Use a guided sharpening system

Clamp the knife in a guided sharpening system (like Lansky, Worksharp Precision Adjust, or Edge Pro) that holds the blade at a fixed angle while you draw a stone across the edge. The guide eliminates the hardest part of sharpening — maintaining a consistent angle.

Why It Works

The clamp and angle guide mechanically lock the sharpening stone to a precise, repeatable bevel angle. This produces results approaching whetstone quality without the years of practice needed to freehand a consistent angle.

Tips

• Lansky system ($30-50) is the most popular entry-level guided system
• Worksharp Precision Adjust ($50-70) is easier to set up and switch between knives
• Set the angle to match your knife: 15 degrees per side for Japanese, 20 degrees for Western
• Takes 10-15 minutes per knife — slower than a pull-through but produces a far superior edge