Whetstones, knife sharpening tools.

Buzzy

I prefer to call them strike indicators.
Forum Supporter
How do folks sharpen your kitchen knives? I know there was some discussion on this on the, uh, previous forum. I think a whetstone system (1000/6000) should cover my needs. Systems to avoid? Affordable and functional whetstones?
 

Jerry Daschofsky

The fishing camp cook
Forum Legend
For my kitchen knives I use a mix of a steel and a Chef's sharpener, which is basically a whetstone that's embedded into a harness. It's a 2 part harness. Initial shaping of blade then final sharpening.

I had a Ken Onion system. It puts a razors edge, literally, on a blade. I need to buy a new one. My old one died.
 

Jerry Daschofsky

The fishing camp cook
Forum Legend
I use a Chef’s Choice electric sharpener and a steel for touch up.
That's it. I think my stone is a Chef's Choice. I didn't get the electric because my Ken Onion was still working at the time. Between my Chef's choice stone and my Dexter steel I could keep my knives sharp in the field.
 

Russell

Steelhead
I have the spyderco sharpmaker, Japanese wet stones, leather strop and some others but mostly use a 15 deg. 3 stage chefs choice electric sharpener and a steel for the kitchen knives.
Much quicker and less mess with good results.
 

Tom Butler

Grandpa, Small Stream Fanatic
Forum Supporter
I use one of these, a small handheld set from smiths.. https://smithsproducts.com/50595
It's fantastic for pocket and hunting knives, and the stone for serrated blades work. I find to put a good edge on a kitchen or fillet knife it takes 3 resets of the guide mechanism, so although it works, it's a pain.
 

Salmo_g

Legend
Forum Supporter
Also using the Spyderco Sharpmaker for some years now. Easy to use and very effective. Then I touch up the knives on the Henckels steel in the kitchen knife block.
 

Jerry Daschofsky

The fishing camp cook
Forum Legend
I need to dig into my locker in my garage. I have my Dad's old sharpening stone. He bought it in the 50s I do believe and used it to sharpening all his hunting, fishing, work, and home knives. There is actually a defined groove in the stone from years of use.
 

Zak

Legend
I bought two sizes of the Fallkniven whetstones (size DC 3 and DC4). They have fine diamond grit on one side and very fine ceramic on the other. They work for me on my pocket knives. I recently started stropping my pocket knives with Sharpal abrasive wax rubbed into an old leather belt. That makes them scary sharp.

But for kitchen knives maintenance, I usually just use one of little doohickies that has a carbide V and a ceramic rod V that you pull the blade through.
 

Nick Clayton

Fishing Is Neat
Forum Supporter
Worksharp. I'm far too lazy to spend more effort than that.

Probably wouldn't be my first choice if I owned truly high end knives, but I don't, so it's not an issue.
 

ThatGuyRyRy

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
I just bought my first whetstone kit and used it to sharpen my wusthof kitchen knives. I just a highly rated item on for like 40 bucks on Amazon with 400, 1000, 3000 and 8000. It' ls worked so much better than the wusthof sharper that I bought when my set.

It was first thing for me and I just followed some me YouTube tutorials. Totally recommend it
 

Jerry Daschofsky

The fishing camp cook
Forum Legend
Worksharp. I'm far too lazy to spend more effort than that.

Probably wouldn't be my first choice if I owned truly high end knives, but I don't, so it's not an issue.
I bought a Ken Onion when I worked the Camp Chef cooking demos at the Sportsman Shows. I bought their demo model from them with a huge discount at the end of the last show of the season. It died and have had a hard time spending the money for one. But really biting my lip to buy another. The blade it puts on is incredible.
 

Nick Clayton

Fishing Is Neat
Forum Supporter
I bought a Ken Onion when I worked the Camp Chef cooking demos at the Sportsman Shows. I bought their demo model from them with a huge discount at the end of the last show of the season. It died and have had a hard time spending the money for one. But really biting my lip to buy another. The blade it puts on is incredible.


I never had the Ken Onion but I'm on my 3rd standard model. Really does work extremely well. I've had mine specifically for fillet knives. When I was deckhanding I brought my knives home nearly every night for a sharpening. Took me all of about 2 minutes to have my knives insanely sharp. The speed was important to me as I was constantly tired and lacking spare time, and the sharpness is crucial for quality finished product and speed when filleting customers fish. I'm definitely a fan of the product.

I still have one but now that I'm the captain I don't fillet many fish so it doesn't get nearly the use my previous ones did. As such it's lasting a lot longer.
 

Jerry Daschofsky

The fishing camp cook
Forum Legend
I never had the Ken Onion but I'm on my 3rd standard model. Really does work extremely well. I've had mine specifically for fillet knives. When I was deckhanding I brought my knives home nearly every night for a sharpening. Took me all of about 2 minutes to have my knives insanely sharp. The speed was important to me as I was constantly tired and lacking spare time, and the sharpness is crucial for quality finished product and speed when filleting customers fish. I'm definitely a fan of the product.

I still have one but now that I'm the captain I don't fillet many fish so it doesn't get nearly the use my previous ones did. As such it's lasting a lot longer.
They work pretty much the same. The Work Sharp are fantastic. I know I wasn't warned when they went through and sharpened all my knives. CeeDub, who I was working with, had them do mine while I went out on break. I cradle my knives a certain way and they put a razor sharp blade on my paring knife. First time I grabbed it, knowing how I had it sharpened before they resharpened it, the blade sunk deep into my thumb like a hot blade through butter. Had cut cleaned and glued and tossed a glove on. Went straight to their booth and told them I wanted one. They told me to hit them up at last show and they'd sell me the demo cheap. I really miss that sharpener.
 
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