Nice, John!
The one thing we've always made sure of when working with any form of
manual knife sharpening kit is to keep any motions/actions smooth, and
gentle, to try avoid any irregularities, etc.
And, while not really the same, if I need to fix up something like a
notch in a blade edge, I have, at times, used the roughest stone
attachment of the lansky knife sharpening kit, but, without using the
mounting brackets, etc., and just used it to smooth out the edges, etc.,
before then sharpening them, sometimes starting at the wider angles in
the lansky kit's brackets, and working down to the narrower angles, and
stepping through the three grades of smoothness in terms of the
sharpening stone attachments made use of.
Stay well
Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
"Roger Wilco wants to welcome you...to the space janitor's closet..."
On 2016-05-04 8:32 PM, Jonathan Rawlings wrote:
OK Rob, here you are, the entire article cut right from the website. I
would caution you to make sure you understand the difference between
honing a knife and sharpening it. Yes, there is a difference, and it
matters. Since I simply cut this right from the web page, the results
of the testing aren't lined up all nice and neat, but you'll get through
it if you just hit the down arrow key often enough. I'll be saving this
article should the day ever come that I can afford their
most-highly-recommended model.
Jon
Knife Sharpeners
By Cook's Illustrated
•
Published July 2015
Chef'sChoice Trizor XV Knife Sharpener
How We Tested
How We Tested
Japanese bladesmiths have long favored chef’s-style knives with blades
that are ultraslim—that is, sharpened to about 15 degrees on either side
of the blade—and for good reason: In addition to being thin and
lightweight, these blades have a supernarrow cutting edge, which helps
make them razor-sharp. We’ve also come to favor a thinner edge. After
years of testing dozens of knives, our repeat favorite is from
Victorinox, a Swiss-made knife that is sharpened to 15 degrees on either
side of the edge, allowing it to push and slide through food more easily
than do more traditional European blades sharpened to at least 20 degrees.
To maintain that narrow edge, we use a tool specifically designed to
sharpen a blade to 15 degrees. Our favorite models, both from
Chef’sChoice, are a manual and an electric sharpener that each do a fine
job of restoring an ultrakeen edge to an Asian-style knife. But in
recent years the trend toward slimmer knives—and slimmer knife
sharpeners—has spread west, as European manufacturers including Wüsthof,
Henckels, Messermeister, and Mercer have launched their own 15-degree
knives and sharpeners. (In fact, Wüsthof and Henckels have discontinued
their 20-degree knives.) We were curious to see what these new
sharpeners had to offer—and were especially eager to test the claim of
one that it can even hone a 20-degree knife to 15 degrees. How would the
best knife sharpeners perform?
So we rounded up nine models (including our previous favorites), five
manual and four electric, from both Western and Asian manufacturers and
priced from roughly $20 to $200. To evaluate them, we bought nine of our
favorite Victorinox chef’s knives and assigned one to each sharpener; we
then dulled the knives identically and sharpened them according to
manufacturer instructions. To assess sharpness, we slashed sheets of
copy paper and sliced delicate tomatoes, repeating the dulling,
sharpening, and slicing process four more times with multiple testers
(for more information, see “Testing Knife Sharpness” in related content).
Material World
All knife sharpeners work similarly: The user repeatedly drags the blade
against an abrasive surface at a set angle, which trims and reshapes the
blade by removing microscopic amounts of metal that are blunted or too
far out of alignment. (Honing a blade on a steel is for knives that are
less dull, as it simply repositions metal that is only slightly out of
alignment.) With electric sharpeners, the abrasives are on motorized
wheels that spin against the blade; with manual sharpeners, they’re
either on nonmotorized wheels or the abrasive material itself is
fashioned into a V-shaped chamber through which the user pulls the knife.
Despite sharing similar mechanisms, the sharpeners we tested produced
dramatically varied results. There were differences in
user-friendliness: Some came with unintuitive directions and designs or
fussy cleaning requirements; others made jarring vibrations or piercing
grinding noises. We docked points for all these flaws.
But what really divided the pack was how sharp—or not—the knives were
after we sharpened them. Some models barely restored the knife’s edge
and others actually damaged it, rendering it uneven or jagged so that
the knife struggled when it came in contact with the food. And then
there were the best sharpeners, which put such a keen edge on the blade
that it felt sharper than it did out of the box.
We first checked to see if electric and manual sharpeners performed
comparably—and for routine sharpening, they did. (Repairing deep nicks
was another story; more on that later.) It wasn’t until we examined the
inner workings of the sharpeners that we realized that two key factors
were determining how effectively they sharpened.
First, the type of abrasive. The models we tested used three different
kinds: carbides (a combination of metal and carbon), ceramic, and
diamond. Our least favorite models featured carbides or ceramic,
materials that proved problematic in part because they have what Mike
Tarkanian at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Department of
Materials Science and Engineering calls a “high coefficiency of
friction.” This means that they are relatively sticky and grab at the
surface of the blade more than diamond does. As a result, sharpeners
made of these materials rough up the surface of the blade, making it
move through food less efficiently. In addition, ceramic and carbides
are also softer than diamonds and degrade more quickly, shortening the
life span of the sharpener; in fact, the ceramic wheels on the electric
Shun sharpener sent up a puff of white dust every time we pulled the
blade through its chamber.
