A dull knife is like a rusty car or a worn out pair of sneakers. It’s almost useless and can be quite dangerous. Your knife will get dull eventually. Rather than replace it, it’s far cheaper to sharpen it. The question is how.
You can sharpen a knife on a rock. I once watched two skinners in Africa do this before turning a large bull Kudu into an abridged version of its former self. But if you’re like me, you probably don’t have a hand that deft, or the years of experience sharpening a piece of steel. Instead of rocks you need tools to sharpen your knives, and those tools can be expensive, finicky, and difficult to use correctly.
There are very good knife sharpening tools out there, though, and we evaluated several to bring you a list of the best knife sharpeners for the hunter, angler, and outdoorsperson. Some did very well, while others did kinda well, but there really wasn’t a bad one in the bunch. These are a few of the best knife sharpeners to keep your hunting, fishing, and kitchen knives working in the field and at home.
Jump to: The Products We Tested and Reviewed
How I Tested the Best Knife Sharpeners
There are knife sharpening nerds out there who might take exception to my test. I’m a hunter—not a mechanical engineer—so I tried to keep this test as basic and real-world as possible. I didn’t use things like a BESS Tester (Brubacher Edge Sharpness Scale) to measure sharpness. Instead I cut up the newspaper, shaved the hair on my arm, and sliced a tomato to gauge how sharp I could get a knife edge on each sharpener. I know how sharp a knife needs to be to break down an animal or cut ribbons off a stick to build a fire. That’s how far I took the knives during this test.
I evaluated and scored each sharpener based on four criteria I’ve outlined below: Sharpness, Ease of Use, Affordability, and Versatility. I also defined each sharpener’s “Use Case,” or what I felt it was best suited for. It’s important to note that comparing different kinds of sharpeners to each other veers into apples and oranges territory. Knife sharpeners can be subjective, meaning you might be better at using one kind while your buddy might be better at another. They’re also designed for different applications or to be used in different kinds of places.
Knife sharpening can come down to personal preference, and we’ll get into that with each sharpener. My main objective here was to give you a good overview of some of the best knife sharpeners while outlining the things they’re good and bad at.
What to Look for in a Good Knife Sharpener
Sharpness
This is how sharp I could get a knife with each sharpener. I didn’t use hard metrics for this. I just sharpened them until I felt I’d reached the top-end potential of the sharpener and tested that sharpness by shaving hair, cutting paper, and slicing into a tomato. Knife sharpeners that produced better results got a higher score.
Ease of Use
The big question I wanted to answer here was how easy is it to get a consistent edge with each sharpener. Some had more learning curves than others. Some had more moving parts to keep track of. The simpler and easier to use a knife sharpener, the better it scored.
Value
You can spend hundreds of dollars on knife sharpeners, but it might be more than you need to spend. I weighed the affordability of each knife sharpener against how well it performed and what it offers the user, then scored accordingly.
Versatility
How many tools a knife sharpener can sharpen, its portability, or how many different functions it has all contribute to this category. Knife sharpeners that allow you to sharpen things like axes and fish hooks got a bit of a bump here because they replace other sharpeners you’d need to buy.
The Best Knife Sharpeners For Hunters and Anglers
|
Lansky Controlled Angle Sharpening System |
 Worksharp Ken Onion Elite Mk 2 |
 Spyderco Tri Angle Sharp Maker |
 Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener |
 Buck Tool Sharpening Station |
 Lansky Broadhead Sharpener |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $64.99* | $249* | $127* | $44.95* | $295* | $11.95* |
| Grits | 70, 120, 280, 600, and 1000 | Various belts from coarse grinding belts to honing strops | Medium and fine | 220, 600, and fine ceramic | 220 and fine honing strop | N/A |
| Guided Angle | 30, 25, 20, and 17 degrees | 15-30 degrees, plus freehanding and flat grinding | 30 and 40 degrees | 20 and 25 degrees, or freehand | Various | 22.5 degrees |
| Weight | 1 lb 3 oz | 3.3 lbs | 13.7 oz | 4.6 oz | 27.56 lbs | 1.7 oz |
| Use Case | Portable and stationary do-it-all knife sharpener | Electric benchtop sharpener for tools and knives | Benchtop honing, knife and tool sharpening | Portable knife sharpener for field use | Stationary benchtop sharpener for knives and tools | Portable knife and broadhead sharpener |
| Field Notes | Field Notes | Field Notes | Field Notes | Field Notes | Field Notes |
*Estimated Price
Best Overall
Lansky Controlled Angle Sharpening System
Price: $64.99
“This system gives anybody the ability to sharpen a knife without electricity, skill, or a flat surface.”
