Price: $399 each with KBS 120 Chrome stepless shaft and Lamkin Deep Etched grip Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel. Right- and left-hand versions in 33-inch, 34-inch and 35-inch lengths with 3 degrees of loft and 70-degree lie angle.

See more equipment: Best drivers for 2024 | Best irons for 2024 | Best putters for 2024 | Best golf balls for 2024 We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Golfweek operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

We really liked the fast-working design of the Work Sharp knife and tool sharpener. It operated more quietly and efficiently than other electric models. With only four to six strokes per side on progressively finer-grit belts, we completely renewed a damaged and dull chef’s knife in about 5 minutes. The finest grit belt honed the edge to a mirrorlike finish.

The edge-grip feature made it easy to work right at the edge of the countertop so that our knuckles avoided collision with the surface. This is not the tool for rejuvenating abused or neglected blades, but it makes a handy tool for quick maintenance when serious grinding is not necessary.

Price: $249 each with KBS CT Tour 120 shaft and SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol 1.0 grip Specs: 304 stainless steel heads with variable-loft, Pebax insert and adjustable sole weights. Available: February 23, but available NOW via pre-sale

The big trend in drivers this season is adding stability and boosting the moment of inertia (MOI) so tee shots that you mis-hit fly straighter and farther. The big trend in putters in 2024 is similar — more forgiveness and stability.

To sharpen serrated knives and ceramic knives, look for a model that specifically states its suitability for these blades. Using a standard sharpener on a serrated or ceramic blade will drastically reduce the useful life of the knife.

Excerpt: “Going with aluminum (in the back) allowed designers to shift even more mass to the front of the putters in the form of two tungsten weights. The exact amount of tungsten varies by head shape, but it averages around 120 grams and helps to pull the center of gravity even more forward.” Read the full review …

While practice is required for the best, most consistent results, the KnifePlanet sharpening stone set proved to be the simplest, most versatile choice for the broadest range of sharpening needs. We used the 400/800-grit stone to sharpen pocket knives, a 10-inch chef’s knife, a pair of fabric scissors, and an 18-inch garden machete. To further tune the edges, we followed up with the 3,000/8,000-grit stones. The stones are made of a soft material that creates a gritty sludge on the surface while working, which is normal but a bit messy.

Electric knife sharpeners are typically the fastest way to put an accurate grind on a knife’s edge. Designed to sit on a countertop, electric knife sharpeners feature a succession of grinding wheels and angled grooves through which the user pulls the knife. The knife becomes sharper as it works its way through the stages.

Though electric knife sharpeners are easy to use and relatively foolproof, they tend to be pricey and don’t provide any grind-angle flexibility. They’re not as compact as manual sharpeners, but most are relatively small enough to be stored in a kitchen drawer.

Honing won’t reshape a blade nearly as quickly as sharpening, but it will help ensure the blade stays razor-sharp. For that reason, professional chefs hone their knives before every use.

Tom Scalisi is a freelance writer, author, and blogger with a passion for building. Whether it’s a DIY project or an entire website, Tom loves creating something from the ground up, stepping back, and admiring a job well done.

Before buying a knife sharpener, bone up on the difference between sharpening and honing as well as various key factors and features—including material, suitability, and safety—of these precision tools.

Most sharpeners can handle a variety of knife sizes, but it’s wise to check which blade type and grind angle a sharpener can service. Standard blades tend to come with 20-degree grind angles, which are durable and easy to maintain with a whetstone and honing rod.

In our tests, this simple V-notch knife sharpener proved easy to use and surprisingly effective for sharpening moderately dull blades. Ten strokes in the carbide notch removed the rough edges on a well-used paring knife and chef’s knife before we smoothed them out in the ceramic notch. The edge of the paring knife had a deep pit that this sharpener could not remove, but the rest of the blade was well sharpened.

Who It’s For: Golfers who want a more forgiving putter that also offers a soft feel and a consistent roll.

