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Looking For A Knife Sharpener
There are lots of knife sharpeners on the market. We wanted to find at least 1 or 2 that really work well so we bought 4 sharpeners to put to the test.
  There are sharpeners out there for everything from axes to fish hooks – including expensive motorized units - but for this test, I stuck to simpler hand-held units.
  Work Sharp Guided Sharpening System ($60 at www.worksharptools.com; ph 800 597-6170): The most expensive sharpener I tried – and the best - it can sharpen all types of knives including concave, recurve and serrated blades. The sharpener can be set on rigid or pivot so that it moves as you sharpen. Work Sharp says its innovative pivot system makes sharpening curved pocket knives faster, easier and more precise along the entire length of the blade.
  I appreciated the adjustable angle plates (17 degrees for kitchen cutlery and 20 degrees for outdoor knives) that help keep the correct angle. There are two diamond plates - coarse 320 grit to sharpen and fine 600 grit to hone – as well as a ceramic rod with different grooves to sharpen serrated knives and fish hooks.
  With a 42–year warranty, this tool is built to last. I plan to keep it handy in the kitchen.
  DMT Diafold ($47 at www.dmtsharp.com; ph 508 481-5944): DMT offers folding sharpeners designed to go anywhere. The Massachusetts company offers a single-sided version and a variety of double-sided combinations. I opted for coarse and fine grit, which can sharpen a dull knife and hone a nice edge. The plastic handles fold in over diamond grit surfaces to protect them so it’s a handy 5-in. length when closed.
  This sharpener works great and I can see it working especially well for people used to using a whetstone or file for sharpening. It’s ideal for throwing into a toolbox or glove box.
  Lansky’s Blademedic ($16 at www.lansky.com; ph 716 877-7511): Lansky designed this 4-in. long sharpener to fit into a pocket like a knife.
  Despite its compactness it is multipurpose. It has two grooves for carbide sharpening followed up by ceramic honing, a diamond tapered rod for fast reconditioning, and a ceramic edge to sharpen serrations. The grooves make it easy to get the right blade angle while sharpening. This sharpener is ideal for ranchers and farmers to carry with them.
  The Puck ($9 at www.lansky.com; ph 716 877-7511): As the name implies, it’s round like a hockey puck – and just under 4 in. in diameter so it fits nicely in the palm of your hand.
  The directions suggest putting the tool to be sharpened - axe, lawn mower blade, machete, shovel - in a vise to hold it securely. Then use a circular motion to sharpen one side, then the other. There is a coarse side and a fine side of the puck, and Lansky recommends applying a few drops of oil on the puck before sharpening. It worked great and seems ideal for use around the farmstead.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dee Goerge (dee_goerge@yahoo.com).


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2017 - Volume #41, Issue #6