Best knife sharpner

[Scriptuali-T]

While it may be true that a properly used stone is better than a properly used electric sharpener, what is total misinformation is that a properly used electric sharpener will "ruin" your knives. A properly used electric sharpener will get your knives sharp enough to cleanly slice a sheet of paper, and more importantly, more than sharp enough to perform any culinary task.

Electric sharpeners are VERY easy to use with a minimal learning curve. I have been using one that is comparable to the Chef's Mate model (3 stages)mentioned above for a VERY long (more than 20 years) on the same set of Wusthof Classic (forged) knives that look as good as they did they day I bought them (and are even sharper). They are NOT ruined.

Pay attention to the angle of the sharpener that you buy (know if your knives are German vs. Japanese); some sharpeners have settings for two angles.

Again, not arguing better than using a stone, but electric sharpeners make sense for some and absolutely will not ruin your knives.

Regarding using a steel, i agree that it is important to know how to use a steel. That said, it is also important to understand the difference between honing and sharpening. Honing is valuable, and can reduce the frequency of needing to sharpen, but it does not replace the need to sharpen.

Yes, THIS makes sense to me.

[Propchef]

While it may be true that a properly used stone is better than a properly used electric sharpener, what is total misinformation is that a properly used electric sharpener will "ruin" your knives. A properly used electric sharpener will get your knives sharp enough to cleanly slice a sheet of paper, and more importantly, more than sharp enough to perform any culinary task.

Electric sharpeners are VERY easy to use with a minimal learning curve. I have been using one that is comparable to the Chef's Mate model (3 stages)mentioned above for a VERY long (more than 20 years) on the same set of Wusthof Classic (forged) knives that look as good as they did they day I bought them (and are even sharper). They are NOT ruined.

Pay attention to the angle of the sharpener that you buy (know if your knives are German vs. Japanese); some sharpeners have settings for two angles.

Again, not arguing better than using a stone, but electric sharpeners make sense for some and absolutely will not ruin your knives.

Regarding using a steel, i agree that it is important to know how to use a steel. That said, it is also important to understand the difference between honing and sharpening. Honing is valuable, and can reduce the frequency of needing to sharpen, but it does not replace the need to sharpen.

While using a mechanical "grinder" won't always ruin a knife, if it's done poorly or with the wrong wheel it certainly will, especially over time. Generally speaking, a grinding wheel takes off more material than sharpening by hand and it leaves a rougher edge, *that's* why it seems "sharp" and cuts paper easily. If the grinding wheel is cardboard and they're using jeweler's compound, THAT will give the knife a razor's edge that is polished and will last. But...it takes an experienced hand NOT to ruin knives because it's quite easy to do on a wheel. DO NOT use your home bench grinder.
Someone above said to use a steel, which is absolutely correct. The steel does not sharpen but maintains and straightens the edge. The steel should be used at the same angle used to sharpen the blade.

How long a knife holds its edge is directly related to how hard the steel is. CrMoV50, which is a common knife alloy of the European brands, is quite hard and will take some time to sharpen, but holds the edge quite well. Japanese knives are even harder and maintain a sharper edge longer, but are hard to sharpen. Knives bought at a big box store will be of a softer, cheaper alloy and will dull quicker but are easier to sharpen.

I use water stones on all of my knives.