Work Sharp WSKTS-KO Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener

Great tool, I used it to sharpen Filet knives and all kinds of kitchen knives. Good quality knives like my Martiini Filet knive became razor sharp again and I even managed to get some edge to horribly blunt IKEA kitchen knives. Using the tool is easy with the quickstart manual that comes with the package.

Convex Grind Knife Sharpener.

Wife purchased this for Xmas. Ordered online and received in 3 DAYS! Amazing. This is a belt sharpening system for sharpening cutting tools. As a result, it produces a belt sharpened contour when the belt has no backing plate. This contour is mildly convex. It is not possible, without a backing plate, to grind a flat edge if that is your preference. Nor will it hollow grind easily if at all. The included belt set is unexpectedly good. Mostly Norax in various grits. Variable speed and adjustable angle guide. It is a guide, not a rigid knife holding fixture, so some dexterity is needed. I think for kitchen knives and most day to day cutlery this is an entirely satisfactory item. If you are picky about your hunting, skinning, filet and everyday carry, then be prepared ... MoreWife purchased this for Xmas. Ordered online and received in 3 DAYS! Amazing. This is a belt sharpening system for sharpening cutting tools. As a result, it produces a belt sharpened contour when the belt has no backing plate. This contour is mildly convex. It is not possible, without a backing plate, to grind a flat edge if that is your preference. Nor will it hollow grind easily if at all. The included belt set is unexpectedly good. Mostly Norax in various grits. Variable speed and adjustable angle guide. It is a guide, not a rigid knife holding fixture, so some dexterity is needed. I think for kitchen knives and most day to day cutlery this is an entirely satisfactory item. If you are picky about your hunting, skinning, filet and everyday carry, then be prepared to fuss with this to get that bragging sharp edge. Convex ground edges may never be the best for that scalpel sharp result regardless of what the included literature tries to tell you. So, five stars for excellent service and a fine product. Certainly not everything for all knives but 90% or more I would say.

Great Sharpener

Tried most of my kitchen knives the day I got it. All came out razor sharp after O did rough medium and fine belts. Very happy with this sharpener. Added bonus it does not take a lot of the metal off and shorten the life of the knife. Would highly recommend for fast easy sharpening.

Great Tool For Novices

Love this sharpener. Not being familiar with knife sharpening, I did some research, and found out just how technical and how much of an art knife sharpening is. Not having the time and patience, not to mention the technical skill, to learn all the intricacies of knife sharpening, I went with the WorkSharp Knife & Tool Sharpener Ken Onion Edition. I practiced with an old survival knife I had from my Army days. I had tried sharpening that knife with other methods in the past without any good results. After a couple of sessions with the WorkSharp, the thing cuts like a new knife. I'm now sharpening scissors, kitchen knives... everything I can get my hands on, and for a complete novice, I'm doing pretty well. If you're not a knife sharpening artist, this product is ... MoreLove this sharpener. Not being familiar with knife sharpening, I did some research, and found out just how technical and how much of an art knife sharpening is. Not having the time and patience, not to mention the technical skill, to learn all the intricacies of knife sharpening, I went with the WorkSharp Knife & Tool Sharpener Ken Onion Edition. I practiced with an old survival knife I had from my Army days. I had tried sharpening that knife with other methods in the past without any good results. After a couple of sessions with the WorkSharp, the thing cuts like a new knife. I'm now sharpening scissors, kitchen knives... everything I can get my hands on, and for a complete novice, I'm doing pretty well. If you're not a knife sharpening artist, this product is highly recommended!

I love very sharp knives!

