Easy knife sharpener for beginner

[ATC729]

I'm pretty new to knives and I have next to zero experience with sharpening. What is an easy and fairly inexpensive sharpener to start with? I have considered the Sharpmaker and the Lansky system. Any other suggestions?

[krsmitty]

I started with a Lansky system and them moved to the sharpmaker. Depending on how dull/bad the blade is...I start with the Lansky and then use the sharpmaker for final touches and sharpening as needed.

You can go to youtube and do a search on sharpeners and find what seems like 100's of them. For now, I stick with the sharpmaker...easiest to use for me.

[soc_monki]

I have both. I prefer the sharpmaker, but the lansky is better for reprofiling edges. Although the sharpmaker is no slouch with the diamond rods, it takes longer. Less fiddly though.

If you could only have one? Sharpmaker.

[The Meat man]

Definitely recommend the Sharpmaker as the best beginner's sharpening tool.

If you want to go further, I can recommend the Hapstone V7 as a good option for a guided sharpening system.

[Sharp Guy]

Definitely recommend the Sharpmaker as the best beginner's sharpening tool.

If you want to go further, I can recommend the Hapstone V7 as a good option for a guided sharpening system.

^ Yep!

[ATC729]

I guess there is a reason the Sharpmaker is the most popular sharpener on all of the websites.

[justjohn]

I too recommend the Sharpmaker. If the job requires more extensive measures I use my KME guided sharpening system. Both of these sharpeners have never failed me.

[carrot]

I have owned and consistently used the Sharpmaker now for over 12 years. In that sense, it has been a better investment than most of the knives it has sharpened.

[p_atrick]

If you are up for it, learn to use water stones. The learning curve is a bit steeper than a Sharpmaker (but not drastically so), but you do get more flexibility and speed (once you get the hang of it). There are lots of good tutorials on YouTube. Deadbox Hero (Big Brown Bear on YouTube) is a good place to start. I like the Murray Carter method (plenty of his videos on YouTube, and his fundamentals digital download is not terribly expensive). A King combo stone is reasonably priced and good enough for a beginner (assuming you don't have steels above S30V).

[Ric]

A benchstone for kitchen knives (a cheap one is enough) and the Sharpmaker for pocket knives.

[Evil D]

Even with reprofiling challenges I'd still say the Sharpmaker is the most idiot proof sharpening system. Get the diamond rods and/or CBN rods for more aggressive cutting and watch the DVD a few times over, ask lots of questions here (the only dumb question is the one you don't ask) and you'll be sharp in no time.

[kwselke]

I have tried and accumulated a wide range different sharpening tools over the years. I have a Norton Crystolon 8" coarse stone, a DMT 8" fine, a DMT 6" coarse, a steel honing rod, a ceramic honing rod, a neat per-treated leather strop, and a Sharpmaker with optional Diamond and ultra-fine ceramic rods. If you are just getting into knives, a standard Sharpmaker is where you should start. As your needs grow add the diamond rods. I only use my DMT 6" and 8" stones when I aggressively need to reprofile knives. Once you learn the Sharpmaker you will known if you need more sharpener.

[Vivi]

When it comes to sharpening there's nothing you can't accomplish with a sharpmaker and an extra course 8"+ DMT for reprofiling. With practice this swtup will give you shaving sharp edges on every knife you own.

[jpm2]

I vote sharpmaker for the best learning curve to results ratio.

I have tried and accumulated a wide range different sharpening tools over the years. I have a Norton Crystolon 8" coarse stone, a DMT 8" fine, a DMT 6" coarse, a steel honing rod, a ceramic honing rod, a neat per-treated leather strop, and a Sharpmaker with optional Diamond and ultra-fine ceramic rods. If you are just getting into knives, a standard Sharpmaker is where you should start. As your needs grow add the diamond rods. I only use my DMT 6" and 8" stones when I aggressively need to reprofile knives. Once you learn the Sharpmaker you will known if you need more sharpener.

My coarse 8" crystolon removes metal a lot faster than any c/xc diamond plates. My diamond plates are mostly for truing and finishing after profiling.

[Vivi]

I like DMT's because they last decades, can be used dry, produce very little mess and require no maintence. Simply wipe with a damp cloth when they get loaded up with steel and that's it.

[jpm2]

Yep, diamond plates will last indefinitely if used right. I have 30+ year old eze laps that have been constantly used all that time that still cut well.

[kodai78]

1) Sharpmaker
2) Sharpmaker

Watch the videos on YouTube of Sal and company demonstrating how to use same. It’s the only one you need. I never use my Arkansas stones anymore. I am not an advanced user so I am sure there are some great more capable systems but for kitchen implements, knives, and scissors it’s great and keeps all my knives folding, fixed and kitchen in great shape. The only thing I sharpen not using the Sharpmaker is wood chisels and IMO those are dead easy.

[ATC729]

It sounds like the Sharpmaker will be my sharpener of choice then! I want to keep my Spydercos sharp and I have plenty of older cheap dull knives to practice on!

[Cambertree]

Also, a magnifying loupe will save you a lot of time in analysing what's going on with your edges, and learning to 'read' the sound and feel of the stones. I use a Belomo Triplet 10x, and can recommend it - they use Zeiss glass.

[RustyIron]

I used to dabble with a Sharpmaker-style sharpener back in the 80's. I find the style moderately effective and basic.

I have a Lansky that I got when I decided to get serious. I used it a couple times, and I see how it could be useful, and in fact the sole sharpener for some people. Not a bad way to go.

When I was starting out, I ended up setting with a cheap Chinese clone of the Edge Pro. Right away, I was able to churn out some nice work. Since the tool is Chinese, I had to do some repairs to it within the first couple months. Then I tired of the cheap stones, and started accumulating some good Japanese rocks. Then I moved on to CBN and diamond paste. The point is, it's a basic unit that will allow you to do some good work.

If you're crazy serious, you might eventually want to move up to a REAL Edge Pro. Your work will improve, and your pocket will be empty. But look at it this way: You spend a couple hundred dollars on a single knife and somehow rationalize that. But you'll balk at spending 300-700 on tools that will bring all your edges into he realm of insane sharpness.