(Part 2) 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

500$ is an astronomical budget for beginner water stones, so let me just make sure that's out in the open.

Yes, 8k is on the high end of what you want to finish most kitchen knives on. Something along the lines of a Wusthof will retain a coarser edge more readily. Harder steels will generally retain a higher grit edge for longer. This is a gross over-simplification, but is sufficient for this conversation.

Since you want to go with splash and go and, from what I gather, this is intended to be a somewhat special gift for a special person... I'm going to forgo the budget options in the splash and go category, since I'm personally not a fan of them and wouldn't want them for myself.

All of that out of the way, you're going to want at bare minimum one medium grit stone (about 1k to 2k grit). If you have somewhat harder knives or if your skill is sufficient, you can make good use of a finishing stone for certain tasks (about 3k-8k is recommended for kitchen tasks, although you can go higher). You can make do without a flattening stone or plate for a little while, so you can view this piece as optional, but recommended since it will improve your mileage with your stones by keeping them flat and your angles consistent. Lastly, you might want a stone holder. These are generally adjustable rubber contraptions designed to keep the stone in one place while you're sharpening and help raise it off whatever surface you're sharpening on for comfort.

For a medium grit splash and go stone, the Naniwa Professional 1k would be my primary choice as a forever stone. You'd be hard-pressed to find any detractors for this stone among regulars on this sub or elsewhere. It's a great stone.

There are a few other options that I'd also recommend, but personally don't favor as highly as the Naniwa for the price. Those are the Shapton Pro 1k the Maido 2k and the Gesshin 1200 Splash and Go. Each of these stones will be splash and go, but will cut it slightly varying speeds, dish somewhat differently and feel a little bit different while using. Each of these are solid choices, but I have a preference to the Naniwa Pro.

For a finishing stone that is splash and go, I'd probably recommend the Gesshin 5k Splash and Go as my primary choice. The Naniwa Professional 5k is, like the rest of the line, an amazing stone in my opinion. The price is double that of the Gesshin, though, and I don't think it's worth dropping the money on as a first finishing stone regardless of budget; it's simply hard to justify that difference in price unless you're really discerning in what you want. I guess the Shapton Pro 5k deserves an honorable mention because it has a lot of fans. It's a little too glassy feeling for me and lacking in feedback so I wouldn't recommend it to a beginner sharpener.

For a flattening plate, I'd recommend either a DMT 325 diamond plate or an Atoma 140/400 grit diamond plate. The Atoma plates are constructed a little better in my opinion, but any of those plates will work for you as long as you keep its primary function to flattening your stones. The 140 Atoma will be the quickest at its job, but will leave somewhat deep scratches in your finishing stone so you'll want to smooth it out with your medium grit stone after lapping.

For a stone holder, you can honestly just stack some towels up or make your own out of some stuff around the house, but I like using a dedicated stone holder like this one.

That's about it. Keep in mind I kept my recommendations on the high end given the occasion seems to be special and your budget was fairly high to begin with. If you'd like some more budget recommendations just let me know.

I know you said you wanted a Japanese handle but I think you should consider a Misono Molybdenum. It was my first knife and I’m honestly still happy with it.
Its inexpensive, tough, takes a pretty good edge, and has good fit and finish. It won’t take as keen of an edge as the knives you mentioned.. but its easy to sharpen which is great if you’re learning how to.

I own a Ginga too and its pretty amazing but I wouldn’t want it as my sole knife. It’s a really thin blade so its a bit more fragile than the Misono. I personally would rather have a tougher knife if I only had one.

I also really like the Hi-soft cutting board. It’s easy on knives, has some weight and theres very little maintenance. Just don’t put it in the dishwasher.

Misono Molybdenum 240mm ~ $112.50

(Korin is having a 15% off sale on knives right now)
http://korin.com/HMI-MOGY-240?sc=27&category=280076

Hi-Soft Cutting Board ~ $48.00

(From Korin. Combine the shipping with the Misono)
http://korin.com/HiSoft-Cutting-Board_3?sc=28&category=286082

Bester 1200 ~ $55

(Leaves a good edge alone)

OR

Shapton Pro 1000 ~ $35

(I like the Bester better but this is a really good deal on Amazon Prime)
https://www.amazon.com/Kuromaku-Ceramic-Whetstone-Medium-Grit/dp/B001TPFT0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500081962&sr=8-1&keywords=shapton+pro+1000

Suehiro Rika 5000 ~ $50

(Optional.. nice to have tho)

Atoma 400 ~$60

(For stone flattening. You can buy a cheaper plate if you want)
https://www.amazon.com/Generic-Diamond-Sharpener-Medium-400/dp/B0031KNR2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500081982&sr=8-1&keywords=atoma+400
I know the link says generic.. but this is an Atoma 400. Just make sure you buy the one that is Amazon Prime

I wouldn’t spend all $500 at once. You can always buy a nicer knife later.. and having two knives is convenient anyway.

I recommend the Victorinox Fibrox, it performs well, it's comfortable and it's very durable. If you find the Fibrox handle too ugly, they offer the same blade but with a rosewood handle.

Care wise, touch up the edge with a hone to ensure it performs the best it can before you begin preparing food. Eventually however the edge will wear down, at which point you will need to sharpen it. For this I recommend the Shapton Kuromaku 1000, for guidence on how to use a whetstone check this playlist out.

The whetstone itself will also need to be maintained, as you use it you will wear it down unevenly and it will need to be flattened. Most people use a diamond plate but there is a more cost effective option that I use which is lapping the stone using SiC powder on glass, which is done like this (be aware however, that this method is MUCH louder and a bit messier than lapping with a diamond plate).

If all of this sounds like too much and you want a more simple care solution then you can get by very well by just using a ceramic sharpening rod. It combines the ability to touch up the edge quickly before use with the ability of a whetstone to remove material from the blade.

I got by with just a ceramic rod for a long time, but eventually bought whetstones when I wanted more control/better long term maintenance.

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.

Don't buy a knife set. You don't need those knives. All you need is the following;

One chef's knife: Victorinox Fibrox 8-Inch Chef's Knife 40520, 47520, 45520, 5.2063.20 https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000638D32/

One pairing knife: Victorinox Cutlery 3.25-Inch Paring Knife, Small Black Polypropylene Handle https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0019WXPQY/

The basics of a chefs knife and pairing knife is $50. Those are good knives. I have two of the chef's knives and three of the pairing knives. The chefs knives hold their edge very well and are sharpened to 15 degrees.

These two knives are all a basic home cook needs. The rest of the kit is filler to get the piece count up. You won't use the carving fork. You don't know how to use the carbon steel honing rod. You don't filet your own fish. You are likely eatting wonder bread so you don't need a bread knife. Unless you plan murder a roommate you don't need a clever. You ain't eatting steak so you don't need steak knives. Heck I eat steak quite a bit and I don't think I need steak knives You need a knife for delicate work and work horse. That is your pairing knife and chefs knife respectively.

After that I would add the following (mind you I am not happy with the price on the sharpener, but it's a fairly good one, just make sure you get one to sharpen asian knives or 15 degrees);

One pair of kitchen shears: Messermeister DN-2070 8-Inch Take-Apart Kitchen Scissors https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000VS6CAS/

One knife sharpener: Chef's Choice 463 Pronto Santoku/Asian Manual Knife Sharpener https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B002JIMVS0/

One bread knife: Mercer Culinary 10-Inch Wide Bread Knife https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000PS1HS6/

I consider these the next purchases because eventually you need some scissors dedicated to kitchen use, and maybe ones that will cut small bone and are easy to clean after use on raw meat. The shears are amazing. Blew me away.