I already had a very good kitchen knife sharpener, but I wanted one with more flexibility to sharpen different types of knives and cutting tools. The Ken Onion fits the bill. It does take some practice to use it to its full potential. I have sharpened about 15 knives so far, and I have a way to go before I will be really proficient. I have never sharpened scissors before, and find this is going to take quite a bit of practice to master. I like the fact that one can adjust the angle of the cutting edge to the type and purpose of the tool being sharpened : Thus for my filet knives, and Japanese knives, I can set a very narrow angle, while with other kitchen knives a normal 20 degree angle and “outdoor” knives at 25 degrees. I can also adjust the machine to sharpen ... MoreI already had a very good kitchen knife sharpener, but I wanted one with more flexibility to sharpen different types of knives and cutting tools. The Ken Onion fits the bill. It does take some practice to use it to its full potential. I have sharpened about 15 knives so far, and I have a way to go before I will be really proficient. I have never sharpened scissors before, and find this is going to take quite a bit of practice to master. I like the fact that one can adjust the angle of the cutting edge to the type and purpose of the tool being sharpened : Thus for my filet knives, and Japanese knives, I can set a very narrow angle, while with other kitchen knives a normal 20 degree angle and “outdoor” knives at 25 degrees. I can also adjust the machine to sharpen large tools like hatchets and chisels. Yes I would recommend this. I wish I could give it 4.5 stars.

I would buy this product again.

For years I have spent hundreds of dollars on many knife sharpeners that were advertised as the best of the best. The only thing they were good at was dissapointing me. So, when I saw the Ken Onion edition of the Work Sharp, I was very skeptical. The reviews were good, and there was one from himself. So, I decided to try it. This thing does exactly as advertized. I have sharpened knives that I didn't think could be sharpened. And they are wicked, wicked sharp. I am a happy camper now, and you will be too. Microsoft edge found me a $50.00 coupon so, that was a plus too. I'm very happy with this purchase, and Zoro shipped it right away.

This is hands down the best electric sharpener I've used.

I've had my own WORK SHARP Ken Onion Edition for about 2 weeks now. I used a neighbors and fell in love with this blade sharpening tool. I've owned some of the other elect sharpeners that were just junk and made so cheaply they would work for a short while and fall apart or just not hold up to sharpening the array of blades I need to sharpen. I have a multitude of knives and outdoor wood utility tools. Each are made of a slightly different material ranging from very high quality Stainless Steel and Carbon Steel to cheep and I do mean cheep material. It's important to note my better quality material blades sharpen with little effort. I've even started using this for my high quality wood shaping chisels and it works awesome. Like I said, I found most of my better ... MoreI've had my own WORK SHARP Ken Onion Edition for about 2 weeks now. I used a neighbors and fell in love with this blade sharpening tool. I've owned some of the other elect sharpeners that were just junk and made so cheaply they would work for a short while and fall apart or just not hold up to sharpening the array of blades I need to sharpen. I have a multitude of knives and outdoor wood utility tools. Each are made of a slightly different material ranging from very high quality Stainless Steel and Carbon Steel to cheep and I do mean cheep material. It's important to note my better quality material blades sharpen with little effort. I've even started using this for my high quality wood shaping chisels and it works awesome. Like I said, I found most of my better knives sharpen with about the same angle and speeds. I usually use the variable speed trigger, which is very controllable, and start with 3 strokes at high speed on each side starting on the right side of the tool. Once I have the blade where I can hone it razor sharp I slow the belt down to almost a crawl. Now I draw the blade through at varying speeds to control the material. Going side to side one stroke at a time until there are no burs left. My blade is ready for the leather now and they hold an edge for a long, long time. I haven't been able to get that razor edge on my cheep, cheep blades but once I achieve the blade angle I just use a stone to get that drag feel. I have to point out that not all materials are conducive to the razor edge we all strive for. This, i believe explains some of the NEGATIVE feed back from people giving this a negative rating. I HIGHLY recommend this WORKS SHARP to anyone that wants a quality electric knife and blade sharpening tool. This helped make a dreaded task more than enjoyable for me now. What used to take hours and hours is now accomplished in short order and I enjoy the quality edge it helps me put on my blades. I hope this clears up some confusion

This worked so well for me that I wrote to...

