best sharpener?

[45fan]

I see a lot about knives on this thread so I assume this is the right place to ask this question. Forgive me if this has been asked in the past I have looked back several pages to see if it has with no luck. What sharpener works the best for the money to sharpen mainly knives, I want a quality sharpener. If I can sharpen scissors and such as well that is a plus but not a necessity. Thanks all.

[mongoosesnipe]

I use the spyderco sharp maker and have yet to find something I can't sharpen well with it a lot of people swear by the lansky and it is also nice and very precise but its pretty slow and bulky

[winelover]

The "Aligner" by DMT

Winelover

[Chicken Thief]

For starters i use a Lansky set to get the knife edge set correctly.
http://lansky.com/index.php/precision-sharpening-kits/

When there just about any ceramic pocket sharpener will keep the edge sharp in the field.
http://lansky.com/index.php/products...ket-sharpener/

[DeanWinchester]

The best knife sharpener I have ever used is "that guy" that sets up in the back corner of all the gun shows. Give him my knife and a 5'er and pick it up on my second pass through the show.
Easy, efficient, EXTREMELY keen edge.

[Sasquatch-1]

I use a piece of glass and emory cloth from 160 to 3000 grit depending how dull the blade is. Do a little searching on you tube and you should be able to find reference to the method.

[flounderman]

you can't beat the diamond imbedded sharpeners. Just a few strokes is all it takes. I use a leatherman tool with what I assume is a diamond hone and if I couldn't replace it, money wouldn't buy it. I think this is one of the originals because some of the later ones don't have this feature. any of the diamond imbedded hones will sharpen anything, fast.

[Bullshop]

Just a large dual grit wet stone.

[M-Tecs]

Not cheap but Wicked Edge http://wickededgeusa.com/ is outstanding. I have used most of the other sharpeners and most are very good. They will get you a good edge but if you goal is straight razor shaving sharp the Wicked Edge is the way to go.

[MBTcustom]

I used to make knives, and learned how to maintain consistent angles on both sides of the edge by feel using normal wet stones.
If the edge is really bad I start with a belt sander with around a 200-300 grit belt on it.
After that, I go to an orange and black, Norton two-tone India stone, but I never use the black side. I use dark cutting oil as a lube.
Next, I go to a Wa****a Arkansas stone and use baby oil as a lubricant.
Next I go to a translucent hard Arkansas stone (spoken of in hushed and reverent tones).
Finally, I finish with a soft, vegitible tanned leather strop, glued to a piece of marble, and impregnated with fine buffing compound.
This produces the finest edge on the planet, depending on the guy making the strokes.
Like C. I. Scofield, rightly dividing the truth, left from right LOL!

If I wanted a quick way to get a usable edge, and I did not have the training that I have, I would definitely go with a Lansky sharpening system, followed by a leather strop. Most folks would consider that "an amazing edge" that will shave hair.

[john hayslip]

There is an outfit called "Smith's" which I believe is in Arkansas that makes a yellow "butterfly - if you see one you'll know why I call it that" which has a 30 degree set of Tungsten pieces on one side and ceramic on the other. I've seen them here at Academy (sporting goods) wallyworld and local hardware stores. The sell for less than $6. They seem to work best for me if you hold the knife at a steep angle rather than horizontal. They will clean up a damaged edge if need be and put on a fairly good edge. If you use one get it on the edge of the table so you won't chip the table on the downstroke after you come through the sharpener. I then go to a "Warthog" which is a sharpener made in South Africa and sold here in local gunshows. The original ones are about $85 but I bought a less expensive one at the last gunshow of a new model at $45. They have diamond impregnated rods that are held under spring tension set 30 degrees to each other and all you have to do is draw the knife straight down. Both are really nice for people who don't really know how to sharpen. Fast and accurate edges. I'm always experimenting with ways to sharpen and this is what I like best now.

[joec]

It depends on what I'm sharpening. I use a Smith's two sided (course/fine) diamond stones on my hunting and pocket knives. Now my kitchen knives are rather expensive Japanese steel blades and for them I use Shapton Glass Stones in 200 grit up to 8000 grit followed by a 10K grit Japanese water stone with various strops some coated some not.

I never could get into the guide type or wire type sharpeners but then I've been sharping cutting tools for decades with no problems.

[smokeywolf]

Much like joec, I have expensive Case and Randall Made hunting/skinning knives and Japanese kitchen knives. Nothing does the job on the Japanese kitchen knives but diamond. I use a 10" DMT double sided. Followed by a Japanese water stone.
After 30+ years of free-hand sharpening drills, form tools, and even the occasional tap in the machine shop, can't see spending money on a angle guide for knife sharpening. That's not to say that I might not in the future, my hands are getting awfully shaky.

smokeywolf

[P.K.]

Just a large dual grit wet stone.

Yup, and for those "other" edges like axe's, hatchets etc. I have The Puck. Same as your run of the mill dual stone just the size of a cicular piece of hard rubber for ice borne winter sport.

[Pepe Ray]

The "best" tool is the one between your ears.
Everything is simple once you know how.
For day to day "touch up" I use the bottom of an old coffie mug.
Pepe Ray

[45fan]

Thanks for the input all. I have several ideas now and I am sure there will be more as well. With my ability I will probably go with something that will help me get the correct angle for sharpening.

[Chicken Thief]

It depends on what I'm sharpening. I use a Smith's two sided (course/fine) diamond stones on my hunting and pocket knives. Now my kitchen knives are rather expensive Japanese steel blades and for them I use Shapton Glass Stones in 200 grit up to 8000 grit followed by a 10K grit Japanese water stone with various strops some coated some not.

I never could get into the guide type or wire type sharpeners but then I've been sharping cutting tools for decades with no problems.

And smokeywolf:

A reply as usefull as a letterbox on a submarine!

Most of us live in a world where umpteen yrs of professional sharpening is but a dream.
So please give basic advise to us humans instead of your personal anal preferences?

Just go ask any butcher/chef if he sits down umpteen times a day with a gazillion grit wetstone to fine hone his knives?

[btroj]

I have never found it difficult to get a decent edge using a traditional water stone. I follow with a strop, works great.
I learned more about how to sharpen a knife froma wood carving class I took than anywhere else. Those guys are unreal when it comes to getting a tool sharp and they demand a good edge.

[smokeywolf]

Chicken Thief, your right about one thing, I am a bit "anal" about how sharp my knives and cutting tools are. That certainly does account for my stated choices on "What sharpener works the best for the money to sharpen mainly knives" which I believe is what the OP was asking for.

And, although I did get a good chuckle from the sarcasm you used to critique my reply. I didn't see anything in your post that could qualify as constructive or informational to the OP, the OP's topic or to the other participants in the thread.

Well timed and worded sarcasm does add to the entertainment value of a post (no sarcasm intended). I always welcome constructive criticism, as I see it and take it as advice. Criticism worded in such a way that its obvious intent is to damage the recipients credibility, offers nothing positive to the thread and is reminiscent of a ill-mannered child interrupting adults engaged in a conversation.

smokeywolf

[Norbrat]

I also have a Lansky sharpener set, but have not used it since I got a Nirey KE-198.

http://www.totalknifecare.com.au/why-nirey-sharpeners

A pass through this and a few swipes with a steel and it's good enough for what I need. I don't shave with my kitchen knives!

In the field, I touch up with a small diamond "steel".