Best Hunting Knife Sharpeners in 2024 Tested And Reviewed

A sharp hunting knife is essential to every outdoorsman and keeping your knife sharp has never been easier. We have put all of the top knife sharpeners to the test to find the best for you. Here's what we found...

Let's take a look at the sharpeners available today and find the best knife sharpener for you.

Our staff has used each of these sharpeners and rated them on user experience, quality and feedback from other users.

Best Hunting Knife Sharpeners

Manual vs Electric 

The first thing that you have to decide when trying to find a great knife sharpener is whether you prefer a manual sharpener or an electric sharpener.

Electric Knife Sharpeners

The electric sharpeners are much quicker to hone the blade of your hunting knife, but some outdoorsmen prefer to take their time and have more control over the edge that they are putting on their hunting knife.

Manual Knife Sharpeners

A manual knife sharpener will take longer to hone your knife to a razor sharp edge, but those that love them claim that they do a much better job and give you much more control than an electric sharpener.

They do however take some getting used to and require practice to become proficient in their use.

These manual hunting sharpeners help you to set the angle of the blade against the sharpener, which is half the battle in sharpening your hunting knife.

Sharpening by Hand

Knife sharpening by hand involves only a sharpening stone and can be very difficult and time consuming.

The most difficult part of sharpening your hunting knife by hand is maintaining the proper angle between the knife blade and the stone.

We have included both electric and manual sharpeners in our reviews.

Best Knife Sharpeners: Reviews And Recommendations

1. KME Precision Sharpening System

The KME Precision Knife Sharpening System with 4 Gold Series Diamond Hones is our top pick if you prefer a manual sharpener. This is by far the most comprehensive manual knife sharpener system on the market today.

As you can see above, the KMC Precision Knife Sharpening  System comes with everything that you need to hone the blade of your favorite hunting knife.

When we opened the package, the first thing that caught our eye was the cherry wood base with the very comfortable finger grip and the stone holder.

The KMC Precision is what is known as a guided sharpening system in which the knife blade is held in a clamp which guides it across the stone of your choice.

Many of the manual sharpeners on the market today are somewhat difficult to use, but the KMC Sharpener is almost idiot proof. I say almost, because we all know someone that could screw it up. 

Check out this video that shows the KMC Precision in action.

Watch the video above and you will see how easy the KMC Sharpener is to use.

The video also includes some great tips for using the KMC sharpener as well as sharing some of the pros and cons of the system.

What's Included:

The KMC Precision comes complete with:

• 4 Gold Series KME 1x4 diamond hones - 140 extra-coarse, 300 coarse, 600 fine and 1500 extra fine.
• Spherical bearing rod guide for zero angle deviation and smooth sharpening motion.
• Rotating blade clamp.
• Solid Cherry base, grip and stone holder.
• 1oz Water Bottle.
• 12 x 12 Cotton Cleaning Cloth.
• Detailed Instructions.
• Hardshell Storage Case.

The KMC Precision is our Editor's Choice for hunting knife sharpener of the year!

2. EdgeCraft Electric Knife Sharpener By Chef's Choice

I struggled for years trying to sharpen my hunting knives with a manual sharpener.

I didn't have the patience and skill required to spend the time needed to adequately sharpen my knives with a manual sharpener.

So I basically used a fairly dull knife for years until I found the Edgecraft By Chef's Choice Professional Sharpener.

The Chef's Choice sharpener was originally designed to sharpen kitchen knives, but it has quickly been recognized as one of the best knife sharpeners available today.

The EdgeCraft sharpener is very easy to use, but you must follow the directions in order to get the best results while sharpening knives.

The first step is to use the sharpener to convert your knife blade to a Trizor XV edge.

Why an EdgeCraft By Chef's Choice Trizor XV Edge?

The Trizor XV edge is an astonishingly sharp, high performance 15 degree edge that delivers superior cutting and longer edge retention for your hunting knife.