The sharpener because you need to maintain your knives. Keeping your knives sharp is safer and makes them a joy to work with. The above knives come razor sharp and will last you a while before needing a proper sharpening. I don't own that particular sharpener but it ranks high in reviews. I have a more expensive automatic sharpener from chef's choice which I used to regrind my sister's knives to a 15 degree edge. I can't recommend it to everyone because it's $200. It was a splurge on my part and not needed. A manual sharpener is all the average person needs. It takes the guess work out of getting the angle right. Again if you have the knives on this list make sure you get a sharpener for 15 degrees or it might be labelled as Asian style.

Eventually you will be off the wonder bread and maybe baking your own. You need a bread knife then to slice in nicely. A bread knife is also handy for cutting cake and other delicate things you don't want to smoosh. That bread knife is solid. You want a knife that will glide through bread without crushing it or tearing it. The key to that is tooth spacing. I think this one is just about perfect.

Other knives are useful in the kitchen. I would get your specialized knives next, such as a carving knife or fillet knife. The above five things I consider core before you get other stuff. You can carve and fillet with a chefs knife. I cook way more than the average person and get away with the above five items. In fact before I would buy specialized knives I would get another chefs knife and another pairing knife. The only other type of knife I own is a santoku style chefs knife which I prefer for chopping vegetables because in school I owned a keep shitty one and got used to the style.

As always do your own research, check the prices on Amazon with camelcamelcamel and check the reviews with a tool like review meta.

I picked up a $39 John booze maple cutting board at bed bath and beyond… It would’ve been cheaper if I remembered my coupon but I never remember my coupon...

My current knife collection is a hodgepodge of cheaper knives that I bought at thrift shops, junk stores, or hand me downs that I was given.( I cook for a living and didn’t have time to wait to get all of my stuff shipped back from California !) And let me make one thing clear - A cheap little Rada Knife sharpener (https://www.amazon.com/Rada-Cutlery-Quick-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B001692XPE)

This will give you more mileage on your old dull knives! I would spend more money on a good knife sharpener then I would on getting “good knives” if they are still comfortable in your hand. Remember a knife is only as good as your willingness to keep it sharp. This little device will do the job!

Want to get more mileage for your knife spending dollar? Look at Kiwi knives!

https://www.amazon.com/Kiwi-Brand-Chef-Knives-172/dp/B008QPBPLO
(SUPERSHARP & VERY cheap knives...)

I did just find a really good deal on a Japanese style rubber cutting board… Those are really worth looking at - very amazing!

So with all due respect to the other commenters who insist that you will need to spend a lot of money I say poppycock! You just need to either sharpen what you have or buy within your budget.

I personally use a KME and a Strop. But I'd recommend getting one of those Lansky Sharpeners with the Deluxe Diamond stones. It's similar enough to a KME; with limited angle choice but 30 25 20 and 17 are good enough IMHO. It runs for only $56 on amazon compared to the KME $180.

I'd also recommend grabbing the Ultra Fine hone on amazon for an extra $9 so you can put a nicer finish on your edges.

Lastly you'll need a strop. You can find one around on the internet or on /r/KnifeSwap occasionally, which is where I found mine. There's a user there that actually makes them by hand and includes compounds with the strop if you're ever lucky enough to grab one from there. But the best alternative is (again on amazon) the Knives Plus Strop Block. It comes preloaded with compound, and a lot of compound, and I've heard nice things about it. It's only $29, or you can go on the Knives Plus website and grab it for $23, but I think its worth the extra six bucks to get free/fast shipping, and have it all come in on the same day/in the same box as everything else.

Hope this helped! :)

Alton Brown's I'm Just Here for the Food is a great primer on the science of cooking. I read it in culinary school, and it was a great distillation of the main concepts (which cuts are of meat are good for braising, searing, roasting, etc. and how to properly perform each technique). If you end up enjoying Alton Brown's style, I would also recommend Fish on a First Name Basis for fish cookery. Lastly, Cook's Illustrated is a wonderful resource on food and cooking. The yearly online membership is only approx $25, and you get access to all previously published recipes and equipment reviews.

In terms of equipment, the knife I personally use is the Victorinox 10-inch chef knife. Japanese steel is great and all, but for the same price you could get this knife, a good electric knife sharpener, and a honing steel and still have some left over. The best knife is a sharp knife after all. I would also highly recommend a T-fal non-stick pan for a solid multi-purpose first pan.

Finally, for an herb garden, I generally try to aim for either expensive or infrequently used herbs for indoor gardening. The reasoning behind growing expensive herbs is pretty straightforward. I primarily grow infrequently used herbs to avoid wasting what I wouldn't use up when cooking (as you mentioned is oft a problem). In my region, basil, sage, thyme, tarragon, and oregano would all be good candidates to grow. Parsley, cilantro, and bay leaf tend to be cheaper at the market in my area, so I usually just purchase those.

• Never cut on ceramic plates or (shudder) glass cutting boards
  
  
• Never put knives in dishwasher - Hand wash only
  
  
• Never use knives for anything but cutting
  
  
• Always buy good quality, not necessarily super expensive, but good quality steel
  
  
• Frequently re-hone on a ceramic rod hone or crock stick Vee hone
  
  
• Invest in a high quality angle controlled sharpening system and learn to use it to make both primary and secondary bevels for those times when your knives need major resharpening. I use a moderately pricey Edge Pro Apex Deluxe system which is great, but overkill for most home cooks with only a few kitchen knives to be sharpened occasionally. I used to advise against any form of electric knifesharpener, since for so long so many of them ate knives. But, I've come to realize that the average, non-knife-knut home kitchen cook might be better served with one of the Chef's Choice sharpeners. (That almost goes against everything I used to preach, but after giving away several traditional tri-hones and DMT diamond hones and finding that they just weren't getting used because the recipients really weren't that interested, I came to believe that a simple machine is what most folks really want unless they are interested enough in knives to have already done their own online research. )
  
  Edit - Which electric sharpener and hone do you have? Do you know about using your steel or ceramic hone with the tip placed straight down on the cutting board so that your angles and strokes are consistent?

Well, these ones - http://imgur.com/a/cVobL - are made from crap materials. The coarse side might be accurate, and the finishing side will almost surely be equal to the coarse side on these stones. I really wouldn't recommend them. And there are a ton of them on Amazon, that look exactly the same with a different logo.

The exceptions are the King brand. These are made in Japan (website - http://matsunaga-corp.co.jp/en/products-cat/king/ - only for reference, purchase on Amazon in my opinion) and are actually of quite good quality.

King 300 grit - $25.80 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0050ADA2U

King 1000/6000 - $28.14 -
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DT1X9O

I have these in my cart to try. Compared to the Shaptons? (and he uses the full line it looks like..which is at least 1000, 2000, 5000, 8000, 12000, maybe 30000...the 30000 grit stone is $350...)

Shapton Kuromaku (Pro in USA) 1000 - $34.59 - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TPFT0G

Shapton 5000 - $46.99 - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TPH8YG

Atoma 400 diamond plate - $63.00 -
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0031KNR2O (I see some from other sellers for cheaper...they aren't real Atoma brand. Get a Prime one.)

Whatever route you take, I cannot recommend enough a Stone Holder.

PowerTec stone holder - $16.94 -
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NFB2MTI

What's the difference? What they're made of. The Shapton Pro line are made from ceramic abrasives. The King line..I honestly don't know exactly. They require soaking as they are not ceramic. But it's not just a cheap mix of whatever...King is a good brand. Naniwa also comes up a lot - very good brand. Suehiro...

If you're rich try out the Japanese Natural Stones - JNS - let me know how they work out! Lol. http://japanesenaturalstones.com ($1000+ stones...from ancient Japanese mines and stuff! Ha.)

