Spent all my Cabelas gift cards today for the internet highly recommended Work Sharp Ken Onion edition knife sharpener, on sale for $130 - what a goat screw.

Pull the trigger and draw the knife at the same time - 6-10 draws each side. Change to a finer grit belt and do the same thing again. Change to a finer belt for the 3rd time and draw it about 4 times on each side.

I’m taking this damn thing back. I’m not so concerned about the price but I just want something simple to sharpen my hunting and kitchen knives. Being able to sharpen scissors would be a nice feature.

So what’s a simple, easy to use but effective knife sharpener? Thanks.

Lansky

RADA and a steel between.

Kent

Spyderco Sharpmaker has worked well for me

Unless you tend to let your blades get really dull and they are of a harder steel.

With a 1 minute touch up every week or two on the Sharpmaker, I've gone months without the need for a full blown sharpen.

Not a fan of the Work Sharp either...

You need to check for a burr before moving to the next finer belt, First time sharpening a new knife, it can take quite a while to correctly profile it with the coarsest belt. Same with any sharpener, if you cant feel the burr on the opposite side of the blade are sharpening, with your thumb, the whole length of the blade, when you move to the next finer belt, you arent sharpening the edge yet!!!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001692XPE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1

+1

I got this on the advise from somebody here. Works increditably well on kitchen knives. Just a few draws through it with a knife and it is sharp. Don't see why it wouldn't work on a hunting blade as well. Even my wife can sharpen a knife with it.

+2 simple and effective, I got one of those after Deflave recommended it. It's what I use on the kitchen knives followed with a few passes on the steel.

Sometime in the 90s I was at the swap meet and there was these washers attached to a piece of wood... knife sharpener with RADA on it, cost 5 bucks so what the hell. Took it to elk camp and we used it butchering, F'n thing was amazing and this with professional butchers in camp. So I bought more and handed them out the next camp.

Got quite a few of the modern ones and hand them out most hunting seasons to new hunters.

First time I posted about them here years ago I got a few hurmps and not much else, glad to see they are getting their due now.

And steel, it's the more important tool over any 'sharpener'.

Kent

+1 on the sharpmaker.

The key, as Lonny said is the not let the blade get dull.

I like FlexxxStrop brand strops. I carry the small in my hunting pack.

Few swipes on the strop after each use keeps in ready to go.

Chef'sChoice 15 Trizor XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener for Straight and Serrated Knives Diamond Abrasives Patented Sharpening System Made in USA, 3-Stage, Gray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018RSEMU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_wZKbEbG7VE41H

I’ve used one of these for years. Does the job well for my knives and uses. Others I know are very good at sharpening blades using a variety of tools. True craftsmen at the task. Never really taken the time to experiment or master sharpening like them.

My Gatco (a copy of the Lansky) is the only simple way I can make a knife sharp.

Bought the kit in the 80's, a few years ago the composite clamp broke. Called Gatco and they said yes, the material becomes brittle over time, give us your address and we will send you an aluminum clamp. Showed up in the mail 10 days later.......

That kind of service creates a ton of loyalty on my part.

I bought my SIL a regular steel and a diamond coated steel at a restaurant supply store for his birthday a few years ago. They will put a razor sharp edge on a dull knife real quick. I always take a Lansky sharpener with the ceramic rods when I go hunting or fishing, I gave him one of those too.

A rock from Arkansas rock formations......

i have 2 arkansas stones, not everybody can freehand sharpen a knife it takes practice.

A Whet rock!

I have the same stones. An old Army cook taught me how to put a razor edge on a knife with sharpening stones.

Spiderco Sharpmaker

Bought at a knife place in a mall in colorado springs 1985 while I was stationed at Ft Carson.
Some prescribe to oil on em.
I prescribe to a drop of spit.
Or if really fancy some water.

Clean it in warm water and light dish detergent once in awhile.

Rock been everywhere from Panama to Norway to Korea x3 to Germany to Iraq x 2
And everywhere in between.

Dont forget one in you all,s bugout bag along with toliet paper.
Lol!!!

Lansky . Has mine 30 years. I use the diamond stones.

You're screwing the goat wrong. Set your belt speed with the little red button, press the trigger switch and lock it with the black button on the side of the grip. now your belt is running continuously. Draw your blade across on both sides and then change belts.

I use mine on lots of knives.

