Serrated knives are handy when cutting objects with hard objects. If you are outdoors, you would want a survival knife that has a serrated blade to cut through wood and other sturdy items.
But because of the way they work, serrated knives also require the service of the best serrated knife sharpeners. They are susceptible to getting brittle or damaged, primarily if you typically use them on heavy-duty applications. Having a sharpener will ensure that the blades of these knives will remain polished, sturdy, and razor-edge sharp.
One of the most optimal choices for serrated knife sharpeners is the Lansky PS-MED01 BladeMedic. This one provides excellent performance when it comes to sharpening serrated knives. Whether you are camping or backpacking, this sharpener will generate optimal sharpening results.
Keep in mind that the Lansky PS-MED01 BladeMedic does not only work for serrated knives. It is versatile enough to deal with other types of blades. It can work with fillet knives and gut hooks with ease.
The ceramic sharpener of this item is capable of sharpening even the smallest serrations. It does not miss tiny details, which is truly an impressive feat.
You don't also need to spend time sharpening once you have this utility. By just a few strokes on its tungsten carbide or ceramic sharpeners, your knives will get back in shape. It even has a ceramic rod for polishing the edges of any blade.
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It would also be great if you won't skip the Smith's 50264 Adjustable Manual Knife Sharpener in your selection. By far, this is one of the most trusted manual sharpeners that you can bring anywhere you want.
The construction of this sharpener is pretty solid. It withstands various external elements with ease. While doing so, the unit can sharpen a myriad of knives. It is rated to sharpen even damaged or dull blades.
The serrated blade sharpener of Smith's 50264 is never disappointing. It does its job and ensures that the teeth of the blade are properly sharpened and honed. Keep in mind that the serrated sharpener has a fixed angle.
Meanwhile, it also has two slots of coarse and fine sharpening. There is a knob that adjusts their angle, too, for better versatility. All of the abrasive components of this blade are entirely replaceable.
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The Smith's PP1 Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener is also a desirable choice for field sharpener for serrated knives. It is extra compact and durable, making it a likely choice for outdoor trips.
This unit is using a tapered round diamond-coated rod for dealing with dull serrated knives. But you can also use it on blades with standard edges. It is still a flexible utility that will serve all your sharpening needs.
There is also a carbide blade on this knife sharpener that you can use for restoring damaged knives. It gives a quick-edge setting so that you can sharpen blades without taking too much time. But of course, the carbide blade is only suitable for straight edges only.
Meanwhile, the ceramic stone in the PP1 further hones the edges of already-sharp knives. The best part of this ceramic stone is that you can utilize it for honing serrated blades.
Both the ceramic stone and carbide blade of this knife sharpener are reversible.
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If you want an extra powerful knife sharpener, you got to pick the Work Sharp Combo Knife Sharpener. Unlike the previous sharpeners here, this one does not have a portable feature since it is an electric model. But for quick maintenance and guaranteed sharpening results, this unit is considered the best choice.
This sharpener is extremely fast. By just a few passes, your blade will get the sharpness that it deserves. It also provides a high degree of consistency. It has a fixed guide and flexible abrasive belt so that your blade will be sharpened at a precise rate every single time.
Of course, it is versatile enough to deal with various blade types and sizes. Even if you have a large serrated survival knife, the Work Sharp Combo can deal with them all.
I have to emphasize that this knife sharpener has a cool-cutting mechanism. It doesn't heat up. It can create a convex edge to the blade so that it can cut better than those ground edge. Its tapered fine-grit rod hones the smooth edges and teeth of any serrated knife.
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The Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener is a reliable utility for sharpening serrated knives. It has a heavy-duty performance dedicated to knives and tools used in the field or workshop. It is guaranteed to fix damaged blades and dull edges, making them brand-new again.
With this sharpener, you can sharpen serrated knives like you are a pro. It acts quickly and efficiently, ensuring that your results will be consistent every time you sharpen your knife.
The Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener has replaceable abrasive grit belts for extra longevity in service. Meanwhile, its existing abrasive belts have premium and rugged construction. They can deal with various sharpening tasks without getting worn too quickly. Specifically, it comes with three grits: fine (6000), medium (220), and coarse (80).
