Manual Knife Sharpeners

Manual knife sharpeners allow for the most control

Manual knife sharpeners are just that. You don't have to plug them in, and most are small enough to store compactly when not in use. Knife enthusiasts are big fans of manual sharpeners because they offer the most tactile control over the blade. Rather than relying on turning electric gears, you manually pull the blade through the sharpener, testing the blade for desired sharpness. The most common types are rod systems, slot-style and water-stone sharpeners. While rod systems and water stones afford the most control, they require more skill and have a steeper learning curve. Slot-style sharpeners afford less control but are easier to use. We found the best reviews for the rod-style and slotted sharpeners.

Knife-sharpening rods have a learning curve but are very flexible

Rod-system knife sharpeners have small rods inserted into the base at preset angles. You pull your knife's blade along the rods, testing now and then for sharpness. Rod systems are effective, but they take some practice to use (many models come with an instructional DVD). Some rod-system manual sharpeners can handle both straight and serrated knives, while others cannot. Rod systems are also good for sharpening short blades, such as pocket knives.

Among rod-system knife sharpeners, the Spyderco 204MF Tri-Angle Sharpmaker System (*Est. $50) receives high marks. Its triangular sharpening rods fit snugly into its plastic holder at preset angles; users pull the knife in cutting strokes against one rod and then the other (an included DVD shows you how to do this, since it's hard to describe). Reviewers say keeping the angle consistent is easier than it looks; check our Useful Links section for some videos demonstrating the Spyderco sharpener. While editors at one top foodie magazine praise the Spyderco Sharpmaker, they admit this product does take time to master and can be tricky to control.

In a review for the Los Angeles Times, Pete Thibodeau raves that this manual knife sharpener is gentle on blades and easy to use (eventually). Experts at eGullet.org say the knife-sharpening system is "pretty much foolproof" and versatile since it can be used on both straight and serrated knives. More than 100 users at Amazon.com give the Spyderco knife sharpener a high average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Several say that the detailed instruction manual and video make the system easy to use. The Spyderco knife sharpener comes with a lifetime warranty.

Slot knife sharpeners: Easier to use, especially for standard knives

Slot-style sharpeners, another manual option, are praised for their ease of use. Inside the slots, stone wheels or strips form a V to sharpen the knife blade at a proper angle. Users need only draw their knives through the slot to sharpen them. Their main drawback: They generally only work on straight-edged blades. However, eGullet.org's Chad Ward cautions that slot-style sharpeners can chip away at the edge of a knife, and editors at Cook's Illustrated magazine note that slot-style knife sharpeners must be held firmly in place so they don't move during the sharpening process.

Two slot-style sharpeners are especially highly praised by reviewers: the Furi Ozitech Diamond Fingers Knife Sharpener (*Est. $20) and the Chef's Choice Diamond Hone Two Stage Sharpener 450 (*Est. $25). However, the Furi Ozitech Diamond Fingers Knife Sharpener edges out the Chef's Choice 450 because it earns a few more positive reviews. This compact slot-style sharpener has eight diamond-coated metal "fingers" that bend during each pass as you gently pull your knife's blade though. Most of the several hundred owner reviews on Amazon.com and Cooking.com are positive (it earns 4.5 out of 5 stars overall at both websites), with users citing the knife sharpener's compact size and overall ease of use. Testers at Choice magazine, Australia's equivalent to ConsumerReports.org, give the Furi knife sharpener high marks saying that it performs well and knives easily achieve a smooth edge. The Furi can be used by both left- and right-handers, but it cannot sharpen serrated blades. The Furi Ozitech Diamond Fingers Knife Sharpener comes with a 30-day, money-back warranty and is only available online. A handful of owners complain about the Furi's cheap-looking case (which they say is prone to breakage), difficult-to-understand instruction guide and durability (some users say the product's diamond crust wore off too easily).

Rivaling the Furi Ozitech is the slot-style Chef's Choice Diamond Hone Two Stage Sharpener 450 (Est. $25). The Chef's Choice 450, which slightly outranks the Furi Ozitech in testing at Choice magazine and New Zealand's Consumer magazine, contains two abrasive diamond grinding wheels with guides to help you hold the knife at the right angle. The first slot sharpens the blade, while the second slot polishes. Like the Furi Ozitech, the Chef's Choice 450 can be used by left- or right-handers, but it is not designed for serrated blades. It's dishwasher-safe and comes with a one-year warranty.