Edit - formatting

There are numerous good forged knives below the $40 pricepoint here.

The stamped blades may have increased in quality over the years, but they still tend to not be as well balanced or durable as the forged variety, plus they need more frequent sharpening.

As for a knife steel, that's good for honing the edge, but you will still have to sharpen it, and you might as well use something like this.

For cooking, the cast-iron skillet is a mainstay, and it's just as good as teflon if you season the cooking surface properly, while making sure that the added food, or the skillet, isn't too cold, which can cause sticking. Another benefit is not having to worry about cancerous flakes in your food.

I purchased the Chef's Choice Knife Sharpener 4643. I know that the trendy way to sharpen knives right now is with a set of stones, but I just can't be assed to do that. When my knife dulls, I spend 5-10 minutes using the sharpener and honing the blade. Note that the 3rd notch says "Serrated".

Here are some general recommendations for picking a knife.

I recommend just going to a store like Williams Sonoma, Bed Bath and Beyond or Su La Table and just trying out knives. I know that many of them will have some vegetables around that you can practice on.

I personally prefer a slightly heavier knife because I can rely on gravity to help push a knife down through whatever I'm cooking. I like a wooden grip because the weight helps distribute the weight closer to the center of the knife (the grip point) rather than making it more front heavy, which can be tough on the wrist. This means that I usually avoid plastic grips.

I have a grand total of 5 knives. 95% of my cutting is performed by a relatively large, 7.5" Santoku (essentially a Japanese chef's knife). I have a cheap chef's knife that I use for cutting things that might damage the blade (such as casseroles in a glass dish). Beyond that, I have a Wuhstoff bread knife, a paring knife (for very small cuts and peeling) and a utility knife (when I need to cut smaller items or I'm cutting a small amount of food).

I'm, personally, absolutely in love with the Japanese knives and would totally recommend a Santoku for a first knife, but I also recommend you find the time to try holding it and determine if it's for you. The straight vertical edge next to the handle can be cumbersome to first time users.

Beyond a chef's knife, I recommend holding off until you find yourself needing something else. It also means you can spend a little extra on your main knife rather than buying a set of cheap knives.

Avoid carbon steel knives. They rust easily. Ceramic knives cannot be sharpened with the sharpener I linked above.

this one has pretty good reviews. and you would have enough leftover to buy a sharpener.

https://www.amazon.com/Profession-German1-4116-Stainless-Ergonomic-Restaurant/dp/B07TKM8R97/ref=sr_1_70_sspa?

or

https://www.amazon.com/IMMEK-Kitchen-Stainless-Dealing-Vegetables/dp/B07DX57KXZ/ref=sr_1_73?

Or, Here is a Henckels knife that is only $47.

https://www.amazon.com/J-HENCKELS-INTERNATIONAL-31161-201-Classic/dp/B00004RFMT/ref=sxin_3_sp_qu_bss_is?

​

​

Sharpeners

https://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Sharpener-Electric-Serrated-Stainless/dp/B07BJ6VQ85/ref=sr_1_84?

I have one of these and Love it! but it's a bit pricey on a budget. so maybe next time. get the cheap on now and get something like this later. Mine has lasted me 10 years so far and is still going.

https://www.amazon.com/ChefsChoice-ProntoPro-Sharpener-Sharpening-Euro-American/dp/B007IVBET0/ref=sr_1_24?

also, to help keep the edge sharp on your knife... Don't put it in the dishwasher! hand wash only dry and put away. also if you cut anything acidic, tomatoes, orange, lemon etc. rinse the blade well and wash as soon as you get a chance. the acid will dull your knife pretty quickly.

I’m not sure if you’re looking to sharpen kitchen knives or just the pocket knife, but I feel strongly enough about this sharpener that I dug through my Amazon order history to get you the link. I’ve had this since 2013 and every time I sharpen my knives it’s like they’re brand new. I’m sure there are better (much more expensive) options out there, but dollar for dollar the best sharpener I’ve ever used:

Presto 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IUWM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_oDSVAbRRW5C5Z

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.

Definitely go with sharpening stones and learning to do it by hand. As you perfect your technique, you'll have a much better cutting edge.

If you're thinking about Japanese waterstones, 800/1200/4000 makes a good trio with which to start. You can do like me and start adding finer stones as your budget allows. I have a 6000 and looking to add 8000 and then 10K.

Not sure if this applies to oil stones, but with waterstones, also get a Atoma Diamond Sharpener Medium - #400. Use it to keep your stones dead flat. And flatten often. As in after every few passes back and forth across a stone. See this video. With this in mind, I recommend not getting combo stones. You will wear away your stones faster if you're flattening them often. But it is worth it for the quality of the edge you will get. Moreover, by flattening both the blade and chipbreaker, they will meet without any gap and your problems with tear-out will be greatly reduced.

I have the good fortune to being advised on tuning and maintaining my kannas by the master Japanese blacksmith Chiyozuru Naohide. I'm just sharing advice he has shared with me. And using the diamond plate to keep the stones flat has made a world of difference.

Depending on how much you like to do you can buy appliances or short cuts. Like you can rice your own cauliflower or buy it done in a bag frozen. I don't like zucchini noodles. Buy what you'll use. Figure out what makes the most sense and go from there. Top things? Instant pot/or other brand of it, air fryer and sous vide. How much cooking do you like to do? Are you looking for easy? Gourmet? Quick or long? What's your proficiency in the kitchen? A few basics are knifes and sharpener. I use this. Presto 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IUWM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_d.JvDbP8D0K12 to clarify I do not buy high end knifes. It's great for cheaper knifes. Really expensive knifes do not buy this sharpener. I buy a clearance $40 set of knives. Buy cutting boards. Bamboo are great to start and cheap plus sustainable.

I offer this...the type of sharpening you do depends on the quality of the knives you have. If you have so low grade/cheap knives, electric may be the way to go. https://www.amazon.com/ChefsChoice-EdgeSelect-Professional-Sharpener-20-Degree/dp/B00004S1B8/ref=sr_1_4?crid=5BLSGDBFXMIW&keywords=chefs+choice+knife+sharpener&qid=1572459729&sprefix=chefs+ch%2Caps%2C243&sr=8-4 It will get your knives very sharp but takes off a lot of metal, which is why I wouldn't use it on expensive knives. Japanes whetstones are the best but can be expensive and you need to know what you are doing in using them. The Edge Pro is a sharpening system that is very good and helps hold the proper angle on the blade when sharpening. I have one of these myself though any more I use whetstones and a leather strop. https://www.edgeproinc.com/apex-model-edge-pro-system/apex-3-kit-apex-model-edge-pro-sharpening-system-p6.html

I have a couple versions of the Kershaw Emersons and would definitely recommend them given the price range. I love the Emerson wave and wish more knives had it. They open quick and easy with one hand, even with gloves on. Fit and finish is on part with the price and the blade stock is quite think; It will hold up well for hiking and camping as long as you don't abuse it. Only downside is the blade is rather large - great for outdoors, but a bit bulky in the pocket for some people.

I haven't used the Reverb, but it looks like it may not be the best choice for use outdoors. It looks pretty, but the extra machining and effort required makes me wonder if they cut corners elsewhere to hit the price point. Again, I haven't used one, but looks like it could be tricky to open one handed, especially if you have wet hands. I've had multiple knives with integrated carabineers/clips and have never found a use for them - they usually just result in hot spots that dig into my palm.

Not a fan of Gerber, but that's just personal preference after having a couple of them fail to hold up. Their flippers never seem to be smooth enough to reliably open every time either, though that may just be poor luck on my part. The Quadrant looks nice if you wanted something that would disappear in your pocket for light EDC, but it's not something I would want to use outdoors.

