Knife Sharpeners -- Keeping Your Edge On

Feb 10th 2012 at 10:55AM by Bill Volk

My son, and his wife, gave me a very nice set of kitchen knives for Christmas; my old ones were, to be charitable, knives in name only. They were so ancient that I was resorting to sharpening them on the bench grinder in my shop, with pretty miserable results. Now I'm on the hunt for a good kitchen knife sharpener; here are some that I found.

The Chef's Choice Diamond H

one Sharpener ($40) is a manual sharpener highly suitable for either right or left-handed users, and features two stages -- sharpening and polishing -- for bringing your knives to a precise 15 degree bevel. Both wheels are 100% diamond abrasive that will give you a very long service life for all your straight and serrated, double-bevel cutlery. Because the sharpening wheels are diamond, there is no need for sharpening lubricants -- water or oil -- to be used on your knives. Dishwasher-safe, the sharpener offers a one year warranty.

I've never been able to sharpen a knife, like the chefs on television, with a sharpening steel; the thought of all those edges speedily whizzing through the air -- in close proximity to me -- makes me nervous. For those who are practiced in this art, the Montana Knife Works Sharpening Steel ($14); the 12" steel is designed for use on a very regular basis, on cutlery that is clean and free of moisture. The slip-resistant, ergonomically shaped handle protects your hands and is, of course, dishwasher-safe.

For an ele

ctrical knife sharpening tool, consider this Wusthof Electric Knif e Sharpener ($150). The interlocking diamond sharpening wheels hone both sides of your knives at the same time; if you have a knife whose edge is very well-worn or pitted, you use the coarse wheel initially, then the fine side. For knives that need just a touch-up, the fine grinding wheel is all you need. The brushed, stainless steel housing is a breeze to clean, the non-skid rubber base keep the sharpener from slipping on your counter, and there's a magnetic filings tray, under the base, that's easy to empty. Nice.

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