Reddit mentions: The best knife sharpeners

• Ah this is actually a big topic.
  
• For a hone, you have three options. A basic grooved steel, a ceramic rod, or a diamond coated steel. The grooved (most common) and the diamond will hone your edge but will also sharpen for better and for worst your edge at the same time due to the courseness of the grooving / diamond coating. The ceramic will do the same, however because it's smooth, it's usually designed to give you a very fine grit at most in it's "sharpening" process ie removes as little metal as possible, maybe at most polish the edge a bit which favors most nicer knife owners. For a western style knife such as yours, and especially stamped blade with a low hardness, your edge usually will roll and fairly often and thus a hone is actually best for you to own and use on a somewhat daily basis. I recommend any non diamond, grooved steel although I find that diamond steels grind far too much metal at inaccurate angles (due to the very wild free hand motion of steeling) but does help give you a quick toothy edge. My personal one of use is ceramic.
  
• As for sharpening, while I don't like pull through or machine sharpeners at all and personally use stones, I don't exactly recommend them for you. The reason is I just don't see the time spend hand sharpening on stones worth the blade/blade material. That is, your knife isn't designed to hold an extremely keen edge, nor is it designed to hold an edge for an insane amount of time, thus for me, when I use a nox or a stamped blade a pull through or a machine sharpener is fine by me. As recommended the accusharp , or any of the decent chefchoice sharpeners will work very well for you. However if you want to progress and learn, then I recommend a low to medium grit combo stone. Say 600 and 1000/2000 so that if you feel like it, you can reset the bevel and then give your knife a decent working edge.
  
• Now say if you upgrade to nicer blades, then by all means stones is the way to go if not an Edge Pro system. Reason for it is that your paying for very nice metal on your blade and thus the very aggressive grinding actions of machine and pull thru sharpeners hurts your investment far more than helps it. Further more, you control the angle and the fineness of your blade. Have Super Blue core steel? Hap40? Bring that sucker down to 9-10 degrees a side with a 20k mirror polished edge. I like to see a machine do that. Plus, usually, with these 'nicer blades' your often running into Japanese knives. J knives are usually made with pretty hard metals, hrc 60+ which does not work with many steels on the market since J knives aren't designed for that to begin with. J knives are designed to have keen, hard , steep edges that are meant to be held for a long time and most likely to chip than roll so whenever it's time to touch up, it's by stones only.
  
• Anyways thats likely more than you ever wanted to know, so to answer your OP, for a steel I recommend the Tojiro Sharpening steel, if you prefer the ideal of a diamond steel giving you a toothy edge while your hone then a DMT fine will suit you. If you want your hone to just hone and not sharpen, then the Idahone fine is pretty much everyone's favorite.
  
• For sharpeners the AccuSharp is my favorite pull thru sharpener, the Spydero sharpmaker wasn't too bad and any of the common electric sharpeners will give you a working edge pesto pesto "pro" or get a basic combo stone

Okay, where to begin?

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Sharpening a knife is actually a very simple process. The overall goal is for you to maintain an angle throughout the sharpening process while sharpening from course to fine grits (Course = smaller #s and Fine = Higher #s). Often people use cheap knives and sharpeners and learn good habits (maintaining angles) before upgrading to higher tier stones. The issue you have is the you are dealing with a premium steel knife which is much harder, holds an edge longer( needs sharpen less often) and takes more time to sharpen with a majority of sharpening materials. If you are dealing with Elmax steel I would recommend that what ever sharpener you get it should have diamond and ceramic stones as these are harder than the knife material and can cut it efficiently unless you are using some belt or grinder system. Since you are a beginner I would recommend that you use a knife sharpening system as you could have more accidents sharpening the knife free hand. Believe me it sucks when you screw up a knife edge while sharpening and you have to spend way too much time fixing your mistakes so the knife can actually cut. In short I would use a test knife in any sharpener to see how it works properly and after you are more confident use the system you choose. Also some of these might be excessive especially if you only have a few knives. Some of the higher end sharpener are what professionals use in their shop (who knows if you get good enough you can make some money).

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1. The Lansky Diamond system ($67) is a great place to start as it has 70/120/280/600 grits but you also have to purchase the C clamp stand ($15 and you do need it as you will get tired holding the thing) and higher grit (1000) ceramic stone ($13) and 2000 grit stone ($12). Leather strops with compound if you want an absolute finish. The only complaint I would have about this system is that the stones are not of the highest quality and stop working as the diamonds fall off. The sharpening guides also are fixed and you have to use a angle measure (your iphone can use its compass app) or some math (trig) to find the position to get an accurate angle throughout the blade. There is a work around stone holder ($60 )That can use Edgepro stones and is longer (better strokes). So with everything but the strop and the 3rd party holder you are looking around $120. $200 with the upgraded stone holder.
   
2. The KME sharpener is very similar concept except that the angle guide is moveable but I must still stress that the angle needs to verified again. Shabazz also explains this in his review. It also has a nicer case. I think you still need to buy the base for this one as well. Like you said it runs around $300 with every thing.
   
3. at $350-575 there is the wicked edge . Hear great things and it will get the job done faster but it is expensive! You can get a Tormek at that price now.
   
4. If you do not want to spend a ton of time sharpening and don't mind belt grinding the Ken Onion Sharpener ($126) is great. Note: it will create a convex edge and if that is something you want great! Video
   
5. Going off the deeper end we have the Tormek T4 ($400-550 or $700 for the full size) which is essentially a wheel grinder made for edge knives and tools. Considered by many to be the best you can get
   
6. There is also the TSprof ($700) which is essentially a bigger top tier KME sharpener. Video
   
7. If you want a simple top tier diamond system DMT Course Set and Fine Set =$200 total. Note that although expensive. These can be used pretty much for decades provided that you take care of them (use diamond abrasive fluid). You can also use water stones but there are so many out there I do not know which brands and how much you could expect to spend with those.
   
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   Note that I only mentioned the higher end sharpening systems under the assumption that money is no objection and you wanted it to sharpen you knife efficiently but I wanted for you to see what types of systems are available are certain price ranges. If not mentioned above you might need a strop and fine compound to get a mirror edge.
   
   Okay now here are some cheaper systems that are similar to some of those above but cheaper.
   
   
8. 5 gen Sharpener (ebay) ($40). This is like the KME Sharpener but cheaper and you can get 3rd party Diamond Plates set (140/400/1000) cheap ($25)
   
9. Edge Pro clone - cheaper end copy of the Edge pro. I think you can also use the diamond plates as it is around the same size.
   
10. Lulu sharpener ($90) if you can find one... it is a copy of the Wicked Edge. Looks like it also uses the Diamond plates mentioned earlier.
    
    ALSO: get a ceramic honing rod ($20). Often times knives just need honing to get back that razor sharp edge and maintaining it with a rod will prolong your edge and mean you sharpen less.
    
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    Hopefully this has helped you somewhat and sorry it took so long to respond, it just takes time to type all of this out(2hrs! where does the time go?) and cite the products. Personally for me, knives for me a fun hobby and it tends to have a meditative effect on me when I sharpen them. I also hope that you come to enjoy sharpening your knives just as much.
    
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    And welcome to sharpening!

It's definitely enough for a nice knife, though you might want to go a bit higher for a great knife. The KaBar BK2 is actually designed with things like batoning (hammering the knife through wood as a kind of faux hatchet using another piece of wood against the blade of the knife as the hammer itself) or chopping. It's a bit over $60, currently available for $69 to be precise, but as long as you don't flat out abuse it (prying heavy things, for example) it'll serve you well and quite possibly for the rest of your natural life.

At a lower price, you can get the Condor Bushlore, which at $35 is a perfectly valid choice that will serve you well indeed.

For an even lower price yet, the Mora Heavy Companion is from one of those few cheaper knife companies that does incredible work. I wouldn't baton with it, honestly, but even if you did it'd probably hold up just fine.

At a more expensive range, the Ontario Rat-5 is an amazing bushcraft knife. The Fallkniven Pilot Survival Knife is also an amazing knife. The Benchmade Bone Collector is spectacular knife made in D2 tool steel, one of the better steels available at that price. Another amazing knife is the Spyderco Bushcraft made in O1 tool steel. Finally, the Benchmade 162 is a pretty amazing knife.

One thing you'll notice about all of these knives with the exception of the Pilot Survival knife and the BM 162 is that they're all carbon steel knives. Carbon steel is a lot tougher than stainless (with a few very, very rare exceptions I'd never trust a long knife to be stainless steel) with the trade off of being a lot more of a hassle to take care of, since it needs to be regularly cleaned and oiled.

If you want a fire starter, carry a magnesium fire starter. With the carbon steel knives, you can probably strike it against the back of the blade to create the sparks you'll want and if not (like with some of the coated ones) you'll be carrying the striker anyway.

For sharpening, you'll want to get a decent sharpening setup and start stropping. A couple of easy sharpening systems would be the superior Spyderco Sharpermaker (usually available on Amazon around the $50 mark) or the Lansky Sharpening system which while cheaper isn't as good. You could take the time to learn how to free hand it, but most casual users don't care that much because it takes a long time to get proficient at freehand sharpening. Stropping is running the blade against something like smooth leather (usually smooth leather, actually) to remove burrs along the blade of a knife made by use and sharpening and the restore a blade to a better edge without removing metal. Stropping allows for a level of sharpness unachievable by sharpening alone and extends a knife's lifetime by allowing sharpness to be achieved for longer without removing metal from the blade. To learn how to strop, watch videos on YouTube or check out guides from the sidebar of /r/knives.

Finally, if you want a whistle, just carry a whistle. If you want a mirror for signaling, carry a small signaling mirror or mirror polish the knife you buy (a process where you sand the blade with increasing grit level sandpaper until it shines like the sun and you can see yourself in the blade).

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Oh goodie, I get to banter on about my preferences first.

My thoughts on the three sets you linked to, don't get them. If you absolutely must get a set of knives, you picked a great brand, but in my opinion all sets have knives you likely won't need and weird sizes to boot. I like a larger Chef and bread knife than is offered in any of those sets.

If I were to start over from scratch on a budget these are the knives I would absolutely have to get, in order of importance.

1. Victorinox 10-Inch Chef's Knife ($27)
   
2. Victorinox 3 1/4-Inch pairing Knife ($6)
   
3. Victorinox 10 1/4-Inch bread Knife ($27)
   
4. Victorinox steel ($17)
   
   If you are a meat eater, I am not, you probably will want a fillet knife as well ($20).
   
   If I had only these knives I would be able to do 100% of the things I need to do. I use these knives nearly every day at home and in a professional setting. They have few drawbacks and many wonderful qualities. I have large hands and love the handles, so I would imagine that would be a non-issue. However getting your hands actually on a knife is a great thing to do before you buy one a.
   
   The only caution I have about Victorinox is that their santoku knife isn't all that wonderful. I use a wusthof santoku and it is ok for limited things, like intricate carving of vegetables where a pulling cut is useful, but a rarely used knife in general.
   
   I would recommend putting them on a magnetic, wall mounted knife holder. I searched for one that I thought looked cool, and the magnet works almost too well, but I love the thing. Alternatively, if you really have to take up counter space, you could go with one of the Kapoosh Universal Knife Blocks that will help you keep your knives sharp and allow your collection to grow and change over the years.
   
   For keeping those knives sharp I would recommend skipping the professional sharpener and getting one of these for $10. If you use your steel every time you use your knifes you should only need to sharpen them 2-4 times per year with heavy home use, more for thinner knives.
   
   I do not like straight wood for a number of reasons. First and foremost after a long period of usage the wood will get shitty. It will splinter, possibly separate from the tang, etc. if left in water or just after a period of washings. Once it gets in this shape all sorts of fun bacteria creep into those crevices. Plus they are more expensive. The only wood handled knives I have are some sort of composite wood with plastic and they are ok. Like the handle, if you can get your hands on some it would be a good idea.
   
   All of the aforementioned knives and accessories could be had for a total around $130-ish on Amazon. You could supplement them with a few things like a santoku, a shorter Chef's knife, or shears (Here's a santoku/shears combo that would be good).
   
   I think the above should cover all your bases, but feel free to ask if you have any further questions. Congrats on the engagement, you poor bastard.

1. An Instant Pot above everything else. Because it cooks food super fast even for fall off the bone tenderness. And is really easy to clean and operate.
   
   
2. Buy microwavable steamer bags. You want to cook potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, or just about any veggie? Cut it into chunks, shove it into a steamer bag with a sprinkle of water, seal it, and microwave it for 3-4 minutes, and you have perfectly cooked veggies. No mess to clean up, and you can't get faster than this. Even if you want to sautee or stir fry veggies, it is often a good idea to parboil or part-cook the veggies in a steamer bag, and then just get your pan ripping hot, add oil, and toss the half cooked veggies for a minute, with spices and herbs.
   
   
3. Meal prep on weekends. The biggest pain of cooking is actually in the prepping and the cleaning up after. Prepping or "mise en place" can also be done on the weekends where you can chop all your veggies and put them in airtight containers. Cooking then becomes super easy because everything is chopped up and ready to go. I chop my onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, cilantro, bell peppers, carrots other veggies like cauliflower or broccoli on Sundays. Buy a bunch of mid-sized airtight storage containers and store your mise en place in that.
   
   
4. For the weekend meal prepping, the chopping gets tedious. I've been experimenting with various labor saving devices. A mandoline works really well for large scale chopping. You can slice everything in a mandoline and then fine dice the slices into really small dice. Or keep them as slices. But this onion chopper is super useful too. It will dice an onion in seconds. I also use it to dice bell peppers and tomatoes.
   
   
5. Buy a box of peeled garlic and freeze it. When you need garlic, just take out a few cloves of the peeled frozen garlic and chop it directly. Bonus is that frozen garlic doesn't stick to the knife like fresh garlic. And frozen garlic tastes exactly like fresh garlic so there's no loss of flavor either.
   
   
6. Buy a handheld stick blender. It comes in super handy to make sauces and soups. Buy one that has a reasonably powerful motor. i have a 500W overkill one but 200W should also be fine.
   
   
7. Buy an tabletop toaster oven, not a toaster. A toaster oven is super super versatile. It takes only a few minutes to preheat to 350F or 400F if you need to use it as an oven. It also works great to reheat pizza and fried chicken. And of course, it will toast.
   
   
8. People tend to get overly fussy and pendantic over knives. I say this as someone who has close to 10 knives. Look, you can go the whole shebang and get a honing rod and whetstones and expensive knives and all that. But the truth is that you need a chef knife (240mm ideally), a smaller utility knife (180mm), a paring knife, and a good peeler. And you need to keep the knives fairly sharp at all times. And you can do this buy buying a popular recommended value for money knife like Victorinox Fibrox or any other. My favorite is a Richmond Artifex gyuto made with AEBL steel from ChefKnivesToGo. But you can buy any knife that you find comfortable in your hands. And if you're not going to geek out on knives but use it as a tool, just get a $5 knife sharpener like this one and ignore the honing steel and sharpening stone recommendations. It does the job fairly fine and takes seconds to keep the knife reasonably sharp.

I know I'm a bit late to the party, but my advice is 100% to try to hold the knife before you buy it. I'm a knife nerd and I have a blend of Japanese and German in my collection, and I chose each knife for how it felt in my hand. The knife you enjoy using will get used the most! It doesn't have to be the most expensive one. (In fact, in many cases it's not.)