The few owners posting on Amazon.com give the Chef's Choice 450 sharpener an overall 4.5 out of 5 stars for practicality, ease of use and performance, with one owner saying, "The edge seems to last a reasonable length of time." We didn't find enough user reviews, however, to thoroughly evaluate long-term durability.

Several other inexpensive slot-style sharpeners receive favorable reviews. The MinoSharp Ceramic Water Sharpener 220/GB (*Est. $40) is recommended by testers at both Consumer and Choice magazines, although it places behind the Furi Ozitech and Chef's Choice 450. The two-stage MinoSharp is made by Global -- a leading cutlery manufacturer -- and uses more fragile ceramic wheels to sharpen blades. The advantage of ceramic, says eGullet.org's Chad Ward, is that it is extremely hard yet fine-grained and gentle. One wheel is coarse, the other fine. Like its rival, the Chef's Choice 450, the MinoSharp earns high marks for its sharpening ability and overall ease of use. Like other slot-style sharpeners, the MinoSharp is easier to use with longer blades like kitchen knives than with shorter blades like pocket knives.

A more versatile slot-style option, The Wusthof Knife-Life Sharpener (*Est. $20) also sharpens scissors. The lightweight sharpener has two stages: carbide-steel blades for coarse sharpening and ceramic rods for honing and polishing a knife's blade. A rubberized base and thick handle offer added stability. Though one foodie magazine praises the Wusthof's quick sharpening capabilities, editors admit that it doesn't perform as well as the Spyderco knife sharpener or the Chef's Choice Diamond Hone MultiEdge 460 (*Est. $30), a close cousin to the Chef's Choice 450. Hundreds of owners at Amazon.com and Cooking.com give the Wusthof Knife-Life Sharpener high marks (4.5 out of 5 stars overall at both websites). Most say that it's easy to use and gives good, fast results. Several wish that it came with an instruction manual, however.

The AccuSharp Knife and Tool Sharpener (*Est. $11) is another cost-friendly pick. This compact, handheld slot-style sharpener is drawn over the knife, which users must hold blade-up against a countertop. Testers are at first a little intimidated by this sharpener since it seems odd to pull the sharpener over the knife (instead of pulling the knife through a sharpener), but once they get used to it, they rave about its speed. Testers at CookingCache.com say the AccuSharp lacks elegance but works efficiently. The sharpener also has replaceable carbide sharpening blades -- a perk since few of these products offer replaceable parts. 

Choice magazine applauds the slot-style Analon Advanced Cutlery Universal Knife Sharpener (*Est. $30). Editors say it performs well and is comfortable to use. However, one foodie magazine notes that the Analon takes more than twice the number of strokes to sharpen blades as the AccuSharp. The Analon must also be filled with water before each use to prevent the ceramic stones from clogging with metal filings.

Water stone knife sharpeners take patience, but can create a very fine edge

Flat water stones are another manual method of knife sharpening. According to Steve Bottorff, author of the book "Sharpening Made Easy," flat water stones come from quarries or are constructed with bonding materials, and they contain the abrasive novaculite, "a mineral related to flint and quartz." The stones are difficult to use and can be a bit messy since they must be kept wet with water. Without the water, the stone will tear chunks of metal off the blade rather than making microabrasions to gently create a new edge. Still, when used correctly, they produce an unrivaled edge.

The stones "wear very quickly, revealing new layers of cutting abrasive," says Chad Ward in his eGullet.org buyer's guide. This constant renewal sharpens effectively because there is "always a new layer of sharp abrasive cutting away at the metal of your edge," Ward adds. To use the stone, you place it on a flat surface, set the knife against it, and push the blade away from you as though scraping a thin layer off the surface of the stone. You must apply gentle pressure at a constant angle -- no easy feat. Plus, water stones can shatter if dropped.

We found only one detailed review of a flat water stone -- the Norton 1000/4000 Combination Water Stone (*Est. $60). To use the Norton Water stone, it must be soaked before use and kept wet during use. Scraping across the coarse side sharpens the edge, while the finer side of the stone polishes and hones.

While experts say water stones are difficult to use, many say the process is rewarding since these stones create remarkably fine edges. In the Los Angeles Times, Pete Thibodeau sums up his experience with the Norton 1000/4000: "Exceptional. We got the sweetest polished edge of the lot using this stone." So, if you're the patient type, a water stone may be for you.