All three should be low maintenance, but at this price point the steels will dull relatively easily. I'd grab a cheap draw-through sharpener to take along.

I'm rough on my knives so I lean towards simple and durable, but there's nothing wrong with choosing based on aesthetics if one really catches your eye. Ultimate, if you like it then that's all that matters.

No recipe really. If you have a grill, top rack whole boneless breasts seasoned with your favorites. I love using smoke pellets or wood chips for extra flavor.

My recommendation for making your life easier is to get a simple digital food thermometer so you don't over cook meats. And get good knives. It's crazy to me how many people own knives that can't cut.[Victirinox Fibrox handled] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004IEBTZ4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_brOgybF3RE15E) are amazing in my opinion. For ~$100 you can get a set of 4. I use mine daily and LOVE them, it's not even that expensive when you consider their utility.

When you cook your meats you can bake or grill them. Let them cool then use a serrated blade to get nice thin, smooth slices. Also bear in mind it doesn't HAVE to be paper thin like the deli. Flavors are what's important. I have found that when I use the wood chips or smoke on the grill I get that nice exterior that seems to help hold the slice together and packs in tons of flavor. Don't be afraid to season.


*Edit - dayum! This got a little bigger than I expected. I just wanted to note that in the picture you see my chefs knife that I used to slice. Someone mentioned the serrated blade will tear the meat - this may be true but with my Victorinox I haven't had any issues. The blade is very thin. Also these knives are incredibly sharp. I accidentally removed the corner of my thumb when i first got them. I use this [Wusthof knife sharpener] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TWNZ08/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_lPWgybG5MC9QY) to maintain when it's needed.

best answer here; unless your knives are 250$+ apiece, pro sharpening is just not worth it. grab yourself a good-n-cheap sharpener and save your money. use the 3rd slot every time you use it, use the others every week / other week or so. just a few swipes, super easy.

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?

As I mentioned in my reply to the OP I recommend the Lansky crock stick sharpener http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Gourmet-Crock-Stick-Sharpener/dp/B001KN3OLI/ over a pull type sharpener. The pull sharpeners can't recover all types of edge and as you say they wear out. The crock stick can be scrubbed clean a couple times a year (green scrub pad and some ajax or whatever) and used forever. Like good knives this sharpener will last the rest of your life.

Chicago Cutlery is a bit of a scam btw, in that they are overpriced for what you get and are generally sold through direct marketing. At least that is how it used to be. Any hunk of good metal can take a good edge though, and they seem to use a reasonable carbon steel. Wooden handles are not good though, they need care and are more hassle than I'm looking for in a knife.

I did a ton of research on knife sharpeners a few years ago. People on the internet basically only ever recommend whetstones, and will link you endless videos of people with huge, super-expensive knife collections explaining how you should only use a whetstone and manually sharpen your knives. And sure, whetstones are cheap and you can put a great edge on anything with enough effort.

If you want an actual knife sharpener, that's totally fine. People have been using them with great success for years, and frankly you can ignore most of the stupid anti-sharpener BS floating around the internet. ATK's favorite manual sharpener is this one for $43, but their favorite under $30 is this one.

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.
  
  

In case anyone has wondered, this works, but not nearly as well as a much cheaper one from ebay/amazon.

This is what's considered the coarse sharpener on one of those cheap ones, then it has a finer ceramic one that is much better at getting that perfect edge (albeit temporarily).

So just buy something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Smiths-CCKS-2-Step-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00032S02K/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1405649926&sr=8-6

I don't really like Mora's Knives. They are good enough at a low price, but look pretty cheap in my Opinion. But that one may only be expensive because of the added accessories. You propably better off buying a firesteel and sharpener seperately.

I for one own a Very100 Firesteel and a Fallkniven DC4 for these purposes.

In the end, it depends on your preference. For me, a knife is like a wrist watch for others. I have it on me all the time, so I like to pay a little more. If i have to choose one knife til the end of my life, it would be the rangerwood.

Just watch review of it. https://youtu.be/spb5TlG7luw

Btw, do not get confused be the wenger and victorinox thing. They merged a few years ago.

So definitely look into sharpening. Do not listen to anyone telling you to get sharpening stones unless you are passionate about learning a new, very difficult skill. If you are, go for it. There are tons of great tutorials on YouTube. Again, it's very difficult to get good at and will feel like a chore unless you really take to it.

There are plenty of good, inexpensive sharpeners out there. I use this one which is for knives with 15 degree edges, but there are others for 10 degree edged knives.

I own a $60 chef's knife and don't really have a problem using this dead simple sharpener. If I ever invest in a much pricier blade I'd think about maybe learning to use sharpening stones better.

I copied my comment from another thread where I listed what he used that I could identify below. If you have any questions about technique I would be happy to try and answer them!

---

He's using a couple of things.

First, the white liquid is just some regular kitchen cleaner with a mild abrasive like soft scrub.

Next, the black whetstone looks like a welsh slate which is a type of natural whetstone. Could easily be something else, especially since welsh slates are usually rather high grit, but that was the first that came to mind. It could also be an oilstone, but they don't usually get muddy like the one he used did. Those are the only black whetstones I know of.

After the black stone he uses a rust eraser.

Next, the green block is honing compound. Green compound is usually around 1 micron.

Next, the progression of stones are all Shapton Pros.

Finally, he strops on this overprice Bob Kramer strop block.

---

What he's actually doing:

1. Scrubbing with cleaner to remove some of the rust
   
   
2. "Muddy" whetstone to remove more of the rust. Muddy stones work out unevenness in the blade.
   
   
3. Rust eraser to remove even more rust and give the start of a consistent finish
   
   
4. Green honing compound which he's using as a metal polish (which it effectively is)
   
   
5. Regular whetstone sharpening with a progression of 2k, 5k, 12k (Shaptons are color coded)
   
   
6. Leather strop

Yup. I like cool steels as much as the next knife guy, but I recognize the merits of the "lesser" steels too. I would bet money that the 440c serrated blade on my Wave would beat my 940 in a rope cut test every time, and I've been cutting rope/nylon strapping and twine with it for about a year, without sharpening it at all. As for an answer to your actual question, you would be best served by using either the corners on a sharpmaker, or something like this. I've used mine to sharpen a shit ton of my coworker's serrated knives. It's only 600 grit, but that's perfect for a rope cutting knife.

This is a really top notch knife. Some things to keep in mind this is stainless steel so sharpening is going to require a bit more work. I personally use a fine diamond sharpener. I recommend watching a video on sharpening. The advantage of stainless steel though is you won't need to oil it or baby it when its wet. You have a knife now that will last you the rest of your life. Take care of it and enjoy.

I stumbled across this Rust Eraser Sabitoru Medium and Fine 2-piece Set on Amazon a few weeks ago and it's great. Literally just like an eraser, clean your knife off, wet the eraser, and the rust comes right off.

Also look for a honing steel if you don't already have one, and a simple sharpener. I really like this one - simple and easy for everyday use.

Edit: it seems this comment upset people. It’s honestly a trade off between time and practicality. Of course I’m not putting my $150 chef’s knife through this - it’s made to keep its edge better. I’m also not going to spend time money every week r get my $30 chinese cooking knife sharpened. The recommendation came from Chris Kimball, and according to OP’s question, it’s a ton more practical for a chinese cooking cleaver.

DC4's are popular. Spyderco Pocket Stone is a step up. Also consider a strop for maintaining the edge when it doesn't need to be put on the stone. These can be made with scrap leather to save some money. The Worksharp comes with both, I've never used it but looks like it has good reviews.

