knife sharpners....

[Gibson486]

any where here ever use one?

If so, do the ones that come in the back of can openers work well? or are they no match for an actual knife sharpner?

 

[kogase]

Are you talking about the long spikes with handles? Or the blocks with a metal mesh on them?

 

[voodoochylde]

It all depends on how much you want to spend (time-wise and speaking monetarily) - you can go all-out and invest in a 2" belt sanding setup that'll allow you to do everything from flat grinds to convex edges relatively quickly or you can get something like the Spyderco Sharpmaker (awesome rig). The Sharpmaker is an example of a "Hold the knife vertically and push it down" system.

You can also go with Lansky/DMT systems, straight-up benchstones (Arkansas, waterstones, or india stones) or even incorporate a strop.

Typically those on the back of kitchen products are good at one thing: overheating a knife and ruining its temper. It will also usually completely destroy any blade geometry. The sharpener may induce a slicing edge (one that appears like a saw under a microscope) but it will likely not be a good angle for the blade's intended function.

My suggestion, hit up http://bladeforums.com or http://knifeforums.com and look around a bit and ask your questions there. If you prefer to get down'n'dirty with your research, google is always a viable option.

Feel free to PM me if you need more depth in this topic.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: kogase
Are you talking about the long spikes with handles? Or the blocks with a metal mesh on them?

they come in many variaties......

 

[Zenmervolt]

Or you can do what I do and buy a good set of Henkels or Wustoff knives and just send them out every couple years for sharpening. A good knife should hold its edge for several years if you're observant about keeping it honed and using the appropriate cutting surfaces.

ZV

 

[kogase]

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: kogase
Are you talking about the long spikes with handles? Or the blocks with a metal mesh on them?

they come in many variaties......

No, dammit, they don't. Spike or mesh?

Edit: http://www.knivesplus.com/media/DMT-W4F.jpg

That's a mesh variety. It's a diamond sharpener.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Or you can do what I do and buy a good set of Henkels or Wustoff knives and just send them out every couple years for sharpening. A good knife should hold its edge for several years if you're observant about keeping it honed and using the appropriate cutting surfaces.

ZV

how much are those knives? I just bought this butcher knife about 1.5 years ago in some shop in china town for $20. Ever since my g/f started using it to cut chicken, the thing has become so dull.

 

[Rastus]

I had a Lansky once. It got my blades uber sharp but was a little awkward. I do my knives with a stone and steel by hand now for convienence.

 

[BuckNaked]

Spyderco Sharpmaker...

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: Gibson486
any where here ever use one?

If so, do the ones that come in the back of can openers work well? or are they no match for an actual knife sharpner?

The ones on the back of can openers are decent if you have cheap knives... but the stones don't last too long.

 

[Kaervak]

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Or you can do what I do and buy a good set of Henkels or Wustoff knives and just send them out every couple years for sharpening. A good knife should hold its edge for several years if you're observant about keeping it honed and using the appropriate cutting surfaces.

ZV

how much are those knives? I just bought this butcher knife about 1.5 years ago in some shop in china town for $20. Ever since my g/f started using it to cut chicken, the thing has become so dull.

Depending on the type of knife, they range in price from $40 to $170+. Yes that's a lot of money for a knife, however if you cook a lot and take care of your equipment it's the only $150 you will ever have to spend on cutlery. If you do buy Wustoff or Shun(personal favorite) NEVER use any home shaprening devices on them. I've seen bad things happen to the knives while being sharpened. Only "sharpening" you should ever be doing is honing the egde with a steel.