Interestingly, these belts will not damage or burn the steel of the knives. Despite their fast and hard-hitting action, they remain benign to your blade.
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There is a myriad of knife sharpeners out there. Given that many knives now have serrations on their blade, it is pretty understandable that serrated knife sharpeners are also proliferating.
Now, it is interesting to note that serrated knives have a different mechanism of sharpening. You require manual work on them. You just don't pass them into a carbide or ceramic stone for sharpening. Each of the teeth has to be refined so that you can retain its edge.
Because of this, one cannot expect that standard knife sharpeners would work on serrated knives. A special section or mechanism should be dedicated to them.
Each manufacturer has different means of sharpening serrated knives. For the most generic one, we have the ceramic sharpening rod. Most of the compact and pocket-sized sharpeners utilize this method. Considerably, this option is time-consuming but relatively inexpensive.
Moreover, it can create exceptional results if the knife has not been sharpened for a long time. They work if there are bents on the serration. Typically, ceramic rods are fine, having a grit of approximately 1000.
Here is a video that indicates how you can use these rods to sharpen the serrations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_61LLTtqAw
There are other conventional methods of sharpening serrated knives. And it is apparent how the sharpeners were constructed.
Take a look at the sharpeners by Work Sharp. They offer electric models but have different designs as to the conventional knife sharpeners for kitchen tools. You can immediately spot the difference in how their sharpeners are created. They appear like they have been engineered to suit the needs of every workshop.
Most of Work Sharp's heavy-duty sharpeners are using abrasive belts to sharpen serrated knives. You can treat this as an automatic sharpening as you just need to draw the teeth of the blade to the belt so that they can be refined. However, keep in mind that this method may not actually repair damaged or chipped blades. Again, if you are looking for something that can rejuvenate for serration, I do suggest that you get a ceramic sharpening rod.
Because we have talked about refining and sharpening, there's a need that we can differentiate them. Despite having similar nuances, honing and sharpening are two different tasks.
One can sharpen knives without honing them. Others can hone without the need for sharpening. Sometimes, you need both.
All of these things are essential for serrated knives. Of course, the sharpener that you have must possess these functions to ensure their flexibility.
Sharpening is the process of refining the blade of the knife that has no teeth already. If it is dull already, then it requires a major rejuvenation already. This is where sharpening takes place.
When sharpening, you will need to chip out parts of the steel of the blade so that you can get a new edge. A damaged blade has to lose a lot of metal so that it can gain a new edge.
Serrated knives have to be sharpened from time to time because most of their function requires cutting through hard objects. They are often used to deal with wood, rock, and other hard surfaces. Hence, they are more susceptible to damage than standard knives used for cutting food and other soft materials.
Meanwhile, honing is the process that ensures that a sharp blade will remain sharp. It will also remove some steel of the blade but at minimum levels only.
Honing is often recommended so that you don't sharpen your knife frequently. Of course, that would help you extend the life of the blade and its usability. Honing is considered as a maintenance procedure. It should be conducted religiously, especially if you are using your knives on rough applications.
Q: Is the best serrated knife sharpener similar to standard knife sharpeners?
A: Certainly not. There is a huge difference between sharpening standard blades and serrated blades. There's a special procedure for the latter, and you need to learn how to execute it properly. Needless to say, there's a separate platform for serrated blades and standard blades.
Q: How often should I sharpen a serrated blade?
A: Blades that are used regularly should have regular sharpening. But this doesn't have to be frequent. You can do this four times to six times a year, depending on how often you hone the knife. Sharpening becomes less prevalent if you hone your blade from time to time.
Q: Do I need to bring the best serrated knife sharpener in the field?
A: If your knife is already sharp, there's no actual need to bring a sharpener. However, if you deem that the adventure is going to be rough, challenging, and extensive, bringing a sharpener is actually a practical move.
Serrated knives are an essential tool of survivalists and outdoor enthusiasts. While it is true that non-serrated knives are still considered to be the "primary" knives, there's no denying that blades with teeth have a plethora of function, too.
The best serrated knife sharpener is an accompanying utility for these specialty knives. After all, you don't want to get your knives dull and damaged, right?
I hope you learned something here. For questions and suggestions, feel free to drop them in the comment section below.
