After testing a variety of sharpening tools and methods; we think the Work Sharp – Ken Onion Edition is the best value and easiest way to get keep your knife collection razor sharp.
See it on Amazon.com | Buy Replacement Belts
Knife makers and professional tool and knife sharpeners have a trick up their sleeve. To produce those impressively sharp edges, many use a motorized belt knife sharpener. The fast-moving belts reduce the time it takes to grind an edge onto knife blanks tremendously, as they take off metal at a phenomenal rate. Recently, these systems have found their way into home use.
Contents & Shortcuts
Belt Sharpener Basics
There are a few things to know about any belt sharpening system before you get buy one. The Work Sharp we bought remedies a lot of these characteristics, features, and flaws. But it’s important to start with a general understanding.
The Good…
The beauty of a belt knife sharpener is that even a novice can get a frighteningly sharp edge with one. As the belt spins, it grinds continuously and can quickly achieve an amazing cutting edge. Some of these sharpening systems use guides to produce set angles, taking the guesswork out of knife sharpening.
Another good thing about belt sharpeners is that they work well on serrated blades. They also work very well on cheaper stainless steel blades. And, if you’ve ever tried to sharpen a cheap stainless kitchen knife you’ll definitely appreciate a belt sharpener.
Bottom line… if you have an axe to grind, scissors to sharpen, or a sushi knife to hone – a belt sharpener is you best all-in-one tool.
The Bad…
These systems aren’t without their flaws, of course. For one, those belts aren’t cheap. They come in different grits, and you must eventually replace whichever ones you use most.
Another issue is that the blade could get quite hot because of friction. Set the speed to high or linger in one spot and overheated edges become brittle. They won’t shatter, but they lose their temper and their edge may round off. So, keep the belt speed as low as possible and use only the low temp belts from the sharpener manufacturer.
How to…
Belt sharpeners do a great job of eliminating angle guesswork. The Ken Onion Work Sharp is an especially good example of edge angle control. It also gives you quite a few angle options.
With angles taken care of… there are a few things to know before you touch steel to belt. Here’s a general set of guidelines, concepts, and tips.
Start Slow
On the trigger of the Ken Onion sharpener you’ll see a small dial. This is used to limit the amount of travel and thus limit belt speed. We recommend that you start on a very low setting.
Limiting speed as you get the hang of things will prevent you from removing too much material. It will also ensure that you do not create excess heat (the main downfall of a belt sharpener). The good news is that the belts that come with your Work Sharp are formulated and constructed to avoid heat buildup.
Create a Burr (AKA Wire Edge)
This is the same principle used when using a stone. Start by sharpening one side of the blade until a “wire edge” forms. This is typically best accomplished using a coarse grit. Once you can feel the “wire edge” running the entire length of the edge; you’re ready to switch sides.
You’ll then remove the burr by grinding the opposite side. From there alternate sides, swapping to a finer grain belt as you go. You do not need to create a pronounced burr on each side or as you move to finer belts.
Place Blade, Pull Trigger, Release Trigger, Remove Blade
Easier said than done, but you need to make sure that the belt is only moving when the blade is in contact with the belt. Doing so will prevent rounding off the tip of the blade.
It will also reduce the chance that you knick the belt and ruin it before you even start. I made this mistake with the stropping belt.
After a few months of use I got complacent and I thought… “meh it’s the finest belt; I doubt were going to round anything off here.” That thought may be somewhat accurate but in the first few strokes I hit the running belt at a bit of an off angle and sliced part way through a perfectly good belt.
Figure out your ideal angle… and write it down
Different knives and tools require different edge angles. We recommend that you first look up the factory grind on a manufacturer site or in the forums. But, in the off chance that it’s not available there are a few ways to find the grind angle… but since the edge is so small it can be tough.
If you don’t want to figure things out using math or a tool… you’ll need to pick an angle. It’s not ideal… but it works. Chances are it will be somewhere between 15 and 23 degrees. Lower numbers are sharper yet more delicate. While higher numbers are less sharp but more robust as they have more metal “behind the edge.”
Speaking of behind the edge… it’s important to know that belt sharpeners will create a convex edge. Which does allow for a bit more metal behind a shallower angle.
Regardless of what angle you choose write it down and keep it with the sharpener. It’s really easy to forget that your kitchen knives are X degrees and your Spyderco Endura was reprofiled to Y degrees.
Why Buy a Belt Knife Sharpener
In our experience, there is no better way to keep your collection razor sharp. Knife experts and forum discussions will push you to use whetstones and more traditional sharpeners. But, the truth is that for 99 percent of the knife owners in the world – a belt knife sharpener is perfect. We highly recommend them for blades that get frequent or hard use.