Diamond, on the other hand, is the hardest material in the world, which
makes it strong and durable for sharpening. Its coefficiency of friction
is also relatively low, which allows it to glide smoothly over a knife
blade as it sharpens and thus produce a smoother, sharper edge.
In Chambers
The second factor affecting sharpness was the design of the sharpening
chamber. For the abrasive to put a consistently smooth edge on the
entire blade, the blade must move through the chamber as steadily as
possible; if there’s any wiggle room, the blade can shift position
slightly from stroke to stroke and emerge unevenly sharpened. The
Wüsthof, Victorinox, and Kuhn Rikon sharpeners, for example, all had
poor blade support, so testers naturally eased up on pressure when the
blades were almost through their chambers, lest they push the blades off
the sharpeners and onto the counter. As a result, the knives assigned to
these sharpeners had noticeably duller tips that couldn’t cut through
paper and squashed tomatoes flat. Examining the blades under a
high-powered microscope at MIT confirmed that they were utterly ragged
from all that wobbling.
The best designs came from a single manufacturer. Both of its electric
models feature spring-loaded guides in their chambers that supported the
entire edge, allowing for smooth, consistent contact with the abrasive;
on its manual model, the company built high sides that held the blade at
a precise, secure angle so that testers could draw it through the
chamber with even pressure.
Power Hungry?
With diamond abrasives, supportive chambers, and intuitive design, all
three models from one maker (two electric and one manual) put
razor-sharp edges on very dull knives and were easy to use. But whether
you buy a manual or electric model depends on your needs and personal
preferences. Manual sharpeners are smaller, lighter, cheaper—our repeat
top-rated manual sharpener costs about $50—and easier to store. They
also don’t need to be unpacked and plugged in for use, making them a
more convenient option for routine upkeep.
But what even the best manual sharpener can’t do is repair extensive
damage to a blade. When we filed two identical notches into the ends of
each knife and then ran them through their respective sharpeners, the
winning manual model hadn’t made much progress after 300 strokes. But
since the electric models put the abrasive in contact with the blade at
a much higher speed, they quickly repaired the damage, giving them a
distinct advantage over manual models. Our winning electric model, the
only model to feature a dedicated slot for heavy damage, required only
76 strokes to make a severely damaged knife look and cut like a
brand-new blade. Meanwhile, the runner-up electric model, got the job
done in about 220 strokes.
While our winner does have a hefty price tag, its heavy damage slot
offers another compelling reason to buy it, even if you don’t own a
15-degree knife: As advertised, it can indeed narrow the angle of a
traditional Western blade, converting it from 20 degrees to 15 (see
“Angling for a Sharper Edge”). With this ability, it may just be the
last sharpener you’ll ever need to buy.
Angling for a Sharper Edge
The manufacturers advertise that the aggressive first slot on the
Chef’sChoice Trizor XV can narrow the angle of a 20-degree Western blade
to 15 degrees—a function that would make this pricey model worth
considering even if you don’t own a 15-degree knife.
We tested that claim by running a brand-new 20-degree chef’s knife
through the Trizor for 20 strokes on either side of the blade (per
manufacturer’s directions). We then compared its sharpness to a second
new copy of that knife, as well as a new copy of our favorite 15-degree
chef ’s knife from Victorinox, by having multiple testers slice through
crates of produce. The results were convincing: Testers reported that
the copy with the narrowed edge felt noticeably sharper than its sibling
and almost as sharp as the 15-degree Victorinox.
Degrees of Sharpness
When manufacturers report that a knife has a 15- or 20-degree angle,
they’re referring to the angle of the bevel—the slim strip on either
side of the blade that narrows to form the cutting edge. The more acute
that angle, the sharper the blade will feel.
METHODOLOGY:
We tested nine knife sharpeners, four electric and five manual. Models
are listed in order of preference. All were purchased online.
ROUTINE SHARPENING: We bought new copies of our winning chef’s knife,
the Victorinox 8" Swiss Army Fibrox, and assigned one to each sharpener.
We dulled them identically and sharpened each according to manufacturer
instructions. To rate their sharpness, we slashed sheets of paper and
sliced tomatoes and then repeated the dulling, sharpening, and slicing
process four more times with different testers. Those that made clean
cuts without crumpling the paper or damaging the fruit rated highest.
NOTCH REMOVAL: We filed notches in both ends of each blade and ran them
through their respective electric sharpeners (manual models could not
remove notches), timing how long—and counting the number of strokes—it
took to repair the damage.
DESIGN: Sharpeners that had clear, precise instructions, were intuitive
to use, and cleaned up easily rated highest.
