Electric knife sharpener review

[yellow door 1 1,834]

 

[doobie 5,802]

Try your beard next   

I got one the Aldi ones to try for $10 and its ok but nothing to rave about.

Have been using a stone of late but just can't get it right yet lol.

[Softy 2,991]

Aldi one is rubbish. Used it once for 30 seconds and destroyed one of my knifes. Took me ages to get it back into shape with a stone. 

 

I have some Wiltshire pull thru thing that does prep/sharpen/finish. Does a pretty good job on my kitchen knifes. 

[yellow door 1 1,834]

2 hours ago, doobie said:

Try your beard next   

I got one the Aldi ones to try for $10 and its ok but nothing to rave about.

Have been using a stone of late but just can't get it right yet lol.

Yeah I've had mixed results with stones - I lack the patience and the skills to get the best out of them -

these, "almost idiot proof" electric units, are more my speed.

I dont want to cut my fingers off when reaching into a soapy sink full of water - so "almost razor" is where I like my knives to be

[yellow door 1 1,834]

2 hours ago, Softy said:

Aldi one is rubbish. Used it once for 30 seconds and destroyed one of my knifes. Took me ages to get it back into shape with a stone. 

 

I have some Wiltshire pull thru thing that does prep/sharpen/finish. Does a pretty good job on my kitchen knifes. 

Yeah I practiced with shit knives and I'm glad I did - the spinning motion can suck the blade into the machine when you came at it from the left had side.

I managed to put a couple of divots on a 20 year old bait knife while honing my technique.

All I own are cheapish knives, that are easily replaced, so I'm willing to risk them on these machines.

The electric sharpener is by no means a finely tuned instrument - but in the hands of a skilled operator - you could probably get some acceptable results - If I ever find one - I'll get him to have a go and let you know

But as it stands - I'm happy with it - but I'd only recommend it to someone who hates sharpening - and is happy with lightning quick, mediocre results

[Knackers 696]

I cut the middle man out and just bought a Nirey. Buy once, cry once.

[yellow door 1 1,834]

59 minutes ago, Knackers said:

I cut the middle man out and just bought a Nirey. Buy once, cry once.

Thanks Knackers - interesting unit
 

 

[doobie 5,802]

1 hour ago, Knackers said:

I cut the middle man out and just bought a Nirey. Buy once, cry once.

Solid machine by the looks.

Costs a bit of   lol. 

Cry ?  due to cost or have you already cut your fingers due to extra sharp knives   

[Jimmy. 173]

I use one of two items/ procedures when doing all the surgical knifes, osteotomes etc.

a robert sorby pro edge ( easy to use, and gets a good result) which has been modified to run backwards or forwards - followed by a 8000 grit wet stone and a strop for the top notch stuff. 

or a quick going over as its not too bad, use a scotch brite wheel on a reserve spinning grinder. then polish off the bur with the buff wheel. (easiest way by far to keep them sharp)
 

way to test knives is through a bit of paper and should be an easy clean slice, and for chisels etc should be able to take layers of finger nail off.

[yellow door 1 1,834]

Yeah I’ve tried belt sanders with sand paper and grinding wheels on angle grinders but my problem is the heat Produced on the blade Making it brittle. Even with a bucket full of water to dip the knife in between passes

(admittedly I may have been a little heavy handed during those experiments)
 

sounds like the scotch bright pad doesn’t produce as much heat?

[Knackers 696]

On 23/07/2020 at 4:12 PM, doobie said:

Solid machine by the looks.

Costs a bit of   lol. 

Cry ?  due to cost or have you already cut your fingers due to extra sharp knives   

Actually my missus got it for me for Xmas. 

[doobie 5,802]

41 minutes ago, Knackers said:

Actually my missus got it for me for Xmas. 

A nice wife  and a keeper lol

[Knackers 696]

14 minutes ago, doobie said:

A nice wife  and a keeper lol

I do all the cooking here. And she loves sharp knives. Like I do. But it is akin to me buying her a new iron.