Japanese steel is excellent for much of your meal prep, and especially veggies. However, it can be super brittle. Shun is in my experience one of the big culprits for chipping. Such hard steel holds an edge super well, but the trade off is fragility. (Also, as someone who sharpened knives professionally, Shun cutlery can be tough to sharpen.)

I think if you're looking for a workhorse I'd go more for the middle of the road. I personally own this knife and it's my favorite. It's a German style handle, has a sharp Japanese feel, but is made of steel just soft enough that chips aren't a huge issue. I also use the pinch grip and it's very comfy for me, but you cannot know until you get your hands on it.

In general it's better to choose your knife, and then choose your stone. You shouldn't need the stone for a while if you're honing regularly.

You'll want a couple stones or one with two grits (one on each side). This is the sharpening system all the local chefs always came to buy. It's a great choice because you have a course, a medium and a fine grit. Always end on the fine grit, and if you do end up getting a Japanese knife you'll be spending most of your time polishing on the medium and fine. Choose oil or water as your lubricant, and don't switch back and forth. I have always just used water.

Practice. Watch some youtube videos, and then practice some more. Use cheap knives to practice. Practice finding your angle over and over again and listening to the sound of the edge as you move it down the stone. It can be super zen. Have fun and happy cooking!

According to knife center the brand
>Magnum Knives are made for hard work with sleek designs and fantastic prices. Affordable performance. A well known brand with attractive designs, impressive quality and an outstanding price-performance ratio. Manufactured in Taiwan and China.

I looked at a similar discontinued knife from Magnum, it had 440 steel. I think it should work good, but I haven't had a great history with 440 steel holding a very sharp edge long. However 440 tends to hold a good edge for a while.

This is my favorite pocket sharpener It is very reliable and gets a great edge. The serration sharpener also works wonders if you have a serrated blade.

I think you got a great gift. I wouldn't trust the knife with heavy duty work, but it should work great for what you need it for. If you are looking for another knife I would recommend Kershaw, it is my favorite knife brand. They have good steel and are at a good cost.

There's a lot of different directions that you could go in, depending on what you want. The best sharpening is done on bench stones, but they have a learning curve. You can also use a jig system like the lansky and get good results. These are great because you can set an angle and keep it, but you are limited in the number of angles you can set (bench stones obviously are not).

I wouldn't recommend either of the sets you list, as they each have three pieces but all of them are basically the same grit. What is your price range?

I really think the best bang for your buck is the basic lansky system: https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Standard-Coarse-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8L6LI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1493602647&sr=8-3&keywords=lansky+system

It's pretty inexpensive for the basic set (the diamond set is worth it if you want to spend the extra money), pretty easy to use, and works well for most knives.

There are lots of videos on youtube that show good sharpening technique for bench stones. Murray Carter (master bladesmith) has a good dvd series on sharpening if you want to go down the free-hand route.

ill weigh in here too. i strongly recommend doing it yourself, if for no other reason, the sense of accomplishment. it got me into hunting even more when i was able to see the meat from field to plate, the whole way.

there are many levels you can butcher on... you can sub out as much as you want. you can get a grinder, or you can send it out to someone to do the burger. you can do your own sausage too if you have a grinder...

for me, if it is warm, ill do it that same day. if it isnt, i do it when convenient. honestly, ive tried aging it, and i cant taste one iota of difference... so i do it the easiest way i can. if i let it hang for more than a day, i make sure i pull out the tenderloins immediately.

tools you will need....
a good knife... preferably 2 so you can have someone help you. i like one with a gut hook, but its not the end of the world if you dont have one. youll want a small pocket sharpener, which you should probably have anyways... if you use a gut hook get one that can sharpen a gut hook. im a fan of this one

a gambrel. you can get by with ratchet straps, but a gambrel is way easier. i like one with a 4:1 lift ratio, but 2:1 is fine too. this is the one i have


a sawzall to cut off the head and legs are nice, but at our cabin we regularly forget to bring ours, and a regular hand saw actually works better in a lot of ways.

trash bags to store your meat in... at least 4. one for backstraps, one for front quarters, one for burger meat, one(or 2) for rear quarters.

so that will get you quartered. deer skinned, backstraps out, 4 legs(quarters) removed, and burger meat cleaned off of the rest of it.

at that point i generally get the meat into a cooler and get some ice onto it so i can quit for the day... in a day or 2 ill bring it all inside and debone it. for that, youll need a good fillet knife(i actually use a fishing fillet knife), and a big cutting board. again, i prefer 2 of both so i can have help. id rather do 2 deer with someone else, than 1 deer by myself. then all youll need is a vacuum sealer and bags.

there are a ton of different techniques out there. there is a learning curve. if you can have someone teach you that would help massively. but even if you do, watch tons of videos. especially for deboning. youll find your own technique that you like best.

youll also realize how much of the deer goes to waste. in the beginning you are going to want to try to save every tiny morsel of meat... after a couple deer youll realize what you have to let go. and that is different for everyone. some people cut the meat/fat from between the ribs... some people let that go... some people cut off the ribs and make them like beef ribs. some people turn the neck into a roast... some people cut what meat they can off of it, and put it in a roast.

some people are ok with tons of deer fat and connective tissue in their burger... some people want clean meat in it. some people cut all their hind quarter meat into steaks, some people keep everything as roasts.


edit:
this video shows the way i quarter the deer. except it takes me 10x as long, haha. follow up to the 10 minute mark. im not a fan of his deboning technique. i am, but i prefer to do it on the table, not hanging, and i prefer to clean all the outer silver skin off of it before i separate the muscle groups. and he also leaves a biiig chunk of burger meat on the lower leg bone.

Yes, I certainly do.

On the low end you have some handheld sharpeners. The Smith's model is iconic and cheap. It gives you an acceptable edge, but it's not going to be good, and once it's loaded with metal it's hard to clean. These are mostly for tackle boxes and backpacks, quick solutions. It really wouldn't do a Benchmade justice.

In the middle, you can buy a guided rod system. The Spyderco Sharpmaker is the best I've seen. Lansky makes a few like this one. These systems do a really good job on pocket knives. The Sharpmaker is a great investment if you plan on dealing with knives for any extended period of time. They can keep a knife very sharp for years. Lansky's systems are relatively inexpensive, but aren't as precise as and lack some of the features of a Sharpmaker. I think the Sharpmaker is an ideal solution.

On the high end, you're looking at sharpening stones. There are two classes, oil and water stones. Oil stones are slower, but water stones are used slightly in the course of sharpening (one might last a decade for me) and are more prone to damage. These let you do repair, produce a more customized edge, and work on a knife's geometry behind the edge, something all knives require eventually. The majority of the time you wouldn't need this level of equipment, but when they come in handy they really come in handy. I use water stones on all of my knives. For most pocket knife users it's much easier and less costly to let a professional do this sort of work and maintain the knife with a rod system. No links here; there are dozens if not hundreds of stones on the market and there's no perfect one. Starting costs are around $150.

At the super duper expensive level, you have advanced assisted sharpening systems like the Edge Pro. These things are slick, easy to use, and ridiculously effective. They should be for the cost. Stones are still more versatile and a lot of the people who use these branch out in many ways.

I don't recognize the brand, I'm sure I've used something of similar quality tough. I'm going to assume it's similar to the set made by Henckles International (the Chinese ripoff of the German Henckles... notice the slight difference in the logo and the price difference). The Chinese Henckles are decent knives. They sharpen alright, but take a lot more frequent maintenance than my German Henckles. They're the set that wife is allowed to use (she knows not to mess with my good knives without permission).

Your difficulty with sharpening might be due to the metal used in those knives. High quality knives typically have a higher carbon content plus other metals besides iron that help with various things. The higher carbon makes the blades harder, and easier to put a sharp edge on. Or possibly your boss was better at sharpening. The main thing is to keep your knife at a consistent angle. Once you get good, you can feel if it's at the right spot and adjust almost without thinking about it while sharpening.

Also, the more quality knives sometimes use a more effective edge shape. I know Global knives (and lots of other Japanese companies) use the convex edge shape, which is very strong and dulls slowly, but is very difficult to maintain. Most people recommend a tri-stone for sharpening, but I don't actually. Your coarse and med stones are only needed if you let your knife get extremely dull (and a kitchen knife should never actually get dull). Those stones also eat off a lot of metal, so with frequent use, your knife shape can change noticably. For an amateur that wants a decently sharp knife, but doesn't care enough to learn to sharpen one correctly this Sharpener is the only pull sharpener I've used that I like (I actually got one for my grandmother, since her knives were always dull).

But, if you want to learn to sharpen a knife, get a fine stone (type is more preference than anything else) and a honing rod (something with a diamond grit finish or ceramic, the steel rods are basically useless for anything but light honing, this is the one I use). I don't actually have a stone in my kitchen because I don't let my knives don't dull to the point I need anything besides the ceramic rod to re-sharpen/hone the knife. For the stone though, there's tons of youtube videos out there on how to sharpen a knife (plus some nifty kits that have bits that clip onto your blade to hold the angle constant). I found this video that explains things pretty well. Sticking the point of the rod on the cutting board like he does is a good, stable way to learn to use it.

So I’ve been looking at different options. Whetstone, yes, but it’s a skill that takes time to perfect. It is a useful skill, but don’t expect super sharp knives overnight (unless you are literally spending all night on it, haha).

Professional knife sharpening: honestly, I’d recommend this for getting an initial sharp. It’s easier to maintain an edge than creat an edge

Another sort of midway option that is not highly recommended here, but I think I’m headed that way is a knife sharpening system. And I don’t mean the draw through POS that you get from the department store. I have those and don’t think they work. I’m thinking of getting an Edge Pro clone and chosera stones. I don’t have a lot of knives and don’t plan on spending a lot of time honing my sharpening skills. And I think that’s the best option for me right now. There are others out there like Lansky that are good. I just like the variable angle on the Edge Pro and similar products.

I’m thinking something like this knowing that I’ll need to mod it to make it more sturdy as well as pick up some chosera stones for it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CGVJ4YO/

With modern metallurgy, a cheap stainless steel blade is plenty good enough for kitchen use - provided that you can give it a proper sharpen.

The incremental improvement from a basic, hardened, stainless steel blade (420 or such) to a top of the line stainless (like N690 or S30V) are, in my opinion, not going to be worth the money for general kitchen usage (unless you're a pro-chef and using them practically all the time. And even then I'm not 100% sure on that).

The fancy steels all have better edge retention - i.e. longer time between sharpening. The other features of advanced steel (stronger and/or tougher, so could be lighter etc) really are not relevant; and basic stainless steel is 'stainless enough' - the few cases where the fact steels have higher environmental resistance are not going to be common in the kitchen [0].

The problem with better edge retention - is that it's not perfect, and therefore you still need to be able to sharpen them. Reglular steeling of the blade will stretch the time between sharpening (and improve the edge in use too - well worth getting into that habit) - but not eliminate it.

Even a ceramic knife will need sharpened eventually - although that can be long enough you could just replace it (but if it chips, then you're sunk). Sharpening them is not easy either - needs diamond tools to do so. (And they're not always perfectly sharp from the manufacturer either. I've touched up a fair few 'new out the box' ones in my time).

Perhaps I'm biased; given that I do a fair bit of wood and metal work, and thus sharpening things is second nature to me; but I really think that getting a jig based sharpening set is probably a better use of time and money. Something like https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lansky-Sharpeners-Standard-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8L6LI/ only take a little practice to use; one doesn't need a lot of experience to get consistent results, and it will transform your existing knives amazingly. (I have a kit like that, and use it as a small 'travelling set' - mostly I use stones freehand, but that takes a fair bit of practice to get good results). My kitchen knives are all 'cheapest full tang from the supermarket', but visitors are often amazed how good they are - just because I keep them sharpened.

Anyway, there might well be other reasons to replace your existing knives; but given that sharpening gear is non-optional (in the long run), then that's where I'd recommend to start. Not quite what you were asking for, but I figured giving you a different way to view the situation might be a helpful insight; whatever you do.

[0] Compared to, say, a dive knife for sea used.

Paracord is good survival type thing and can be used for pretty much anything. The galaxy is the limit with this one, use your creativity and imagination and paracord can get it done.
https://www.skilledsurvival.com/paracord-uses-for-survival/

My shoulder light has a red light, white, and yellow, and I can adjust them all individually or have all of them blinking at the same time (like a cop light). It’s extremely useful for when you are dealing with people at night, no more holding a flashlight in your mouth while you write!
https://www.guardianangeldevices.com/m/law-enforcement-safety-light/

Our work has a gerber brand as well, I got a leatherman when I was 15 and still works amazing 10 years later. I carry that instead because the work multi-tool isn’t upkept very well and is super dull over the years.
I am not sure if they still make mine but it is similar to this one: https://www.swissknifeshop.com/shop/leatherman/multi-tools/leatherman-surge-multi-tool-black-4-pocket-nylon-sheath

I sharpen my SpyderCo knife (use it all the time!) and multi tool with this: Spyderco 204MF Triangle Sharpmaker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Q9C4AE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_whL1Cb8PQK0H8
It is pricey but will last a long time. Good quality in my opinion.

As far as money goes, really have to ask yourself how long you will use the item and how much use you will get out of it. Especially things like safety, I’ll buy a pair of Oakley’s over buying a lower-end brand. I personally like spending money on quality I know I’ll use a lot and having it last than to have something I’ll need to replace every few years. But there are cheaper options that work just as good.

We just have a standard toolbox, top swings open and there is a removable tray- so 2 levels of storage. Med bag is almost like a duffel bag but square. Brochures are in an organizer bag that straps onto a seat. Fee envelopes and other smaller paper items are in a small storage tub with clasps.

My personal stuff I carry a small Osprey bag that holds everything real well. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019TQPL4A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ExL1Cb2BVDB4S

I do want to note that many items were gifts, I am by no means rolling in money. I also don’t want you to feel like you need all this stuff. I really like being prepared and I go camping a lot as well so I get a lot of use from them, so for me it is worth it.

Okay so as far as drinks go, check out this recipe for [color changing mad scientist drinks] (http://www.squidoo.com/mad-science-party-drinks)! and of course [these flasks] (http://www.amazon.com/SEOH-Erlenmeyer-Flask-Set-1000ml/dp/B0018OL4A2%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAIAA4MWUJXHBYFRNQ%26tag%3Dsquid923629-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB0018OL4A2) to prepare/serve them!

[these cupcakes] (http://melissabernal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/sci.png) are also super cool, and if you don't have time to make them I'm sure your local bakery could whip em' up at a fairly inexpensive price. But, in all honesty, they don't look super difficult.

of course everyone needs [safely glasses] (http://www.amazon.com/Safety-Glasses-Intruder-Multi-Color/dp/B002KA00KS/ref=sr_1_9?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1404307076&sr=1-9&keywords=mad+scientist) for this party; and they come in a set of 12! how perfect!

for the walls, or doorways, you could put up this [party biohazard yellow tape] (http://www.amazon.com/Big-Mouth-Toys-Biohazard-Crime/dp/B003PM8ROG/ref=pd_sim_indust_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=16K74JMMCG67PABM8KMC), coupled with this [bloody table cloth] (http://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Party-Zombie-Blood-Tablecover/dp/B00C7Y23CK/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1404307186&sr=1-1-fkmr1&keywords=fake+zombie+blood+stickers) and this [centerpiece] (http://www.amazon.com/Centerpiece-Tableware-Supplies-Halloween-Birthdays/dp/B00EFGP3LG/ref=pd_sim_t_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0A5R2P4RS07P7GBKM34C) you could absolutely bring a zombie element;

ooo! for fun, you could have a scavenger hunt around the house/yard that's like CDC/zombie themed! If you're good at making up stories you could totally tie it into a mad scientist thing.