The simplest and quickest is with a belt grinder. Get a cheap 1"x30" from harbor freight, and some 400 grit belts and a leather belt with green compound from Pop's knife supply. Look up the technique on Youtube and practice on some cheap knives. Easier and cheaper than about anything else.

https://www.harborfreight.com/1-in-x-30-in-belt-sander-61728.html?_br_psugg_q=belt+sander

https://pops-knife-supply.myshopify...r-1x30-cs-310x-wt?variant=25048863080512

https://pops-knife-supply.myshopify.com/products/surgi-sharp-leather-sharpening-belts

https://pops-knife-supply.myshopify...-buffing-compound?variant=29396667170850

What was the issue w the worksharp? I have the original and it’s great for what it is and does.

But, you can’t beat these Smith’s for quick, easy, light, cheap ($6), and pocketable. I have several.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/SMI...DwcpEAQYBSABEgKsCvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Window glass, coffee cup, rock. Any port in a storm.

The simplest solution would be to purchase a quality 3 stone sharpener. Might take one a few minutes to get the correct angle down, but once you do there isn't a knife out there you can't sharpen. Good luck with your search.

Got this one from Bass Pro,Amazon has it for about $12

Camillus , about 5"long, 3/8" thick, 1&1/2"wide. Ceramic and carbide knife sharpener, fish hook sharpener, scissors sharpener, Torx T6 T-8, T9,T10 and blade screw driver

https://www.amazon.com/Camillus-Glide-Ceramic-Blade-Sharpener/dp/B00N645ZJ8

One of these in the kitchen drawer.


https://handysharp.com/product/long-handle-mini-poker-chip/

Another in hunting pack with a diamond sharpener/file.

Yep, they'll take off some steel, but so will working for a long time to get a sharp edge with belts, stones, etc.

Might have to pick up one of them Rada ones someday.

Geno

Yes. A couple Arkansas oil stones and some practice.

Yep, the "best" way perhaps.

But no one wants to do that practice stuff anymore.

I haven't practiced in a while as I tend to keep mine sharp and just a touch up with that little goody I posted or similar seems to do the trick.

I do enjoy finding a nice beater knife on occasion and bringing it back to life with the stones though.

Geno

I use a diamond pocket sharpener from MooreMaker. I can sharpen every knife in the house in less than half an hour.

Sharpmaker for me. Agree on the occasional touch up...

I've been using one of these lately for all of my knife sharpening.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Work-Sharp-Guided-Field-Sharpener/1434522.uts?slotId=7

I must be a bit on the crude side, A stone, water, steel, if bad enough, I start with a belt sander.

When the blades get dull on my Grizzly wood planner, I take them to a man with a jig, and a grinder.

I have a Worksharp and it does a great job once you catch on how to use it. For one, don't pull the blade all the way through or it will round off the tip. I don't use the fine belt. I use the red belt then just pull it through a ceramic sharpener a few times to finish it off. It saves having to swap belts.

One simple knife sharpener is your coffee mug or ceramic plate , turn it over and use the not glazed portion for sharpening. i do that when i am cooking and want something quick.

Another vote for the Sharpmaker I've been using one for years.

And another fan here....

Freaking foolproof! Anybody can sharpen a knife with these.

https://www.amazon.com/Edgemaker-Sh...YdIRmUGwGkhw&hsa_cr_id=6906561230201

Another vote for the Sharpmaker. Shop around online, and get the diamond and ceramic stone sets. You will probably have the same amount or less into it, and have a hell of a lot better system than that belt craziness.

I guess I'm old school.

This. First time you use one of those belt sander deals you are most likely going to be re-profiling a standard v-edge into a convex edge and it takes time. Beats sandpaper on a mouse pad I bet. One way to check and see if you are hitting the edge is to cut gently 90 degrees into a stone (or maybe one of your belts) and create a "flat" where your old knife edge was. Flip the knife over edge up and you should be able to see this running the length of the blade with a good light. Sharpen until you can't see the flat anymore all the way down, then STOP! Probably you have to check the edge after each pass on the belt. The edge has been created, all you have to do is refine it by going to finer abrasives. Some people color the bevel with a magic marker until they get a feel for what they are doing. Once created you can maintain a convex edge for a long time stropping on a soft substrate.......like an old mouse pad under sandpaper.

If you want simple, the little Rada gadget is hard to beat for the results you get vs what it costs and how easy it is. Finishing up on a stone or steel enhances the results but is not necessary. This is a great gadget to have handy when your knife gets dull in the middle of cutting up a bunch of meat or whatever and you don't want to go with your "system" but just want to finish what you are doing.


My preferred method is freehand with oil stones. Its a skill worth acquiring.

Me too.

I've been using mine for about a decade. If you can hold a knife fairly straight up and down, like you're gonna chop up a carrot, you're ready to turn out razors on the Spyderco Sharpmaker. It's really that easy.

I also like the Spyderco Sharpmaker. Pretty easy to use and works very well, including serrated edges.