We tested the Pocket Pal on several pocket knives and found it to be an excellent choice. Carbon-steel blades responded more quickly than stainless steel, but we were able to hone nice sharp edges on all types we tested. We simply held the sharpener on its edge and stroked the knife through each slot a few times, starting with the carbide side and finishing with the ceramic side.

Excerpt: “Inspired by feedback from PGA Tour players like 2022 U.S. Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick, the Studio Stock Series putters for 2023 are each milled from a solid block of 303 stainless steel for a soft feel. That means a computer guides a high-spinning metal bit back and forth over the steel, shaving off tiny ribbons of material until the final shape is produced.” Read the full review …

In our search for the best knife sharpeners, we researched the most sought-after electric, whetstone, V-notch, and honing models. We poured over hundreds of verified customer reviews of more than 40 different knife-sharpening tools and systems from 23 of the most respected brands in the industry. After weighing the pros and cons of various design features, abrasive materials, and compatibility for different sharpening applications, we narrowed our list to the picks mentioned in this guide. Then we tested them.

We did not love the plastic handle, however. It cheapened the feel and appearance a bit and did not match some of the other more substantial Wüsthof knife handles in our test group. Still, for pure function, we recommend this tool as one of the best.

Excerpt: “The significant difference between the Champions Choice and Super Select putters is the Champions Choice has been made with the Teryllium insert. The Teryllium insert is designed over a layer of vibration-dampening tape and held in position by three screws that you can see on the back of the putter.” Read the full review …

The Work Sharp Power Knife & Tool Sharpener is essentially a small benchtop belt grinder engineered specifically for sharpening knives and tools. It features nonskid feet, a variable-speed trigger, an edge guard for improved consistency, and an adjustable angle guide for precision blade profiling between 15 and 30 degrees. The five included abrasive belts were custom designed for sharpening high-end knife steel. The adjustable rotating cassette allows users to sharpen scissors and other tools in addition to knives of all shapes and sizes.

Excerpt: “Golfers will immediately see the True Path alignment system that debuted in Spider X, but what makes this putter unique is the weight and center of gravity have been shifted by a 154-gram, horseshoe-shaped bar that extends back from the heel and toe and encircles the back of the head. The bar accounts for 45 percent of the putter’s overall weight.” Read the full review …

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Excerpt: “While the Ai-ONE will have the soft feel of the White Hot insert, some golfers prefer the firm feel of a milled putter. For them, Odyssey has the Ai-ONE Milled. Instead of having a urethane cover over aluminum, the insert is milled using titanium with a copper-toned finish.” Read the full review …

Who It’s For: Golfers who struggle with distance control and who want a more solid, stable-feeling putter.

Excerpt: “In the 2021 putters, Ping used two Pebax layers, with the outermost layer being soft for better performance on short putts and the back layer being firmer for a more solid feel on long putts. This soft insert complements the Heppler putters that Ping released last season, which have a smooth stainless steel face designed to feel firm and crisp.” Read the full review …

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Most knife sharpeners require users to pull the blade through the device, but with whetstones, circular motions that include both pulling and pushing are necessary. This guide on how to sharpen a knife should help.

Depending on the sharpener, these materials come in different shapes. For instance, a whetstone is one piece shaped like a block, a rod, or a puck. In V-notch sharpeners, the sharpening materials might be opposing strips that look somewhat like blades or cylindrical rods (not to be confused with honing rods). With electric sharpeners, the sharpening materials are usually shaped like wheels that are typically housed within the machine for safety.

We tested the Wüsthof steel on all of our kitchen knives as well as several pocket knives. It honed newly sharpened blades to a keen, shiny edge. On blades that had been used several times since their last proper sharpening, this steel trued the blade edges nicely to improve slicing and chopping action.