"It was the experiment gone horribly wrong".

damn, this is gonna be my next birthday theme.

If you're really into that zombie topper there's a whole line of [plates] (http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-Dessert-Paper-Plates-Count/dp/B00E59PN0E/ref=pd_sim_misc_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0YEHM1WREXVDXWYSPS6B) and [cups] (http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-Party-Paper-Cups-Count/dp/B00E5ABZ8M/ref=pd_sim_t_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1DJZ21X2W9NGCPMT8520) and [napkins] (http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-Party-Paper-Lunch-Napkins/dp/B00E5A9UDE/ref=pd_sim_t_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=18E9JR2R0B0GN70SEKG3) just like it.

ooo and here are some hand-shaped [cupcake picks] (http://www.amazon.com/12-Halloween-Monster-Cupcake-Picks/dp/B005J6RA7Q/ref=pd_sim_t_12?ie=UTF8&refRID=0DQJPRJ2SWGJDN9144KD). I'm clearly getting carried away.

Honestly, it would be super easy to tie zombies and science together. haha. Best of luck! Let me know if you wanna brain storm!

For the contest, this [knife sharpener] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CQTLJM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=187CHN9S4I1LO&coliid=I36GYDHZ9M8GCI&psc=1) would be super cool :)

You don't need a set, you only need a few decent knives: a chef's knife, a paring knife, and a serrated knife for bread. Maybe a fillet knife but unlikely.

I use this chef's knife, which is high-quality and inexpensive. The Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch also has a very strong cult following. However, you can also easily spend $100-200 for a good German or Japanese knife like Wusthof, Henckels, Global, etc.. The two most important things however are:

1. It feels good in your hand. If you're going to spend that kind of money I would definitely recommend going to a store (like Sur La Table or Williams Sonoma) and trying out a few to see what feels right. For $35 I was willing to take my chances on the Mercer and it worked out well.
   
   
2. Keep it sharp! I noticed you said it feels "dull and unbalanced". Great that you noticed those are two different but related things. Every time you use your knife, you should be honing it on a honing steel. Honing it trues the blade, meaning aligns the edge down the knife's centerline. Eventually, even honing it won't be effective, because the knife edge itself is dull. This means you should have the knife sharpened, which is typically done once every 6 months-1 year. Sharpening removes material so it shouldn't be done too often. I recommend going to a professional hand sharpening service which will typically do it for about $10-15 per knife. Some people do it themselves at home with a stone, but in my opinion this is not worth it and too easy to screw up.

If you have some really dull edges that havent been sharpened in a long time, pretty much any coarse stone will do, harbor freight has some well priced diamond stones that work well. As far as maintaining edges go, you're gonna want something finer, the bottom of a cermic mug can work well with practice.


As far as stuff you can buy goes, here's some links

worksharp field sharpener: for if you just want to buy one simple tool that can do everything

knock off Spyderco sharp maker: for maintaining undamaged edges, very easy to use, great compliment to a coarse stone for edge repair

Diamond bench stone: these are wonderful for repairing edges, but they remove a ton of metal so they're really useful for reprofiling and repairing, not so much for keeping a kinda sharp edge sharp

Sharpening can be a lot of fun, and there's a million ways to do it. Find some YouTube tutorials (virtuovice is someone I definitely recommend, sweet old Japanese deer Hunter with an enormous wealth of knowledge on water stones). Knowing what you're doing with sandpaper is way better than buying a $80 knife sharpener you don't know how to use well, or don't feel like setting up and putting together.

I expect that a lot of people are going to comment this, but you really cant go wrong with the spyderco sharpmaker. It's the device I use on all my knives, great for beginners and intermediate collectors alike. It only takes a few tries to get the technique down, and there are ways to sharpen both straight edge (obviously) and serrations.

Once you start getting more into knives, some other great systems that I've been researching are the edgepro and the wicked edge. These will run you a lot more money- hundreds for the best wicked edge- but these are the kinds of sharpeners that the pros use to get ridiculously sharp edges on their knives.

There are a ton of excellent videos on youtube detailing how to use these products to get a great edge. Check out jdavis882 if you are interested in the edgepro.

Sorry for the ranting post. Hope you find what you're looking for, and tell us what you get and how you're liking it!

• Chef's knife 1 [2] (http://www.amazon.com/Henckels-International-Classic-8-Inch-Stainless-Steel/dp/B00004RFMT/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1335026275&sr=1-3) me gusta
  
• Paring knife (victorinox is good if you get a few. If you want just one, get something with solid construction. You can find them for pretty cheap)
  
• Cutting boards (ikea is a good place for these. 2/$1)
  
• French Press (Mmmm, coffee)
  
• Spices (oregano, basil, salt, pepper, yellow curry powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder)
  
• A few nice microwave safe bowls
  
• A mixing bowl
  
• 1 nice, heavy saute pan (8" coated works well for 1 person, though you may want to get something a bit bigger if you'll be cooking for 2. Also, use plastic a wood utensils. NEVER use a fork because it's easier. You will ruin your pan if you do not heed my warning.)
  
• 1 nice, heavy pot (1 or two quarts should do. Try Goodwill or somewhere similar for this)
  
• Spatulas, wood spoons, tongs, etc.
  
  A well fit kitchen is really important. I like to go with a minimalist style and just wash as I go. It keeps the clutter down and makes cooking pretty damn easy. Good luck!

I have a $5 pairing knife that takes an edge well but looses it fast. I have a $25 stamped wusthof that takes an edge well and keeps it pretty good. I just bought my little brothers (2 of them) Misen chefs knives (a kickstarter thing) and they are pretty dang nice.

 

I can sharpen an axe to where I can shave with it by hand. Showing off is all that is good for. I have used water stones, diamond, the top of a car window, and even a plain ole rock. But once a month or so, I sharpen them with on this.

 

But every day, I hone them with one of these I bought at goodwill.

 

My advice to anyone is learn to use and sharpen the tool before geeking out on expensive stuff. Knowledge and practice will bring you a lot more satisfaction. I would rather hear a great guitarist on a crap guitar than a crap guitarist on a great guitar.

Sharpening is one of those weird topics that's really simple at the surface, and which gets really complicated as you dive in.

I'm mostly allergic to complication, so I'll give you the simple stuff that will get you 95% of the way there.

Generally speaking, the desired end result is to grind the edge of the blade to a nice V. It wants to be even and regular, and reasonably smooth. Complications involve things like compound or micro bevels, convex bevels, smoothness vrs microserration, and bevels which vary in angle across the length of the blade, and discussion about just what that angle ought to be anyway.

Start with simple. A nice even V.

This can be done well enough by hand, and it's not terribly hard to learn, but it's hard enough to learn that I don't think people should start there. A guided rod system, like a Lansky sharpener, will take the hardest part of it out of the equation, allowing you to focus on doing everything else right. Once you get good with it, all of your new knowledge and skills will transfer over if you'd like to learn how to do it by hand later.

Other systems involve angled abrasive sticks, more sophisticated guided rod arraignments, and even a little belt sander. They all work very well and all have their advantages and disadvantages.

The Lansky is simple, and cheap. You can have everything you need for under $30:

https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Standard-Coarse-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8L6LI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1504615867&sr=8-2&keywords=lansky+sharpener+coarse

https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-LM007-Pedestal-Mount/dp/B000B8FVZU/ref=pd_sim_200_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2HSWHHQRKAC55K1WVEAC

Like any sharpening system, there is a learning curve. Start with a cheap knife or two that you don't care about, and expect to come back here with a question or two. Then, once you get it, you're on your way.

Then we can talk about cutting technique, storage and maintenance, and knife selection, all of which matter more in actual use than the details of blade steel. I have a comfortable, well-designed, well-suited kitchen knife I use for everything and it's made out of garbage steel, and it's razor sharp right now. But that's another discussion...

I would highly recommend the victorinox as a first knife. It's a great knife and it's cheap. There are better knives in the world, but none I've met give you a better quality:money ratio. Learn with the victorinox - your first knife will take some abuse as you learn how to control it, and it's better to ding up a $30 knife than one that costs $100+.

Keeping your knife sharp is also a high priority. I would also recommend getting a knife sharpener like the Accusharp. You can run this over your knife a few times after each use and it will stay in top condition. This will take the guesswork out of sharpening. For a pricier knife, I wouldn't recommend actually sharpening a knife after every use since it takes off a tiny bit of metal each time, but the victorinox is cheap enough that this is not a major concern; you could sharpen it after every use for a few years before destroying the knife, which is more than enough time for you to learn knife skills.

Once you have more experience, you can buy a butcher's steel and a sharpening stone to perfect your sharpening technique which will be easier on your knife, and eventually you can splurge on a fantastic knife based on what feels comfortable to you. But starting off, the victorinox and the accusharp are a great, affordable kit that will put you leaps and bounds ahead of what most people actually have.

okay, so... as far as cheap sharpening goes, stay away from pull thru sharpeners they give a mediocre edge and take years off the steel.
a cheap-ish way is to get a stone but learning to free hand sharpen is a pain and can take years to truly get the hang of. also chosing grits and a good stone that wont crumble and scratch the shit out of your knife.

you can get a lansky for 35-40$

or you can get a spyderco sharpmaker for 50-60$

i use one of these for rough stuff, really bad edges and reprofiling. i would recommend this because if you arent going to be sharpening often and dont need a razor edge itll be fine.

a good strop can get expensive but honestly you can just pick one for 15-20$ and some buffing compound for 3-10$

you can also use one of these to get a mirror edge, closer to finishing, freehand sharpening again has a larger learning curve, practice on a crappy knife. seriously. you will fuck up at first. you should see my first knife, gross...

if you decide in the freedom of freehand sharpening, check out atomedges guide in the sidebar. pretty helpful.

The King 1000/6000 stone is all you need to get started. The 1000 is coarse enough that you can fix chips in a reasonable amount of time, and the 6000 is fine enough to get a shaving-sharp edge. You don't need a stone holder, a damp kitchen towel will do. You don't even need a nagura. Look up Murray Carter on YouTube—he's a really cool knife maker who uses 1000 and 6000 King stones on his crazy-expensive hand-forged knives. He's got a nice way of rigging up a sharpening station over your sink with a 2x4, although I just use a cutting board that happens to fit nicely in my sink. Carter's videos are more geared toward traditional Japanese knives, so I wouldn't use his exact technique, but his equipment setup is inexpensive and easy to use. Anyway, learn how to use the 1000/6000 to get a shaving-sharp edge (Carter calls it "scary sharp") and you can move on from there to more exotic gear.

All that said, I don't know if whetstones are the best choice for most people. If you really want to get into it for fun, by all means, go nuts. It's a nice relaxing ritual and you can get incredible results if you're willing to put in the time to practice. But if you're only interested in having a reasonably-sharp knife, then there are better options that can get you there with less fuss. A decent two-stage pull-through sharpener (i.e., one with two slots) will get you a knife that can slice paper and cut onions just fine. It won't shave your arm or slice ribbons of newspaper, but it's totally usable. I have a Wusthof one that cost about $30 but it seems Amazon has some higher-rated choices for the same money. They even have a single-stage sharpener that people rave about for $10.

A lot of people are going to recommend the Spyderco Sharpmaker. I don't have one yet but I will be picking one up shortly, based on all the stellar reviews it gets. Supposedly it's a very versatile and effective system, especially for beginners. Something like this would be good to start with, and can be your go-to sharpening system. Meanwhile, do some research on sharpening stones and techniques (tons on YouTube) and eventually you can learn to sharpen freehand and do reprofiling if you need to. Reprofiling just means changing the angle or grind of the edge bevels. People will often do this to tweak the peformance of their knives (thin the edge for better slicing, thicken the edge for chopping, etc). It's not something you will likely need or want to do right away. Better to get some experience in basic sharpening first. Hope this helps, good luck.

I have a basic arkansas stone that works very well at what it does... but I'm not necessarily a pro at what I do. Hand sharpening on a stone requires you to hold the knife at a very constant angle while working it through a relatively complex motion. Very difficult to get a good edge but if you practice and get the skills it's the cheapest and most versatile method of sharpening. Most people (definitely myself included) also need a decent preexisting edge to sharpen as they can 'set' the knife on that flat. Much harder if the existing edge is crap.

What I have for quick and dirty sharpening is a Lansky set. A bracket clamps to the knife and holds a rod (attached to the stone) at essentially a constant angle to the blade. It has some issues so I don't use it on the knives I really care about but it's good for really quickly bringing a beat knife back to a decently usable edge. I use my Lansky set on kitchen knives.

However, if you're willing to spend a bit more money, the Spyderco Sharpmaker is a very well reviewed product. I suppose this is my 'Everest' tip as I don't actually have one but I'll buy one eventually, when I have a particularly profitable feeling month. The idea here is that it's much easier to hold a knife vertical than at some obscure angle like 27 degrees. The put the sharpening stone on the angle then essentially do a 'chopping' motion along the stone to bring an edge in. It solves a lot of the problems of the Lansky but doesn't require as much skill as just a stone. These are rather well regarded in the knife community, though those guys still go after hand sharpening.

My honest opinion: If you can read, you can cook. Literally. Basic cooking is simply reading instructions and following them. Once your comfortable with how things taste together, timing, and what spices taste like, then you can move on to more advanced dishes.

I think a fun part of learning to cook is gearing up. Since most people here will give you a grocery list, I'll give you a list of helpful items that I use daily.

• 1 large, sharp kitchen knife and basic sharpener
  
  The knife if a bit on the pricey side, but trust me when I tell you it's worth it. You only need 1 and as long as you hand wash and dry regularly, it can last forever. Sharp knives won't cut you as often as a dull knife that sometimes slips.
  
  
• crock pot. This is good because it doesn't require any sort of culinary skills. Mostly just mix and wait.
  
  
• Liquid Measuring cup
  
  
• Dry measuring cups
  
  
• Flat spatula
  
  
• Other spatula (for stirring and wiping out sauces/batter/etc.)
  
  
• Tongs
  
  
• Very basic non-stick pots and pans I have a cheap set I bought from Costco that has lasted me 8 years and counting. Be sure to ALWAYS use wood or plastic utensils with non-stick or you risk scratching the non-stick surface and fucking it all up.
  
  
• Wooden Utensils These are nice because you can leave them in a pot of sauce and not worry about them expelling chemicals or melting.
  
  
• Also a holder for your kitchen items
  
  I assume you have basic dishware and silverware, so I've only included common cooking items.
  
  Hope this helps! I'll update if I can think of anything else you'll need.

You can't go wrong with the Spyderco Tenacious. Only $35 but it performs like a $100 knife. When I got mine I was very impressed by the quality. The handle has good ergonomics and the blade is a decent steel. It is a great slicer and workhorse!

A good entry-level sharpening kit is the Lansky TurnBox. It was my first sharpening system and it will keep your knife razor sharp. It only has medium and fine grit ceramic rods, but as long as you don't let your knife get too dull you can easily maintain it. There is a slightly more expensive turnbox that has coarse diamond rods that would be better for bringing very dull knives back to life.

