WORK SHARP

PRECISION ADJUST

OUR COUNTERPARTS AT the US edition of POPULAR MECHANICS voted this their ‘best knife sharpener’ of 2021, and after getting our hands on one to try ourselves, it’s easy to see why.

When it comes to knives, there’s nothing worse than a dull blade. Not only is it actually more dangerous to use – you have to utilise excessive force to get results, risking slipping and severe injury – but it completely diminishes the core purpose of the tool: cutting, as efficiently and effectively as possible.

A quick read through the instruction leaflet has you set up and ready to sharpen in no time. Position your knife firmly in the blade clamp (this component rotates 180°, allowing you to sharpen both sides of the knife edge). Snap the sharpening rod with Tri-Brasive surfaces (including coarse- and fine-grit diamond plates for sharpening, and an incredibly fine ceramic stone for honing) into the angle-selection mechanism. Decide at what angle you’d like to sharpen your knife – anything from 15° to 30°, adjustable in 1° increments. Then, carefully yet effectively move the plates across the cutting edge of your blade, starting with the coarse grit, and finishing with the ceramic stone.

The Precision Adjust sharpener sits firmly on your bench top, the rubber pads on the underside keeping it sturdily in place. The brochure recommends sharpening outdoor knives between 20° and 30°, kitchen knives at 15° (for Eastern style) and 20° (for Western style), and pocket- or everyday-carry knives at 20° to 25°.

This is an extraordinarily simple yet effective sharpening tool, that’s wellengineered and extremely safe to operate. No matter your blade type, you can be assured of attaining better-than-factory sharpness in minutes.

RRP R1 195 sharpedge.co.za