Excerpt: “The insert found in the standard Ai-ONE putters is made using aluminum and covered by the same urethane found in the White Hot insert that has been popular for two decades. While it looks like a traditional grooved insert on the front, there are a series of ridges and thickened areas on the back. The variable-thickness insert normalizes ball speed across a much more significant portion of the hitting area, so more mis-hit putts roll out to the same distance as well-struck putts, leading to improved distance control.” Read the full review …

Oversize guards are also popular on the best pull-through knife sharpener options. These molded guards prevent users from placing their hands too close to the sharpening surface, minimizing the chance of knife-to-skin contact while sharpening dull knives.

Excerpt: “With all due respect to the multi-material Inovai mallets and the golden-toned Queen B Series, these are the putters that most golfers who know Bettinardi covet. Once again, the five different head styles will look familiar, but with an array of widths, hosel configurations and balances, there are several choices for golfers with different stroke types.” Read the full review …

Price: $299.99 each (ON SALE NOW) with Stroke Lab graphite/steel shaft Specs: 303 stainless steel and 6061 aluminum bodies with tungsten weights and urethane face insert

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Price: $449.99 each Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel. Available in shapes including traditional heel-toe weighted blades and mid-size mallets.

Even with an extensive background on the best knife sharpeners, some additional questions might pop up. The following section culls and answers some of the most frequently asked questions about knife sharpeners. Check below for any further information you may need.

Excerpt: “All nine HB Soft 2 putters have been given a grooved face that has a tight groove pattern. Cleveland refers to it Speed Optimized Face Technology (SOFT). The pattern is tighter in the center, but in the heel and toe, it is open.” Read the full review …

Excerpt: “Cameron wanted to make that the most significant point of emphasis in the 2024 Phantom family and worked with his team to make each head work as an alignment system. So, for example, when golfers put a Phantom 11 putter down behind a ball, they see a pair of lines extending from the back of the head to the topline and forming an arrow. However, golfers may not even be aware that the topline edges in the heel and toe area have been angled inward toward the ball, while the back of the topline has also been angled toward the ball.” Read the full review …

Just as there are many types of knives, there are quite a few ways to sharpen them. Here, learn how different knife sharpeners work and compare their pros and cons. Some of these methods are ancient, while others represent a new wave of precision sharpening.

Sharpening and honing are not interchangeable terms. They are different tasks that complement each other to keep knife blades keen. Each method requires a tool.

Excerpt: “With a combination of chrome and dark finishes, they are cosmetically cohesive, but the goal with the release of these clubs is to create a stable of putters that can provide golfers with several options that will optimize their stroke but give them choices when it comes to looks and feel.” Read the full review …

In most cases, washing a knife sharpener is not advisable as they can become gummed up with soap and filings. Sharpening steels (also called honing rods) can be wiped down with a damp cloth, while pull-through sharpeners can use a quick clean with a mild brush. Washing and rinsing are never suggested.

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Who It’s For: Golfers who want a mallet that is easy to align and aim while still getting the sound and feel of Scotty Cameron’s milled blade putters.

Who They’re For: Golfers with deep pockets who prioritize feel but want the performance and looks of classic heel-toe-weighted blades and mid-size mallets.

Price: $349 each with KBS CT Tour 120 shaft and SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol 1.0 grip Specs: Carbon fiber crown with 304 stainless steel body, milled 6061 aerospace grade aluminum face insert and 3D-printed features. Available: February 23, but NOW via pre-sale

Excerpt: “Most blade-style putters are solid metal steel, while high-MOI mallet putters, which offer more forgiveness, tend to be designed with multiple materials that take weight out of some areas and shift it to the perimeter of the head to make it more stable on mis-hits. The Battle Ready II putters try to take that formula to the extreme. They have been designed with thin faces, to reduce weight in the front, and hollow chambers that have been filled with a polymer that PXG calls S COR.” Read the full review …

This model is also magnetized to attract metal fibers during use, ensuring that the blade is sharp and ready for use right away. The loop on the bottom of the handle affords a convenient way to keep the Wüsthof on hand and nearby in the kitchen.