The trouble with Shun knives is how thin and brittle the edge is. Honestly there are some fantastic Wusthoff and Henckels knives that will withstand accidents much better. I know this isn't a direct answer to the question but might be the best overall solution. Alternately, you could go for this grinder to completely reshape the edge, but it'll take forever and cost as much as a new knife. That CAN be a good BIFL solution, because it will help you keep ANY knife with a 15 degree edge working for life, but only if you're into the maintenance efforts as an enthusiast. If your kitchen is prone to accidents or clumsy roommates (like mine), a sturdier knife with slightly softer steel (German style) might be ideal. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018RSEMU/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687682&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000FKV96Y&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=11PWAJAJ45EKQHMM9C6P)

This is what I've used that either I've had for over a decade or else is obviously of good quality. Much of these have already been mentioned. You still have to know how to care for this stuff. Just because it can last your whole life, you can make it almost unusable if you don't know how to cook and abuse it.

1. Cast iron - keep it seasoned, never use dish soap, never put it in the dishwasher, never drop it on the floor.
   
   
2. All-Clad and Calphalon stainless pans - never burn the pan with too high heat (only low to slightly medium heat in stainless pans) and never use a metal scouring pad to clean them. Use a sponge and Barkeepers Friend if they get some tough grime on them.
   
   
3. I have some enameled cast iron that I like very much and use for braising. It's just awesome. But I'm sure that it will chip if I drop it or flake if I overheat it (400 degree max for Lodge, LeCreuset doesn't have a max temp). So I just don't drop it or overheat it.
   
   
4. You will want to invest in some good knives. They aren't cheap. You will need to learn how to maintain them and how to sharpen them, otherwise you can ruin them too. But any good knife, if properly maintained will last a lifetime. I decided that my price point, the sweet spot where I got the most performance for my money, was with the Global and Mac brands. They are excellent. You will need to buy a couple of good water sharpening stones from Chosera or King, and a good honing steel like a Henkel.

Thought I should add that Lansky also makes a turn-box style kit (the type a Sharpmaker is) for like less than $25 that you can use for a quick touch up, so with a Lansky guided system and turn-box you would still be under $100.

If you tried I'd imagine you could get both for less than a Sharpmaker (I have seen the basic Lansky guided set for under $35 USD and the Lansky turn box for about $12 or so).

I'm not endorsing the Lansky guided system (just because I have not used one, not because I think it is bad) but the Turn-box I do own and it is quite handy for pocket knives, I wouldn't recommend it for kitchen knives since it is pretty small.

For larger knives, I have used other guided systems, including ones similar to the Lansky, but the one I currently use is an Edge Pro knock-off (it was like $40 I think with 5 stock meh stones) that I have upgraded with better stones.

It is great for larger knives but was pretty tough to use for smaller pocket knives (which I prefer). So I glued a couple of Neodymium magnets underneath the deck and it's quite a bit easier to sharp-up the little guys now.

From someone casually interested in learning the craft, using cheap sharpeners on cheap knives is ok. I had this for a while with a $20 knife set and it kept them from being dangerously dull, but they weren't particularly sharp.

With good knives you don't want to run them through that, because it will change the geometry of the knife and make it harder to sharpen later. Getting them professionally sharpened is the best way to go if you don't want to learn yourself, and getting them professionally sharpened by someone that does whetstone sharpening is better still. If you want that edge to last there are a few things you can do: always use a cutting board, always clean and dry the knife off immediately and by hand (very important for high carbon, still important for stainless), and pick up a honing steel and learn how to use that. That way you can limit how much you have to spend on professional sharpening.

Yeah, the Wicked Edge is a really nice system but that $300 price tag just will not be obtainable for me anytime in the near future. I'd imagine the Sharpmaker probably takes around the same amount of time as freehand. Perks to freehanding is that you can really keep the costs low. I know there's a Wicked Edge clone made in China...I may look into that.

edit: Looked into that. You can get a Edge Pro clone for like $30 and simply use the Edge Pro stones on that. Gonna look into that some more! As long as the QC is good, I'm happy. I love my $20 Byrd FFG Cara Cara 2 made in China. That sucker takes a razor edge (and came outta the box with close to one) with no effort at all. That plus good jimping AND a finger choil for $20?!?!?! Sorry...that knife tends to get me a little carried away. I love my po' man's Endura. :)

Said clone if anyone is interested. Seems to have good reviews: http://www.amazon.com/AGPtek%C2%AE-Professional-Kitchen-Sharpener-Fix-angle/dp/B00ABVS5VY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421141893&sr=8-1&keywords=Professional+Kitchen+Knife+Sharpener+System+Fix-angle+Sharpening

Most of the manual sharpeners will make your knife sharp enough to slice paper with draw cuts fairly well. They won't make your knife razor sharp, and are usually preset to a pretty wide angle, meaning they'll never make your knife as sharp as the Japanese styled knives. That being said, they are more durable.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001CQTLJM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5c4IKhtlic

This one is very cheap, sturdy and comfortable and makes knives sharp enough for kitchen work. They'll be about 80% of factory sharpness. Just look up the proper technique of applying almost no pressure and hone your knives before doing this.

If you have a Breadknife, consider this one instead:https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000O8OTNC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It is less comfortable to use, but comes with a diamond rod that sharpens the scallops in a breadknife.

Now if you want to make it razor sharp, you'll need a bit of practice and a finer grit sharpening stone or tool.

If you have the patience, you can just use the smooth(yes smooth glazed) part of a ceramic object to refine and polish the edge. Remove the burr on a piece of cardboard then finish with a strop.

Done that, and you can make it sharper than factory, but isn't really necessary, I did it for fun XP

You can also go old school and learn to use a whetstone. a 200-800 Grit stone costs about $5. These will help completely redo an edge.

1000-3000 grit stones get you to the knife sharpener sharp. Costs around 10$

8000 grit stones get you razor sharp edges, around 10$, all available on Aliexpress, be mindful of the size, some may sell you a teeny tiny one.

Strop I find is absolutely necessary though if you want a clean, and especially a razor edge.

OP, I had the exact same concerns about sharpening my own knives. I have great hand eye coordination and can definitely be very delicate with my hands, but I know I'm still going to struggle to hold the proper angle with a flat stone line like that. Takes a lot of practice to get good and consistent at that sharpening motion.

Solution: I bought a Spyderco Triangle Sharpmaker from Amazon. What this style of product does is handle the angle work for you by design, offers a 30 degree and 40 degree edge. You simply take the triangular stones and slide them into the base so that they make a "v" shape, and then you sharpen the blade by keeping it verticle and dragging it towards yourself across the stones, alternating between sides stroke by stroke.

Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2DDpB8Pjho

I really can't recommend this product enough. Although, to anyone who is interested, I found that I got the best results when I purchased an additional set of triangle stones that are the "ultra fine" grit. All told I think I spent $70 and now I don't have to focus on maintaining the exact angle with a whetstone.

I own this set of sharpening stones: http://www.amazon.com/Smiths-TRI-6-Arkansas-TRI-HONE-Sharpening/dp/B00062BIT4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421454826&sr=8-2&keywords=Sharpening+stones

They do fine for me. It takes a little bit of time to learn to freehand sharpen your knives but it's worth it. Your edge will turn out ten times better than that of a pull through sharpener. These stones are also cheaper than most sharpening systems out there. I also prefer a good freehand polished edge better than a mirrored edge on any sharpening system. It just feels better to me. I've had some really sharp mirror edges, but I've had even sharper polished edges.

This sharpening system also comes with a 23 degree angle guide. You may want your edge thinner than that, but it's a good place to start.

I got a Wusthof set as a wedding gift 20 years ago. It's used daily and has outlasted my marriage.

That said, before you invest in knives, learn to care for them first!. Know what surfaces you should and shouldn't use them on, and learn how to sharpen, clean, and store them.

No serrated knives. Period. Serrated knives can't be sharpened and, once dulled, you might as well be using a hacksaw. The only possible exception to this might be a good bread knife.

Unlike others here, I actually think knife sets are a good BIFL choice. E.g. Something like this Wusthof set should last for many years to come.

The reason I dislike the individual-knife option is that you need a place to store them. So you have the hassle of finding a block that fits them. And you end up wanting one or two other knives, and a steel. And, oh, scissors would be nice too... so you end up with this hodgepodge mix of stuff that works, sure, but it looks a mess.

And, here's the thing - you won't be the only one using these knives. At some point you're going to have a husband/wife who uses them too. And for better or worse, a good well-rounded set of knives is what's going to work best for the two of you. And it'll look good on your kitchen counter, which may not be important to you, but it'll matter to that other person.

And don't forget to invest in a good sharpening stone. FWIW, I've tried just about every sharpening system out there and I keep coming back to a good 'place double or triple stone. My current preferred setup is this Smith Tri-Hone system. Fast, easy, and (if used properly) gives a wicked sharp edge. Seriously. I can shave with my kitchen knives.

Learning to cook for the first time in college, my standard was:

2 pots (1 big, 1 small w/ lids), 2 pans (1 big, 1 small), tupperware (super important!), a spatula, 2 tongs (1 big, 1 small), measuring cups, cutting board, can opener, peeler, oven mitts, colander, dish/kitchen towel, paper towel rolls and holder, baking pan, a chef knife, and a knife sharpener. You can upgrade your kitchen as you improve/explore your cooking venture.

Keep in mind none of this has to be top notch quality when starting out. Most of my kitchen stuff was from Dollar Tree and lasted throughout my 8 years of college and graduate school. I actually still use the same peeler now I think about it lol. Anything Dollar Tree didn't have, thrift stores, garage sales, and HomeGoods clearance like everyone else suggested!

My one suggestion to splurge on is the knife; it will be your best your friend. I LOVE this affordable one from Amazon for $31. Or you can do what I did and buy a decent $10 one from the local Asian store. Both have lasted me many years with good maintenance. Get yourself a cheap knife sharpener and never let the knife get dull to the point of no return. Again, you can get more/better tools as you improve.

Last tip: All the basics you need to learn can be taught by YouTube.

Hope this helps!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000Q9C4AE?pc_redir=1407052478&robot_redir=1

It's the spyderco 204 mf get some diamond stones on it and boom you'll never need a razor again

Here is a video with a pretty good explanation. http://youtu.be/-MHe_8wTHmg it does take you about 15 minutes but you will have a mirror edge, and You can widdle hair with it.

I've have used that chefs choice sharpener, it is pretty good but the diamonds (or steel) run out pretty fast. Of I could spend that money again I would definitely gone for the spyderco.

And if you get it don't be cheap! Give yourself that razor edge for the extra $35 http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0019JTNDQ?cache=48955fd73064588b9d00d11d1b3b957a&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1407287673&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

Don't be fooled they are sold per 1

Yeah, I was thinking more like having them ship you one box and then canceling until you were ready for more. They include nice cards with full cooking instructions, so if you really like something you can make it again on your own!

Jamie Oliver does all the Hello Fresh recipes, and I really like his stuff because he keeps things dead simple but his recipes are still very interesting. I'd watch as much of his stuff as you can (his videos helped me immensely when I was getting started)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQZtCVkypAo

Keep up the good work!!!!

PS: This thing is the shit for keeping knives sharp on the cheap https://www.amazon.com/AccuSharp-ACCU-001C-001-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00004VWKQ/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1479051314&sr=8-7&keywords=knife+sharpener

I'll second /u/super_octopus 's post! I've got the Sharpmaker and it works great for all my knives, from my Buck 505 with a 1.875" blade to my custom Bowie and Kukri both with over 6" blades. The system is pretty affordable (under $60).

Alternately I've heard really good things about the Lansky system, either the three stone or five stone sets, both of which are even more affordable (under $40).

I've also got a few diamond coated whetstones for freehand sharpening, which work great too, but you just have to be prepared to go slow at first and learn how to hold your blades at the proper angles and sharpen them evenly. DMT makes some good diamond coated whetstones.

So definitely watch a few youtube videos, read the sidebar guide /u/super_octopus pointed out to you, and if you're still unsure on technique, once you get something to sharpen your knives with, try to practice first with some old beater knife or cheap blade that you might not mind having to sharpen a little extra in case it takes you a while to get it right.

If I may, this knife sharpener is inexpensive and we love it. It's saved our knives, and it also gets recommended on /r/kitchenconfidential a lot, too.

I took the Cook's Illustrated "Best Buy" recommendations for all our knives, and can confidently recommend the Victorinox Chef's Knife as a basic, nice chef's knife.

Y'ALL this thing is $6 and was the best purchase I've EVER made. I was an idiot and didn't hone or sharpen my knives for 8 years of consistent cooking. I finally realized what a moron I was when they were so dull they hardly cut lettuce anymore, and I was resigned for paying a ton of money to get them sharpened. I was actually googling a place to take them to when that showed up as a first result. I said to myself, I know this won't work, but it's only $6 so I guess I should just try it. And I'm serious, my knives are like brand new. I realize that I sound like an infommericial, and I have no affiliation with this product, I promise, hahaha. It's honestly just that amazing. My practically-destroyed knives only took 5-6 swipes on the dull side and then 3-4 swipes on the fine side for them to be sharpened, and now every 4th or 5th time I use a knife I just swipe it through the fine side 2-3 times. I've gotten everyone I know who cooks to buy one, haha.

I've just been using this one. It works great for my work knives because I don't need a straight razor for what I do, but I'm afraid to use it with any of my higher end stuff. I probably should be the guy that has one of those, but I always put sharpening on the back burner since I'm not the best with it, at least with my more expensive stuff. That's why I'm excited about the Sharpmaker, it seems like it's waayy more appropriate for touch up stuff. I feel like I'll be a little more comfortable gliding my Umnum over those triangle rods versus grinding away at it with the Lansky stones. That's funny that you mention that because I have thought about that, I have thousands invested in knives and I can't sharpen one of them to hair shaving to save my life, it's almost embarrassing! I'll get there, though, I just have to focus more on it.

If [this] (https://www.house.com.au/baccarat-id3-3-step-knife-sharpener) is the one your talking about then I would not recommend it. Those kind of sharpener are in general very poor at sharpening your knife and wear out the blade much faster than a regular sharpening system. They function by pinching off chunks of metal and leaving a wavy stressed edge that will dull quickly and require sharpening again.

Instead for a similar price, at least here in the US its a similar price. I would recommend the


[spyderco sharpmaker] (https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tri-Angle-Sharpmaker-Sharpener-204MF/dp/B000Q9C4AE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519110224&sr=8-1&keywords=sharpmaker)

It holds the ceramic rods at pre set angles but doesnt have only a single angle to it and you can even take out the rods and use them individually or tilt the sharpener to make up for some smaller variations in the factory grind angle.
Also very importantly you can clean the ceramic rods in the sharpmaker awhile in that device you really cant.
The one draw back that the sharpmaker has is that the brown ceramic "Medium" grit rods are very fine and do not do good at sharpening a knife that is very dull (its very slow at it)

Alternatively I would also recommend this


[Lansky diamond ceramic turnbox] (https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-2D2C-Diamond-Ceramic-Four/dp/B008EKY5OA/ref=pd_sbs_200_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B008EKY5OA&pd_rd_r=VYC7T7S4Q80MZ56KR8NA&pd_rd_w=4CqcY&pd_rd_wg=wFmqi&psc=1&refRID=VYC7T7S4Q80MZ56KR8NA)

Its similar to the sharpmaker but cheaper, has shorter ceramic rods which can make it a little less ideal for longer knives like kitchen knives. But it also comes with some diamond rods that are much courser than the rods on the sharpmaker.
The sharpmaker does come with diamond or CBN rods but they cost almost as much as the whole sharpener, though a great addition if you do a lot of dull knives.