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Amazon Smile Link: This is what I have


|Country|Link|Charity Links|
|:-----------|:------------|:------------|
|USA|smile.amazon.com|EFF|
|UK|www.amazon.co.uk|Macmillan|
|Spain|www.amazon.es||
|France|www.amazon.fr||
|Germany|www.amazon.de||
|Canada|www.amazon.ca||
|Italy|www.amazon.it||




To help add charity links, please have a look at this thread.

This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting). The thread for feature requests can be found here.

This one is good:

https://www.amazon.com/ChefsChoice-120-EdgeSelect-Professional-Sharpener/dp/B00004S1B8

Wusthof is ~18 degrees IIRC, but you might want to check that.

Whetstones are ultimately a bit better, but that one will get your knife more than sharp enough in 2 minutes. Just go easy on the 1st and 2nd grinder. Actually, the 1st grinder should never be used unless the edge has a chip.

Yeah! Mine has the white handle too. They’re beautiful knives. Make sure when you wash it you DONT use a green scrubby...I was an idiot and scratched the blade with it...I had no idea it would scratch the blade. It wasn’t very abrasive at all. Also, that is carbon steel correct? Do yourself a favor and buy a Rada knife sharpener. Best sharpener ever made for carbon and they’re incredibly cheap.


https://www.amazon.com/Rada-Cutlery-Quick-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B001692XPE

I use this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007IVBET0/ref=psdc_289867_t1_B008EMFQ8C

It has both a Western and Asian slot.

Works good and super easy.

For stones pretty much everything in the 400 - 2000 range can work with these knives and a honing rod.

As for the rod I would rather go with a known good brand like F.Dick or Wusthoff or Victorinox.

No you do not need a strop in the kitchen.


For me what works quite well is the combination of the Naniwa Pro 1k and after it sligtly dulls a fine cut steel like this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XTP7MY .

Alternatively xou can also get a steel with 2 different cuts and use this like for example https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MF2RTK.

Ar you forego the classic steels completely and use a ceramic rod which acts like a hard fine whetstone https://www.amazon.com/Idahone-Ceramic-Sharpening-Natural-Handle/dp/B01BUNEO0M

I do it myself, I bought a ceramic stick sharpener off amazon (this one, although it appears to not be around any more -- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KN3OLI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1).

It's super easy, like 10 minutes. Hold the blade vertically, and let the mount do the angle as needed.

Probably would pay for itself after one or two paid-sharpenings.

correct i mean i don't have a space to not worry about metal shavings or like you said the ability to affix something to a table. i just have a small apartment with barely a living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. where can i look for those? amazon? or is there a site you'd recommend?

EDIT: would this work?

I have that knife, have been using it for years along with this sharpener.

Awesome knife, great sharpener.

The back of each stone would say something like "Coarse Diamond. Medium Diamond, etc" if they were.

You might want to get the Ultra Fine stone (https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Ultra-Sharpening-Yellow-Holder/dp/B000B8L6MC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481586284&sr=8-1&keywords=lansky+ultra+fine+stone). You're making a big leap in grits going from fine to sapphire.

We seriously do not have any more room in our kitchen for any new gadgets or anything. The latest thing I got was a Hamilton grill/griddle as a gift from work for my 10 year anniversary. We had to rearrange everything and find a place for it. My hubby is worse than I am though. If it's a gadget and looks cool, he wants it lol!

I will say this though, two of the greatest things we've ever bought - besides our kitchen knives (which are awesome) are these and this.

The two main knives I use in the kitchen are these:

https://www.amazon.com/Kiwi-Ponit-21-Chef-Knife/dp/B001FEJ0WO

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000CF8YO


The first one is the one in the rib album. It's cheap, but lightweight and not full tang. Still versatile and a good purchase. I just try not to hack anything tough with it. If you don't have a honing steel, get one and learn how to use it. Basically any knife is usable with one. Any honing steel is probably fine, and I really like this knife sharpener. You shouldn't have to sharpen much if you use a honing steel, and your knives will last longer without frequent sharpening.

His points about steel are valid, but the D-edge was the only ones he mentioned as unsharable due to being their serrated version. There are knife v type sharpeners that claim they will do serrated, but they will round off the teeth in my experience. So you get yourself a cone shaped diamond sharpener and hit each groove individually and then dress up the backside flat.

A tedious matter, time consuming, and if your time is worth more than $7.50 an hour you better ask which is worth more. Had an even worse 8" bread knife that had a saw like edge of about 10teeth an inch, had to use a needle file of some sorts.

I only have a bread knife that is serrated, and I use it as a bread knife. Other people use them for tomatoes and the like, but if you cannot cut one with a straight edge, sharpen your knife.

Some of his points are hearsay and not personal experience. The number of reasons for not owning a cutco are more than enough, and although he is upfront that it was not his experience, I just think there other things that are wrong with cutco.

Crap, I went full pedantic.

Get yourself a King 1000/6000 stone. and a King 300 stone these are pretty much considered some of the best bang for your buck out there and will give you everything you need in whetstones.

I have several systems, but what I use is pretty cheep a HarborFrieight Diamond hone and a ceramic honing rod. There are a million fancy ways to sharpen a knife, these are just my go to's.

Get some super fine sand paper and cut out little strips to fit over your current stone.

Use thin fabric tape (micropore or whatever) and cover your stone, then rub a bit of metal polish on the tape and strop away.

There is this thing too:

https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Ultra-Sharpening-Yellow-Holder/dp/B000B8L6MC/ref=pd_sim_200_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000B8L6MC&pd_rd_r=VCNW54N3201JCD57VZ2Y&pd_rd_w=SeDKC&pd_rd_wg=OFdHc&psc=1&refRID=VCNW54N3201JCD57VZ2Y

You can put polish on the ceramic stone too like the tape.

I'm also using long, bent-tip tweezers, a straightened paperclip, good for getting a good contact on the final bonds that enclose a piece, and much thinner than a toothpick and, Exacto knife, also this little guy keeps your blades like new.

Another idea that I use/have used, numbered ziplock bags for larger projects, page#=bag#.

Smith's CCD4 3 IN 1 Field Sharpening System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N35D2E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_MFzCDbVFFHA9R

Smith field stones are shaped like a tear drop so you have a corner like the spider co if you don’t want to spend that much.

Also the pocket sharpeners have a cone diamond rod specifically for serrations:

Smith's PP1 Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener, Grey https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O8OTNC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.GzCDb632PH6Z

Or my personal preferred the pen style:

Smith's DRET Diamond Retractable Sharpener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001910FOA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_YHzCDbBX4VWRS

My under $2, under $3 and my under $4. :)

This is fun!

All knifes need sharpening at some point, my best knifes are actually some I got at the flea market ... instead of investing in very expensive knifes buy a good knife sharpener. Here is mine:
$26 on Amazon

I think the Credit card DMT's offer a better surface, greater sharpening area and an extra grit for the same price as 2 mini-sharps: Here

The Mini-sharps are more compact though: Course and Fine

It's good, if not a bit expensive. I own this one and it is great and a lot less money. Cooks Standard Professional Ceramic Rod Knife Sharpening Steel, 12-Inch/30cm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KLGSP3M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_K3RDCbEJMM0CQ

Fibrox 8” chef knife:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000638D32

Shapton 1k Sharpening Stone: Ha No Kuromaku Ceramic Whetstone:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TPFT0G

Lapping stone (to flatten your whetstone after it needs leveling from use...you won’t need this right now and can make do without):
Atoma Diamond Sharpener Medium -... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0031KNR2O

Here’s the utility knife version of the larger knife, one of my personal favorites, same thing but 5” instead of 8” : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QCLEFC

The fibrox has relatively soft steel compared to most Japanese styles so it is a more forgiving blade and won’t chip. This also means you can use a honing rod between uses to maintain its edge and not have to sharpen as often.

