Sharpening tools today are based on the same physics as the old grist mills and whet stones but a little more advanced and with a lot power. For instance, grinding wheels once powered by water wheels are now zapped with electricity to speed up the sharpening process dramatically. It now takes only a fraction of the time to properly sharpen its tools. A knife sharpener can come in several forms. The bench top grinder, for example, is good for sharpening axe blades and gardening tools.
It is important to keep your tools sharp for purposes of quality and safety. Chain saws need to be sharpened often to ensure a quality cut and, consequently, greater safety when cutting. An abrasive end to a long drill-bit attachment is inserted into the drill and tightened, and the drill quickly rotates the end as the saw blade is held against it. When choosing the best sharpener for your chain saw, look for a sharpener that comes with multiple tips since the tips will wear out quickly.
Tormek manufacturers a knife and scissor sharpener that is a bench top grinder with water which helps to reduce friction. The grinder comes with a complete package including a leather strop, though some users recommend a paper wheel to hone and stop the edges of the knife.
Versatility is the most important item to look for in a knife sharpener. It should be able to sharpen longer knife blades and strop the edges adequately. You should also consider whether or not the replacement parts are easy to obtain. These are all things that should be considered to ensure that you are getting everything you need, especially considering knife sharpeners appropriate for heavy duty maintenance can cost up to thousands of dollars.
Heavy duty grinding wheels and chains saw sharpeners are, of course, for the serious woodworkers and landscapers. For all others, there is a wide variety of less expensive and more portable sharpening tools available. The handheld sharpener you would find in a butcher shop is a basic tool requiring no electricity. Other variations include the wheeled knife sharpeners in which the blade is drawn between two hard wheels. Abrasive materials are drawn against a knife at about a thirty degree angle, and this is done whether it is electric and manual. Regardless of manual or electric, you can still get a quality sharpening. At the heart of how sharp a tool can become is the skill of the knife owner at angling and stopping the blade. Knife sharpening classes and educational courses are offered, which may be a good idea if having the sharpest tool in the shed is important to you.