 

[Knackers 696]

6 hours ago, yellow door 1 said:

Yeah I’ve tried belt sanders with sand paper and grinding wheels on angle grinders but my problem is the heat Produced on the blade Making it brittle. Even with a bucket full of water to dip the knife in between passes

(admittedly I may have been a little heavy handed during those experiments)
 

sounds like the scotch bright pad doesn’t produce as much heat?

With the Nirey the don't get hot. It is a real gentle pressure on the blade. But, you do need good quality blades to start with.

[doobie 5,802]

1 minute ago, Knackers said:

I do all the cooking here. And she loves sharp knives. Like I do. But it is akin to me buying her a new iron.

 

Me too with all the cooking ... good or bad lol

I could buy her a new vacuum ... but I do the vacuuming   I could buy her a new duster .... but I do the dusting  

I could buy her a new iron ... she does the ironing .... but then, you should see all the wrinkles  

[Knackers 696]

1 minute ago, doobie said:

Me too with all the cooking ... good or bad lol

I could buy her a new vacuum ... but I do the vacuuming   I could buy her a new duster .... but I do the dusting  

I could buy her a new iron ... she does the ironing .... but then, you should see all the wrinkles  

We're lucky, no ironing with COVID, work from home. I do the vacuuming. Nice little dyson that has to die soon.

My wife doesn't trust my ironing. 29 years in the Army, having to pass inspection, and she reckons I'm shit. Which is good. I don't iron, even prior to now. I think she confuses ironing with washing, like when I put her whites in the washer with my fish and squid ink clothes. Best thing I ever did.

[Jimmy. 173]

19 hours ago, yellow door 1 said:

Yeah I’ve tried belt sanders with sand paper and grinding wheels on angle grinders but my problem is the heat Produced on the blade Making it brittle. Even with a bucket full of water to dip the knife in between passes

(admittedly I may have been a little heavy handed during those experiments)
 

sounds like the scotch bright pad doesn’t produce as much heat?

produces some heat yes, unless your taking chunks out of the blades you only needs to be very light on the belts (robert sorby has a great attachment for knives!) your just getting a micro burr at the end (use a decent headlamp to get good visibility on what your doing). It comes off the belt with a mirror finish (most belt sanders people use don't use low enough grit and your basically polishing the blade after the first quick pass). I have a bunch of bone handle butter knives i have sharpened up and they are deadly and my hand is totally bald from shaving hairs off with it.

My process is to get a burr showing on one side, turn over and do the same to the other. do that 3 times. use buff wheel to remove burr. this gives a finish 98% of people are happy with. and its quick to do. 

Your passes should be very quick, your taking very little material off. I can do a knife on the belt sander from 600 grit, 1200 grit, 3000 grit, 5000 grit, and finish off on a wheel in about 10 minutes.  If it needs to be like a wood plane i would then go and run it over a 4000 grit wet stone, 8000 wet stone, and then finish with a strop. 

takes under 5 minutes to do a set of surgical scissors. 

Right equipment makes it heaps easier, I am teaching others in my office to also do it and after 1hr of teaching they confident to throw their expensive knives sets into the mix and do it themselves.

[yellow door 1 1,834]

Yeah I think I have tried just about Every dodgy method and cheap sharpener available

the only things left to try are quality units. So I’ll keep yours in mind if I need to join the Razor Gang

 

 

 

[Rybak 627]

The simple "fingers" sharpener has always worked well for me. I have also bought a cheap V shaped spring sharpener which also works. I reckon the better quality steel you buy, the longer they last & the longer they stay sharper. Otherwise, just but new mid range knives every few years as they are cheap anyway. 

[Rybak 627]

For the fastidious people.............  

[yellow door 1 1,834]

Your vid inspired me to get the old 2000/5000 grit stone out

 

after a bit of elbow grease, the knife is sharper than it’s been in a while