knife sharpener

winchman · Oct 16, 2001

Does anyone have an easy to use knife sharpener that works?
Stones and steels are out for me. I'm talking about sharpening hunting knives. Could you tell me your experiences?

Thanks,
winchman

CVHoss · Oct 16, 2001

I have a handy little sharpener made by Wen called the Sportsman's Edge Knife Sharpener. I purchased mine at Wal-Mart several years ago. It is a rechargeable battery unit with rotating stones that puts a hollow ground edge on your knife. Seems like it was around $30.00 back then. It will put a very sharp edge on your knife that will shave hair off your arm. I usually use this for initial sharpening and then finish up with a hard Arkansas stone for an extremely sharp knife. Best thing about it is that since it's a battery operated unit, you can toss it in your bag and take it to the field with you for touch-ups as necessary.

Hoss

winchman · Oct 16, 2001

Thanks Hoss. I'll check into one of those.

BobT · Oct 16, 2001

Wen,

Below is some info I came across on a search for the WEN sharpener. The web site is from a vet, who wrote an amazing article called "How to Sharpen a Knife." Has more than I would ever need to know about the subject...

http://gpvec.unl.edu/filesdatabase/files/feedlot/sharp1.htm

"There is a 12 volt sharpening unit that is almost "magic". It is the Sportsman's Edge (#2910) from WEN Products of Chicago, IL. (Wen Products of Chicago (1-800-736-4936)). It sells for $40. The unit will put a sharp cutting edge on a blade quicker than any unit I have tested. It will only put one angle on the edge (the principle Cutting Angle), and that angle will not be as smooth as some would like, but your knife will cut. The unit will also grind away your blade. The biggest problem is the loss of the reflection (relief) angle (see: Sharpening Angles below ). As the blade is worn off the cutting edge gets thicker, and a thicker cutting edge is harder to sharpen, plus it requires more force to be applied to the cutting target."

BobT.
A Indiana Boy

Bird · Oct 16, 2001

Winchman, I hate sharpening knives. About the only thing I hate more is using a dull knife./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif I think I've tried a little of everything over the years. I know you can buy an $1,100 professional rig that works very well./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif And I once paid over $100 for a "Chef's Choice" 120v sharpener (gave the darned thing away after awhile). Now I sharpen them on my bench mounted vertical belt sander and finish them on a 6" stone (actually 3 different 6" stones mounted on a triangular shaped wooden stand). And in between those sharpenings, I do use a butcher's steel.

Bird

Anonymous Poster · Oct 16, 2001

I have had great luck with those little diamond sharpening stones that are about 1" by 3". You can get them one at a time or in a set of three different grits. Cannot remember the grit of the one I have, just select the finest grit one and you have the one I have. Now let me tell you that the knife I sharpened was SCARY sharp when I was done. Would you believe I cut myself with it when I ran my finger along the edge? Won't be dumb enough to try that again....

RobertN · Oct 16, 2001

I had very good luck with a setup for which I forgot the name!

I got this thing at a sporting good store, and have seen them recently. It has a jig that clamps on the knife blade. The stone has a spot where a rod attaches. This rod feeds through the jig, and places the stone at the correct angle on the blade. The jig could be adjusted so you could put different angles on different types of blades. It had a leaflet that explained the reasons for the various angles on different blades.

It was simple to use, and made a very consistent, sharp blade, every time.

You might try a web search on Smokey Mountian Knife woorks; they sell all kinds of that stuff.

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

fishman · Oct 17, 2001

RobertN,

I too have had good success with that kind of sharpening system. Usually can touch up a kitchen-full of knives during a one-hour tv program. (Perhaps not the safest thing to do while sharpening knives, but . . .)

One thing, make sure you also buy the little pedestal that comes with the jig. It helps a lot.

DennisY · Oct 17, 2001

I have a variable speed Sears bench grinder. I can put an edge on a knife using the finer stone on low speed and finish it on a regular oil stone or an Arkansas stone. Works well for my pocket knife, hunting knives and my wife's kitchen knives.