"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." This quote is often wrongly attributed to Abraham Lincoln (spoiler alert, its true origins lie with an anonymous woodsman) but in this case, the point isn't necessarily who spoke it first, but the meaning behind the words: a sharp, precise edge, whether on an axe or your EDC pocket knife, is worth its weight in gold — or if we're keeping with the metaphor here, wood.
A sharp blade is a source of satisfaction thanks to its practical applications (smoother, more efficacious, safer cutting) as well as to what it represents: taking pride in and caring for your possessions. In a world of instant gratification and built-in obsolescence, it feels damn good to preserve the things you love, rather than replace them the minute an edge dulls.
If you're the brand-new owner of a quality pocket knife or want to shore the one you've carried in your pocket for the last couple of years, it's never a bad idea to think about how to maintain the quality of the blade you're relying on for everyday situations. If you haven't gotten a knife sharpener yet, here's where to start.
What kinds of pocket knife sharpeners are there
Considering how many types of pocket knives exist, it follows that there are a few types of pocket knife sharpeners, as well. Pocket knife sharpeners range from manual options you can carry in your pocket for on-the-go maintenance, to secured, electric versions that stay put on your workbench — and many versions in between. For the purposes of simplicity, we're keeping our list to four main types: sharpening stones, sharpening steels, knife hones and electric sharpeners.
- Sharpening Stone: These simple tools sharpen knives by grinding the blade against an abrasive surface.
- Sharpening Steel: A rod of steel, ceramic or diamond-coated steel used to restore sharpness to dulled blade edges by removing metal via diamond (or other sharpening materials) embedded in its surface.
- Knife Hone: Knife hones don't remove any metal from your knife; rather, they reshape it and force the edge of the knife into a sharp point.
- Electric Sharpener: The most high-tech of the bunch, electric sharpeners do the work for you, using grinding wheels or belts to remove metal quickly. They're convenient and make short work of a chore, but if you're not careful, you can damage your knife.
- Whetstone: A whetstone is the most precise way to sharpen a knife; it's a rectangular block with a coarse side and a fine-grit side. Before you use a whetstone, make sure you know the correct sharpening angle for your knife.
How many times should you pass a knife through a sharpener?
How many times you pass your knife through your sharpener depends on which type of sharpener you're using: for a manual sharpener, a good rule of thumb is to pull the knife through the sharpener three to six times using even pressure across the entire blade. You may need to pass it through a few times more if it is especially dull or damaged. If you're using an electric sharpener, pull the knife slowly and steadily through the slot three-six times on each side of the blade.
For both methods, finish the job with one or two pulls through the fine grit side of the sharpener.
Manual versus electric pocket knife sharpeners
There are two schools of thought when approaching a task like sharpening your pocket knife: you can do it the manual way, which provides satisfaction and character development but takes more time and more effort, or you can take the electric path, which offers uniform sharpening and cuts down on time, but is more expensive and if you don't pay careful attention, can over-sharpen and damage your blade. There is no right or wrong path to choose; pick whichever fits your lifestyle, and accept its pros and cons.
Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener
- Material: Diamond coated; ceramic; plastic
- Grit type: Coarse, fine
- Dimensions: 9.53"L x 5.42"W x 1.12"H
- Weight: 0.35 pounds ounces
If you want a knife sharpener that balances of quality, durability and reliability, this manual option is a safe bet. The Guided Field Sharpener is one of the best manual pocket knife sharpeners on the market thanks to its multiple sharpening and honing surfaces, including diamond-coated plates and ceramic honing rods. You can pick from either a 20- or 25-degree angle, and thanks to its multiple sharpening surfaces, you can bring dull, damaged blades back to life with relative ease.
This sharpener is a little on the heavy side — you probably won't want to carry it in your pocket with your other EDC items, but it does make a great addition to your desk drawer or workbench.
Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition Knife and Tool Sharpener
- Material: Synthetic
- Grit type: Coarse Grit, Extra Coarse, Medium Grit
- Dimensions: 10"L x 5.5"W x 6"H
- Weight: 3.1 pounds
Ken Onion is one of the most well-respected names in knives, and his edition of Work Sharp's electric knife and tool sharpener is another demonstration of his deep knowledge and experience. The tool has adjustable edge angle settings from 15 to 30 degrees and custom-made abrasives that combine with a variable speed belt drive to bring the best out of your edges. This tool is for intermediate to advanced users — beginners should stick with manual options as they're learning to sharpen.
Smith's Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener
- Material: Plastic
- Grit type: Coarse, fine
- Dimensions: 6.95"L x 4"W x 0.65"H
- Weight: 0.02 pounds
It may look unassuming, but there's plenty of usefulness packed into this multifunctional pocket knife sharpener. Its roster of tools includes a tapered, round, diamond-coated honing rod (useful for serrated and standard edges), a coarse carbide slot to set your edge, a fine ceramic stone slot to sharpen up your blade and preset sharpening angles for easy use. Its ceramic and carbide stones are reversible and replaceable, extending the life of this little tool.
Lansky C-Sharp
- Material: Composite
- Grit type: Medium, fine
- Dimensions: 1"L x 1"W x 1"H
- Weight: 0.01 pounds
At 0.01 pounds, the C-Sharp is the most diminutive tool on this list, but don't let its small size fool you: it can help you maintain an edge with the best of them. That's thanks to its 800 grit ceramic bench stone for fine polishing and serrations, its 600-grit medium ceramic pull-through slots and its ability to sharpen four angles: 17º, 20º, 25º, and 30º. Its metal case means you can bring it to camp and not worry about it getting damaged or dinged, and its bright orange color helps you keep track of it on the go. And at less than thirty bucks, it's a bargain.
Sharp Pebble Whetstone
- Material: Corundum
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Grit type: Ultra Fine, Extra Fine, Fine
- Dimensions: 7.25"L x 2.25"W x 1"H
- Weight: 2.1 pounds
One of the most popular portable whetstones on the Internet, Sharp Pebble's premium option comes with two grits — 600 and 1000 — made from its proprietary blend of aluminum oxide, along with sharpening compounds on opposite sides of the stone, giving users the ability to sharpen and refine their pocket knives with ease and simplicity. The bamboo case gives it a refined aesthetic that will inspire you to leave it on display — and maybe even use it more frequently than you would a less attractive option that stays stuffed in a drawer. Sharp Pebble's whetstone even comes with an included blade guide to help you get the best edge possible, every time.