Huh, I thought the Work Sharp Ken Onion was an easy to use sharpener. However, I have a Spyderco Sharpmaker too for when I don't feel like pulling out the Ken Onion. They both work great as sharpening tools, just different tools.

I`ve had my work-sharp for 10+ years now. It works , from my $300 skinning knives , to my daily carry spring assist knife. Stays sharp for a very long time, and seems as easy peasy as it gets imo .
Red belt 5 pulls per side then grey honing belt 5 pulls per side , done. Worth the $100.
Skinned many russian boar and buffalo , anyone who has knows how fast a knife goes dull on those game. Work Sharp kept them sharp and ready for duty . Love that thing.

I've had mine for probably 20-25 yrs and still sharpens blades fine.
Just have to rotate the steel occasionally.

Greg

I use a diamond chefs choice electric for kitchen knives and a lansky for my others. I can use a stone or crock stick but usually use the.jig or the electric.

I used to be old school and used a soft Arkansas, hard, and black Arkansas with honing oil. But I couldn't keep up between kitchen, fillet, fishing and hunting knives. Then I was told about Accusharp about ten years ago and tried one. It's all I have use ever since, quick and simple to maintain a sharp blade.

https://accusharp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P704B1EtMC0

I have had mine that long as well. Stupid simple and should be in every kitchen.

As soon as my shop is built, this is one of the first projects.

+100
I loved the diamond lansky stones for years.

I have no patience and no skill with a stone.

Warthog V-Sharp Classic II. Amazon for $80. Easy. Works great. You should buy a finer grit stone for $10, but that's it.

I'm old school and like a good extra fine India,Hard Arkansas and Black Arkansas oil stones.I keep a extra fine diamond stone in the kitchen for dressing up the edge on my daily use knives.The thing about knives is,keep them sharp.I've seen people who carry knives that are so dull it looks like the edge on a butter knife.Takes a lot of work to get the edge back on them.

I have an edge pro and sharpmaker. I use the sharpmaker the vast majority of the time. Buy the extra stones and don't let your knives get dull. It's very easy to get great results

Rada

$5

I love the electric Ken Onion sharpener, just takes some practice. Worksharp makes a diamond stone sharpener complete with coarse and fine grit sides, built in angle guides, a ceramic steel and leather strop in one small unit that will fit in your pocket. Thats about all I use now. I keep one in my pack at all times.

Ginzu

Spyderco Sharpmaker here too.

Worksharp . Love mine.

Arkansas stones I have been using these for a long time. My Dad showed me how to use a stone when I was probably 13 and been using stones for around 45 years. Not the easiest way to sharpen a knife, but is my preference.

https://www.kmesharp.com/ I have lanski and all the other stones.. I have all my knives shaving sharp with the KME .. It's like the Lanski EXCEPT no slop with the angles kind of like the next generation.. Good luck...

This type has always worked: https://www.homedepot.com/p/TEKTON-6-in-Triangular-Saw-File-Regular-Taper-6690/206297088

I think I have 5-6 of them. one in my shop,one in each truck,one in the front of my atv,one in kitchen.

Well of course there are different aspects of 'sharpening', but just a generic... I want my knife sharp to cut stuff, what's a simple way to do it, the answer is the RADA or other cheap V style... why? because it recenters the edge. The edge needs recentered often, that's honing, the back of the bevel doesn't need cut back nearly as much, that's taking metal off. A professional knife may need sharpened once or twice a year and honed frequently while used.Honing doesn't take metal off it straightens the edge... a steel, smooth stone, leather, cardboard, ceramic, glass, boot, pants... lots of ways to do it but a steel is the answer in the kitchen and butcher table.

I've got stones, a lansky, belt sander with different grits and leather, carbide... have used them all, they represent removing metal. I'm down to using the belt sander if I need to reprofile an old knife, the RADA to cut the relief back when needed and a steel most of the time. Sharp is sharp.

I'm not a professional butcher but learned from some as a kid butchering our beef, usually help on a few elk and deer kills a year, though that's tapering off, only one elk last season. Field dressing and possibly butchering if the person shows real interest in learning, anymore if they just want someone to do it for them they can pay a butcher. The guy this year is someone I've hunted with for 10 years, was on his first elk kill and some others, he has turned into a hell of a hunter taking kids out from his church and mentoring many successes. He asked if we could butcher his bull and I said sure. The knife and sharpness issue is important obviously, if you just field dress and skin a few animals a year and haul to the butcher shop a knife only has to be sharp for a short period. Separating muscles, cutting roasts and steaks didn't take much learning as it is obvious once into it, mostly he talked about the knives, how did I keep them so sharp with the steel so fast. I gifted some knives, steel and a RADA because he showed real interest.

