What is the best sharpener for knives and scissors

[george burns]

I have been using a stone for years, "a water or dry" stone passed on from my father. But it only works well on good steel, not on cheap knives or scissors. I know certain scissors can be real tough to get that hollow ground beveled edge on.
I was going to buy a Spyderco, "my friend swears by his". Any suggestions.
I resorted to a dremmel and cutting wheel on some cheap pocket knives and got a decent edge on them, but it's hit and miss.

 

[oneounceload]

I use a Lansky with different grit stones - I can get a nice 15 degree edge on my kitchen cutlery

 

[OpticsPlanet]

Without breaking the bank to sharpen your cheaper stuff, I would take a look at this Smith's Sharpener. It has the option to sharpen at 14 or 24 degrees and has two-stage (coarse and fine) sharpening.


Mike C.

 

[Sam1911]

You always have to be careful asking about "the best." Tends to get you to the extremes of cost as well as utility.

https://www.wickededgeusa.com/

 

[JShirley]

The Spyderco Sharpmaker is a very good, easy to use sharpener that's reasonably priced.

 

[Hammer059]

Whetstones can and will get any knife sharper than is possible with pull-through sharpeners. If you learn how to use them properly and put the time in, they can't be beat.

But hey, what do I know, I just worked in a meat-room playing around with different knife sharpeners for 3 years…..

 

[conw]

The Spyderco Sharpmaker is a very good, easy to use sharpener that's reasonably priced.

And comes with a dvd illustrating how to sharpen everything from scissors to veggie peelers, etc. Not all of which is intuitive.

I would highly recommend it as well. Even if the guy gets into freehand (which it can also do) or a Worksharp (next step up imo) it's invaluable for quick touchups. I keep one in the vehicle.

 

[Sunray]

Nothing works well on cheap knives or scissors. The steel is too soft. It's why they're cheap.
"...a Dremel..." Is a fast way to ruin anything.

 

[GLOOB]

It sounds like you need a coarser/faster stone.

Norton fine india stone, around 350-425 grit, is a very fast cutter. Fast enough to completely revebel or even rework the primary grind of knives. I have no need to go coarser, or to the silicon carbide stones, because this one is almost as fast for my purposes. For most knives you would follow this with a hone and be done. But it leaves a pretty decent edge as is. IMO, the Norton brand is worth the extra cost on this stone, but you can also guy generic "india stones" that may dish a bit faster and soak up oil like a sponge.

For a waterstone, you might try 1000 grit, maybe.

 

[Zeke/PA]

Your scissors might not even be dull !
Tighten the screw somewhat and try again !!

 

[buck1032]

SpyderCo Sharpmaker

Is easy to use and rather economical. Its also what I use to sharpen scissors at my sons school. I volunteer there on a daily basis and I try to keep the schools scissors sharp. As such there are several teachers that regularly ask me to sharpen their personal scissors as well. The SpyderCo is a handy thing to have and us.

 

[george burns]

It's not the screw, I have very expensive hair cutting scissors. The cost of some of these Japanese and German scissors was in the 200-600 dollar range, back 20 yrs ago. Some are cobalt, "1 drop and they are done". so I always used to have a "guy", every good salon, had a Guy, who would come in once or so a month and sharpen them, Back in the 80's -2000, the cost went from $15-$40.00 per pair, to do them right. It is a cottage industry with all sorts of special machines and courses being given for thousands of dollars.
If you google it you will see, there are all kinds of gizmos for sale to sharpen those expensive scissors. But I remember a little Italian guy with a file, who did as good a job as any of the fancy machines did, and I think that they can be done by hand, "having run one over a water stone, one time, and it actually worked. But I am not brave enough to attempt it again, having read how hard it is supposed to be.
Many of those machines actually say, not for hair cutting shears. Here is a link just to show how expensive they are and why these guys get so much to sharpen them.http://www.mysalontools.com/5-5-kam...jl-d7ChQsqLv5DUDL2KEWs5_lzZyBF4KtnBoCyjHw_wcB.
I figure if you can sharpen those, you can sharpen anything.

 

[jlr1962]

I have used several that work well. The trick is to actually take the time and sharpen your knives when they need it.