Restaurant supply store. Full tang, riveted handle (no nooks, crannies, bends, or joints for food/bacteria to get caught). like this

BladeMedic (will let you sharpen serrations!), or I like this smaller one for semi-daily use.

Buy a 10" Chef's knife, a smaller paring knife (~4" maybe?), then personally I bought a 6" serrated ceramic knife which doubles up as bread-knife and lettuce knife. Like this one but ignore all the scammy reviews. Ended up giving away my 6" non-serrated ceramic knife b/c my steel knives were always sharper. I hardly ever use this one but if you find it for a good price (maybe ~$20?) then I'd maybe say go for it. I'd also be tempted by the regular $10 steel one as well, though.

You're in for ~$20 on the chef's knife, $10 on the paring knife, $20 total on the sharpener(s) and optionally another $10-20 on the serrated ones. Most people never use any of the other knives in a block, I keep mine nice and separated, laying flat in a drawer.

Oooh! Last bit... Kitchen Shears, these I actually do specifically recommend, they're great quality and look good too. Instead of slicing a pizza with a knife, you can cut it with scissors. Same with fajita meat. A lot of times I'll use tongs + scissors and am able to process meat right in the same pan I'm cooking it.

So... $75 and you'll have a very nice setup. Maybe I'd add a Santoku or small-medium Cleaver, and then try to figure out table-knives or steak-knives, but that'd follow a similar process for me. I'd be much more willing to buy a fancy set of 4-8 steak knives though than I would a traditional / full wood block setup.

--Robert

Well, if your knives are not expensive, professional-grade stuff, you could always just invest in a new knife ¯\(ツ)/¯ You don't have to drop $100+ on a knife to get something decent. I own this one, and make a few passes with the sharpening steel every use, and it's still sharp as the day I bought it.

Otherwise, you could look into a sharpening system like the Lansky Sharpening System. It has a guide so you don't have to sharpen freehand. It's moderately pricey, and I would suggest buying one or two additional hones for it (the case has two extra spaces for them \^-\^) but if you have a couple knives you want to keep in good shape, its a good investment. I enjoy using it, it's meditative. It might take 30 minutes per knife to completely refinish the edge, or just a couple minutes to bring it back to sharpness.

I came here just to recommend the RH Forschner-Victorinox knives. Get a chef's knife, a paring knife and a bread knife. That will cover the vast majority of your knife needs.

Cook's Illustrated rated them very highly. I can attest from my own personal experience, they are inexpensive, comfortable, and easy to keep sharp. It's amazing you can buy a knife this good for so little money.

Get a Victorinox steel ($9), and also pick up an Accu-sharp knife sharpener, also highly recommended by Cook's Illustrated, and me as well: http://www.amazon.com/AccuSharp-1-001-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00004VWKQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1229911994&sr=8-4

EDIT: You may also want to add a (quality) pair of kitchen shears. Very handy thing in the kitchen.

If you start out with these 6 pieces, you will be well on your way to a very well equipped kitchen.

ken onion work sharp, i have the regular version and i highly recommend it, BUT the real beauty of the ken onion version is the adjustable angles of it.

https://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-WSKTS-KO-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00EJ9CQKA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494954442&sr=8-3&keywords=ken+onion+sharpener

goes up to 6000 grit and can put an excellent finish on any knife. The one caveat is that you need to make sure and not heat the blade up too much, i.e. short, quick passes, you can even dip the blade into cold water in between passes to be sure it is always cool and wont mess with the temper. I haven't had any real issues with that though

I personally went with Smith's Tri-Hone. I'm sure there are better ones, but at this price it can't be beat.

Don't forget to get a strop (I've had great success with this Razorsharp Strop) as well.

Yep this is the right answer. I have one of these knives and it's great. Also, make sure to get a honing steel to keep the edge nice. It's not sharpening, it's straightening the edge. This will keep your knife workable and sharp. Make sure to do this a few times right before you use the knife.

http://www.amazon.com/Henckels-9-Inch-Poly-Sharpening-Steel/dp/B00004RFMA/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1323750058&sr=1-1

BTW, I hardly use my bread knife so you can probably get away without getting one.

Mark Bittman agrees too, no need to spend a lot to get decent kitchen supplies: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/dining/09mini.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all

Also, look up Alton Brown's Good Eats episode where he talks about knife skills and how to get a good knife. The episode name is "American Slicer" and it's on youtube.

Full knife sets are a scam. You don’t need two different size chef knives and a santoku, you don’t need a serrated paring knife, or any of that crap. You’ll never use them and they’ll just sit there in your knife block, and you will have spent 50% of your money on knives you never touch. Here’s all you need, in your price range:

A henckels 8 inch chef knife - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004RFMT/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510433354&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=henckels+chef+knife+8&dpPl=1&dpID=31OX1pDMIvL&ref=plSrch. you’ll use this for 90% of the things you cut. Veggies, meat, whatever.

A tojiro bread slicer. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001TPA816/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1510433463&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=bread+knife&dpPl=1&dpID=312P9gZ10AL&ref=plSrch. this thing will eat through crusty breads, tough squashes, pineapples, etc, and you can also use it to cut paper thin tomato slices with those sharp teeth. It’s good quality and cheap, I just bought one myself and love it. I accidentally cut my dish brush and a cloth when washing and drying it the first time. That’s how sharp it is.

A victorinox paring knife. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0019WXPQY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510433648&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=victorinox+paring&psc=1 - for when you need to do fine cutting work

If you have a good reason, you might add a boning knife or something like that, but these 3 knives are all I use 99.9% of the time. The only other thing to add is a sharpener and honing steel to keep them sharp.

If you’re not a professional chef, you can get away with a cheap (decent) knife sharpener like this one - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004VWKQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1510433817&sr=8-10&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=knife+sharpener&dpPl=1&dpID=41bRTplVVXL&ref=plSrch]

You don’t need to spend a bunch of time and money on stones to sharpen your knives properly unless you’re super interested in that sort of thing. Use this sharpener once every few weeks or so and it’ll keep your knives sharp enough to get everything done.

If I were starting a new kitchen from scratch, those are exactly what I’d buy to get started. Treat them well and sharpen them occasionally (except the bread slicer, it’s hard to sharpen but cheap enough to replace every few years when it starts to dull), and they’ll last you a long time.

As long as you use it often and in front of your peers so that they get used to you having it as a tool and not as a weapon any knife is appropriate for the office as long as the rules of the company say so.

That beimg said. My favorite compact little knife that I carry everyday is the CRKT Squid.

It is a small knife that can cut boxes and letters easily and just feels good in the hand.

I also recommend uou get a sharpener to maintain your blade but as you're probably not going to use your knife that often I don't see it necessary. Hope that helps :)

My mini food processor has been surprisingly useful, for dips, spreads, and sauces. I don’t really bake, so between that and my immersion blender, I have most of my blending/whirring/processing needs met.

Life improved after I got 2-3 more cutting boards in big and small sizes. And then maybe 1 more.

A GREAT bread knife is a revelation. Cutting baguettes for a party is no longer a chore I dread.

I got this spinning utensil holder — it’s comically large but I love having my 6 pairs of tongs and all my spatulas and wooden spoons and whisks within easy reach.

My Spyderco knife sharpener is easy to use even for someone with zero experience, and I’m so darn happy every time after I use it because my knives cut so much better. [Edit: one too many words]

All-Clad is kind of the "Cadillac" of cookware, and a big set costs over $1000. In a highly-regarded test kitchen, this Tramontina set for $135 gets good reviews and sells for a fraction of the price. There are other set configurations and open stock (to buy in pieces) items of the same Tramontina line. I would add an 8- and 10-inch nonstick skillet and you would be set for a long time.



The same reviewers like these Victorinox knives as their second best choice. The first choice is the far more expensive German knives. There are different knife set configurations, even big sets in wood blocks, but my link is to the basics.


You need a knife sharpener. This one works very well and is simple to use, and is inexpensive as well.



You will need a colander set. This is the one I use. Stainless steel, lasts for years, cleans up in the dishwasher.

You will need hot pads, trivets, rubber spatulas (bowl scrapers) cookie sheets, etc. Just think through what you like to cook (or eat) and make a list of what you need for each step. Cookies? Mixing bowl, mixer or big spoon, measuring cups, measuring spoons, cookie sheet and spatula. Spaghetti? Frying pan, spatula, can opener, saucepan, big spoon for stirring pasta sauce, bigger pot to cook the pasta, colander, tongs, hot pads or mitts to protect hands while draining pasta. Just think through the steps and make a list.

I’ve had a G2 for 20 years and use it nearly daily (home cook). I like it. The handle works for me. If you like to “choke up” on the knife, that is move your hand forward so your index finger is on the blade not the handle, it might take some getting used to. I also have a Global paring knife.

I’ve sharpened it on a stone and it was pretty easy. What works way better than I thought is this. I usually loathe this style of sharpener, but this one works for me. I only use it on my Globals.

Edge retention is good, I resharpen every 4-6 months. Steel as needed.

I was given a big block of Henkel 4-stars 25 years ago and they’re still in great shape. I’ve picked up a few other 8-10” chefs knives and cleavers over the years, but the G2 is probably my favorite. Just my opinion.

Edit: I guess the “choke up” grip I was describing is a pinch grip.

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Deluxe-5-Stone-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8IEA4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335807629&sr=8-1

finish off with

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Super-Sapphire-Polishing-Hone/dp/B000B8IEB8/ref=pd_sim_sg_2

If you find yourself sharpening a lot of different knives you'll want

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Coarse-Diamond-Accessory-Silver/dp/B001KN3OTK/ref=acc_glance_sg_ai_ps_t_3

it moves the steel faster (for changing the edge the first time) and the stone holds up longer.

Long story short, it gives perfect consistency and has the super fine stones for giving that polished razors edge. It makes sharpening anything UNDER 6" a dream.

For knives LARGER than 6" I use

http://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/sanders/1-inch-x-30-inch-belt-sander-2485.html

with various ceramic belts from

http://www.trugrit.com/belts1.htm

It's also GREAT for doing convex conversions. Doing a flat grind on a concave edge takes a steady hand or a jig.

Practice on wood and scrap steel. You'll RUIN a blade in a HURRY with those coarse belts.

If the blade gets hot it will burn the steel and you will lose it's hardness. Dip it in cool water, dry with a towel, often. The tip is the most delicate part. Only grind for a second or two, then dip again.

I went through a big sharpener search a few months ago. My recommendations:

Use a hone before every use. A hone doesn't sharpen a knife. It straightens the edge side-to-side.

Use a stone every 6-12 months (depends on use) to sharpen.

I ended up with a Spyderco. It's ceramic, so no need for oil. And the angles are preset. It works great, night-and-day difference.

There's a cheaper one made by another company, but with the same idea. I forget the name but it was maybe $20 cheaper than Spyderco. Probably produces similar results.

Don't bother with the handheld gimmick sharpeners.

Don't bother with standalone whetstones unless you want to make this a serious hobby. This method is no doubt superior, but it's tough to master.

The Chefmate electric apparently works well, but it's expensive and eats a lot more steel compared to doing by hand.

Good luck.

A good electric knife sharpener is better than not knowing how to effectively use a whetstone. Furthermore, I see no reason to ever learn how to use a whetstone once you have a good electric sharpener. I understand that whetstones can get your knives sharper than an electric sharpener, but for daily kitchen use, that razor edge is going to wear very quickly; honing will only go so far. Some of the top-tier whetstones can be pretty expensive as well.

Edit: this is the sharpener I use

Chef’sChoice 15 Trizor XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener for Straight and Serrated Knives Diamond Abrasives Patented Sharpening System Made in USA, 3-Stage, Gray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018RSEMU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zdiZCb1XB37BJ

In my opinion, ceramic is crap. It is VERY sharp, and relatively cheap. But the sharpness and edge retention comes at the price of brittleness too. (Steel can get brittle too if it is taken to a very high hardness.)

You know what else is VERY sharp, and is a fair price and will last you a lifetime? Good steel knives. Opinions differ, but I really like Japanese knives. Here's a good example from Tojiro, my favorite bang-for-the-buck knife brand (the DP line specifically.) I've had mine for 10 years and it's never let me down.

Tojiro DP Gyutou - 8.2" (21cm) by Tojiro http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UAPQGS/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_PZFktb025ZKNT

If you get the Tojiro or something else, this is, in my opinion, the only knife sharpening method to consider. My Japanese wet stones have been collecting dust since this thing arrived 2 years ago.

Tri-Angle Sharpmaker by Spyderco http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Q9C4AE/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_42Fktb1S4K15V

If you want that mirror polished edge you'll want to pick up a Ultra Fine Triangle Stone to go with it.

I'd trade 20 ceramic knives for one Tojiro and a Sharpmaker.

Source: Professional chef for 15 years (so far)

drose6102 love the global knife. I have had it for about two years now with no complaints. If you're interested in buying I would recommend you get this sharpener http://www.amazon.com/MinoSharp-220-GB-Ceramic-Sharpener/dp/B00005OL3L/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417998479&sr=8-2&keywords=global+sharpener.

Zipvex143258 I ordered rare earth magnets that were 1/4in thick by 1/2in wide. So I planed the teak piece down to a 1/4in and after laying out my magnets plan I drilled through with a 1/2in bit all the way through so that the magnets fit in almost perfectly. Magnets in place I then glued up the face and clamped down a piece of veneer I had after ripping a 7/8 trim board to 3/4 on the jobsite. If you have the board you want to use making a venner with the table saw if pretty easy. After the glue set I router the edges, sanded, and applied three coats of mineral oil. A very simple look, but its very clean looking and minimal which I personally like.

I'm not /u/Zaenille, but the electric sharpeners I've seen take off a lot of steel and I don't like them. I learned to do my knives (and straight razors, eventually) by hand and I don't have any trouble doing better than factory sharpness. It takes a little practice, but I think it's worth it. The Spyderco Sharpmaker is quick and nearly foolproof, but a flat whetstone will work on practically anything.

Here are my personal essentials.

• Spyderco Delica 4: $60 VG-10 steel, comes in tons of colors
  
• Spyderco Endura 4: Larger version of Delica
  
• Morakniv Companion: $12-$20 A really awesome fixed blade, outperforms knives triple it's price.
  
• Victorinox Tinker: $20-25 classic swiss army knife, really great quality in general. Lots of tools but not too many so it's easily pocket carried.
  
• Victorinox Cadet: Smaller Swiss Army Knife, aluminum handles. Lots of colors.
  
• Kershaw Cryo, or Cryo 2: $20-40 steel frame lock, Hinderer design, good price, tons of colors. The Cryo 2 is the same as the Cryo just larger.
  
• Ontaro Rat 1 or 2: $25-30 Classically shaped folders with a very rugged build for a liner lock. The 2 is a smaller version of the 1.
  
  Also, you're going to want a sharpening system that works for you in the long run. I personally use the Spyderco Sharpmaker But there are tons of good sharpening options out there.
  
  P.S: You're going to get a lot of people hating on your Gerbers most likely, that's because they're honestly not worth it in the long run. They use very low quality steel for the price and they don't have the best quality control. I'm not saying your Gerbers are trash or anything. But they definitely won't last very long. Just about all of the knives I listed will last you a lifetime if you treat them right, and oil/sharpen them correctly.