Another good one is the Fallkniven DC4 Diamond/Ceramic Whetstone.

Guys like Ray Mears recommend it.

Smith's http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001910FOA

These are great for all purpose sharpening in the field. It will give you a usable edge, obviously not shaving sharp. This may be more or less course than you need, but you can keep it with you all the time.

I use a fine/very fine two sided diamond hone ~2"x5" for proper sharpening to get axes and knives quite a bit sharper when I can sit down and spend some time.

I have never used that particular stone, and I cant read italian so I dont know for sure how good that stone is. But it being a 1k stone it might be a little on the slow side for resharpening. It can do it but it might take a little while. I would suggest getting something like
[this] (https://www.amazon.com/DELUXE-Traditional-Japanese-Sharpening-Waterstones/dp/B0050ADA2U/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1518900197&sr=8-7&keywords=king+waterstone)

A lower grit stone will be much faster so you should see results a lot easier than with a medium grit stone. But also be careful with it since it can potentially eat up the metal on your knife faster than you would think.

An electric knife sharpener ended up being an amazing purchase this year. It was around $25 on Amazon. Easily transforms shitty knives into high-quality pieces you can actually use. Way cheaper than buying a bunch of "top quality" knives, which isn't always a justifiable purchase if you're a novice cook.

Link for those interested.

I would just get one of those cheapo drag style sharpeners
http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Precision-Stage-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B003TWNZ08/ref=sr_1_9?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1345169472&sr=1-9
Steels are great but if you get one of these guys it keeps it simple and easy and if your not producing the amount of food a pro would it will work just fine. Also using a steel can be hard for some people

I know you said he doesn't read much but I think his love of Saab will like this book.

Since your knifes get dull quickly I have found that this sharpener does wonders to my knifes, I use this to sharpen my sushi knifes before use. I couldn't ask for any other one.

Usually smaller or neighborhood hardware stores will offer knife sharpening services. You can check at specialty cooking stores too like Sur La Table.

As for sharpeners you can do yourself, I'm a fan of these kinds of sharpeners. After that much time, they could probably use a good sharpening, but I'm sure the discussion will come up about sharpening vs. honing.

If you want to stick to something simple then let me point you to this amazing little pocket sized no water/oil stone. It's great to put a nice edge on things quickly

https://www.amazon.com/Fallkniven-Diamond-Ceramic-Whetstone-Sharpening/dp/B003BUV226/

Most people around here suggest that you Get a victorinox chefs knife. Perhaps like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-5-Inch-Mini-Chefs-Fibrox-Handle/dp/B000QCLEFC/ref=sr_1_31?ie=UTF8&qid=1375322729&sr=8-31&keywords=Victorinox+knife

I would also recommend a sharpener, if you are living with other guys, it will get used and abused often, so keeping it sharp will be hugely helpful. While a sharp knife can cut you if you are not careful, a dull knife is unpredictable and can make prepping food a nightmare. Even a cheap one is better than nothing

http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Precision-Stage-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B003TWNZ08/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1375323134&sr=1-3&keywords=Knife+sharpener+kitchen

I use this for light maintenance, getting rid of spots and light scratches.

https://www.amazon.com/Rust-Eraser-Sabitoru-Medium-2-piece/dp/B00FS0BFJC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492775144&sr=8-1&keywords=rust+eraser

If this doesn't work then move up to automotive (wet) sandpaper. The scratch you pictured would probably need the sandpaper - I personally would not worry about it but with a package of assorted sheets ($5) find the coarsest size that will remove the scratch then work your way up through the grits to polish out the polishing scratches. BTW it looks like the edge could stand some stone time.

The Kanji on your knife will probably describe the steel used. Almost certainly blue or white 2 carbon . Note that the color description is for the paper used to wrap the raw steel, not for the steel itself.

I've used rust erasers nlike these:
Rust Eraser Sabitoru Medium and Fine 2-piece Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FS0BFJC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fvB.BbBE2T4AN

It gets em off pretty well.

Buy this

Also available in many stores that sell kitchen equipment.

You will never have a dull blade again. Honing knives are good to keep a sharp blade, but they don't sharpen a dull blade very well.

> Which one do you like, and why?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004S1B8/

It's multi-stage, does compound angles, works on outdoors knives as well as kitchen knives. It's dead simple to use and it takes almost no time.

I like a whetstone as much as the next guy, but the fact is, 90% I don't really notice how dull my knives are until I'm already cooking, and it's not like I can just stop cooking to spend 5-10 minutes sharpening a blade. So I just use it dull and remember forget to sharpen it before next time.

And, if I'm being perfectly honest, I don't fee like I can get a good, consistent edge with a whetstone. I can do an edge good enough for a hatchet, but larger kitchen knives are a bit of a pain. It's actually a legitimate craft that takes some time to learn effectively. Whereas, the first time I used one of those Chef's Choice sharpeners, I had a 30 second haphazard explanation from my friend and on the first try had a damn sharp blade.

Also, I use something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/W%C3%BCsthof-2-Stage-Hand-Held-Sharpener/dp/B003TWNZ08/ref=sr_1_11?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1499532252&sr=1-11&refinements=p_36%3A1253523011

It keeps my knives very sharp. I use a little olive oil on the cutting edge, and make sure to keep the blade in proper alignment as I pull it through the sharpeners, and not too much pressure. It quickly aligns the blade and restores the cutting edge to razor sharpness. I don't even bother with a steel anymore, just sharpen a few times a month and Robert's your mother's brother.

Sure. Those sharpeners are great for really dull edges, but aren't appropriate for regular use.

The carbide teeth make an arbitrary angle on each side of the blade even though the cutting edge still has a fixed profile. They also remove an arbitrary amount of material down the edge depending on how you hold the knife and how hard you press.

Over time, the shape of the blade literally changes and it often ends up "cupping" a cutting board so it won't chop flat any more. Or the heel gets extended, or the tip angle flattens. The cutting teeth also have a tendency to chip stainless steel knives.

As well, many knives are differentially hardened on the edges, so you want to avoid removing material from the edge as much as possible, even if your technique is perfect.

I got this one for free with a knife

And my M-I-L has this one

They work well as long as you give your knives a quick swipe or two after every use. The carbide jaws are just used to establish the initial edge profile. The material removal rate is way too high for regular use.

For any type of sharpener like that it's critical that you don't use a lot of pressure with the ceramic rods or you'll damage the rods and it will gradually perform less and less well.

Look into getting one of these perfect edge every time.

Edit: I guess perfect edge is subjective. With this and a bit of stropping on some leather you will have a damn sharp edge in about 60 seconds.

Not sure why you're getting downvoted as that's a good sharpener. If it's the price point relative to the knife in question, the manual version that sharpens to 15 degrees is a good option if you don't want to use sharpening stones (https://www.amazon.com/ChefsChoice-15-degree-Recommended-Illustrated-Sharpening/dp/B002JIMVS0/ref=sr_1_4?crid=30211K0VBNF8D&keywords=chef%27s+choice+asian+knife+sharpener&qid=1555722001&s=home-garden&sprefix=chef%27s+choice+asian%2Cgarden%2C311&sr=1-4)

Bring one of these along if you do: Fallkniven DC4

Diamond grit on one side and a ceramic media on the other. Mine will sharpen S30V well enough, so it should be more than adequate for D2.

Yeah, I'm in your boat big time. I sharpen them with an electric sucka like this. I do it 2-3 times a year and my knives are razor sharp.

My culinary friend poo pooed me when hearing this. I didn't get it. It seems to me that it would take a lifetime to sharpen away the entire knife by doing this 2-3 times a year.

