Reddit reviews DMT WM8EF-WB 8-Inch DuoSharp Plus Bench Stone - Extra Fine/Fine With Base
We found 10 Reddit comments about DMT WM8EF-WB 8-Inch DuoSharp Plus Bench Stone - Extra Fine/Fine With Base. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Excellent counter or bench use for sharpening a variety of knives and edges plus a continuous diamond zone for small and pointed toolsTwo sided sharpening with fine for a razor sharp edge and extra-fine to polish and refine an edgeSharpens knives faster than conventional stones with DMT's monocrystalline diamond surfaceNo oil is needed-sharpen dry or with waterDurable construction will provide years of consistent peformance and reliable service
Are you shitting me dude? an electric sharpener? I've cooked professionally for many years and have used almost every sharpening system I can find, and I rate all electric sharpeners a good distance below using the concrete sidewalk outside of your house. I would LOVE it if I could find a good electric system to reccomend to family who aren't super into keeping their knives sharp, but I haven't found any of them that are even REMOTELY good. Which one do you like, and why?
Just for sake of argument, here's what I tell all of my friends who are casual cooks to buy for their kitchens to sharpen their knives. It doesn't take very long to use, and you can get a very good edge with it and the stone will last for ever - https://www.amazon.com/DMT-WM8EF-WB-8-Inch-DuoSharp-Bench/dp/B000H6L6FA
I like to work with hand tools so here's biased list that will get you started. If you use s4s wood you could build quite a bit and learn to do some fine joinery. It's $153 for the first batch, but you'll eventually need to to sharpen so that's $78 more. After all that I'd look out for a vintage Stanley No 5 Jack Plane.
$12 Narex 1/4 Chisel
$12 Narex 1/2 Chisel
$11 Combination Square
$32 Ryoba Saw
$11 Marking Knife (or X-acto knife)
$50 Handscrews (2 of them, can use as vise)
$25 4-1/2" Beech Mallet
= $153
$11 Honing Guide
$67 Diamond Stone
= $78
Narex Chisel
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=67707
Combination Square
http://amzn.com/B008R6NMGS
Ryoba Saw
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=32941
Marking Knife
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=69870
Handscrews
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=69825
Mallet
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=30004
Honing Guide
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=60311
Diamond Stone
http://amzn.com/B000H6L6FA
The DMT sharpening systems are quite good if you're willing to spend the money on it. They last a very long time and are good for sharpening chisels as well using a honing guide.
To second and expand upon /u/JoshGTO's answer, a diamond-grit bench stone will work for anyone of any handedness in any direction. I have this one from DMT - I can't imagine it ever breaking (the base is a very solid plastic) and, while the extra-fine side makes up about 98% of my usage, I do occasionally flip over to the other side to help restore edges that are really badly degraded. Diamond grit works really fast, so you should only need a few swipes to get your knives back to top shape. Finish up with a sharpening steel - you can get them all over Amazon for $20ish tops, and there's no reason they shouldn't last forever also - and practice keeping your angles consistent as you sharpen, and before long you'll be able to shave with every knife you own.
For western, check out Messermeister: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0073YEQ38/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?qid=1449880794&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX118_SY170_QL70&keywords=messermeister+elite&dpPl=1&dpID=31WkRiI44vL&ref=plSrch
The elite line is all forged and the different names are simply handle material.
Personally for sharpeners I've just ordered the DMT fine/extra fine with holder:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000H6L6FA/ref=sr_ph_1?qid=1449880933&sr=sr-1&pi=AC_SX118_SY170_QL70&keywords=dmt+fine+extra+fine
Harder and flatter than a whetstone as its diamond, and it requires a light touch. However it's easier for starters to work with, I hear.
Also consider a two-sided diamond whetstone; I use this DMT one, I know Harbor Freight sells one that's less expensive (but maybe not quite so flat or durable).
I own a Seafood Processing Company. We do production cutting, so sharp knives are essential for a good yield.
This right here
You can find some cheaper alternatives from DMT, but the extra upfront cost will save you a lot in the long run.
Whetstone's are decent, but the learning curve on these diamonds is much lower and you'll get a far superior edge with less than perfect technique.
How much cooking do you do? Do you prefer Japanese or Western knives?
The best bang for your buck is the Victorinox Fibrox knives. America's test kitchen rates them as highly/higher than most $100-200 knives.
If money is no option, I prefer the Misono UX10 series.
There are lots of big brands and differing opinions on what knives to get. I have owned Global, Shun, Misonono, Victorinox, and MAC knives. They all have their positives and negatives. It comes down to what you like and what you are willing to spend.
In terms of what knives you need, a good Chef's knife, a pairing knife and a bread knife is all you need for 90% of daily cutting tasks. If you are just starting out I would get the Victorinox Fibronox series. If you decide you like knives and want something that gets ultra sharp, I would be more than willing to share what my personal preferences are.
The other thing I would invest in is a sharpening system. I prefer DMT diamond plates. They stay flat and will cut through any blade material. Plus they are really fast. Some people love the edge pro system. I haven't used it, but I like the feedback stones give you over other systems. Stay away from cheap automatic grinders, they don't get blades nearly as sharp.
There is a deep rabbit hole when it comes to chef knives and sharpening, in the end it comes down to what you love to use. Search locally and see if there is a chef supply or knife store you can go to see what you like the feel of.
Is this what you have? Is it normally around that price or is that a legit sale price (sometimes Amazon markets sales even though the price never changes).
This is doable for much less than $600. When I started shaving w a SR I figured it would take about 2 years of shaving to pay off the initial cost. Although if I am being honest I probably spend more now on razors than I did before.
For the most basic of kits you will need a:
That's the basics really. You can spend more on aftershave, preshave, synthetic brushes, creams whatever. If you know how to sharpen/strop I would definitely recommend a used razor off ebay ( a nice one you don't have to restore). If you don't know how to sharpen I recommend you get some stones and learn anyway it isn't very hard. Though you may want a cheap $10 razor to practice on just in case. The hardest part is choosing a brand (or buying just one razor). For used razors you have some things to consider:
You may also want to try a double edge (DE) razor but then you still need blades (although they are very very cheap) I am not sure if that is a requirement here or not.