Kitchen knives and a belt sharpener complement each other exceptionally well. And, when your EDC is struggling a few minutes on the belt will make it as good as new. On really high-end blades, costing hundreds of dollars, you might want to heed the advice of the experts/forums. However, for the vast majority of us… the path of least resistance is an electric belt sharpener.
Kitchen knives and a belt sharpener complement each other exceptionally well. And, when your EDC is struggling a few minutes on the belt will make it as good as new. On really high-end blades, costing hundreds of dollars, you might want to heed the advice of the experts/forums. However, for the vast majority of us… the path of least resistance is an electric belt sharpener.
1. Work Sharp Knife and Tool Sharpener Ken Onion Edition
Moving up a step from the original, the WSKTS Ken Onion (named after the famous knife maker) edition tacks on a few key features that may make it worth the extra cost to some buyers. Both machines will put a wicked edge on a blade, but the WSKTS-KO gives you more control over the results.
The belts on the Ken Onion edition are ¾ inch wide, and you get five on them (P120, X65, X22, X4 and 60000) instead of three. It is also variable-speed (1,200 FPM — 2,800 FPM), and the guide it is adjustable, from 15 degrees to 30 degrees. The 120-volt, 1.5-amp motor can run continuously for one hour. A tool grinding attachment is available, as is a leather honing and polishing strop/belt.
The Ken Onion edition addresses most of the WSKTS’ shortcomings, except for the expense of the belts. It pays to let the tool do the work for you with this sharpener, as added pressure will only make the belts wear out faster, and generate excessive heat. Still, both Work Sharp options do their job well and are all the sharpener most users will ever need.
2. Work Sharp Knife and Tool Sharpener
The Work Sharp Knife and Tool Sharpener (WSKTS) is the original purpose-built belt knife sharpener, and you can sharpen almost any cutting implement with it. From straight edges to curved, and filet knives to your EDC, the WSKTS can put an edge on all of them.
Work Sharp included two guides with the unit, one a combined 50 degrees (hunting knives) and one a combined 40 degrees (kitchen knives). The WSKTS comes with three belts of varying grits (P80, P220 and 6000) so you can work gradually. It has a 120-volt, .7-amp fixed-speed motor.
The belt is only ½ inch by 14 inches, though, which is smaller than the other options listed here. Also, the belts can rather pricey to replace. And it’s duty cycle is only about 30 percent, so you won’t be sharpening knives all day even if you want to with the WSKTS.
3. Grizzly G1015 Knife Belt Sander/Buffer
Compared to the Work Sharps, the Grizzly G1015 is downright monstrous. It stands vertically ant 39 inches, much taller than the Work Sharps. Its 100-volt, 1-HP single-phase motor runs at 14 amps, it turns a 2-inch-wide belt at 3600 FPM and can be run more or less continuously. With that sort of power, the Grizzly can whittle a flat knife black down to a fine edge in minutes.
The Grizzly is more bench belt grinder that sharpens knives than belt knife sharpener. It is designed to be bolted into a workbench and includes an auxiliary arbor for sanding drums and the like. Its size can be a blessing, though, as it facilitates tool sharpening. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, the Grizzly warrants consideration.
However, it is not without its problems. It is fixed-speed, and its 1725 RPM is extremely fast. That speed means it will remove a lot of metal, fast. It also means it can tear through belts, so a light touch is a must. More importantly, it is the most expensive option on this list by a long shot.
4. Central Machinery Belt Sander
The final option on our list isn’t technically a belt knife sharpener at all. See, when the Work Sharp hit the market, people were already using small belt sanders to sharpen knives and tools. It wasn’t a popular option, but it was effective. All you need is a small benchtop belt sander, like the Central Machinery 1-inch by 30-inch unit and the proper sanding belts.
This belt sander uses a 1/3-HP, 120-volt, 3-amp motor that turns the sanding belts at 3400 RPM. This is plenty of ponies for sharpening knives, though some woodworkers may find it weak. The rev speed is also easily fast enough to remove material from a blade.
To use this sander as a sharpener, simply purchase a set of ceramic sanding belts of the same size as your sander, and you’ll be sharpening knives like a pro. You can also leather belt (strop) for honing.
The 1/3-HP motor on the Grizzly is churning at a relaxed 3400 RPM. It is also fixed speed, so the only way to limit the amount of metal being removed is to change belts. Its continuous operation also means you will need a careful hand to avoid accidentally rounding off the knife edge, especially at the tip.