Note: Putters are often released on two-year product cycles, which means updates are released every two years. For that reason, you will see several 2023 offerings alongside new 2024 putters.

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 tested the Sharpmaker on a variety of large and small knives, including a few with serrated edges. Although this system offers no “guarantees” of a perfectly aligned edge profile in terms of an angled notch or clamp-and-pivot like other systems we tested, it was incredibly easy to use and produced razor-sharp edges for us.

Price: $349.99 each with KBS shaft and SuperStroke Pistol 1.0 grip Specs: Steel body mallet putters with grooved Surlyn insert, internal polymer and steel weights. Lengths: 33″-35″

Price: $449 with Black steeped KBS shaft and SuperStroke 1.0 grip Specs: Aluminum chassis with two 40-gram moveable weights and grooved face insert. 34-inch and 35-inch lengths with single bend and small slant hosel styles

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Excerpt: “The most significant upgrade Cobra gave the Vintage putters is a new variable-loft Pebax insert. The hitting area is divided into four regions, with the top having 4 degrees of loft. Each segment of the face goes down in loft by 1 degree until you reach the bottom of the face, which has just 1 degree of loft.” Read the full review …

Knives are among the most essential tools for gardening, DIY projects, food prep, and more. And the sharper they are, the better and safer they function. A high-quality knife sharpener belongs in every home to keep kitchen knives, pocket knives, and multi-tool blades in top condition.

Another longtime favorite of blade enthusiasts, the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker has been around for decades. Its popularity stems from a combination of lightweight portability, ease of use, and effectiveness producing a razor-sharp edge.

When working with sharp blades, safety is a top priority. Some sharpening methods, such as electric and pull-through countertop models, are inherently safer options. They typically have a nonslip bottom that helps keep the tool in place while sharpening a knife.

Excerpt: “To help players aim their putts more effectively, PXG has developed a system it calls Runway Reticle. Based on an airplane runway’s design, the split arrow design encourages golfers to focus on the ball. Along with the alignment mark on the topline, it creates several lines that help ensure a player sets the club down behind the ball perpendicular to the target line.” Read the full review …

Sharp knives help prevent accidents and injuries and give us greater work satisfaction, so maintaining blades should be a priority. Our Best Overall Electric pick, the Work Sharp knife sharpener, makes it easy to keep all kinds of knives sharp as well as to renew old blades quickly. (Caveat: We don’t recommend it for working in the kitchen.) For those who want to keep a small, inexpensive sharpener at the ready for a quick touch up, we recommend the KitchenIQ knife sharpener.

With its collapsible ABS plastic sharpening table and single-pivot whetstone rod, the Edge Pro Apex 4 sharpening system is highly portable. The kit includes five sharpening stones, two polishing stones, an 8-inch ceramic hone, and a small water bottle and towel for easy cleanup, all in a heavy-duty Cordura carry case. It packs into a conveniently low profile and weighs less than 3 pounds for easy transport wherever knives need to be sharpened.

After selecting the keyed holes in the base for our desired angle, we inserted the brown (coarse) stones for the first portion of sharpening and then finished up with the white (fine) stones. To sharpen a blade, we simply held it vertically as we drew it down and across the angled stones, alternating sides at each stroke. For most average blades, six to 10 strokes per side on each stone was adequate. Some of the especially dull blades needed extra strokes on the coarse stone. To finish the edge, we simply applied less pressure (almost none) while drawing against the white stones.

The kit includes two coarse sharpening stones, two fine sharpening stones, and two aluminum rods to protect the user’s hands, all packed into a rugged ABS plastic carry case that doubles as the sharpening base. The base is keyed to insert the stones for two sharpening configurations: one for 20-degree profiles and the other for 15-degree profiles.

Whetstonesare the classic and most-preferred manual method for sharpening kitchen knives. These perfectly flat sharpening stones have a gritty surface across which the user drags a knife’s cutting edge. This reshapes the cutting edge by removing any misshapen metal. Potentially, users can even customize a knife’s grind angle with a whetstone faster than with other sharpener types.

