How do you use a knife set sharpener?

To use a knife set sharpener, follow the maker’s sequence for that sharpener type: pull the blade through the slots of a manual sharpener, roll the knife across diamond and ceramic discs on a rolling kit, or clamp the blade in a guided system and set the angle. Match the angle to the knife and work through the stages in order, from coarse to fine.

The five sharpeners compared in Best Knife Sharpeners for Home Kitchens cover those three methods. Each maker publishes its own instructions and angle options, and those published details are what this page uses.

Manual pull through sharpeners

The Sharp Pebble 5 Precision Adjust Knife Sharpener is a handheld pull through model. The maker states that you place the blade in each of the slots and gently pull the knife through a few times. It offers five angle settings: 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 degrees. The maker specifies that it is designed for straight edge blades only and is not suitable for serrated knives or scissors.

The AccuSharp Knife Sharpener is a compact manual sharpener with diamond honed tungsten carbide blades. The maker states that it sharpens most blades in around ten seconds and that the sharpening blades can be reversed to double their life span. The maker lists chef’s knives, paring knives, serrated knives, filet knives and cleavers among the blades it is intended for. It has an ergonomic handle that fits either hand and a full length guard.

For either manual sharpener, the maker’s instruction is to draw the blade through the sharpening slot. The Sharp Pebble maker adds that a few pulls are enough for fast sharpening. Neither maker publishes a required number of strokes beyond that general guidance, so follow the maker’s own wording rather than a fixed count.

Rolling sharpeners

The AIERLIAN Rolling Knife Sharpener Kit uses a different motion: the knife stays on a magnetic base and the sharpener rolls across the edge. The maker states that the kit includes a #400 diamond disc and a #3000 ceramic disc. The diamond disc removes the first layer of the knife edge, and the ceramic disc polishes it. A leather strop is included to refine the edge after the discs and remove fine burrs.

The magnetic support has two angle options. The maker states that 20 degrees suits most household kitchens and 15 degrees suits higher sharpness requirements or ultra fine cutting. The maker notes that the angle supports are not for serrations or scissors. Four N42 magnets hold the knife on the base. The maker’s sequence is diamond first, then ceramic, then the leather strop.

The maker does not publish a stroke count or a time per step for the rolling kit. It states only that anyone can obtain factory sharp tools in just a few minutes with the system. Treat that as the maker’s general description, not a measured result from this site.

Guided sharpening systems

The Work Sharp Precision Adjust Elite is a guided system. The maker states that you clamp the knife, set the angle and sharpen. The angle range is 15 to 30 degrees, with 15 degrees for Japanese style knives, 20 degrees for Western kitchen knives, 25 degrees for hunting blades and 30 degrees for cleavers. The kit includes a coarse 320 grit diamond plate, a fine 600 grit diamond plate, a ceramic finishing rod, a serrated blade rod and a tri abrasive attachment for curved blades.

The maker states that the conical ceramic rod is for serrated blades, so bread knives, steak knives and fillet knives can be sharpened on the system. The precision guide is intended to remove guesswork about the angle. The maker describes the process as clamp, set angle, sharpen.

The Chef’sChoice 15XV EdgeSelect is an electric three stage sharpener rather than a clamped guided system, but it also controls the angle for you. The maker states that stages 1 and 2 are plated with 100 percent diamond abrasives and stage 3 uses a patented flexible abrasive system to polish and help prolong the life of serrated knives. The maker states that flexible spring guides adjust automatically to control the sharpening angle.

Angles and stages

Angle choice is the main decision across these sharpeners. The Chef’sChoice 15XV is built to convert traditional 20 degree factory edges into 15 degree Trizor XV edges, according to the maker. The AIERLIAN kit offers 15 and 20 degree supports. The Sharp Pebble offers 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 degrees. The Work Sharp offers 15 to 30 degrees. Pick the setting the maker lists for your knife style, such as 15 degrees for Japanese style blades or 20 degrees for Western kitchen knives on the Work Sharp.

Stage order matters as much as angle. On the Chef’sChoice 15XV, the maker describes three stages: stages 1 and 2 sharpen and hone with diamond abrasives, and stage 3 polishes. On the AIERLIAN, the diamond disc comes before the ceramic disc and the leather strop comes last. On the Work Sharp, the coarse diamond plate comes before the fine diamond plate and the ceramic finishing rod. Follow the maker’s order rather than starting with the finest abrasive.

The Chef’sChoice maker states that time required to sharpen is approximately 1 minute for first time sharpening and that resharpening is approximately 10 seconds. Those are the maker’s published figures for that model. The other makers on the list do not publish comparable times for each step.

Care and limits

Check what each sharpener is built for before you use it on a knife from your set. The Sharp Pebble maker states that its sharpener is for straight edge blades only and not for serrated knives or scissors. The AIERLIAN maker states that its angle supports are not for serrations or scissors. The Work Sharp maker states that it includes a dedicated rod for serrated blades. The AccuSharp maker lists serrated knives among the blades it is intended for. The Chef’sChoice maker states that its abrasives sharpen straight edge and serrated blades.

Cleaning guidance is published for some models and not others. The AccuSharp maker states that the sharpener can be cleaned with soap and water or in a dishwasher. The Chef’sChoice maker lists a 3 year limited warranty. For the other models, the makers do not publish cleaning instructions in the features summarized here, so follow the instructions that come with the unit.

None of these makers publishes a required number of passes for every knife type, and this site has not compared the sharpeners in use. Use the maker’s stated sequence and angle, and stop when the edge meets your own standard.