There are a few controlled angle sharpeners on the market, and lansky is the old standby. In my opinion, it’s the most practical choice for the outdoorsman. During the test, I was able to take several pocket knives and hunting knives to scary sharp places, giving them an edge that easily sailed through paper and could give a shave a drill sergeant would be proud of.
I gave the Controlled Angle Sharpening System my pick for best overall because all of that performance comes at an affordable price, in a portable package—unlike many controlled angle systems. It does not have the versatility of some of the sharpeners here, but if you want to sharpen hunting and fishing knives, this is your tool.
The Lansky Controlled Angle system does not need to be fixed to a bench, and it comes in a handy hard plastic case. This gives you bench-level sharpening capability outside of your home. It’s a bit heavy for an ultralight backpack hunter, but it’s a solid tool to keep in your truck or throw in a saddle bag. To use it, you fix the knife in a clamp and use the angle guides to work through five grits of Arkansas stones.
The only issue with angled sharpeners is with longer knives. Blades that are excessively long tend to mess with the controlled angles. But for most of the blades you need in the woods, it shouldn’t be a problem. This system gives anybody the ability to sharpen a knife without electricity, skill, or a flat surface. And at less than $80, it’s a must buy.
Best Electric Knife Sharpener
Worksharp Ken Onion Elite Mk 2
Price: $249
“Think of this sharpener as a small knifemaker’s shop.”
The Ken Onion Elite Mk 2 could easily take the top spot in this test, and it was down to the wire when I made my final decision. You could say its biggest draw back is price, but you get so much for your money. It is also complicated with several belts and ways to set those belts up, but that’s what gives you unparalleled versatility.
Think of this sharpener as a small knifemaker’s shop. With it, you can actually build hobby knife kits, repair broken and chipped blades, and sharpen everything from axes to machetes and lawnmower blades.
The 7-speed electric motor and grinding belts did an excellent job at putting a new edge on a completely trashed S30V-steel Benchmade folder. It quickly took out divots and chips in the blade, leaving a factory-new edge. I also used it to sharpen chisels in my wood shop, and it worked well for this too. I did have some trouble maintaining a consistent angle with the angle guides, but I feel like I’d get better at this with practice. This sharpener is perfect for those who want to bring old knives back to life, keep new knives fresh, and maintain every sharp tool in the house.
Best Sharpener for Honing
Spyderco Tri Angle Sharp Maker
Price: $127
“This sharpener gave the sharpest edge of the test.”
This sharpener gave the sharpest edge of the test. It’s ridiculously easy to use and will put an edge on a variety of tools. With it, you can touch up serrated blades, plain blades, fillet knives, chisels, scissors, tin snips, and hatchets. Best of all, it’s about as big as a large television remote when it’s all packed up, and it can be converted into a more traditional-style flat stone.
The Sharpmaker comes with clear instructions for sharpening almost anything. To use it, you place ceramic rods in a plastic holder at one of two predetermined angles, then cut directly downward with the blade against the rods for 20 strokes. You repeat this process three more times using different edges of the rods.
I used a neglected Benchmade folder with S45VN steel to test the Sharpmaker, and took it to a level of sharpness that I’m afraid to even write about. If you prize sharpness over everything else, and you take care of your knives, this is the sharpener for you.
Best Portable Knife Sharpener
Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener
Price: $44.95
“This is my personal favorite portable knife sharpener, and in my opinion every hunter and angler needs one of these.”
This is my personal favorite portable knife sharpener, and in my opinion every hunter and angler needs one of these. I have a Guided Field Sharpener that’s 10 years old that has gone just about everywhere with me, and it still does everything I need it to do.
To use the Guided Field Sharpener, you simply lay a blade on the angle guide and work it through a variety of grits, flipping the sharpener around as you go. It can also be used for fish hooks and broadheads.
Based on my experience in the field, this sharpener easily took the top spot for the Best Portable Sharpener. It’s lightweight enough for any expedition, and tough enough to last. You could easily use it to maintain a collection of hunting knives for the rest of your life, no matter where you are.
Best Stationary Knife Sharpener
Buck Tool Sharpening Station
Price: $295
“What’s most incredible about the Buck Tool Sharpening Station is the price.”