For centuries, whetstones were actual pieces of gritty rock, but most of today’s models are synthetic combinations of abrasives. These abrasives include alumina oxide, sapphirite, silicon carbide or other ceramics, and diamond. Many of the best knife-sharpener kits have a combination of these materials in different grit sizes, though some models might use different (though similar) materials.

The best putter for you is waiting at your local shop, and after going through a putter fitting that includes discovering your idea putter length, lie angle, loft and balance, you will know exactly what it is. The putters listed below can give you a starting point to learn more about clubs you might want to try.

Setting up the Edge Pro Apex 4 was a breeze, but it seemed to have the steepest learning curve of all the models we tested. Fortunately, the instructional video was extremely helpful! After practicing on a few blades, we were easily able to produce similar impressive results with this tool as with our Best Overall Manual pick—only somewhat slower and at half the price. Initially, we disliked that the blade was not fixed to the sloped sharpening table, but ultimately we realized that this allows flexibility of movement while sharpening and resulted in a smoother, more consistent profile.

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.

Whetstones come in a variety of grits and can provide remarkably sharp results. The user starts sharpening with the coarsest grit and works toward the finest. When done correctly, the knife can gain a razor-sharp edge. Just be aware that this method is slow and requires more patience and expertise than others.

Many kits come with safety gloves intended to be worn on the hand that holds the sharpener. These gloves will minimize—but not eliminate—the chances of accidentally slicing a finger while pulling a blade through the sharpener.

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.

Plenty of golfers still love the look and feel of classic blades, but mallets, often made with multiple materials, are here to stay because they allow designers to shift weight into performance-enhancing areas and create bolder alignment features.

We also tested the diamond rod on the serrations of an old bread knife, and it made a nice edge. Even severely damaged blades were temporarily improved, but this tool cannot reprofile a fully blunted edge. This model is great for routine maintenance during heavy use or to improve an edge temporarily.

Excerpt: “A gunmetal-finished aluminum wireframe body helps to reduce weight in areas of the head that don’t impact performance, while a new Hybrar Echo Damper behind the leading edge in the sole soaks up excessive vibrations that are created at impact to improve sound and feel.” Read the full review …

Price: $449 and $499 (Phantom 11 Long) Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel and 6061 aluminum chassis with steel/tungsten weights. Available: March 29 (Phantom 5, 5.5, 5S, 7, 7.5, 9 and 9.5), May 17 (Phantom 11, 11.5 and new Phantom 11 Long)

We gathered an assortment of thrift-shop finds, including chef’s knives, carving knives, serrated knives, and pocket knives, and dulled the edges on those that were not already beaten up. To ensure the nonusefulness of the knives prior to testing, we attempted to cut an apple, tomato, or crusty bread; none of the knives were up to the task.

We used the above background information and details about knife sharpeners to select our list of products for testing. Ahead, find out how each product performed and why we believe they deserve consideration as some of the best knife sharpeners available.

Price: $389.99 each Specs: 303 stainless steel with internal polymer filling and adjustable sole weights. Length: 33″-38″. Loft: 3 degrees (arm-lock style, 7 degrees). Lie angle: 70 degrees

The kit also includes a flattening stone to keep the whetstones in good working order. Whetstones tend to become wavy after several uses, as sharpening not only removes material from the knife but also the stone. Use the flattening stone to level the whetstone and increase its lifespan.

Price: $450 each with Black PVD graphite shaft and Lamkin Etched grip. Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel

Price: $449.99 each Specs: Milled 303 Stainless steel with 6061 aluminum sole plate and adjustable sole weights. Lengths: 33, 34 or 35 inches.

Sharpening a knife by hand can be difficult as maintaining the ideal angle takes practice. The angle to hold a knife while sharpening varies between15 and 22 degrees for kitchen knives and 22 and 30 degrees for pocket knives.

