I also second the request for anyone that has any suggestions on sharpening knives or knife sharpening systems.
Not really recommendations - just a quick reflection.
My brothers & I grew up always trying to produce a better edge than the others (tested by shaving hair off spots on arms / legs). Bottom line - it was really hit or miss for good edges. When my brother went into the Navy, there was a guy on his ship that would put a great edge on any knife for a few bucks. He used a simple
Lansky system - which looks like a cheap version of
Smith's Diamond System. I got a Lansky kit & used it for many years. For simple knives, it provides the consistency to get a good edge. However,
- metal clamps can mark blade (not cool on heirloom knife)
- blade size can be an issue (not enough reach & ends have different angle than middle - due to design)
- grit stones don't last all that long (get curved from use)
- time consuming
I didn't really like oil & time spent sharpening (& setup) became an issue so I wasn't doing the knives frequently. After a few hours of research, I got some diamond grit stones & a simple clamp that worked on a flat surface. I like the diamond grit (& water convenience) but duplicating the exact angles each time was a bit of an issue. In addition, time wasn't much better. More research & more talking to people.
I've taken a step back & now use the diamond stones to put a nice 20* edge on each side. Then I use this super simple
Lansky rod-in-a-block approach to keep a 25* edge every few days. For the past several months, our kitchen knives have been sharper than they've been in years.
I hold the blade perpendicular to a light & if there any reflections, I grab the block out of the cabinet, take several swipes & the blade shaves hair. I always dismissed these systems because they don't use a lubricant & had no way to hold an angle. However, after talking with people - it's tough for someone to be able to hold a 20* or 25* angle by eye -- but most people can hold a blade vertically with accuracy & consistency. As for the lack of lubricant - I still use the larger diamond stones to get the original 20* angle & the rods just provide a regular tune-up.
The bottom line for me has been accepting realities of life - I want to use sharp blades (all the time) but time was keeping me away.
From a cool-looking 'toy' perspective, that
Warthog system looks very interesting & the reviews seem to say it's more than a toy. I'm also interested to see / hear what others are using and any advice tidbits they'd like to share (like what are options for serrated blades?)