What’s most incredible about the Buck Tool Sharpening Station is the price. For just under $300 you get a professional level sharpener for your workshop that can handle knives and tools with ease. This sharpener may be larger than the Worksharp Ken Onion Elite Mk 2 and more basic, but it has few parts to lose track of, and it gives you a lot of control while sharpening.
The Sharpening Station uses a large rotating 220 grit abrasive wheel and a smaller leather stropping wheel, both driven by a variable speed, two-direction motor. The grinding wheel is set in a water reservoir to keep blades cool and keep the stone clear of metal while sharpening. It also comes with an angle guide to set blades at the perfect angle while sharpening.
To use the sharpener, you select the speed and direction of the wheel, then set the angle of the blade using a clamped fixture and adjustable metal bar. For the test, I went from a small 4-inch Spyderco folder made of H2 steel to a long reproduction Navy pattern Ka-Bar. I was able to hone a nice, shaving-sharp edge on both blades in no time. Get this sharpener if you have a dedicated space in your garage for sharpening knives and tools. It’s an absolute workhorse.
Best Value Knife Sharpener
Lansky Broadhead Sharpener
Price: $11.95
“There is no reason why every bow hunter shouldn’t have a Lansky Broadhead Sharpener in their pack.”
There is no reason why every bow hunter shouldn’t have a Lansky Broadhead Sharpener in their pack. It’s dead-simple to use, cheap, and extremely lightweight. Even better, there’s a broadhead wrench molded into the handle.
Think of this tool more for expedient touch-ups rather than soup to nuts sharpening. It’s especially nice if you don’t feel confident using a whetstone but still need to keep an edge on a blade or broadhead in the field. To use it, you place the edge of your knife in a tungsten notch and draw the knife through for a couple of strokes. Should you nick a bone while field dressing a deer, or just need to freshen a blade while skinning, this sharpener will have you covered for about the price of a Big Mac meal.
Other Recommendations
Work Sharp Rolling Sharpener
Price: $149
Just a bit more complicated than the Lansky broadhead tool, this rolling sharpener is great for those who struggle with sharpening technique and don’t want to spring for an electric sharpener. You’ll need a table to use it, so it’s out for backpacking, but it’s a great tool to have around the house.
The sharpener comes with a coarse, medium, and fine grit disc along with a magnetic base that has four angles for holding different blades. To use it, you stick the knife, blade up, on one of the magnetic angles, then roll the roller against the edge. I tested the Rolling Sharpener with a short gaucho knife I picked up in Argentina. It was a bit difficult to get the blade to stay still in the base, but this could be because the blade was handmade and inconsistent. I tested the sharpener with a couple of factory-made folders, and I was able to get them reasonably sharp.
Deep hollow grinds and strange knife shapes would be difficult to sharpen with the Rolling Sharpener, but if you have straightforward, factory-made knives, it’s easy to get a decent edge on your blade.
Lansky Masters Edge Knife Sharpener
Price: $89.95
Like the Spyderco Sharpmaker, I look at the Lansky Masters Edge as more of a tool for keeping a blade sharp rather than repairing a completely neglected blade. It’s very simple to use, easy to store and transport, and it produced some of the sharpest blades of the test. With it, I honed a nice, tacky edge on a custom-made damascus knife I picked up from a bladesmith named Jeremy Murasso.
I’d use the Masters Edge in the kitchen instead of a standard knife steel, and I would take it to camp if I had a lot of meat cutting ahead of me. It would also be great to keep on the counter while breaking down a deer, and a fantastic tool to use before hunting season to touch up all of your knives. The Masters Edge would also be a good companion to an electric sharpener like the Ken Onion Elite Mk2 to give a final pass for next-level sharpness. If you’re the kind of person who takes care of their knives and doesn’t let them go too long between sharpening, this is your sharpener.
Final Thoughts
If there’s anything I learned during this test it’s that knife sharpening is and isn’t a one tool job. If you’re looking for serviceable blades, any of the tools above can get you there, but some can do things better than others. If you’re looking to keep your knives atom-splitting sharp no matter what happens to them, you’re best off with a combination of tools—ideally an electric sharpener and a manual sharpener with extremely fine stones. But it’s better to gauge what you need out of a knife sharpener based on how you use knives. If you’re the kind of person who routinely takes care of their knives, a honing tool could be all you need. If you’re hard on things, you’ll need the horsepower of an electric sharpener. No matter what you pick, these are some of the best knife sharpeners above that will have you covered for a long time.
Images via Matthew Every.
Read the full article here