Knife Sharpeners
Winner - Best Electric SharpenerHighly Recommended
Chef'sChoice Trizor XV Knife SharpenerChef'sChoice Trizor XV Knife Sharpener
With diamond abrasives and a spring-loaded chamber that precisely and
gently guided the blade, this sharpener “purred” with perfection,
consistently producing edges that were sharper than on brand-new knives
from edge to tip. “I’m cutting this paper into confetti,” said one
tester. It was the only sharpener to quickly remove nicks in the blade;
in 10 minutes, a severely damaged knife looked and cut like a brand-new
blade. A big perk: It can convert a 20-degree edge to a sharper 15 degrees.
More Details
Design
Notch Removal
Routine Sharpening
$149.99*
Buy Now
BEST BUYRecommended
Chef'sChoice Diamond Sharpener for Asian KnivesChef'sChoice Diamond
Sharpener for Asian Knives
Also fitted with diamond abrasives and a spring-loaded chamber that
“cradled” the blade, our previous recommended electric 15-degree
sharpener was quick and easy to use. It wasn’t quite as effective at
sharpening as its winning sibling—the blade dragged just a bit when
cutting paper—but the result was comparable to the factory-sharpened
edge. It removed nicks in the blade, though it took 30 minutes and a
tiring 223 swipes.
More Details
Design
Notch Removal
Routine Sharpening
$79.99*
Buy Now
Not Recommended
Kitchen IQ Angle Adjust Adjustable Electric Knife SharpenerKitchen IQ
Angle Adjust Adjustable Electric Knife Sharpener
This electric sharpener’s adjustable knob sets the edge angle anywhere
from 10 to 30 degrees per side for different types of knives. But its
vibrating motor, which felt as if it was “kicking the knife around” was
problematic. The tip ricocheted back and forth out of the slot, which
dented it badly. With these flaws, we didn’t care that it removed nicks
in 96 strokes.
More Details
Design
Notch Removal
Routine Sharpening
$199.99*
Shun Electric SharpenerShun Electric Sharpener
Though this model put a reasonably sharp edge on the knife, it worked
too aggressively: Not only did it remove an alarming 3 grams of metal
from the blade after four rounds of sharpening (other models removed
statistically insignificant amounts), but its ceramic wheels sprayed
dust as it worked, making us question its durability. It left a
zipper-like pattern on the blade and was the only model you have to
clean each time after using. Removing nicks from the knife’s edge took
longer than 30 minutes.
More Details
Design
Notch Removal
Routine Sharpening
$79.95*
Winner - Best Manual SharpenerRecommended
Chef'sChoice Pronto Manual Diamond Hone Asian Knife
SharpenerChef'sChoice Pronto Manual Diamond Hone Asian Knife Sharpener
Our previous favorite manual sharpener quickly and easily restores a
razor-sharp edge to blades that have no serious damage. Its high guides
ensured that the blade met the abrasive at a precise and secure angle so
we could put even pressure along the entire edge. The handle was grippy
and comfortable, “anchoring itself in your hand,” and the tool can
easily be stored in a drawer.
More Details
Design
Notch Removal
N/A
Routine Sharpening
$49.99*
Buy Now
Recommended with Reservations
Victorinox SwissSharpVictorinox SwissSharp
This sharpener put a decent edge on the knife, was quick to operate, and
was compact enough to stow in a drawer. The blade teetered back and
forth in the V-shaped chamber; when we looked at it microscopically, it
showed a wavy, irregular edge.
More Details
Design
Notch Removal
N/A
Routine Sharpening
$32.40*
Miyabi 2-Stage Diamond/Ceramic Handheld Knife SharpenerMiyabi 2-Stage
Diamond/Ceramic Handheld Knife Sharpener
This sharpener secured the knife at a precise angle and produced an
acceptably sharp edge. But its lightweight plastic body felt cheap and
was scratched up after only a few uses, and its tall plastic case
blocked the last 1/2 inch of the knife’s heel from contacting the
sharpening wheel, which would eventually create a misshapen edge. For
the same price, the manual Chef’sChoice sharpener is a much better product.
More Details
Design
Notch Removal
N/A
Routine Sharpening
$32.40*
Not Recommended
Wusthof Two Stage Hand-Held SharpenerWusthof Two Stage Hand-Held Sharpener
This sharpener was sturdy to hold but didn’t secure the knife because
its 1/8 inch of extra space at the top of its chamber allowed the knife
to teeter as it slid over the abrasives. That extra space forced testers
to ease up on pressure as they pulled the knife through the chamber
(lest they push too hard and have the knife clunk down on the counter as
it slid out of the chamber), which made for an inconsistent edge.
More Details
Design
Notch Removal
N/A
Routine Sharpening
$19.99*
Kuhn Rikon Dual Knife SharpenerKuhn Rikon Dual Knife Sharpener
Because this model didn’t support even pressure along the length of the
blade, the knife never got very sharp; under a microscope, it looked
jagged and rutted at the tip and heel. Instructions were unintuitive,
and pronounced ridges on the handle dug into our hands.
More Details
Design
Notch Removal
N/A
Routine Sharpening
$19.50*
*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently
chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for
testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for
testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a
convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When
you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we
provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.
