Knives

[bencops]

IMHO the electric sharpeners, especially the cheaper ones, can act as more of a grinder than a sharpener. I think you'd have to go off forum and check out some similar sites to Which or the US equivilant to get an accurate assessment. Unless there are some on the forum who have done tests or have both setups.

Grinding is not the problem, you need to grind a knife to sharpen it, the problem is that electric sharpeners can remove too much of the metal of your knife.

If you are really fussy you would not use a slot sharpener either electric or manual, you would use a sander or waterstone/waterstone system.

Here's a knife being sharpened on a sander:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eREokC4MPM0

Waterstone systems:
http://www.edgeproinc.com/
http://www.wickededgeusa.com/

That edgepro system is awesome! Getting one...

[aris]

Unfortunately 15 isn't enough for me. Had to be 20. Could use more in fact, but this will do.

[keith157]

Apparantly you can get away with only a chef/carver, a serrated and a paring knife

AS IF

[keith157]

Edgepro seems a brilliant system for initial sharpening, but having had a lansky set up for years I can assure you for "quick touch-ups" you'll soon get fed up with getting the clamps out and aligned properly. If you haven't got the space for a full water sharpening system like a Tormek then the edgepro is one of the better ways to go for Initial edge setting, i.e. getting the right angle on all your knives' edges..
BUT, ain't there always a but, you need something compatible with the edge angle for daily use, for that 3rd leg of lamb when the edge starts to dull.
I have a ceramic rod system, which I got in the States it was great but as it can't stay out on the worktop or in the garage (the rods are EXTREMELY fragile) it hasn't seen much use after the first couple of months of "new toy fun"

[Swindon_Ed]

I've been using an I.o. shen ke3000 sharpener for the last year and I'm always impressed with the results. There are some interesting videos on YouTube which are worth checking out, I would put the links up but not at a computer at the moment.

[keith157]

Lakelands latest offers include Global knives if anyone's numbers have come up

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/p13716/Global-Knives

[aris]

I've been using an I.o. shen ke3000 sharpener for the last year and I'm always impressed with the results. There are some interesting videos on YouTube which are worth checking out, I would put the links up but not at a computer at the moment.

I've been investigating electric sharpeners - cant quite make up my mind. The ke3000 looks enticing, but doesn't look like it knows about angles - it just has two belt sanders which appears to sharpen well according to the YouTube video.

The chefs choice 1520 does both 15 and 20 degree blades - but doesn't seem to have the very coarse grinder to re hone 20 degree blades to 15 degrees.

How have you found the ke 3000?

[Swindon_Ed]

I've been using an I.o. shen ke3000 sharpener for the last year and I'm always impressed with the results. There are some interesting videos on YouTube which are worth checking out, I would put the links up but not at a computer at the moment.

I've been investigating electric sharpeners - cant quite make up my mind. The ke3000 looks enticing, but doesn't look like it knows about angles - it just has two belt sanders which appears to sharpen well according to the YouTube video.

The chefs choice 1520 does both 15 and 20 degree blades - but doesn't seem to have the very coarse grinder to re hone 20 degree blades to 15 degrees.

How have you found the ke 3000?

The KE3000 will only sharpen a blade to a 15 degree bevel as that's how the rollers a alined in the unit. I've sharpened a number of different knives with it and always had great results and a polished finish to the blade. European blades take 3-4 pulls on each side my Japanese blades take 6-7 pulls but this is much easier than trying to do it manually.

[aris]

So if I put a regular 20 degree blade in the ke3000, it will re-hone it to 15 degrees?

[Swindon_Ed]

So if I put a regular 20 degree blade in the ke3000, it will re-hone it to 15 degrees?

Yes that's correct, I was worried that if I did that with some of my cheaper knives they'd constantly need sharpening but they seem to hold the steeper edge for longer than I expected and you can really notice how much sharper they are.