Yes thank you. Someone else also suggested a bread knife which seems like a good idea because he often likes to make us garlic bread from scratch. I'm thinking this one would be good and match what we already have. Does that look good to you?

And I'll definitely check out some wet stones. How difficult are they to learn to use? And what is the difference between a wet stone and one of these?

And is there anything else I can buy him to maintain his knives? Like I know he oils our cast iron skillet and stuff, but other than hand washing the knives I never really see him do anything else with them.

Not that I'm an expert but I think you're going about this wrong. Find yourself a good cheap knife (I think most of us here would recommend the Victorinox Fibrox series) and then find an automatic knife sharpening device.

Personally I recommend the Accusharp draw type sharpener. It has two tungsten carbide sharpeners set at the proper angle. You just drag through the unit a couple of times and your knife is 90% as sharp as if you spent 20 minutes using a stone.

Once you have a working knife system (and some extra cash) you can go ahead a purchase a bit of a better knife and some stones you like in order to develop your sharpening skills.

Hi closetkid. Knife laws vary from district to district. To be on the safe side, you can carry a 3 inch folding knife everywhere in Arizona (minus schools and public places such as malls, a good rule of thumb, if there are kids, chances are you cannot carry any type of knife). Fixed blade should be 2.5 inches and has to be visible. Indian reservations have their own set of laws (4 inch blades seem to be the allowable length).

at the very high end of your price range, I would not recommend just a knife, but a knife + a sharpener. What good is a knife if you cannot sharpen; due to cardboard cutting, frequent sharpening is a must.


Really portable sharpener and cheap? get this: http://www.amazon.com/Smiths-PP1-Pocket-Multifunction-Sharpener/dp/B000O8OTNC/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_1

For a more advanced sharpener, get this: http://www.amazon.com/Smiths-CCD4-Field-Sharpening-System/dp/B000N35D2E/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_28

There are countless decent folders and fixed blades you can get around the $20-$30 dollar range. I'm a Spyderco fan for life, but you can get decent blades from other manufacturers. Just my 2 cents :)

A honing steel doesn't sharpen, but is more for putting an edge back on an already sharp knife - but if you're truly dull it's not going to do much. I say a video once where he made a foil version of a closeup of the blade's edge. As you use it, the thin foil on the edge gets pushed down. Rubbing it down the steel unfolds those super thin and sharp edge bits. Honing shouldn't remove metal while sharpening will.

I don't have really expensive knives, so I have a little ceramic sharpener I use for when I get dull and then my honing steel to keep them happy the rest of the time.

I know a lot of people with $500 Chef's knives will wince at this, but it works great for me when I need to sharpen.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004VWKQ/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Stainless steel tri-ply pans, well reviewed by Cook's Illustrated and many bloggers:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontina-10-Piece-18-10-Stainless-Steel-TriPly-Clad-Cookware-Set/11072505 $229

Victorinox Chef's knife. Cheap, and again very well reviewed by Cook's Illustrated and many bloggers:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000638D3220 $27

Victorinox serrated knife:
http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-47547-4-Inch-Fibrox-Handle/dp/B00093090Y/ref=pd_sim_k_7 $25

Victorinox paring knife:
http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-47508-4-Inch-Paring-Knife/dp/B0001V3UYG/ref=pd_sim_k_2 $8

Cheap and well reviewed knife sharpener:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004VWKQ/

To round that out: a cheap non-stick pan (they wear out, don't sink money into this), some silicone spatulas, Pyrex bakeware, and maybe a cast iron or mineral steel skillet.

You can see a theme with my recommendations. You can have very high quality kitchen stuff, without breaking the bank.

Best of luck :)

I know you said you don't have money for a sharpener, but a sharpening rod is pretty cheap, and will help it stay sharp for a while. He might want to pick one up in a month or two if he notices the sharpness lessening. I've used that knife for years and I wouldn't worry about it rusting or breaking or anything. It's a great knife and can take a decent beating. I'd just make sure to tell him to only use it on wood or plastic cutting boards or the blade will dull pretty quickly.

Well look at it this way - when your nice sharp Wusthof slices hundreds of times an hour on a cutting board, over time little burrs of steel will accumulate along the blade. These little burrs and frays in the steel will add to increased friction and difficulty when cutting objects. A honing steel will straighten these little imperfections, and help to reduce friction and air resistance, however it isn't necessarily sharper. One removes steel while the other merely realigns (yes it removes steel, but not to the degree a whetstone would). Hope that helped... I think I just served to confuse myself more.


The thread I sumbitted: http://www.reddit.com/r/AskCulinary/comments/1ee5t4/sharpening_steel_worth_spending_the_money_on/

Not a lot of replies but hopefully it helps some.

And for OP: I'd recommend this if you want to try sharpening yoiur own knives.
http://www.amazon.ca/TRI-6-Arkansas-TRI-HONE-Sharpening-Hardware/dp/B00062BIT4

I have a nice Chicago Cutlery Landmark Santoku knife (geez, name is longer than the knife) and a Kitchenaid Santoku (red).

If you would have asked me a year ago which one was better, I'd say the Chicago knife cuts better but both do okay. However...

Then I got the AccuSharp 001 Sharpener. This thing works so well it makes me fucking terrified of my knives, they're so sharp. Now I very, very much prefer the Chicago knife, just because the extra weight the knife has makes it feel much more under control, and the balance feels like it helps makes cuts more deliberate.

The only comparison I have is a golf driver - sometimes the superlight ones make you hit worse off the tee, because you can muscle them around easily and your swing can go all crazy. With a heavier club, it keeps you on path and is more difficult to go off-plan.

Consider that sharpener basically a throwaway. You'll probably be able to use it for a year with normal household use, flipping the stones halfway through. Toss it and buy a new one instead of trying a sharpener that will last forever.

I decided to teach myself cooking over the last year, and I can say that one good knife will be better than a block of knives. I do 99% of all my work with with 2 knives, a Santoku and a Partoku. I occasionally need a paring knife to carve pumpkins, peppers, etc..and I use a bread knife for my homemade bread, of course, but the bulk is done with the larger one.

If I didn't already have a block of generic-brand IKEA knives from before I started enjoying cooking, I'd have 4 knives, Santoku, Partoku, bread and paring. Get the sharpener I linked and a matching set of knives because they look nice and it'll help you from cutting yourself by getting used to the same balance across them.

My amateur $0.02, interested in any corrections or further insights from the pros.

honestly if you're not looking to get into all the ins and outs of sharpening then the spyderco sharpmaker is a pretty solid choice and it can get you a hair shaving edge. i'd also recommend picking up some untra fine ceramic stones, a strop, and some green compound. for more in depth info check out this thread as well as the sidebar over at /r/knives. i hope this helps you out.

I'd suggest getting either a Lansky https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Standard-Coarse-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8L6LI/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=lansky+guided+sharpener&qid=1571188328&sr=8-5

or one of the EP clones off Amazon like this one https://www.amazon.com/AGPTEKProfessional-Kitchen-Sharpener-System-Fix-angle/dp/B00ABVS5VY/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ruixin+sharpener&qid=1571188143&sr=8-3

The actual 1x6" Edge Pro stones will also fit the cheap Edge Pro Chinese clones if you ever want to upgrade them. The EP stones are like $12/piece and better than the ones that come with the kits. Plus they come on nice aluminum blanks vs. plastic so if you ever want to replace them you can get them on the cheap from Congress Tools.

I really like this product. Works well, is cheap, easy and works on any knife (including serrated).

http://www.amazon.com/AccuSharp-1-001-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00004VWKQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

My knives are pretty awesome but definitely not high end (Victorinox)-- I've had good results with the combo.

The problem with the lifesharp program is that if you send your knife in - you are left without an EDC knife for a couple of weeks at least.

So you either buy a backup blade or what I think is a better solution - a sharpening system to maintain and touch up your blade.

Spyderco Sharpmaker is an excellent choice, I personally use the diamond Lansky Turn Box and it works well for me (especially the ceramic rods, love these) along with a good quality strop with a compound.

I have a Victorinox Cutlery 9-Inch Wavy Edge Bread Knife and a Victorinox 8 Inch Fibrox Pro Chef's and absolutely love them both. My brother, who is a chef, was impressed with both. He typically uses Global knives, which start at around $150 and go much higher.

With the chef's knife, I make sure to use a sharpener like this one every other time I pull it out (just rub it together 3 or 4 times each side) to keep the edge nice and straight. It actually can cut through tomatoes with minimal effort. Almost as good as the bread knife!

I don't really ever do precise work because I'm lazy so I've not found the need for a pairing knife. But I can see it being essential.

Not off of Ali per se, but I bought this bad boy and have used it to sharpen a few kitchen knives with great success. It can accept other stones, but so far the ones that came with it have been good enough for my purposes.

my experience with sharpening shops is hit & miss. A few really know what they're doing with kitchen knives, but others treat them like cheap chisels or hedge shears and put on wavy uneven bevels. Be careful with those workshops that use slack belts or even grinders which can take off way too much metal. If you have the time & inclination, pick up one of those [guided jig sharpening systems] (http://www.amazon.com/AGPtek®-Professional-Kitchen-Sharpener-Fix-angle/dp/B00ABVS5VY/ref=pd_sim_hi_5). They're easy to use & work well with Western-style knives. For my Japanese blades I send the out to a shop that hand-sharpens them on stones.

I've been sharpening knives with a whetstone for about 30 years. It does a good job and is fun in a retro way. Definitely old-school but can take a while to learn to hold the knife at the right angle.

A few weeks ago I got an Image Professional Sharpening System based on this thread. It's a knock-off of the Edge Pro.

I love it! It's basically a set of stones, along with a jig that holds your knife at exactly the right angle. Here's a video from Edge Pro showing how it's used. This was before thanksgiving & we've used them a lot since then, and they are still very sharp & don't need sharpening.

I'd highly recommend either this system, or one of the other very similar systems in the linked thread.

In the past I've tried a variety of other sharpening systems based on rods of different material & haven't liked them at all.

I love both knives but I vote Global. I have had mine for years and use this to keep it razor sharp. It is much lighter than the shun and I like that. Although, I must admit that I do love the Ken Union Shun knives. Just don't want to pay up for them.

Which "super-fine" Lansky hone should I get to accompany the Deluxe Diamond Set that I purchased, seen here:

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Diamond-Deluxe-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8L6LS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1452449613&sr=8-3&keywords=lansky

I feel that I would like to get a sharper edge than what I can achieve with this basic set. I was considering between the Ultra fine here:

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Ultra-Sharpening-Yellow-Holder/dp/B000B8L6MC/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1452449613&sr=8-11&keywords=lansky

or the Super Sapphie polishing hone

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Super-Sapphire-Polishing-Hone/dp/B000B8IEB8/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1452449613&sr=8-5&keywords=lansky

Both of which have been recommended, however I do think the ultra fine is better for sharpening, rather than polishing, no?

Pretty much any sharpening system will do you just fine. Stones can take a bit of practice to get the hang of it so I'd go with a quick and easy pull through sharpener like this one.

I use a product similar to this for my work knives. It's even faster and easier but it removes a lot of material in a hurry. Definitely not something I would use on a good ($100+) knife.

Aim as high up this list as you're willing to spend.

For most people, 154CM, CPM-S30V, and VG-10 are about as good as you're going to go for an EDC knife in an affordable price range, and they're all quite good.

Besides that DO NOT use one of those little carbide sharpener things. They're terrible and will almost certainly destroy your edge over time. They can in theory be used without that happening, but you're putting in as much skill as it would take to learn to sharpen freehand on a whetstone.

If you want easy, get a Spyderco Sharpmaker, they're a bit pricey but worth it for the edges you can get with minimal skill.

For something more advanced, I suggest a DMT Diasharp. I use the Fine/Ultra Fine double sided one I linked, but you may want different grits (I recommend going no coarser than medium however) or their larger 8 or 10 inch plates if you don't mind spending more money.

I recommend starting with the Ken Onion Work Sharp with the Blade Grinding Attachement

It has a variable speed motor that you can turn down super slow, which makes it impossible to burn your blades. This setup can handle all but the most extreme repairs and can even do some basic knifemaking. It’s very small and fits on any countertop. You don’t need some huge workshop or anything like that.

Once your become proficient on junk knives, move onto nicer ones!

And once you’ve outgrown the Work Sharp, move into real belt grinders!

If you don't mind spending the extra 10 bucks, the Wustof Tri-stone (250-100-3000) is a great all-round kit and value for money. I recommend this over the cheaper Smith's Arkansas Tri-hone kit because the Wusthof kit uses water stones and I don't have to futz around with oil. But if you don't mind using an oil stone, nothing wrong with the Smith's.

I use a 250-1000 combo King Kotobuki waterstone for sharpening , and a 6000 King Kotobuki waterstone for honing/polishing. But this kit is a little pricey in the total.

PS: Here's a great video for technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFhMGJYhYpU

These are not the same grit as what you mentioned but do you think this will do? The reviews are all pretty good and it's cheap. Thanks!

http://www.amazon.com/Smiths-TRI-6-Arkansas-TRI-HONE-Sharpening/dp/B00062BIT4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419725416&sr=8-1&keywords=sharpening+stones#customerReviews

If you have your heart set on free hand sharpening, this Smith brand set is a good discount option: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00062BIT4/ref=s9_simh_gw_d2_g469_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=mobile-1&pf_rd_r=0HCSGV6SDHSFYN9YX93S&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2068141862&pf_rd_i=mobile

this is my favorite scene from "Vanilla Sky" which is my favorite movie. (warning its the ending scene so spoiler alert). JUMPIN' JEEPERS

this or this would be great. thanks for the contest

1. learn the differance between a hone and a sharpener
   
   A hone is a stick usualy made of out harden stainless steel or Ceramic which is used to restraighten the edge, it does not sharpen or polish, just gets the edge straight, all it does is realign the edge, it does NOTHING for sharpness. Also besare of diamond dust hones which do sharpen to some extent.
   
   
2. decide if you want to sharpen them yourself or have someone else do it for you, if you do it yourself theres a learning curve and you have to know if you have french or japanese style knifes for the angle. some good king japanese stones do the trick nicly, if you want to let a pro do it, he will probobly do it for half the price of the stones more or less.
   
   
3. you can use tools which will make it a lot easier, this tool makes it quite a easy job, theres a video on youtube showing you how to do it and keep your knives in good shape.
   
   
4. time between sharpening depends, for a guy whos on his feet in a kitchen knife in hand 14-18 hours a day... monthly, the avarage home cook, 6 to 12 months depending on how much you abuse them.

I have the KnivesPlus Strop Block. It seems to be pretty popular, and it comes loaded with stropping compound which was really nice for me as a strop noobie. I bought mine off of Amazon, but I couldn't find it there for whatever reason.

And yeah, it's hard to explain what the right amount of pressure is. Too light and you're barely touching the stone. Too much and you might not feel when your angle is off. You kinda just learn what feels right over time.

For practice, the Showtime would be fine. Though, you might want to just go get an Ozark Trail knife from Walmart. They're less than $5 and have soft as shit steel. It grinds away really fast so you get pretty good feedback. And once you can get that sharp, you can start moving up to better steels. Just be aware that the harder steels do take a while longer to sharpen. Patience and knowing when to progress onto the next stone are really important.

