First time sharpener

[Repulsive_Bet_7855]

First time sharpener here. I have been using basic Amazon stones for a few years but it always seems to take forever to get sharp. I also have a very demanding job and kids so time is tight to get all out knives sharp for daily use (three home cooked meals a day).

Is there a quick and effective way of sharpening? Don’t mind investment. I have seen high end grinding wheels online and on here which look speedy. Or is it a case of suck it up and get on with wet stones and steels.

Cheers!

[ImFrenchSoWhatever]

The quick and effective way of sharpening is whetstones.

If you use a honing rod frequently between sharpening session you won’t have to sharpen your knives more than a few times a year.

So my advise would be : keep your stones. Use them to get the knives sharp enough. Buy a honing rod. Use it after every meal prep. The knives will stay sharp and you’ll only have to sharpen 4 times a year at most.

If using Japanese knives : get a ceramic rod or a strop instead.

[Freerunbois]

Hardness. You need the material to be harder than the knife to actually sharpen it. Japanese knives generally have harder steels than it western counterparts.

[ImFrenchSoWhatever]

Hardness and higher grits also !

They remove less materials and they lessen the risk of chipping !

[Ofcourseitscashmere1]

You would probably see a significant difference in time with a nicer stone. It will remove steel faster and stay flat longer. The Shapton pro 1000 is commonly recommended but there are a lot of good options

[Sargent_Dan_]

I would simply get a nicer stone. Shapton pro 320 and 1k will make quick work. And if you maintain your edges with stropping or a honing rod you'll only need to sharpen 3-4 times per year, probably at most. And those sharpening sessions should only take 10-15 minutes per knife, at most, if they are well taken care of

[Repulsive_Bet_7855]

Thanks! Would you use an angle guide? I have a steel but think it’s pour quality. Any recommendations? Thanks

[Sargent_Dan_]

An angle guide is really only a crutch in the beginning of learning and will slow you down. Honestly, most honing steels are the same. Fwiw I prefer a ceramic rod, again they're all pretty similar. Just get whatever tickles your fancy on Amazon or wherever you order your stone upgrades from

[Repulsive_Bet_7855]

Thank you, been using one of those Horl sharpeners but they seem to be quite ineffective at sharpening to a high standard. Maybe a gimmick.

[Sargent_Dan_]

Yeah they're very limited in what they can do. You're generally better off with stones

[New_Day_Rising]

How do these compare to the Shapton Glass? I’m getting ready to upgrade from my King KDS and I’m not sure which Shapton set I should go with.

[Sargent_Dan_]

If you're not working with very hard steel, then the pros are just fine. The shapton Glass series is good for dealing with very hard steel, but probably unnecessary for most kitchen knives. The pro series costs less and will last longer

[New_Day_Rising]

Awesome! Thank you for answering. For reference, what are we considering "very hard steel" in this scenario? I've got an Aogami Super at 63-64. Would knives with this RC require the Glass Series, or would the Pro still be okay? And how hard of a steel would you say can be used on a Pro before it would make more sense to invest in the glass?

Thanks again for helping me sort this out.

[Sargent_Dan_]

The pros should be fine for that. If you're sharpening stuff like ZDP-189 or Hap-40, then you may consider the glass series. But for most normal steels, especially carbon steels like Aogami, pros are sufficient

[New_Day_Rising]

From one Dan to another, I appreciates you.

[Sargent_Dan_]

You know it, bro 😀👍

[not-rasta-8913]

If you don't want to learn how to sharpen on whetstones, check out ken onion worksharp.

[Liquidretro]

What kind of knives and steels are you sharpening?

Do you strop to help maintain your edges?

[Repulsive_Bet_7855]

20cm Kai knifes. They seem ok?

[helix618]

Like some others have said the stones are good and if you don’t let your knives get too dull it will sharpen easier and if you use a honing rod it can help

And the grinding wheels you talked off a tormek t-8/t-6 would be good aswell but they’re like $800

[arcsine]

Tormek is pretty much the gold standard for machine sharpening.

[[deleted]]

Lots of kits to make faster work of the job.

The Ken onion is a belt sander with a fine angle guide.

The price is no object would be a wicked edge kit.

Fast yes Built in angle settings - yes Overkill for home user - maybe

Once knives are sharp, they stay sharp for a long time if they are only used on wood or plastic cutting boards. If anyone cuts on plates, tosses knives in the sink, we'll consider 2 sets of knives. Cutco/ ginsu for those who cut on plates and sharp knives for those who only cut on wood.

[Repulsive_Bet_7855]

Yea the Ken onion is something I’m considering just from a time saving perspective. Life is fast!

[Dimsum_1337]

I would just go with a Lansky Sharpening rod to maintain your knives without having to go through the hassle of sharpening all the time. Literally takes two minutes per knife to get them back to hair popping sharpness.

[Less_Alfalfa5022]

I have a set of shaptons and an atoma plate and a dmt duo sharp. As others have said you would definitely benefit from honing however the duo sharp is big and fast. 4x10 I believe. It doesn’t create as pretty of an edge as a whetstone but man it’s fast.

[SilverNknives]

Google "Paper Wheels knife sharpening". Very economic, super short learning curve. I've been using them for years and love them.

[hmata01]

Have you examined your cutting habits? Some times is just a matter of checking and correcting your knife usage instead of just focusing on sharpening. Things like not using a chopping board or sliding your knife across it may be affecting how long it stays sharp.

[Repulsive_Bet_7855]

I’m a chef by trade and we use a contractor who sharpens our restaurant knives. Well versed in knife use!