Spent $800 on a 'professional' knife sharpening system that's worse than my old stones

I saw a bunch of ads for this electric sharpener that promised a perfect edge in minutes. Bought it for the shop thinking it would save us time on busy days. The thing just eats steel and leaves a jagged, weak edge that dulls after a few primals. My apprentice could do better with the $40 set of whetstones we've had for years. Now it's just collecting dust in the back. Anyone have a sharpening method they actually swear by for high-volume work?

3 comments

3 Comments

janawells1mo ago

Stick with the stones. That electric stuff just grinds away too much metal. We use a two-sided diamond plate for a quick fix between full sharpenings on the water stones. Lets us get a working edge back in under a minute without wrecking the blade. For real volume, you just can't beat a practiced hand on a good whetstone.

robin6581mo ago

Wait, you can sharpen a blade in under a minute?

the_xena25d ago

The diamond plate trick @janawells mentioned is great for speed, but it can leave a rougher edge than a stone. That might not matter for some tasks, but it can tear up softer foods like tomatoes. It's a trade-off between a fast fix and a really clean cut.