I saw someone mention that the DMTs are terrible to learn on because they don't have a backing. I agree to an extent. I think the DMTs are fine to learn on if you either buy or make your own stone holder. Those things are a godsend. I learned the very basics of freehand on a Smith's Tri-hone Natural Arkansas, but most of my experience has been on DMTs.

I've fucked up plenty of my knives. Like my $200 ZT0566 in M390 has uneven bevels because my pull stokes tend to be at a lower angle than my push strokes. Oh well though. Sharpening is a skill like any other. Learn from your mistakes and don't be too nervous about making them. I feel if I'm too afraid to risk dicking up my knife while sharpening, then I should be equally afraid to dick it up while using it. And at that point, why even worry about it being sharp?

To go with this, here is a good value knife sharpener. It's good for about 40 knife sharpenings, which is plenty for me for its cost. It allows me to sharpen all of my knives twice a year (which means a single set of blades is good for about 2 years), and it has cheap replacement blades too.

Would also recommend a honing steel like this to use each time you use your knives to extend time between sharpenings.

Looks like me may be using a custom knife but that style of knife is generally classified as a meat cleaver. here's one by wuhstoff who is an incredibly reliable brand

https://www.amazon.com/Wsthof-4685-19-B0000DJYX3B0000DJYX3B0000DJYX3-B0000DJYX3/dp/B0000DJYX3/ref=mp_s_a_1_26?keywords=meat+cleaver&qid=1555555291&s=gateway&sr=8-26


If you are planning to use it as he does though you are going to want to invest in an electric knife sharpener that will give you a 15° cutting edge on the blade. Meat cleavers typically come with blades around 25° which is great for getting through tough ligaments and bones but not good at all for things like cutting delicate foods such as tomatoes.

I use this knife sharpener and it is beyond fantastic
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018RSEMU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Kv-TCbFSX4HAV

I want to argue against it.

Getting a proper edge is almost impossible without a guided stone setup, and even then you can't get the best general purpose edge, because it involves 2 different angles on each side (double bevel).

Cooks Illustrated (pretty much the gold standard for the prosumer chef) recommends either a simple hand sharpener, or an electric one that can put a good tripple bevel edge on a knife.

The reality is that its 2014. We have better ways to sharpen knives than by hand with a stone. Yes, a stone does work. No, its not the best or even the ideal situation by a LONG shot.

If you really want to get a block set then try the Victorinox 7 piece set. But honestly building your own is better.

• Get a universal block like this or this. Avoid wooden blocks, they may look nice but sooner or later unseen crud is going to build up. The Polymer blocks can be taken apart and the insides cleaned out.
  
  
• Victorinox 8 in Chef's Knife best bang for your buck ~$35
  
  
• Mercer Bread 10 in Bread Knife ~$17
  
  
• Victorinox Paring Knife ~ $9. Wusthof is supposed to be better but I'm not spending $40 for a paring knife.
  
  
• Kitchen shears depends on what you are going to do. Light duty shears get a Victorinox Classic ~$14. You'll be able to do all kitchen tasks and occasionally break down a chicken. If you plan to break down chickens more than occasionally then get a Shun Kitchen Shears ~$70. If you plan to break down chickens often then get dedicated heavy duty chicken shears (can't help you with that) and a Victorinox for the light stuff.
  
  
• Get a sharpener. If you're willing to learn how to sharpen get a Spyderco Sharpmaker and a cut resistant glove, if not get a Chef's Choice 4643. The Chef's Choice is a poor 2nd choice I urge you to get a Spyderco, but DO NOT forget the cut resistant glove. Most people after they get good at sharpening become less paranoid about cutting themselves and that's when they cut themselves.
  
  
• Get a honing steel any will do but I like the Wustof 9 in it's magnetic so it'll pick up any metal dust even though I always wipe my knife on a damp towel. Honing and sharpening do two different things. You should hone often, sharpen rarely.
  
  Here is something from r/ATKgear if you want another opinion.
  
  

For an everyday home kitchen use, spending an extra $100 or $200 won't do much for you. Some brands are really nice and they can keep their edge so you don't need to sharpen it as often, but you can still do the same with a decent one. Just don't go to Walmart and think you found a good knife. You can find a decent Wustoff knife online or even better, at your local restaurant supply store.
As for whetstones, they work but for me personally it does take quite a bit of time and you can get the same affect from using something like this http://www.amazon.com/AccuSharp-1-001-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00004VWKQ.

Yeah. AMWAY's not telling them to go back to the kitchen in every restaurant they eat at and try to shill their steel. They know the kitchens already know what's up.
But someone who never paid attention to their knives? Bought a cheap set a decade ago and throws them in the dishwasher and never sharpens/hones them? Cutco would be a completely revolutionary experience for them. Which is exactly their target demo. Someone who has just enough money to afford the knives, but they've never tried any of the competition or used a decent blade.
I absolutely love my Victorinox 8" chef's knife (thanks Cooks Illustrated), but after I got it, I got a decent 15^o sharpener (also thanks CI) and took it to my old shitty set (similar to this), and now that I've learned how to take care of an edge, they're passable. Better than they were out of the box, I think, but that was a lot of years ago. I mean, it ain't Wüsthof or Shun, but I'm no professional, so I don't want to shell out that kind of cash... I mean... I DO... But I can't.
It's like someone who never used a food thermometer discovering ThermoWorks. Changes your whole outlook.

Thank you so much for all the info! So maybe something like these Zhen knives or this Tojiro knife?

Stupid question: I recall someone telling me once that high quality knives are not dishwasher safe. Is this true? If I buy these for her, we'll be hand washing them, correct?

For the wet stone: how much does the manufacturer matter? I was able to find this one and it seems well reviewed. :)

Thank you again for all the help!

Do you recommend any certain brand of mineral oil? Also, would this get the job done as far as sharpening goes? - http://amzn.com/B00062BIT4

I just feel like $20 is better for someone just starting out, vs $50+ for this - http://amzn.com/B000Q9C4AE

Then again, I don't really know much about this. Let me know what you think, thanks!

I'd recommend a victorinox 8" chef knife with fibrox handle, like this http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-8-Inch-Fibrox-Straight/dp/B008M5U1C2

From the same brand, I'd grab a bread knife, a paring knife, and maybe a 6 inch utility. That will cover 99% of anyone's knife needs.

Then grab a sharpener. This kind works well: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004VWKQ/ref=pd_aw_sims_5?pi=SS115&simLd=1

You see a lot of hate for this type of sharpener around here because it removes more material than a stone. However- for someone who doesn't want to spend a ton of time and money using special water stones and sharpening jigs, it gets the job done very well. We used them in the restaurant kitchens I worked at. Quick and easy.

You might also get a honing steel.

Keeping knives sharp can be as simple or involved a process as you want. Being a master sharpener is not a prerequisite to being a good cook.

If you're genuinely going through a lot of knives in your household, you may just want to look at a good sharpener. Personally, I love my Spyderco sharpener, it's done me well with anything I've put through it.

If you're looking to get something simply for slicing onions, I'd look into a mandolin. /r/cooking says Benriner, Swissmar Borner, or Oxo are good bets.

Well, you're doing part of it right, anyway.

http://www.amazon.com/J-A-Henckels-9-Inch-Sharpening-Steel/dp/B00004RFMA/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1381259811&sr=1-2&keywords=steel+sharpener

This will be your best friend. A few swipes across this before you use the knife — every time — will improve your game a lot.

I bought the following for my parents: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CQTLJM?keywords=knife%20sharpener&qid=1452753421&ref_=sr_1_3&sr=8-3

They have had it for like a year now and it works great. A few swipes in the coarse section and a few in the fine and the blade is super sharp.

I swear, this knife that my sous gave me is giving me carpal tunnel.

It's pretty, but so damn uncomfortable.

Hopefully you're enjoying yours.

I feel like no one around here believes me but this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EJ9CQKA/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1500342586&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=work+sharp+ken+onion&dpPl=1&dpID=41LvBs0PCZL&ref=plSrch
Will accomplish that pretty easily.

I would consider something like the Kershaw Skyline. If you are expecting heavy use then i would pick up a decent sharpning kit such as the TRI-6 System.

That skyline does not have a partial serrated edge. I to enjoy a serrated edge for cutting rope and twine... however, that blade is 14C28N stainless steel and can maintain a very sharp edge with everyday use for quite some time and negates my need for a serrated edge.

Coupled with the tri-6 system you would have an awesome edc (every day carry) knife for a very long time.

Budget total: $60-$65 - free shipping for prime members

Edit: serrated edges are a pain to sharpen without the proper tools and know how

Hope this helps

You'll laugh and I am FULLY AWARE this is not professional, but on the off chance you just meant really sharp knives this has been almost irreplaceable for me for the last few years Work Sharp WSKTS-KO Knife and Tool Sharpener Ken Onion Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EJ9CQKA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PkoyzbPZV48QA can do teeny knives all the way up to shovels! Really great buy in my opinion.

How much experience free hand do you have? Whetstones have a steep learning curve. Not only do you have to hold the blade at the right angle but they need maintained too. They're soft so every couple uses they must be flattened. Being that they're so soft, it's also really easy to dig the heel or tip of the knife into it. I'd recommend this. https://www.amazon.com/Smiths-TRI-6-Arkansas-TRI-HONE-Sharpening/dp/B00062BIT4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468460550&sr=8-1&keywords=knife+sharpening+stones Great for knives and more of a general purpose set. Less maintenance and not nearly as soft.

I have some expensive kitchen knives and I've had great success keeping them sharp with the Spyderco Tri-Angle Kit.

It's a bit costly and you have to pay attention and do it right. There are YouTube videos to assist in proper practice. Every month or so I bring out the kit and go through my knives and it works great.

I'll chime in and offer that IME, a sharpening stick is a great thing to have to maintain an edge. After each use just clean the blade and run it over the stick two of three times per side at a constant angle of about 20 degrees in a motion as if you were trying to shear a thin layer of wax off the stick.

I fully understand OP's inclination to send the knives out. Get a cheap knife from the dollar store and practice with a sharpening stone or diamond hone. Youtube has good videos on this.

Great explanation, thanks a lot!

How do you think this one compares? It has excellent reviews at 1/5 the price.

I'm searching for the same thing!! I just bought 3 Shun knives and need a honing steel to keep a nice edge. I've looked around stores and amazon and i think I'm going to buy the shun honing steel. its a little more expensive but it's the nicest I've seen by far. here are links.

The Shun:
http://www.amazon.com/Shun-DM0750-Sharpening-Steel/dp/B000139H7I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346822054&sr=8-1&keywords=shun+honing

a good one also:

http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-4473-10-Inch-Sharpening-Steel/dp/B00009WDT8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_k_6

If this is the gif you saw (in video form) that is the RAD knives field cleaver! It is a crazy good knife but it will set you back 1-3 grand, they are also very hard to get. You can get nearly any knife that sharp so i would reccomend investing in a cheaper knife like the Spyderco Tenacious and also some sharpening supplies like the Spyderco Sharpmaker although all of my Spyderco knives have came that sharp from the get go.

>Easy crock pot recipes


>Spices


First things first lets get some spices. A good base would be salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder/salt whatever also some of the onion variation and seasoning salt.

>Other flavor enhancers

Some sort of vinegar (I use apple cider)

[Liquid Aminos] (http://www.amazon.com/Bragg-Liquid-Amino-32/dp/B0006Z7NNQ) (it is like soy sauce, I add it to dishes at will and it has not failed me yet.)


A soup base(chicken, beef, whatever. You add water and you have soup. You can other things if you feel like it.)


>Other useful Items

Potatoes (last a while and nice to have around)
Onions (Used in a bunch of dishes)
Beans of whatever type(They do not expire quick and you can add them to pretty much anything for dat protein)

Music (To play while you chop things and turn cooking devices on)


A damn knife sharpener (This turned my shitty walmart knife into the ultimate cutting device)


>Notes

Do not be afraid to stock up on meats especially when they go on sale. I am assuming you have a freezer.

These recipes do not contain exact measurements. Because you are cooking not baking. Easy recipes like this are very forgiving and you can season them to your liking.

Edit. I replied to the wrong post a few times so it is not as organized as I would like, but oh well.

I'm just curious as to why you'd prefer a set over a couple of good, individual knives? Not judging, just curious.

I'm actually thinking about buying my mom knives for Christmas, as I went over her house on Saturday and cooked for her and didn't think to bring my own (and nearly cut myself on a dull knife, sigh), but I'll likely buy her a nice chef's knife and a nice paring knife, as well as a honing steel. It will likely cost me about $100-200, and I'll likely go Wusthof.

http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Gourmet-8-Inch-Cooks-Knife/dp/B0001FATMI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382997791&sr=8-2&keywords=wusthof+cook%27s+knife

and then this steel:

http://www.amazon.com/W%C3%BCsthof-4473-Wusthof-10-Inch-Sharpening/dp/B00009WDT8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382997825&sr=8-1&keywords=wusthof+honing+steel

and probably two knife guards.

Aside from the one knife I have, I don't actually use a steel. But if I had to get one with the intent of actually using it I would go with this Victorinox smooth steel.

If cost wasn't an issue I would look at ceramic hones but you have to be careful here as well because most of these have a grit to them. The MAC ceramic rod, for example, has a smooth side and a grooved side.

The Messemeister: "Ceramic is very hard and it has a slight abrasive characteristic so it can actually sharpen as it aligns the edge".

Idahone rod is "considered a fine rod and has a 1200 grit".

The Idahone might be the best option because, as u/UncannyGodot points out, most knives that people use a hone on probably aren't sharpened to a very high grit anyways.

Global 7 inch Santoku Knife, they have an 8 inch but this one does a good job. This sharpener is also great.

Btw, learn to take care your knife so it cuts like it's brand new every time with a sharpening steel. Something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004RFMA?pc_redir=1404625086&robot_redir=1 you can get any brand for this. I try to use it on my knife once a week. There's a good clip on YouTube from Gordon Ramsay on how to use it.

A couple whetstones is just about the simplest that you can do, one coarse and one fine. I like using traditional whetstones, and I get great results, but when I am lazy, I use a guided sharpening system of some kind. Pull through sharpeners destroy your blade, making nicks into bigger nicks. Don't use those. I use a spyderco sharpmaker or a lansky system when I am lazy, and for people who don't want to spend hours and hours getting good at freehanding with whetstones, these are probably the best options. Links are below.

If you have more questions, or are truly interested or into knives, come check out /r/knifeclub

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Deluxe-5-Stone-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8IEA4

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tri-Angle-Sharpmaker-Sharpener-204MF/dp/B000Q9C4AE

FWIW: I bought one of these and I love it. You could establish a new edge on the most coarse stone, and refine it with the other two. As an alternative to finer stones, use automotive-grade sandpapers to get it up to 2500-3000 grit. For putting the final edge on it, I have a strop made from an old leather belt that I cover with a small amount of Mother's Mag. Honestly, though, you could stop at the fine stone on that tri-hone and be all set.

Hope this helps!

I use this on the knives at work, my own kitchen knives, and my pocketknives. So far its been pretty great and easy to learn on. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00062BIT4/ref=aw_ls__1?colid=1PPOV7FEN2MX7&coliid=IZTEXOO6CTVND

I use this sharpener. I've had it for over a year and it works great. It's only $6 and has really great reviews on Amazon. Plus it's small, so I just store it in a drawer with my knives.