I have a few of these, but I don't call them balisharpeners, but I do call my multi-tool a baliSOG (which is quite clever, iidssm).

I've got this knife sharpener! Let's keep ourselves safe and our food prepared!

Something like this work? This is what I've got currently. Does a good job, not sure about any cheaper options.

I was thinking of buying this one

https://www.amazon.com/Zwilling-J-Henckels-Sharpener/dp/B00006CJLM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_sims?ie=UTF8

but again, I am worried that it scrapes off too much metal
I watched a video on how to use a rod, it seems like a fairly easy thing to do but I haven't done it before so

This: https://www.amazon.co.uk/DMT-FSKF-Diafold-Serrated-Sharpener/dp/B00004WFTZ

If you don't want to spend as much, you can find 'travel diamond sharpeners' that are similar, but much lower quality.

Away from serrations, I like DMT's diamond stones, because you don't have to flatten them, and they last forever in domestic use. If you only get one, get 'fine'.

Get you one of these. Best sharpener ever. Doesn't work on serrated blades, obviously.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001692XPE/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523938174&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=rada+knife+sharpener

Does this look ok?

Idahone-Ceramic-Sharpening-Black-Handle

Would you recommend buying the angle guides (please recommend which ones to buy with this rod)? I didn't fare very well with the whetstone I mentioned in OP.

DMT has some great travel size options for around $6 apiece

Edit: $8 each https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004WFT6/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1498618477&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=dmt%2Bdiamond%2Bstones&dpPl=1&dpID=41Rs6gqq%2BOL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

rust eraser for his knives. Japanese, inexpensive, great bit of kit.

2-eraser Sabitoru set on amazon

It looks like a serrated knife that uses a scallop pattern. You can sharpen these using a tool which looks like this:
https://www.amazon.com/DMT-FSKF-Diafold-Serrated-Sharpener/dp/B00004WFTZ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1493160685&sr=8-4&keywords=serrated+knife+sharpener

This video explains how to sharpen with the rod sharpener: https://youtu.be/hjzcMrlaP58

People pay far too much for knives and far too little for knife sharpeners.

A median set of any name brand like Wusthof, etc. will do just fine. Avoid large sets. You won't use half of them.

The knife sharpener is just as important. I use this one and recommend it highly: http://www.amazon.com/Chefs-Choice-Professional-Knife-Sharpening-Platinum/dp/B000CSK0DM

I have a Spyderco Sharpmaker and like it. A better value is this Lansky

Old school guys will tell you to suck it up an learn to use a stone. I don't have that skill.

I would just buy any knife set that is cheap even used and and this.

http://www.amazon.com/Zwilling-J-A-Henckels-Sharp-Sharpener/dp/B00006CJLM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1377905312&sr=8-7&keywords=knife+sharpener

People who professionally review knife sets only review the initial blade. Once you start sharping it on your own it doesn't matter. Some might hold it longer but its all about having a good sharpener.

Cooks Illustrated (aka America's Test Kitchen) recommends this electric model for western knives (sharpened to a 20 degree angle): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CSK0DM/

Then they just recently tested a bunch of new sharpeners that sharpen knives to 15 degrees (Japanese style). They even turn a 20 degree knife into a 15 degree knife. This is their top performer: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018RSEMU/
They also tested it on knives that were chipped and it did well in smoothing them out.

> Don't hone steel with diamond

Is this preferable to steel or diamond?

I got the companion Heavy Duty MG! I jumped the gun a bit it seems. I ordered this - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BUV226/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

before seeing the comments about the Japanese water stones. I've been watching a lot of MCQBushcraft's videos on Youtube and that is the sharpener he carries with him in the field. Hopefully I can learn to make that work. Thanks!

derp, I can't believe I forgot hones were a thing while typing up my initial response.

This is also good advice. Idahone makes a fine product in this case.

Do yourself a favor and buy one of these (Chef's Choice 130 Professional Knife-Sharpening Station, Platinum https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CSK0DM/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Uf4-ub0WQ0940
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CSK0DM/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Uf4-ub0WQ0940)

It's worth every penny.

No I got this set [here] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IEH6IW/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) along with this because I'm a cook and I like my blades sharp.

Edit: The broom is the most useless thing in existence but everything else is really nice.

I recently bought my first nice EDC- it's a made in usa Kershaw knockout- with the alabama demascus. Can I keep things simple and just sharpen it with the smith's?

​

link for reference: https://www.amazon.com/Smiths-CCKS-2-Step-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00032S02K/ref=zg_bs_289867_10?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3E46G57PC0J41SKK7MFA

Well, I use this. About a 4" blade along with a sharpener for 90% of my cooking & eating needs.

I think it came with a fishing fillet kit that was like $5 at a sports store and it came with a little pocket sharpener like this.

Probably not what you were looking for, but it works. Been using this thing for about 4 or 5 years now.

Knives: What kind of sharpener do you use or which is better? the stick or the groove thingy?

Also, are stainless steel pans always going to be expensive? Would you say it's worth it? I see stainless all the time in cooking shows and it seems like it's more versatile than cast iron or non-stick.

You don't like plastic but does that include the silicone cutting mats?

Do you have any other gadgets that you think every chef should have?

We are waiting for the intricate focus. Oh I thought about doing something like this: https://www.amazon.com/DMT-FSKF-Diafold-Serrated-Sharpener/dp/B00004WFTZ.

Currently I only have a Shun honing steel for my kitchen knives. I was considering buying a sharpening kit like these:

• Smich's CCKS
  
• Accusharp 001
  
• Smith's PP1

With a rust eraser!

Rust Eraser Sabitoru Medium and... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FS0BFJC

Soak the rust eraser and then use it to clean your stone.

You'll want something like a DMT Diafold. Hit the edge of the serrations with light, edge leading strokes until you form a burr on the flat side, then very lightly grind the burr off.

https://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Machine-Technology-DMT-DMTFSKF-BRK/dp/B00004WFTZ

True. I bought this for actual sharpening every 8 months or so.

Can also recommend this as a cheapo portable version, or, if you want to go a step up, this handles both standard and santoku bevels.

Assuming you work through all the previous stones and make a nice uniform scratch pattern then you'll need their;

1000ish grit stone

2000ish grit stone

A couple of these

With some of this added to the first one

The only knife I use is a $12 filet knife from wal-mart and I use one of those cheater knife sharpening things. My knife is always sharp, slices tomatoes easily, cuts through meat like butter.

As a bonus I can also use it to gut and skin a deer and, of course, filet a fish.

Yes, they’re much lighter. Also, by the look of this one there’s a lot of steel filings already on the surface. I would buy a rust eraser, which you can use to remove that material.

Buy this

It will fit in your pocket, maybe even your wallet.

The only way to do it is with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/DMT-FSKF-Diafold-Serrated-Sharpener/dp/B00004WFTZ

The washers are also for sharpening.

Like these sharpeners.

https://www.amazon.com/Rada-Cutlery-Quick-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B001692XPE

additionally i saw everyone recommend Atoma 400, is this it?

Ambrosi Bros Cutlery on Main maybe? Or the art of shaving on the plaza? I know they sell straight blades, don't know if they'll re-edge. Do not do what HerculesBacon suggests. Sur la Table just uses one of these (or something similar) to sharpen knives.

Define "reasonable price."

For home use, this works great and I consider the price reasonable in contrast to the cost of professional sharpening or the time investment it would take to learn how to competently use a stone. Chef'sChoice 120 Diamond Hone... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004S1B8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Currently, I'm using Crock Sticks as my primary method. I also have numerous diamond files, which are tapered, for serrations. A set of Arkansas Stones, and such.

