Comfort: Dull tools require more force to use, causing physical strain and discomfort. A sharp tool reduces the effort needed, eliminating many aches and pains. At a glance, Smith’s two-step sharpener seems too small and too simple to warrant consideration. Surprisingly, it’s actually quite effective. In less than a minute, we were able to cut a new edge on abused kitchen knives with the carbide side of the sharpener and finish them up on the ceramic side. This made them sharp enough that we could slice through paper, although not perfectly cleanly. The sharpening system comes with the following diamond sharpening stones: 220, 320, 400, 600 and 800 grit. The 220 and 320 grit sharpening stones are coarse stones for repairing a damaged edge or changing the sharpening angle. The 400 and 600 grit sharpening stones are medium grit stones for sharpening relatively blunt knives. And the final 800 grit sharpening stone is a fine-grit for making and keeping your knives razor-sharp! For the finishing touch, there's a ceramic sharpening stone that you can use after the 800 grit stone. There is a leather strop too, which also fits into the holder. You use this to polish the edge after using the ceramic sharpening stone. Stone sharpeners: For those who prefer a more traditional approach, sharpening stones are still popular today. They offer a hands-on method for sharpening delicate tools like secateurs, and are great for achieving a fine edge.

We did not expect a knife sharpener at this low of a price to work as well as it does, but the Longzon 4-in-1 really delivers. As the name suggests, the manual sharpener has four slots—three successively finer ones for standard knives and an extra-wide one especially for sharpening scissors and shears. Some manual sharpeners take a little practice to use correctly, but the Longzon's design and included directions make things simple. There's even a QR code link to video instructions if you're more of a visual learner.According to Blake Hartley, Executive Chef at Lapeer Seafood Market, a sharpening steel removes material from your knife by moving the edge alongside the steel to restore the V-shape of a blunt edge. A honing steel is not used to sharpen but to restore the bent edge so that it's straight again. Repeat this action three to six times. You can go for three if your blade is just a bit dull, and more if it's blunter.

It doesn’t matter which knives you buy—they'll all need to be sharpened periodically. Besides making it easier to cut and chop, keeping knives sharp is also safer for your fingers: Dull knives can drag or skip while cutting, which can increase your chance of injury. How often you need to use a knife sharpener depends on exactly how often you use the knife, what you cut, and what surface you cut on, but professionals typically recommend sharpening once or twice a year. It really depends on how much you use them and how much abuse they take, but knives generally need sharpening once or twice a year. If a knife feels dull or has trouble cutting, sharpen it. Just note that every time you sharpen a knife, it removes a little bit of metal. After many repetitions, there won't be enough left to sharpen, and it'll be time to replace your knife. We tend to agree with the sharpening purists of the world who tout the benefits of using whetstones—but we found ourselves questioning our allegiance after we used the Trizor. Its electric design is undeniably convenient and proved very effective. In just nine passes per side, our chef’s knife smoothly tore a long slit into the piece of paper.If your knife sharpener has a fine or honing setting, run it through that once or twice after the coarse setting. Do this in the same way, but with less force. To keep your knife sharp, use the fine setting once after every couple of hours' use. A whetstone combined with a honing steel gives the best results (better than knife sharpeners). But (and it's a big but) only use this method if you know what you're doing. Otherwise, you risk damaging the cutting edge of your knife. German company Wüsthof has been making world-famous knives for more than 200 years, so it makes sense that its sharpening tools are also high-quality. The Easy Edge features a spinning belt that runs at three separate speeds for coarse honing up to final polishing, along with a one-touch program with indicator lights for each stage. An integrated suction fan also keeps dust out of the way. Start by cleaning your tools thoroughly. Dirt, rust and grime can damage the sharpening tool, so make sure your tools are clean and dry before you start.

How sharp the knives turned out: We analyzed sharpness using a scientific tool called the Edge-on-Up, which measures the force needed to cut a standard reference material. The sharpening stone holder contains a handle to make sure your hand never gets close to the sharp edge of your knives. The steel guiding rod has a screw thread that you use to screw it into the sharpening system. The metal guiding rod is long enough to also allow you to sharpen longer kitchen knives. For example, chef's knives, carving knives or filleting knives. The guiding rod has rubber rings that you slide over it. This determines how far you can slide the sharpening stone holder over the guide rod. Effectiveness: The Edge-on-Up tool helped give us an idea of each sharpener's efficiency, but we also tested our knives immediately before and after sharpening to gauge any noticeable differences.Work evenly and gently. Don’t apply too much pressure as you sharpen, as this can cause damage. Instead, use slow, even strokes and sharpen both sides of the blade evenly. If your sharpener has more than one setting, select 'coarse' for very blunt knives. The fine or honing setting is for everyday knife maintenance.