Forgiving the fact that blades must be repositioned multiple times while working with this tool, we grew to appreciate it. Our earlier concerns about the knife slipping out and slicing a knuckle proved unfounded. Stops on the pivot rod and the way that blades balance on the sharpening table prevented those problems. Plus, the Edge Pro Apex only weighs a few pounds, and its heavy-duty nylon carry case made it the most “carryable” of the group.

Who It’s For: Golfers who struggle to square their putter face at impact or start putts on their intended target line.

You see the back of the Ai-ONE’s insert through a window in the back of the head. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

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Most pull-through V-notch systems sharpen at preset 18- or 22-degree angles. An 18-degree angle is sharp but will require more frequent sharpening, ultimately reducing the life of the blade. Electric sharpeners usually sharpen at 15- to 20-degree angles.

Excerpt: “The PLD Milled putters have a consistent-depth milling pattern that is intended to soften the sound and feel of impact. Over the years Ping’s designers have studied groove depth in different metals so they can produce the precise harmonics they want, and in the PLD Milled, the slightly deeper milling pattern produces a deeper tone.” Read the full review …

Sharpening ceramic knives requires a more precise, delicate touch than sharpening stainless or high-carbon blades might. Shenzhen Knives’ Electric Diamond Knife Sharpener is up to the task with diamond grinding specially designed for ceramic blades.

While it was not perfect, this affordable system provided outstanding overall results. We would not recommend using it to reprofile a damaged blade, but it can handle all but the worst cases. And the handy carry case makes it easy to store, pack, and set up pretty much anywhere.

Rather than removing material, honing rods smooth out the microscopic nicks and dents that come with normal use or even after careful grinding.Although also referred to as sharpening steels, these implements can’t help a severely dulled blade; instead, regular use will complement sharpening for the keenest edge a knife can get. To hone a knife, drag the blade across the rod from heel to point while maintaining the grind angle as closely as possible. (See below for more information on honing.)

See more equipment: Best drivers for 2024 | Best irons for 2024 | Best putters for 2024 | Best golf balls for 2024

Who It’s For: Golfers who want an unfiltered feel at impact and a classic look in the address position.

Who It’s For: Golfers who want a premium milled putter that is precisely fitted to match their setup, stroke type and visual preferences.

Much faster and simpler to use than a whetstone, V-notch sharpeners have hardened materials (typically ceramic or carbide) installed in a preset V-shape that’s set into a notch in plastic housing. The knife is dragged from heel to tip through the notch, allowing the sharpening material to remove metal until the knife conforms to its preset angle (also known as the grind).

Who It’s For: Golfers who want tour-inspired looks and elite levels of feel and precision in their putter.

Price: From $229 (ON SALE NOW) Specs: Milled stainless steel, tungsten inserts and aluminum bodies with 10 head styles available, including heel-toe weighted blades, mid-size mallets and high-MOI mallets.

The nonskid bamboo base and rubber stone holder secured the stones throughout the process. After sharpening all of the blades previously mentioned, we used the flattening stone to recondition the surfaces of the sharpening stones. That process took between 10 and 15 minutes per side, and the surfaces were like new. Those looking for versatility, or who prefer to sharpen their blades the old-fashioned way, would appreciate this set.

Price: $700 each Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel head with Teryllium insert, aluminum sole plate and adjustable sole weights.

Anyone on the hunt for a high-quality honing rod should check out this Wüsthof model. This steel is 10 inches long, providing plenty of honing surface for large knives. It has a plastic slip-resistant handle for quick and easy sharpening.

Price: $299.99 (Ai-ONE) each with Stroke Lab 90 shaft and counterbalanced grip Specs: Co-molded aluminum insert with grooved urethane coating

Home chefs and knife collectors hoping to sharpen their valuable knives without breaking the bank should look into KitchenIQ’s Edge Grip 2-Stage Knife Sharpener. This compact pull-through sharpener features a budget-friendly price tag and a simple, guess-free sharpening system.