Thoughts on Choosing a Belt Knife Sharpener
Belt knife sharpeners are brilliant. While some people see dragging a knife across a stone for hours as cathartic, even mystical, others find it mind numbing. The belt sander takes a dull edge to sharp in a matter of minutes, though it does take the time to learn proper technique. Practice sessions with throw-away knives might save your favorite blade.
As far as which solution is best, to a certain extent, it depends on what you’re going to use it for. But, only one option on this list has variable speeds, which lends incredible control to a decidedly delicate process. Slower sanding produces less heat, so the chances of drawing out a knife’s temper is diminished. Extra points for being mobile, with adjustable guides.
If we could only recommend to you one belt knife sharpener, it would have to be the Work Sharp Ken Onion edition. Someone sharpening blades for days might go with one of the bigger boys, but most of us only need a few sharp knives. And, we just want them extremely sharp without wasting hours of our lives to get them there.
vs. Other Sharpening Methods
The big thing to understand here is that a belt sharpener will put a convex edge on your knife. The following tools will provide a more common straight bevel.
1. Whetstone
If you want to look like a pro and actually get the sharpest edge possible a whetstone is probably the way to go.
When properly used a whetstone… actually whetstones are the way to go. They are gentle on the steel and last a very long time if you treat them right.
The big downsides are… one good whetstones are expensive… and two there’s a steep learning curve. The former will make you appreciate a good affordable multi stage sharpener. And… the latter is the real reason we love the belt sharpener option. We’re lazy around here. In about ten minutes you get the hang of sharpening on a belt. A stone however, requires some practice and patience.
Rather than go into great detail… here’s a video on the proper use of a whetstone.
2. Guided Sharpening Stones
We’d put these a bit below the whetstone… and on par or slightly above a belt.
Now these aren’t all created equal. Some… like those from lansky aren’t the best. They’re harder to use than the belt, and take a lot longer to sharpen a knife. So for lower-end guided stones; we’d say always go belt.
However, when you start getting into higher end sharpening tools you might opt for those is you have the budget and space. They’re very precise and typically employ really nice abrasives.
Then there’s the Spyderco Sharpmaker. It bucks the price stigma attached to higher end tools, but also uses great materials. It’s a little faster to set up and easier to use than the versions that hold your blade in place. But, you’ll need to pay attention to the angle a little more with the Spyderco.
Overall… in our shop / home we turn to either the Sharpmaker or the Work Sharp belt sharpener.
3. Electronic / Countertop
These have their place in some kitchens, but don’t hold a candle to a belt sharpener…
We all remember these from the 80’s… 90’s… and even still see them on the shelves of cooking/department stores. Do they work? Yes… sort of. Should you use one on a $200+ sushi knife or high-end EDC? No. You should not.
Using these on nice knives is like washing a classic Ferrari with a sponge and dish soap. Or attempting to repair a watch with a impact driver. It’s just not the right tool for the job at hand.
So when is a countertop sharpener the right tool? We’d use them on cheaper stamped knives like those from Chicago Cutlery or ones you’d find at a discount store.
4. Pull Through
Like the countertop electric sharpener… these aren’t in the same league as a belt sharpener. Here’s why.
A pull through sharpener is basically to pieces of steel or ceramic material in an “x” or “v” shape. When you pull the knife through, the idea is that they remove material and hone to the sharpness of the “v.”
There are a lot of problems with that but the big one is that it’s another example of a really crude tool performing intricate work. These are probably good for beginner kitchen knives, scissors, or other low end cutting blades. But, they are definitely not a competitor to a whetstone or belt sharpener.
5. Sharpening Steel (Honing Rods)
Doesn’t really compare… read on to see why
You’ll find these in kitchen knife blocks, cutlery sets, and on cooking programs. They look pretty professional and whipping a chef’s knife back and forth over a honing rod is a tribute to Gordon Ramsay.
While these tools are common and look the part… they’re actually not intended to sharpen a blade. There designed to bring the cutting edge back into a straight line. Why would you need to straighten an edge, you ask?
When you use a knife there are a few things that will happen to the cutting edge. First, use will dull the edge. Second, cutting may chip the blade. And third, the edge will bend a bit.
Any of these would be hard to see with your naked eye (unless you’re really abusing the knife). But, anytime the blade’s edge contacts a material a bit of wear will occur. For the first to we mentioned above (dulling and chipping); you’ll need to remove material to restore the optimal edge. However, if you just need to realign things a bit… you’ll want to use a honing rod.
We’ll show you how to use one later, but for now just take into account that these are not even sharpeners per se.
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