If I could just buy one, I'd go for Spyderco's Sharp Maker. It has everything you'll ever need. Plain, serrated, scissors, any set up. Preset angles, or flip it over and use it as a flat stone...

I bought this electric sharpener for $25 about two years ago. It works really well. I sharpen my knives about once every 6 months.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001692XPE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have one of these guys. Very cheap and works really well. I use it at home after the kitchen I used to work in had them for us to sharpen knives with.

Such as a Lansky 8" Ceramic Sharp Stick or Idahone Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod?

http://www.amazon.com/Chefs-Choice-Professional-Knife-Sharpening-Platinum/dp/B000CSK0DM

Edit: thanks price zombie! Seriously though, I swear by these sharpeners. I use it on my Wustof, Shun, and Henckel knives.

I disagree. Get the Chef's Choice M130 knife sharpener. It's three stage, and does an amazing job on my knives.

I got one of these that I’ve used to repair tip damage a couple of times. Does a good job IMHO

Smith's DRET Diamond Retractable Sharpener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001910FOA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_nsW0Cb3JTCZNF

The whetstone was 25$, the chip knife was 20$, and the set of carving tools was only 15$.

EDIT: Amazon Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Flexcut-KN15-Chip-Carving-Knife/dp/B001NI6LJ

https://www.amazon.com/Fallkniven-Diamond-Ceramic-Whetstone-Sharpening/dp/B003BUV226/ref=pd_bxgy_79_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B003BUV226&pd_rd_r=589A5K5TZA7F93T9TCM9&pd_rd_w=dTInI&pd_rd_wg=Av0xb&psc=1&refRID=589A5K5TZA7F93T9TCM9

https://www.amazon.com/Carving-Chisels-XUANLAN-Beginners-Pottery/dp/B06XCCGWZ7/ref=sr_1_6?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1497213735&sr=1-6&keywords=Wood+carving+tool+kits+12

The rest of the things I bought at my local hardware store

This is what America's Test kitchen recommends: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002JIMVS0

I can get to hair shaving with this kit.

Lansky Deluxe 5-Stone Sharpening System

Lansky Ultra Fine Sharpening Hone

This is the sharpened recommended by America's Test Kitchen. For serrated knives, just buy a new one, especially if you're using it infrequently anyway.

I use an Atoma 400 to flatten my Jnat. $62.38 from Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Atoma-Diamond-Sharpener-Medium-400/dp/B0031KNR2O

Thank you for your reply. I am not really sure if I understand the difference between the two, but I guess that I am in the 'remove material' category. I use a Wuhstof 2-stage knife sharpener.

http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Precision-Stage-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B003TWNZ08

Oh ok. Achieving razor sharpness isn't as difficult as it seems, but like other commenters always say when these types of sharpeners are brought up, you're gonna lose too much material.

This is what I have but I should probably get a few more grits.

The chefs I've talked to swear by Knifewear. They specialize in Japanese knives, bit will sharpen just about anything.

I actually own a Chef's Choice Knife Sharpener, and it does a crazy good job of sharpening.

Local sur la tab will do them. But I bought one of these and do them myself...

What do y'all think of these types of electric knife sharpeners?

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-08800-EverSharp-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B00006IUWM

LPT: Buy this and sharpen your knives before each use.

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-08800-EverSharp-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B00006IUWM/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1488094593&sr=8-11&keywords=knife+sharpener

 Presto 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener <br />

Kitchen
Sold by Amazon.com LLC
$27.54
Item Subtotal: $27.54
Shipping & Handling: $13.96
Total Before Tax: $41.50
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Order Total: $45.19
http://www.amazon.ca/Presto-EverSharp-Electric-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00006IUWM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1373025918&sr=8-3&keywords=electric+knife+sharpener

Linking what i found there: http://www.amazon.com/Presto-08800-EverSharp-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B00006IUWM

ok now that i am back home and on my computer not a phone here is what i got

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-LK3DM-Diamond-Standard-System/dp/B000B8JDRC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1419717060&sr=8-2&keywords=lansky++diamond+sharpeners

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

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Ultra-Sharpening-Yellow-Holder/dp/B000B8L6MC/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1419717110&sr=8-9&keywords=lansky++diamond+sharpeners

i got these, it was less then 100 dollars and with a couple of strops on a leather belt you will be shaving your arm hair in no time

What do you guys think of this thing? VERY highly reviewed.

http://www.amazon.com/Chefs-Choice-Professional-Knife-Sharpening-Platinum/dp/B000CSK0DM/ref=sr_1_15?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1407272194&sr=1-15&keywords=knife+sharpener

Honing steels, use this every time you use the knife.

Electric Knife Sharpener, only use this if using the steel isn't working, i.e., you can't get the knife sharp on the steel.

https://www.amazon.com/Smiths-DRET-Diamond-Retractable-Sharpener/dp/B001910FOA/

Here you go

This is what I use: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BUV226/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_tp9EybHGFVJRV

And how to use one: https://youtu.be/D4y8u_iJf1M

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003BUV226/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494703479&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=fallkniven+dc4&dpPl=1&dpID=31LIT5RpijL&ref=plSrch

Is the handheld sharpener all I need to keep my Wüsthof blades sharp, or are whetstones or something else the way to go?

​

https://www.amazon.com/Wüsthof-2-Stage-Hand-Held-Sharpener/dp/B003TWNZ08

You should invest in a rust eraser for your knives. https://www.amazon.com/Rust-Eraser-Sabitoru-Medium-2-piece/dp/B00FS0BFJC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493281331&sr=8-1&keywords=rust+eraser

https://www.amazon.com/Idahone-Ceramic-Sharpening-Natural-Handle/dp/B01BUNEO0M

That 1x42 should do the trick to get started as long as it has a platen to keep things flat and belts in the right grits but before you start grinding away you might try starting with these https://www.amazon.com/Rust-Eraser-Sabitoru-Medium-2-piece/dp/B00FS0BFJC

FYI there are sharpeners for serrated knives. They're tapered so you can fit most serrations. It's time consuming but worth it vs cutting with a dull knife.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00032S02K/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_ZkhVub1BGBX83

I use this to keep it fairly sharp, it is more of a beater knife so I'm not super worried. The sharpener keeps my Leatherman rebar razor sharp, I think the steel is just lacking since the knife is so cheap.

I've heard a lot about the SpyderCo system. I just want to sharpen kitchen knives, they haven't been sharpened for years. I tried with the steel stick thing, but doesn't really help much.

I've seen [this] (https://www.amazon.com/Choice-463-Pronto-Santoku-Sharpener/dp/B002JIMVS0) recommended a few times as well, and was leaning towards that because it is simpler and not a lot of lose parts. Will the SpyderCo be a huge difference that I'm going to regret it? I don't plan on sharpening constantly, I haven't sharpened these in 4-5 years, but they all suck now and I've been meaning to deal with it.

The pull through is the worst thing you can use.

If it is for a Spyderco Bug, I assume it will not be hard use and all you have to do is to maintain the edge.

Here are some ways you can do so:

• Use the underside of a ceramic mug to hone your edge (FREE)
  
  
• Arkansas Ceramic Rod ($2.39 - 5.91)
  
  
• DMT Mini-Sharp (Get the Fine or Extra Fine) ($8.56 - 9.99)
  
  
• [Lansky Turnbox (a.k.a Discount Spyderco Sharpmaker)](https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-4-rod-Crock-Sharpener-LCD5D/dp/B000B8FW0E/ref=sr_1_7? ie=UTF8&qid=1467990733&sr=8-7&keywords=ceramic+rod) ($14.09)
  
  Honestly, If you're really strapped for cash and pinching pennies, the Turnbox is the most reliable system you can get on a budget and it'll go a long, long way.