 

[jhb]

For fixed angle sharpeners. ..... the wicked edge. Very sickly pricey but minimal learning curve and you cant mess it up once you figure it out. I also still own a dmt and a lansky. The lansky is the least useful of the 3...imo.

For free hand systems the sharpmaker. Many struggle with it due to factory knives bevels that are uneven angles and folks not understanding where the existing angles and edges are and how to hit them. Also the somewhat limited ceramics and such choices. Re profiling even 1095 or cheap poorly heat treated 440a steels let alone cpms30v or d2 etc.....is a tedious task with a sharpmaker.....even with aggressive congress stones. Once you use a sharpie and figure out the existing angle.......its a piece of cake using the sharpmaker. Especially for maintaining sharp edges.

Ive played and owned many sharpening systems and setups over a decades plus. In my experiences.... these two are the best choices overall. That said many like other systems and if you use them correctly they work too. For speed and good edges though, its hard to beat the wicked edge and sharpmaker.

 

[GLOOB]

having run one over a water stone, one time, and it actually worked. But I am not brave enough to attempt it again, having read how hard it is supposed to be.

Stop believing everything you read, maybe? For scissors, you can get them good and sharp with an apex angle anywhere from just shy of 90 degrees on down. You can't miss.

 

[hso]

WorkSharp

 

[rcmodel]

I hate to disagree.
But I had a chance to play with a WorkSharp a while back last fall.

It was a POS tiny belt sander with no backing platen, that made rounded edges out of previously precision beveled ones.

I would hate to see the damage it would do to barber scissors!!!
Or just about any scissors.

Might be great for dull fillet knives.
But not much else.

rc

 

[C.R.]

I just got a diamond hone,I am impressed they do a good job I also have an Arkansas 2 sided stone and a lanskey all work . Practice helps,good light is a must. Stropping after sharpening gives a nice edge

 

[joneb]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4--HIDogrc8
I have used this method for many years with razor sharp results, I use a 12"x12"x1/2" of dead flat granite with 220-5000 grit wet/dry

 

[Fred in Wisc]

2nd vote for the Wicked Edge. It's expensive ($300) but it REALLY works. Requires little skill on the part of the operator. Will easily produce edges that are sharp enough to shave with, using just the basic stones (diamonds in 100-200-400-600 grit) that come with the kit.

Have you ever regretted buying a really high quality gun or tool, once it was paid for? Probably not. It's built for a life time of use. The only draw back is that you will end up sharpening a lot of knives for others at hunting camp once they try yours.

In my case that's a benefit, I lose less money playing dice if I'm sharpening knives instead.......

 

[RustyShackelford]

Don't forget ....

The youtube video of the guy who uses his car window to sharpen blades, .
The clip is impressive but I haven't tried it yet.
I own a pocket Smith knife sharpener I use on my kitchen knives mostly.
A decent EDC knife is on my list of stuff I need to buy/replace.

 

[Slamfire]

Florinda Dipinto's grinding machine is in the Ohio Historical Musuem, Colombus Ohio.

The grinding wheels are belt operated off a flywheel powered by footpedals. This would be an advantage as the grinder does not remove material as fast as an electric grinder. Since Florinda would be holding the knife/scissor, he could feel the temperature and would not overheat the steel. The grinder can adjust the amount of coolant water on the grindstone by adjusting the valve on the drip can.

I don't know if the bells were operated by the foot pedals or the support wheels.

If you could hold the angle, this would be a great sharpener.



https://server16007.contentdm.oclc....ALL&CISOROOT=/p267401coll32&CISOBOX1=grinding

 

[bikerdoc]

I use various stones free hand or a Lansky

 

[rbernie]

I've finally started to use the Lansky within the last year, and for the cost I'm pleased with it.

 

[Elkins45]

I would take a Sharpmaker + conventional bench stone over a Lansky. If you own a belt sander you can buy a leather belt that you apply polishing compound to. I have one and it's pretty darned good. Paper sharpening wheels you install on a bench grinder are also quite good.

Both of the powered options above aren't like other grinder/sharpeners. The abrasive is so fine you don't have much risk of ruining an edge unless you just do something stupid.