“The thinner the edge the less effort it takes to cut and the easier the knife is to control. And, this thinner knife edge will last longer because of its unique triple-bevel Trizor XV edge technology.”

Why Choose an EdgeCraft By Chef's Choice Sharpener?

• Well known sharpener that features diamond abrasives.
• Put a razor sharp edge on your knife in only a minute or two.
• 3 stage EdgeSelect for optimum versatility
• Precision angle guides use a spring to maintain the angle and pressure on the blade.
• Quickly and easily converts 20 degree knives to an optimal 15 degree edge

What is the 3 Stage EdgeSelect System?

The EdgeCraft sharpener utilizes a 3 stage system. As you can see in the photo below, there are 6 slots. Each stage has 2 slots, one for the left side of your hunting knife and one for the right side.

1. On the left is Stage 1, which is very aggressive and effectively converts your knife to the 15 degree Trizor XV edge. You should only have to use this stage once, unless you really damage the blade of your hunting knife.
2. In the middle is Stage 2 and this is the stage that you will usually start on, once you have converted your knife's edge. You use this stage until you can feel the telltale burr on the edge of the blade that indicates it is time to move to stage 3. 
3. On the right is the Stage 3, which doesn't really sharpen. It polishes and straightens out the blade, similar to a steel or leather strop. It is perfect for touch ups.

The EdgeCraft by Chef"s Choice changed the game for me when it comes to knife sharpening and keeping my knives sharp. It truly makes sharpening easy and enjoyable and it has become my favorite knife sharpener.

The superior high performance edge that it produces in virtually no time at all makes it my choice for the best electric sharpener on the market. It is ideal for keeping your blades sharp.

3. Work Sharp Knife Sharpener Ken Onion Edition

While doing our research for the best hunting knife sharpener, the Work Sharp Knife and Tool Sharpener kept coming up, specifically the Ken Onion Edition.

So we headed over to Amazon and ordered one to see what all of the fuss was about.

When it arrived, we were very intrigued by its unique design as a belt sharpener and wanted to learn more about it.

Also the fact that it has thousands of 5 star reviews on Amazon led us to believe that we were onto something.

Unlike the other knife sharpeners that we have reviewed, this one uses flexible belts to sharpen the blade, which is completely unique.

The flexible belts create a convex edge which is extremely sharp and more importantly, extremely durable and long lasting. It is great for keeping your knives sharp.

You can see in the image below the difference between a knife sharpened with diamond, stone or ceramic abrasives and a knife sharpened with the flexible belts used in the Work Sharp Sharpener.

Who is Ken Onion Anyway?

Ken Onion is a world renowned American custom knife maker. He holds numerous U.S. patents in the knife making industry including the Speed Safe assisted opening system for folding knives used by Kershaw Knives, which is where he spent a large part of his career.

In 2008 he was inducted into the Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame and is the youngest living member.

In 2010 he parted ways with Kershaw Knives to work with other knife companies and it was at that time that he collaborated with Work Sharp to design the cutting edge knife sharpener.

The Work Sharp Knife Sharpener Ken Onion Edition in Action

The video below shows how to use the Work Sharp belt sharpener and also goes through all of the features that make this one of the best knife sharpeners on the market.

What's Included:

• Ken Onion Edition Knife Sharpener
• P120 Extra-Coarse Belt
• X65 Coarse Abrasive Belt
• X22 Medium Abrasive Belt
• X4 Fine Abrasive Belt
• 6000 Extra-Fine Abrasive Belt
• Quick Start Guide
• User's Guide

It does not include a carrying case, but you may want to get one. Click here for the best case we found.

The Ken Onion Edition Work Sharp Belt Sharpener is changing the minds of die hard outdoorsman that have sharpened their knives with nothing but a stone for years and we can see why.

If you are looking for a quality knife sharpener, you owe it to yourself to check out the Work Sharp Belt Sharpener Ken Onion Edition.

4. Edge Pro Apex 4 

The Edge Pro Apex 4 is a quality knife sharpener was our top pick until we discovered the 3 options above.