This worked so well for me that I wrote to the company to tell them so. It re-configured an edge on a knife that I had almost given up on (and I've been hand sharpening knives for decades) and brought it to a shaving sharp edge.Do read the instructions carefully, though, and practice on a sacrificial knife (which very well might become one of your sharpest knives). The thinner purple belt, for instance, seems to be for a final buffing, but really is specialized to serrated edges and gut hooks, etc., and seem to contribute nothing positive to the normal edge, and maybe even something negative.I also suggest putting masking tape on the sides of the knives to avoid the potential for longitudinal scratches, but I am somewhat fanatical about finishes on ... MoreThis worked so well for me that I wrote to the company to tell them so. It re-configured an edge on a knife that I had almost given up on (and I've been hand sharpening knives for decades) and brought it to a shaving sharp edge.Do read the instructions carefully, though, and practice on a sacrificial knife (which very well might become one of your sharpest knives). The thinner purple belt, for instance, seems to be for a final buffing, but really is specialized to serrated edges and gut hooks, etc., and seem to contribute nothing positive to the normal edge, and maybe even something negative.I also suggest putting masking tape on the sides of the knives to avoid the potential for longitudinal scratches, but I am somewhat fanatical about finishes on knives.Great product. Very happy with it.

Versatile, Precision Sharpening of Most any Blade

I'm very happy with this. I can get a knife sharp using an Arkansas or diamond stone, heck, even a rock. This Ken Onion version of the sharpener is powerful, with accessories like the WSSAK081112 proving that the KO version is worth the cost. With it I can quickly put an extremely sharp edge on a blade. If you follow the instructions you should have satisfying results - I found that it's especially important to stop/start the motor after the tip of the blade is placed properly on the belt. (YouTube has several very good instructional videos - too bad I didn't see 'em - I had to regrind the tips on my first few tries.) The edge guides and angle settings on this tool work well and the optional WSSAK081112 adds versatility. It is fun to see an abused blade of any type ... MoreI'm very happy with this. I can get a knife sharp using an Arkansas or diamond stone, heck, even a rock. This Ken Onion version of the sharpener is powerful, with accessories like the WSSAK081112 proving that the KO version is worth the cost. With it I can quickly put an extremely sharp edge on a blade. If you follow the instructions you should have satisfying results - I found that it's especially important to stop/start the motor after the tip of the blade is placed properly on the belt. (YouTube has several very good instructional videos - too bad I didn't see 'em - I had to regrind the tips on my first few tries.) The edge guides and angle settings on this tool work well and the optional WSSAK081112 adds versatility. It is fun to see an abused blade of any type come back to life, either with its original grind profile or with one that's more suitable to a different type of work. I think it's Interesting that using two belts, I was able to quickly turn a serrated kitchen blade that wasn't often used into a most useful, razor-sharp fillet knife. Best part of that is the sanding belts were just barely worn - still are - even after sharpening dozens of blades.

Wish it was ambidextrous.

I can get a pretty good edge but I think it would be even better if it were ambidextrous. I’m a lefty. This tool s built for somebody to use their left hand to control the power/speed button while the right hand guides the knife/tool through the sharpening process. Well my right hand isn’t as steady not as strong as my left. So the edge suffers from my being a lefty. For short blades I can use my right hand behind the sharpener to control the power/speed and then my left to run through the sharpener. For longer blades the end of the blade would be touching my wrist.I really like the ability to dial in the different angles. I like the different grit belts available. It’s easy to change belts. I’ve sharpened at least 25 blades so far and I don’t see much wear on the ... MoreI can get a pretty good edge but I think it would be even better if it were ambidextrous. I’m a lefty. This tool s built for somebody to use their left hand to control the power/speed button while the right hand guides the knife/tool through the sharpening process. Well my right hand isn’t as steady not as strong as my left. So the edge suffers from my being a lefty. For short blades I can use my right hand behind the sharpener to control the power/speed and then my left to run through the sharpener. For longer blades the end of the blade would be touching my wrist.I really like the ability to dial in the different angles. I like the different grit belts available. It’s easy to change belts. I’ve sharpened at least 25 blades so far and I don’t see much wear on the belts. I feel like they’ll last me a long time. The machine is easy to run and easy to understand. The quick reference guide is really all you should need.Overall I think it’s probably one of the best options out there. I just need to get better with my right hand I guess…!