AO Review: Work Sharp Ken Onion Sharpener – A Hunter’s Essential

The Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener is a popular device among chefs, hunters, and DIY enthusiasts. This electric sharpener is designed to restore dull and damaged blades to their original sharpness quickly and easily. The sharpener features a unique flexible abrasive belt technology that is capable of sharpening knives and other tools to razor-sharp edges. In this review, we will explore the features and specifications of the Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener, its ease of use, and whether it is better than manually sharpening a knife.

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AO Review: Work Sharp Ken Onion Sharpener – A Hunter’s Essential

Features & Specifications

• Sharpening angles: The sharpener can sharpen blades at angles ranging from 15° to 30°.
• Adjustable speed: The sharpener has adjustable speed settings ranging from 1200 SFM to 2800 SFM, allowing you to choose the right speed for your needs.
• Abrasive belts: The sharpener comes with a range of abrasive belts, including coarse, medium, fine, and extra-fine, to sharpen a variety of blades and tools.
• Motor power: The sharpener is powered by a 1.5-amp motor that is capable of handling tough sharpening jobs.
• Blade guides: The sharpener comes with blade guides that ensure you sharpen your blades at the correct angle and maintain a consistent angle throughout the sharpening process.
• Flexible belt technology: The sharpener uses flexible abrasive belts that conform to the shape of your blade and deliver a superior sharpening experience.
• Motor Cooling: air-cooled, so the motor won’t burn out
• Compact and Powerful: motor develops substantial power while remaining compact enough to work on your benchtop
• Multipurpose Sharpening: sharpen any knife or tool in your collection
• MSRP: $199.95

Ease of Use

The Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener is incredibly easy to use, even for beginners. The device comes with a user manual that provides clear instructions on how to set up and use the sharpener. The sharpening process is straightforward and can be completed in a matter of minutes. The blade guides to ensure that you maintain the correct angle throughout the sharpening process, and the flexible abrasive belts conform to the shape of your blade, resulting in a razor-sharp edge.

I tested this borrowed work sharp with a variety of blades including my AMTAC Blades Northman X, all of my kitchen knives, my Zero Tolerance 350TS, and a few other random blades I’ve had sitting around in various toolboxes over the years. I’ve never quite had the time to sit down and do all of my knives at once but I did all of them in one sitting and it only took me about 30 minutes or so with each blade as switching between angles and grits is quite easy once you get the hang of it. While some blade types are harder to sharpen easily, there are tons of tutorials online and also included in the manual if you’re unfamiliar with a specific blade type.

I was also able to re-profile one of my kitchen pairing knives that had had its tip snapped off. This would take a very long time on a manual sharpener but with the Work Sharp, I was able to accomplish a brand new tip to the blade that looked great in a matter of minutes using just the coarse belt and then finishing it off with the finer belts quickly. I can’t overstate how much easier and faster this is over manually sharpening knives.

Is it Better than Manually Sharpening a Knife?

The Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener is, at least in my opinion, undoubtedly better than manually sharpening a knife. Manual sharpening requires a lot of skill and practice, and even then, it is challenging to achieve a consistent and razor-sharp edge. The Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener, on the other hand, uses abrasive belts that deliver a consistent razor-sharp edge every time. The device is also faster and more efficient than manual sharpening, allowing you to sharpen your blades in a matter of minutes.

I suppose the only possible downsides are that the machine is quite complex and if it should ever need repair, it would be quite expensive to replace, you’ll also probably have to replace belts quite often if you frequently need to re-profile your blades and the belts themselves can vary in price from $10 to upwards of $25 per pack of 10 or more depending on the type and grit of the belt you’re replacing. Finally, if you’re using a Work Sharp, you probably don’t get to brag to your friends about your legendary knife-sharpening skills quite as hard as those who stick to a set of hand tools.

Final Thoughts

The Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener is an excellent investment for anyone who values sharp and reliable blades. The device is easy to use, versatile, and delivers consistent and razor-sharp edges every time. The range of abrasive belts and adjustable speed settings make it suitable for sharpening a variety of blades and tools, including knives, scissors, and garden tools. While the sharpener is a bit pricey, it is worth the investment if you want to ensure that your blades are always sharp and ready for use and you don’t feel like spending repeated evenings just sharpening knives to pass the time.

Ken Onion Work Sharp Blade Sharpener Pros and Cons

Pros

• Versatile: Can sharpen a wide variety of knives and tools
• Adjustable: Features an adjustable sharpening guide to produce precise edge bevels
• Variable speed motor: Allows for flexible belt speed to match the task at hand
• Premium flexible abrasive belts: Long-lasting, cool-cutting abrasive belts provide a convex edge that is razor sharp
• Compact and powerful: Motor develops substantial power while remaining compact enough to work on your benchtop
• Multipurpose sharpening: Can sharpen any knife or tool in your collection
• Consistent Results

Cons

• Price: The Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener is relatively expensive compared to other sharpening methods
• Learning curve: There may be a learning curve when using the sharpening guide and getting the right angle for your blade
• Belt replacement: Replacement belts must be purchased separately and can add to the overall cost of ownership.

Luke Cuenco

Luke Cuenco is currently a writer for AllOutdoor who has chosen not to write a short bio at this time.