Different grind angles provide different characteristics, such as how long a knife maintains its edge or how easily it cuts through delicate material. V-notch knife sharpener angles are preset, however, so users cannot choose the profile to put on the knives. V-notch sharpeners also tend to leave a rougher edge on the blade than other methods.

We evaluated the sharpeners’ effectiveness by attempting to slice a piece of newspaper with each sharpened knife. All sharp blades could slice the newsprint, but the sharpest ones did so with no sound (“razor-sharp”). We plotted our results on a testing rubric and awarded titles according to performance.

Price: From $199 (ON SALE NOW) Specs: Stainless steel, aluminum and tungsten heads with dual-durometer polymer insert

Although this tool has the potential to grind knives too aggressively at high speed, the adjustable speed switch made it possible to work at a comfortable pace without damaging blades. (High-speed operation is best reserved for sharpening thick blades like scissors or shop tools.) Angle adjustments and belt changes were easy to accomplish and intuitively designed. One word of caution, however, is that the tool spreads fine metal dust, so it is best operated in a workshop-type environment, not a kitchen countertop.

Excerpt: “In the address position the GT Max is reminiscent of the Spider GT with an aluminum top and a pair of black wing-style extensions in the heel and toe. But flipping the club over reveals two 40-gram tungsten weights that independently slide in tracks.” Read the full review …

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.

The ability to sharpen a knife is a highly valuable skill, and it takes a quality tool to do it right. We researched the most popular knife sharpeners from the top manufacturers in the industry to assemble a list of contenders, and then tested our top picks to find out how they truly perform. Find out more about the best knife sharpeners and which model may be right for you.

The KitchenIQ Edge Grip manual knife sharpener has two sharpening slots with preset angles to make consistent, repetitive sharpening a breeze. The coarse side will reshape a damaged edge, while the fine side can handle regular smoothing of the rough edge as well as maintenance. This knife sharpener features a handle section to keep the user’s hand safe from the blades while also allowing a sure grip on the device.

Excerpt: “The B1, B2, B3, M1 and M2 heads are precision-milled using 303 stainless steel, a soft material that amplifies feel and allows golfers to gain a better sense of precisely where they hit the ball on the face. ” Read the full review …

The KnifePlanet Premium Knife Sharpening Stone Set offers a great tool to give favorite knives an ideal edge. It comes with a set of two sharpening stones, a bamboo base, a flattening stone, and two rubber nonslip bases. The two stones each have two grits: 400/1000 and 3000/8000. This four-stage grinding process adds up to a near-perfect grind when used properly.

This knife sharpener features a plug-in electric grinding wheel with coarse and fine diamond grits. The coarse slots feature an 18-degree grind angle, and the fine slots bring the blade to a final point of 20 degrees, sharpening ceramic blades without making them too brittle. It does a fine, fast job on ceramic blades, and it easily sharpens stainless steel kitchen, pocket, and outdoor knives, too.

A high-quality knife sharpener used properly can last for many years, or hundreds of sharpenings. The materials in the grinding wheels and rods don’t dull easily, so a sharpener can remain effective and even outlast a set of kitchen knives.

Twenty years ago on the PGA Tour, most players used heel-to-toe weighted blades like the classic Ping Anser, Scotty Cameron Newport and Odyssey #1. Then, in the mid-2000s, the Odyssey 2-Ball putters exploded and mallets found their way into more and more bags on tour and in local clubs. Fast forward to the mid-2010s, and TaylorMade’s Spider Tour putter, a mid-size mallet with a high MOI but some toe-hang for golfers who have an arced stroke, takes the putting world by storm. Odyssey’s #7 and Scotty Cameron’s Futura X 5, with stability-boosting extensions in the heel and toe became more popular over the last decade too.

