and gets all sort of goodies from different distributors to try, amongst them is a driven belt, Ken Onion sharpening system so I’d presume it’s what you mention. He brought it round for to me to try a few months ago now and it's still here, but I’ve been a little reluctant to try it. I’d be interested in hearing about anyone’s firsthand experience in using it.

One of the guys that works at my local knife shop has one, and he also has literally hundreds (maybe even thousands) of knives. He told me that the WorkSharp works ok, but it can burn your blade and that it's happened several times to him. If I were going to buy a sharpener nicer than a SharpMaker I'd buy a Wicked Edge or Edge Pro.

I s'pose there's some risk of overheating and I don't even know if it's vari speed drive? I'll have to try it.
I've never handled a Wicked Edge but a friend has an Edge Pro and I like it!

[jasonstone20]

I appreciate all the input and advice.

A question concerning the Spyderco Sharpmaker...what makes it better than the Lansky Diamond Ceramic 4 Rod Turn Box that I currently have (other than the fact it's made my Spyderco)?

Thanks again for all your help.

10SBUM

The Lansky Diamond Ceramic 4-Rod Turnbox is similar to the Spyderco Sharpmaker, but less versatile. Even though it has Diamond rods, which help a lot, it only has round rods, and has wider angles (20° DPS or 40° inclusive on one setting, 25° DPS or 50° inclusive, while the Sharpmaker is 15°DPS/30° inclusive and 20° DPS/40° inclusive) and the rods are also smaller, 5" (round rod) on the Turnbox, vs 7" (triangle rod) on the Sharpmaker. You should be able to get a knife sharp on the Turnbox, try watching these videos by Cliff Stamp (also using the Magic Marker helps):

https://youtu.be/xRQQgwRMDfU


https://youtu.be/Pa-jOBJlX7U

The Diamond rods that come with the Turnbox should be able to work like the Diamond/CBN of the Sharpmaker, and the white ceramics of the Turnbox are similar to the Sharpmaker Fine triangles.
Also, remember, that going from the diamond rods to the white ceramics is a big grit jump, so make sure the knife is sharp off the diamond rods first. You can also always but the Spyderco Sharpmaker Triangle Rods individually, if you want to try them out.