Will a good electric Knife sharpener ruin good knifes?

Question

I got a chef's choice electric sharpner for X-mas & I have a really expensive set of knives. Can I use the electric sharpner or do I need to sharpen the knives by hand somehow.

Answer 1

I really like the sharpener I have had for the last five or so years. It has four rods of two different hard stones arranged in two Vs.
You can get them at sporting goods stores and some hardware stores. It only takes a few passes over the stones to sharpen most knives. I think it probably cost me less than twenty dollars. Don't forget to burnish or strop the blades as you sharpen them.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

The electric sharpener probably uses a motor to turn a grinding wheel. Putting a knife on a wheel will burn the carbon out of it, making the edge last only a few cuts instead of a few weeks. You need to sharpen metals slowly to avoid burning the metal so the carbon is retained and the blade's hardness isn't affected. You can do this by using a hand sharpening method of some sort, OR you can get one of those grinders with a wheel that turns really slow and is dipped in water to keep the metal cool all the time. You will have to set the angles on the tool rest as closely as possible and have a steady hand to do it, but it can be done. These grinders are sold for grinding woodworking chisels and run around 100 bucks or so. Use a fine grit wheel turning in water for good results and a good tool rest that doesn't move to assure the angle doesn't change. The finer the wheel, the longer the edge will last if you take care of your knife .

Answer 4

Chef's Choice is the only electric sharpener I would ever use. I have stones and am very experienced with sharpening knives, in fact when I was given a Chef's Choice everyone thought I would never use it. Well I did. It has rotary stones onlt to be used for very dull knives or for the first time the CC is used on them to give the correct angle. After that you should only use the two other stones to touch up the edge.These are orbital motion and low enough speed not to overheat the blade. The CC puts a 3 angle edge on the blade which makes for a stronger edge. It also has magnets to hold the blade at the correct angle which is the hardest part of hand sharpening knives. Use the third slot for touching up the edge with the middle slot only every 3rd or 4th time.
My CC finally died a few years ago and I have not replaced it but still think it is better for most people than trying to learn to use a stone. It takes practice and for most it is not worth it and most people will do more damage learning to use a stone correctly. Still always used stones for my pocket kives and fillet knife.

Answer 5

Good Electric Knife

Answer 6

yes, them grinders will ruin your knifes ,if you got a good set of new knifes they have the correct bevels on the blade, and all they need is a few passes on a hand held diamond knife sharpener, i have knives i had for 40 years and never sharpend them on a grinding stone

Answer 7

by hand