I understand that the serrations help in your situation, but it may be worth it in the long run to get a plain edge and a decent sharpener for under $30. It takes a few minutes to put a working edge back on a blade, then you don't have to fuss over the serrations. IF you really want to keep the serration, I have had decent luck with THIS. I use the pointy end and carefully get an edge back on there. You could also try THIS but I have never tried this one.

Can't agree with you more. People buy really expensive knives thinking that they will stay sharp forever. Then after a couple months, the knife is as dull as every other knife in the drawer. The key is learning how to sharpen your own knives.

Get one of these to start

http://www.amazon.com/Kotobuki-King-1000-K-80-Combo/dp/B00200L90I/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1368758882&sr=1-2&keywords=king+sharpening+stone

Maybe a 3000k/6000k stone and a leather strop with green compound stone if you want scary sharp knives.

Then go to thrift stores until you find a knife with decent steel. Basically, anything that is not made in china, taiwan, or mexico will be OK. USA, Germany, or Japan are generally make excellent quality steel. The knives you buy will be as dull as your intro to physics professor. GOOD, watch some youtube (Virtuovice's early videos are good) and learn how to sharpen a knife using a water-stone. You know your good at sharpening once you can shave with your kitchen knives.

Years from now, the thrift store knives will be ready for the trash can. You'll be able to afford real BIFL knives and know how to care for them.

This is my favorite knife. I took a knife skills class years ago, and this is what the instructor recommended. I've been really happy with it. Pick up a handheld sharpener (I like this one) to sharpen it every couple weeks!

Nah, the Lansky Sharpening System is the best way for beginners to guarantee a nice edge.

It's like $25 on Amazon.

My first stone was a Kai 240/1000, which I got because it was cheap. It got me started on sharpening technique, and I restored a few mangled knife blades out of it. It does a great job, despite its smaller size

My current stone is a King 1000/6000, priced at only $40. I've spent a lot of time practicing proper technique with the King stone, and can get my Henckels Santoku sharp enough to shave (which I think is impressive for a $40 knife). My Shun Chef is sharp enough to do surgery. Shun uses VG-10, a much harder steel (HRC around 60) which requires a very consistent technique to polish properly.

If you want to move up in quality after that, you're looking at $100+ per stone.

I'd say a Japanese waterstone would be the way to go. They're not that hard to use. This Kai 240/1000 would even match most of his knives! A 1000/6000 would also be a good option paired with a fine diamond stone.

I understand that none of these would work particularly well for that half serrated blade. But a little Lansky blade medic could touch it up nicely.

A knife is only as good as its edge, without sharpening supplies, you are powerless to keep even the finest knife in working order. I recommend you buy this Victorinox, and use the leftover money for this double sided sharpening/honing stone.

here's a pretty good tutorial for using your new stone, and a little more info about sharpening. Disregard butcher's steel, acquire mirror polish.

This will be a good start, use the coarse side to take out major blemishes, hone with the fine side after each use (like when you're through cutting, not after every slice)

Here's a great knife sharpener: AccuSharp 001 Knife Sharpener.

I tripped upon it in some article about the highest rated items sold at Amazon. I bought it and it is awesome. Here's a link.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004VWKQ

First off, everyone should read this before spending a good bit on a knife:

Honestly, at that price you should consider the aesthetics you liket, because diminishing return to quality sets in pretty quick at around $70 then again around $120-$130.

This is a really solid value Knife, though I'm kinda meh on the handle:

If you pair it regularly with this guy: if will outperform a way more expensive knife with poor upkeep.

Snag these:
http://www.amazon.com/J-Henckels-International-Forged-3-Piece/dp/B00375MLSE/ref=sr_1_103?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1299527235&sr=1-103
And this:
http://www.amazon.com/Henckels-9-Inch-Poly-Sharpening-Steel/dp/B00004RFMA/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1299527277&sr=1-1
And these:
http://www.amazon.com/Messermeister-4-Piece-Edge-Guard-Set-Black/dp/B002KKC312/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1299527361&sr=1-2
And you'll be good to go for life as long as you take good care of the knives!

Knives are great. Sharp knives are better. It's not camping gear that you take with you, but it's gear that's essential for a camper (unless you want to be buying new knives all the time).

I know you said <$5, I promise if you gift a GC I'll put it toward this.

i don't use honing steels so I might not be the best to suggest...maybe a Messermeister Ceramic Rod. the fibrox have fairly soft steel so what you have might be okay already.

For stones, a King 1k/6k water stone is probably the first one that most people will pick up. It's good for value and fairly easy on the pocket.

As for videos, I learned a lot of mine from ryky tran/burrfection (two channels same guy) on youtube. There are plenty of good/intensive playlists on sharpening but I find myself relating more to him. He blunts his knife on a brick and sharpens on the spot while explaining what he's doing. He's quite easy to understand and more targetted at non professionals/home cooks.

I also watch Richard Blaine, but he's much more technical (he just released a video on honing). They are fairly lengthy which is why i don't watch very often and he makes awkward dad jokes.

Get one of these. They are very effective, easy to use, and will save you lots of money.

I use a Sharpmaker and other than new users dulling the point of their blades I find it to be an easy and effective sharpening method.

You noted above that this isn't a bad setup. Is it good enough for the average EDC knife user such as myself?

What system would you recommend over this one? A pair of bench hones? I have zero experience bench honing a knife, but I would be interested if they can be found reasonably priced.

I would spend a little more on the knives. cheap knives, imo, are a waste.

Going with something like Forschner would be good, inexpensive, and last.

Chef's

Bread

Paring

Optional - mid size Utility Knife

That's $60 - 80 for all the knives you'll need to last you a long, long time. I would add a honing "steel" for sure, and perhaps a whetshone later on to keep them in excellent shape.

I just bought myself this knife and it literally makes me happy every time I use it. I'm no chef, and this is definitely overkill, but I treat it really nicely so I know it will last years.

If you are interested in a larger sharpener that has honestly put razor edges (after just a touch of honing post-sharpening) on every blade I have around the house, the SpyderCo sharpening system is, as the kids say, "the tits". I take it camping with me. A little extra weight but I can take a ding out of a blade reasonably quickly with the coarse stones.

Some people have some reservations about using it as a general purpose sharpener, but I have had great experiences across the board with it.

I have this exact knife and I'm very, very happy with it. I also got the AccuSharp sharpener, which I use about once a month to keep the knife at its best.

I've been sharpening all my knives for years. It's pretty easy, especially if they're still a little sharp. If you want to do it yourself, I'd recommend a Lansky kit. A basic one costs about $25 on amazon. Watch a few youtube videos to learn the technique, it's not too difficult.

I personally don't feel the need to spend $300 on a single knife. I'd go with Wusthof and also get him something for sharpening. I'd recommend getting him the 3 only knives that every cook needs:

• The Chef's Knife (I was going to include the paring knife separately but I found this set instead)
  
  
• The Serrated knife
  
  In terms of sharpening, a lot of people recommend stones but I don't really have the time or much patience to do something like that. Instead, you could get him a professional electric knife sharpener:
  
  
• Test Kitchen Review here
  
  
• Amazon link
  
  Total is $339.85

I have the puck, works great on axes and knives alike. I knew multiple fishing guides who even used it on their filet knives daily for years.

This also works great for my knives:
http://www.amazon.com/Kotobuki-King-1000-K-80-Combo/dp/B00200L90I/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

I bought the exact same knife about 6 months ago, and use it almost every day. I use this Messermeister sharpener about once a week and the knife is as sharp as the first day I used it. Great knife, great sharpener.

When I bought the set that contained this stainless Global GS-5, it came with this minosharp ceramic sharpener.

After sharpening it a few times and unintentionally rubbing the blade against the plastic guides on the sharpener, it looks like this. The scratches are not very deep and are not visible from every angle.

What is the best way to remove superficial scratches like this while keeping most of the vertical finish pattern?

A Arkansas medium is a great stone to carry into a field. In order to practice getting the edge just right a tri stone is great.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00062BIT4/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

Thanks! I think I will try the wood burning. I'll try it out on a scrap piece first just to check.

I haven't bought a leather strop but I cut up and glued a piece of my old jeans onto a 8" block of wood and bought this:
(https://www.amazon.com/Woodstock-D2902-1-Pound-Buffing-Compound/dp/B0000DD35C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468086393&sr=8-1&keywords=green+sharpening+compound)

So far it seems to be working well. My knife still can pass the paper test. I have had a few nicks in the knife after dropping it once but I used a Accusharp Knife and Tool Sharpener we had at home:

(https://www.amazon.com/AccuSharp-1-001-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00004VWKQ)

It made it nice and sharp again without the nicks but I don't know if it's good to use for the knife. I'd like to learn how to use a wetstone eventually to sharpen my knife but will probably practice on my Leatherman's knife before I try it on the Mora just so I don't mess it up.

I bought this small sharpener off Amazon and it’s really easy to use and only $6. I feel like it would make your life a lot easier.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CQTLJM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xWOTAbDMSNGB4

You'd think they would give you a bit of a warning, but I understand why they wouldn't.

If you think you're going to be serious about collecting and sharpening knives. Drop some cash on something like: Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker & a set of ultra-fine stones to go with it.

It'll set you back about $75 all together, but it's a one time purchase that will last you your life.

There are other awesome sharpening systems out there, but that one is the most bang for your buck. If you want to spend stupid money on a sharpener; I hear wicked edge makes an awesome product

O! I just switched to an "edge pro" from a lansky. It's a knockoff but it works extremely well (the real one was out of my price range). You just have to do a few little tweaks and it's a really good option. Link if you want to check it out: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ABVS5VY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Try this then. If you think about how long you'll own your stones, the price is a few cents a year or less if you properly maintain it.
http://www.amazon.com/Kotobuki-King-1000-K-80-Combo/dp/B00200L90I/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1421365781&sr=8-10&keywords=whetstone

This one doesn't come with a case/stand. I'd recommend getting one to increase the lifespan and ease of use. If you're completely new to whetstones, look at getting sharpening guides to help you get a feel for the proper 15 degree angle.

Fortune Prod 001 AccuSharp Knife and Tool Sharpener $7.50

I have this one. It seems to work fine -- it is crazy cheap -- but I don't have major sharpening needs.

A friend who used to work in a kitchen was once over cooking and sharpened a bunch of my knives with ceramic -- the bottom of a tea cup. Just a tip, if anyone wants to show off sometime. :)

I have a couple of stones myself, but after seeing this thing in action I've been tempted. Not sure if goes through the metal too fast, but after seeing it in action looks extremely easy and good:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EJ9CQKA

I always recommend the Spyderco Sharpmaker, especially for someone just starting out learning to sharpen.

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tri-Angle-Sharpmaker-Sharpener-204MF/dp/B000Q9C4AE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409929371&sr=8-1&keywords=spyderco+sharpmaker

Instructional video by the creator: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB0r6GvESGg

It's good for folders, fixed blades, kitchen knives, scissors, serrated, plain edge. Pretty much anything with a blade can be sharpened with this thing.

You can get really good knives without paying that price. I would recommend Victorinox chef's knives, and this knife sharpener, even though you won't need it often with good knives.

I think an 800 grit is a little too fine if you want to do any re-edgeing of blades, especially if you're trying to remove enough material to hide a nick in the edge. This Kai waterstone off Amazon is always my recommendation to friends as a first stone. The 240 grit is just coarse enough to do some re-edging work, and the 1000 is enough for some pretty fine edge.

i'm probably going to get run out of town with pitchforks, if they catch me then it's into the gibbet - but one of these cheap pull-through knife sharpeners has served me fine for years. they are 100% the easiest way to do it but some considerations:

1. it works by stripping off metal from the blade, which will reduce the life of your blade. i've been using it on the same victorinox 8" blade as you, though. i sharpen it a couple times a month, i cook nearly every meal, and it's been fine for two years - i haven't really noticed any degradation
   
2. it's never going to be as sharp as doing it the 'right way' but it will make it sharp enough, and it'll be far better than a dull blade - we're trying to prevent knife accidents here
   
3. don't do this on a nice knife, if you are the kind of person who wants to fetishize having a $300 japanese knife that you are going to keep for the rest of your life, then yeah i would recommend learning correct technique
   
   stay tuned for my next posts on how it's okay to use a little soap on your cast iron, how de-seeding your peppers is not worth the effort, and other contrarian takes for the adequate home chef

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004VWKQ/ref=asc_df_B00004VWKQ4841990/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B00004VWKQ&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167125219398&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5126932207594122592&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008341&hvtargid=pla-77880055286

This little beauty is absolutely amazing!

In lieu of a set of stones, which can be time consuming and require a lot of practice, I recommend this sharpener set. Very easy, extremely durable and forgiving of mistakes, whereas with a soft stone it's extremely easy to scoop out a chunk of stone with the wrong angle. It's also much less destructive to the blade material itself compared to the metal cleaving bevel sharpeners. It requires no oil or water, all you really need to go with it is a strop and you can go from dull to absolute razor's edge in about 3 minutes. Bonus, it's easily configured for multiple work types, so you can sharpen a shitload of edge styles. I use it for my chisels, utility knives, scissors, and all my knives, and for shits and giggles I even tried my 30" machete blade (a bit unwieldy on such a long draw), it handled them all like a champ.

I use silicone oil on my carbon steel blades, but I suspect that is because I am weird. The mineral oil you linked will work fine. Vegetable oil will technically work, but don't use it. Over time it goes all rancid and funky.

I find that carrying a sharpener is almost always overkill. If you simply must carry a sharpener with you, avoid fixed V angle "zip" sharpeners like these, these, these, or anything like them.

I am partial to the Work Sharp Field Sharpener. It's probably your best bet if you simply must carry a sharpener with you. It is versatile, works quickly, and is capable of making a knife extremely sharp even in the hands of a newbie. I don't carry mine on my person, but I do keep one in my laptop bag since knuckleheads keep bringing me their blunt-ass knives to fix. Once you get good at maintaining an angle you can just carry a flat diamond stone like the various DMT Diafold models, which will take up less room and be considerably lighter.

I am also a strong proponent of the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker (accept no imitations that do not have that anachronistic hyphen in the name) which, if used contrary to the instructions at the 15 degree angle, can make just about anything made out of metal stupidly sharp. Do not carry it with you unless you are a lunatic; leave it at home on your workbench. It has mounting holes in the base for this purpose, in fact. However, its stones are very fine and it will take a month of Sundays to repair a chipped edge or re-bevel an edge to one of its two sharpening angles. I use mine for touch ups on high quality knives that I actually care about; Everything else gets a quick lashing on diamond stones on the Work Sharp.

For re-beveling and extreme repair of damaged edges I prefer this knockoff of the Edge Pro, which is very much Made In China but does the same job at, like, a tenth of the cost. The stones that come with the Chinese model are a little crude and uneven but functional, and the device itself is compatible with the higher quality Edge Pro stones including the diamond ones. It does not work on very small knives, though. I use it exclusively to re-bevel edges to one of the fixed angles of my other sharpeners or grind out chips and notches on the more fucked up examples of knives people bring me to fix.

Thanks! Will this one work about the same or is there something inherently better about the Brod Taylor models? Finally, does the pull through sharpener eliminate the need for one of these if get the pull through with fine and course slots?

I don't have a knife set, just random knives. Is a honing steel important enough to buy separately? I've got a bamboo cutting board and do a fair amount of vegetable cutting.

Is this what you have? http://www.amazon.com/AccuSharp-1-001-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00004VWKQ Is it pretty easy to use?