ChefChoice Knives sharpener

Most reputable chef I see uses a whetstone and a honing steel on the day.

I have tried that cheaper sub £50 ones and I don't like them. It's a disc that spins as you drag the knife through with no control how much material you want to take off.

If you want to get something more consistent but don't want a whetstone then try a rolling sharpener which has a fixed angle and you can press it with the pressure that you want.

HORL®2 Sharpener | HORL-1993

HORL®2. The latest sharpener. Second generation sharpness. â 15° grinding angle â 20° grinding angle ⺠Obtainable direct from manufacturer
www.horl.com www.horl.com

Amazon does a lot of knock offs for less.
 
Schizophonic said:
Yeah I've seen my dad use an old school stone block just like the Whetstone/

Did you say you've tried Chefchoice sub £50 unit? @Raymond Lin?

I heard the HORL is horrible from a few reviews but now I'm even more confused what I should get.
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All these alternative to a real whetstones have a downside, none of them as as good as a Whetstone. The hardest part with a Whetstone is the learning part but in reality...not that difficult. The hardest part is getting the right angle. I always try to go too flat. I have a guide that is 14 degree or something and it is steeper than I imagine it to be.

If you use a black marker and draw along the edge then start sharpening then you can visually see which part you've missed. Do that again on the finer side of the stone and test it on a piece of paper.

The whole process is actually quite therapeutic.
 
Used one of the motorised ones a few times in a commercial setting (which is what they're aimed at).

Draw your knife through the fixed angle honing slot then the fixed angle polishing slot and if there's a third slot it cleans the blade. Very fast, a little noisy, you could instruct anyone in a few seconds to get a properly sharpened knife.

Oh and they're not small, it's gonna be another of those kitchen gadgets which won't fit in a drawer.
 
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Providing they are not super expensive knives we are talking about, just get an AnySharp and save all the faff.

Have used one for years now and does the job. Not as good as a whetstone of course, but so easy and simple to use. Simply puts a sharp edge on the knife again in seconds.

Just my 2 cents.
 
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I have a ChefChoice sharpener can't remember the code off top of my head. Might be the 120 as it has 3 sets of stones. But the middle one applies a very fine ripple to the edge for extra sharpey-ness but I never use it.

I find it to be excellent, I probably sharpen too often and hone not enough but it leaves a very sharp blade. The sharpening blade will over time take out any nicks in the bade, you know if your wife drops your knife kind of thing :rolleyes:

Quick and easy to use, repeatable results and if you store it somewhere accessible you'll actually use it enough to feel the difference. Big thumbs up from me.
 
PlacidCasual said:
I have a ChefChoice sharpener can't remember the code off top of my head. Might be the 120 as it has 3 sets of stones. But the middle one applies a very fine ripple to the edge for extra sharpey-ness but I never use it.

I find it to be excellent, I probably sharpen too often and hone not enough but it leaves a very sharp blade. The sharpening blade will over time take out any nicks in the bade, you know if your wife drops your knife kind of thing :rolleyes:

Quick and easy to use, repeatable results and if you store it somewhere accessible you'll actually use it enough to feel the difference. Big thumbs up from me.
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Can you find out which version you have please? Getting a whetstones can be a good option as I know its the a good way to learn how to sharpen and also doing it right gives satisfaction
 
Got myself an electric worksharp sharpener. Might be a bit overkill to be honest but I love a gadget. Whetstone is probably the best option if you can get the right angle.
 
I use a Catrahone, and have done for a few years now, does a nice job of sharpening my knives and is quick and easy to use, though a bit noisy. Not to big either, though I'm sure the price will put people off.
 
Reuben klang said:
Whetstone here as well, I don’t hone my mine though. I really should but I never do.

I do have a global wheel thing and I must admit it’s pretty good and works well - https://www.globalknives.uk/accesso...inosharp-shinkansen-sharpener-grey-black-p126
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I’ve got the three wheel version and quite like it for its handiness but it’s definitely not as good as a whetstone. Don’t buy one if these if you have a western knife though as they are set to grind at a different angle.
 
I put my order through TOG knives and ended getting the 'beginners set' of the whelstone.
I had a go yesterday on 2 of my mines, it was working as I tested it on cutting paper and it felt quite satisfying. I won't be cooking much tonight so there will be other opportunities how my knives feel

 
Schizophonic said:
I have only seen this used by a reputable chef on a Youtube channel I watch and wondered how good these are if its a good investment?
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Doesn't matter if it's Gordon Ramsay himself, being a chef doesn't make you an expert on sharpening blades. Many chefs still make use of a sharpening service, especially those who don't have the time to do it themselves.
Any kind of pull-through sharpener is generally pretty ****. Anything that claims, guarantees or otherwise asserts edge sharpness within seconds will generally not give an especially durable edge and usually not that sharp, either.

Whetstones are among the best methods, but take time to perfect and certain stones need a fair bit of maintenance.
Rolling sharpeners are limited on angle and can often wobble around or come right out of place. They're also way overpriced, IMO.
Powered professional kit, like the WorkSharp & Ken Onion series are the quickest, so long as you spend the short amount of time required to learn how to do it properly.

Guided angle sharpeners, IMO, are the easiest to use and ultimately offer the best edge, due to the consistency of angle and time gently taken... but they do also take a bit of time to sharpen up properly.
The biggest factor in a guided system is usually brand - Lansky used to be the leading brand, but they were never the best and their quality sems to have gone downhill.
I personally prefer the WorkSharp Precision Adjust for the diamond stones (ie the same type I use to get chisels and plane blades shaving-sharp), but also because it's only about £60. The Elite version is better and, if you can afford it, the Professional is well worth it.
There are more expensive versions, of course, and other options. Another decent cheap option is a set of sharpening rods (usually sets include both stone and ceramic honing) that are held upright in a block, at various angles, You then just stroke the blade down them and, so long as you are careful to hold the blade as perfectly upright as you can, they give pretty decent results. These are probably the best portable sharpening solution.
 
Electric belt sharpener is one of the best purchases I've made.
I got this one, basically a replica of the ken onion at half the price:
 
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