The Best Knife Sharpeners Tested in 2023

The Wicked Edge Pro knife sharpening system allows users to sharpen knives quickly to an incredibly sharp edge with repeatable consistency. The whetstone kit includes a predrilled quartz base with nonskid rubber feet to which the clamp and ball-joint rod assembly are affixed by screws. Six double-sided diamond-grit stones with extra-coarse through extra-fine grits are capable of reprofiling any blade and sharpening to a razor edge. Two strops polish the blade to a mirror-smooth finish. The included depth gauge and clamp pin allow users to replicate custom results for any blade.

Admittedly, the Wicked Edge Pro system was the heaviest and most complicated to assemble of all the knife sharpeners we tested. We had to attach the clamp to the quartz base with screws, add rubber feet to the base, attach the ball-joint rods to the clamp arms, and then figure out how to set up a knife in the clamp properly. Although it took 15 minutes to assemble and another 15 minutes to figure out how to use it, the tool finally delivered fast, consistent results. After a little practice, we used it to return an old carving knife to like-new condition.

We especially liked that the depth gauge and stopper pin allowed us to position a knife in the clamp exactly the same way every time. Also, because the double-sided stones simply slide down onto the rods, changing grits was fast and easy. Starting with the 100-grit stone, we reprofiled our blade to 20 degrees with just 10 strokes per side. We then progressed through the 200-, 400-, 600-, 800-, and 1,000-grit stones at four to five strokes per side before honing with the 4,000- and 8,000-grit strops. Actual sharpening time was about 10 minutes.

While this mess-free system could work just fine on the kitchen counter, it takes up about 1 square foot of real estate. Storage is another consideration that should be factored in, since the unit is big and weighs almost 18 pounds with the base. The tool can be disassembled and stored in the box, but frequent users may prefer to create a dedicated workstation.

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Get the Wicked Edge knife sharpener on Amazon , SharpeningSupplies.com , or North River Outdoors .