Excerpt: “The L.A.B. Golf DF3 is designed entirely differently. After you sole the putter behind the ball, the DF3’s weighting encourages the face of the putter to remain square to the arc you establish in the address position. To be clear, this is not face-balanced. This is lie angle balanced (L.A.B. stands for lie angle balance).” Read the full review …

In our tests, the Shenzhen Knives electric sharpener proved to be an inexpensive option for repairing and sharpening chipped ceramic knives. We started testing with a ceramic knife that had several chips along the edge, ranging from about 0.5 millimeter to a little more than 1 millimeter. By lightly and slowly gliding the blade through the coarse sharpener 14 times, we removed the chips and started a new profile. Another half dozen strokes in the fine sharpener and the knife was well sharpened to cut properly. The removeable diamond wheel cartridge makes the tool easy to clean and can one day be replaced when the wheels no longer sharpen effectively.

We used this tool to renew a well-worn 10-inch carving knife and to sharpen two pocket knives. The pocket knives were somewhat challenging due to their short blades and unbalanced structure, but the long carving blade was a breeze to sharpen. Beginning with the 120-grit whetstone, we renewed the edge profile before quickly working through the 220-, 400-, 600-, and 1,000-grit stones, and finally honing the blade with the 2,000- and 3,000-grit polishing tape. The formerly neglected blade came out supersharp.

Excerpt: “With the release of the new Cruiser family of putters, Odyssey is looking to blend the stability and stroke-enhancing features of longer, counterbalanced putters with a face technology created using artificial intelligence.” Read the full review …

Excerpt: “But instead of picking up a Never Compromise Reserve putter, hitting a few putts with it on the pro shop carpet and walking to the cash register, golfers will need to go through a fitting process before making their purchase. Once they get into their putting posture and setup, the fitter will have them hold the top of an NC Fitting Tool, which is basically a putter on a sliding stand. It allows the fitter to measure the ideal length and lie angle for each player.” Read the full review …

Who they are for: With 10 different head styles to choose from, along with different neck and hosel configurations, Ping is trying to offer look and feel options that can appeal to a wide variety of players.

Price: 449.99 each with Stroke Lab 90 shaft and counterbalanced grip Specs: Milled stainless steel head with milled titanium face insert

We are not professional knife sharpeners, which should lend some confidence to readers who may not feel confident about learning on these tools. We simply followed the manufacturer’s instructions to sharpen at least four knives with each tool. We recorded any noticeable points on the ease of assembling and operating the sharpeners, their effectiveness and speed of sharpening the different knives, and then tested each blade’s sharpness.

The Smith’s Pocket Pal V-notch sharpener makes it easy to maintain a sharp blade at work, in camp, or on the go. At just 3.5 inches long, 1 inch high, and weighing less than 1 ounce, it ought to go completely unnoticed in a pocket or backpack. It includes a coarse carbide notch for creating a quick edge and a ceramic notch for an extra-sharp edge. The preset angles are ideal for maintaining the edge profiles of outdoor knives and pocket knives. The carbide and ceramic inserts are reversible and replaceable for an extended working life. For serrated knives, it also includes a fold-out round, tapered, diamond-coated rod.

Price: $349 with KBS Chrome 120 shaft and SuperStroke 1.0 grip Specs: CNC-milled 66160 aluminum body with grooved face insert, short slant hosel and steel bar. Available in white, silver, black, red, ice blue and pink.

Who it’s For: Golfers who want help creating a consistent roll from a traditional putter with a soft feel.

Excerpt: “Modifications to stalwarts such as the Newport and Newport 2 will make purists happy, but the Plus versions for golfers who like a beefier blade and new milling technology could make this a popular option for a larger number of players.” Read the full review …

Who It’s For: Golfers who want a classic-looking putter with a soft feel at impact and budget-friendly price.

Excerpt: “By 3D printing a significant portion of the body, Cobra designers can radically shift weight to enhance performance while the variable-loft face encourages a more consistent roll.” Read the full review …