Anyway knives are a tool to me, I take function over presence, if someone has a knife they want to have a perfect bevel for looks that's fine, take all the time needed to achieve it, it's not sharper just prettier.

I have picked up many old butcher knives, rescued from some dark drawer, some back from the 1800s, just observing them they tell the story of how working knives are sharpened for heavy use. There is no uniform bevel, it's just ground well back so it can be steeled for months before regrinding. These knives are still formidable and very sharp. You can see the relief and some have the grinding companies name stamped on them, most have the butcher's initials or mark on them. Here's a few I have. The cleaver was steeled so much using the handle a a backstop it ate the wood to the rivet, I've had other knives that the wood was ate back also.

Happy sharpening...

Kent

Diamond rod, Crock stick, Or a ceramic rod, all work .

I was at my daughters recently and her knives were bad. Nothing in the house to sharpen with. The neighbor was putting in a new tile floor and had some cut off pieces laying

Around. I Had heard that it was much the same as a ceramic rod so gave it a try. Worked like a charm. Just keep the angle correct and in a few passes your knife is sharp.

I showed her how to use it and she sharpened one of the knives.

never understood the love for the sharpmaker. I have one laying around somewhere, that If I found it and someone wanted it I would give them the dang thing. perhaps its works good on soft steels. but hard steels like S30v etc. I just flat out couldn't sharpen with it. edge pro apex is probably the best out there. We use the worksharp also but only on axes because it takes off too much metal for pocket knifes. If I was doing it again, Those MDF wheels on a bench grinder are what I really want to try.

I've been using this pull through sharpener for about a year with zero issues. Screws to the bench for stability. At first I was disappointed but soon realized that it requires a few pulls till the edge conforms to the vee angel of the carbide inserts.After that an occasional pass across my steel keeps my knives in great shape .

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019DVLN2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

In reading through the posts in this thread I am reminded that over the last forty years I have had or used nearly every sharpener mentioned except the MDF disks and the Rada. I still have most of them in a box somewhere. The one I use most of the time is a a pair of round ceramic rods stuck in a piece of oak at an angle. Sort of a long skinny coffee cup I suppose. It puts a serviceable edge on a knife and the softer the steel the better. It will do 440 stainless but it takes awhile. The one I have came from AG Russell a long time ago and after trying every sharpener I came across I went back to it. Obviously my sharpening abilities are suspect but the Russell does a good job and pretty quickly if the knife is still somewhat sharp. I use a leather strop to touch up edges.

The original question asked about a simple sharpener. There are a few on here that work and I asked the last custom knife maker i bought a knife from what he used. A Spyderco SharpMaker was his answer. I might buy one of those sometime.

For simple, a stropping action on sandpaper and a mousepad is a good option. The slight flex of the mousepad is very forgiving of angle variation, and is super easy to get the hang of. It also gives a slight convex edge, which is less prone to damage. I normally go 400 to 1000 grit paper for most knives, and 2000 if I want a finer edge.

Only $4 at Lowe's.....

I have a 320 white wheel and a felt wheel with white polishing compound, on a bench grinder. Fast and sharp.

Years ago, I bought a pricey Forschner kitchen knife. I screwed around with it for years with any number of different sharpeners but just couldn't ever get a decent edge. A couple years ago I bought a Worksharp. That's what it took. Just a few pulls through and the Forschner now has a great edge. I don't use the fine belts, just the coarser red belt, then finish off with a ceramic pull through type.

The Rada is so simple even a woman can use it. Tada. Edk

Lansky Master's Edge

that's why i got one, got tired of dull kitchen knifes.

I'm useless with a stone, but have the worksharp and love it.

Aside from hunting knifes, we have some kitchen knifes that when you tried to cut a tomatoe it mostly just crushed it until you got through the skin. 60 seconds with the worksharp and it cuts them cleanly now and effortless.

We run our hunting knifes and butchering knives through after every animal killed and put in the freezer, works great.

I’ve got and use occasionally the K.O. Worksharp, Several Arkansas stones, an Accusharp, Lansky, etc....

What I use now is a Warthog sharpener (home) or a rada (always in truck). Then leather strop with polishing compound to finish.
I wish I would have had the Warthog sharpener years ago, would have saved me much time and money. I’ve also gifted them a couple times and the recipients have been impressed.
peak98

I have used a 3 way oil stone for 40 years.
My work knives are sharp, but I struggle to get them there.
Perfectly creating the same angle on both sides is not easy.
Some guys that have perfected it have absolute razors.
I have always has a tough time getting those perfect angles.