While it is number four on the list, it is still a Staff Favorite and a great option for its full range of features.

One of our favorite things about the Edge Pro Apex 4 is that it is all handmade by U.S. workers using U.S. materials in Hood River, Oregon. 

We like to buy products made in the USA and support American companies whenever we can.

While some knife sharpeners are very good at keeping a sharp knife sharp, where the Edge Pro Apex 4 shines is taking your knife from extremely dull to razor sharp in a fairly easy process.

It comes with 7 different grit stones and is meant to be used wet. It also comes with a water bottle that you use to wet the stones before using them.

The patented system will sharpen any hunting knife with a blade width of less than 3.5 inches.

It is a fairly complex sharpener, but it comes with an instructional DVD and there are plenty of online tutorials to help you learn how to use the system

The video below will give you an idea of what to expect and how to use the Edge Pro Apex 4.

What's Included?

Here is what is included with the Edge Pro Apex 4:

• Apex Model Edge Pro 
• 120 Grit Coarse water stone
• 220 Grit Medium Fine water stone
• 400 Grit Fine water stone
• 600 Grit Extra Fine water stone
• 1000 Grit Ultra fine water stone
• 1 Pack of 2000 Grit Polish Tapes (15 per pack)
• 1 Pack of 3000 Grit Polish Tapes (15 per pack)
• 2 Polish Tape Mounting Blanks
• 8" 1200 Grit Ceramic Hone
• Micro-fiber Towel
• Water Bottle
• Instructional Manual
• Instructional DVD
• Black Cordura Carrying Case
• 
  

The edge pro apex 4 contains everything that you need to sharpen any size knife that you own, from a small pocket knife up to large chef knives, and it does it quickly and efficiently.

If you are looking for a quality sharpener, the edge pro apex 4 should be on your list!

5. Warthog Sharpeners V-Sharp Classic II Elite

The Warthog Sharpeners V-Sharp Classic II Elite Sharpener is a pull through sharpener that uses adjustable diamonds that are spring loaded to achieve a perfectly honed edge every time.

We learned about the Warthog Sharpeners V-Sharp Classic II Elite from a friend that worked in a busy office. He would keep the Warthog on his desk and everyone would stop by and sharpen knives. They all raved about how easy it was to use and how quickly it sharpened their knives.

We headed over to Amazon and ordered a Warthog Sharpeners V-Sharp Classic II Elite Red #223084.

When we opened the box, we were surprised to find that the sharpener was fully assembled and ready for use.

The Warthog Sharpener is very solid and sturdy with steel construction.

The diamond hones are snapped into place at 25 degrees and you can unsnap them and change the angle by snapping them into the 20 or 30 degree slot.

From there it is just as simple as dragging the knife across the diamond hones.

The thing that we liked the most about this sharpener is it's simple design and how easy and quick it is to use.

You can sharpen your hunting knife to a razor edge in just a few minutes.

Check out the video below to see exactly how the sharpener works and how quickly it can hone your knife.

What's Included?

Here is what is included with the Warthog Sharpeners V-Sharp Classic II Elite:

• The Warthog Sharpener
• Wooden Base
• 325 Grit Natural Diamond Rods
• Steel Finishing Rods
• Instructional DVD

The Warthog Sharpeners V-Sharp Classic II Elite Sharpener is probably the best finishing sharpener on the market.

It does a fantastic job of taking your hunting knife blade from dull to razor sharp.

Our only concern is that if your knife's blade is in really bad shape, the Warthog may not be able to bring it back without the addition of a more coarse diamond hone.

The more coarse diamond hones are available, however they do not come with the unit.

All in all the Warthog Sharpeners V-Sharp Classic II Elite is a quick and easy sharpener that makes keeping your knives sharp simple.

6. Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker

The key to sharpening any knife involves removing material at the edge of the blade while constantly maintaining a consistent angle between the blade and the stone. 

That is exactly what the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker is intended to do.

With a little practice even a novice can sharpen a knife effectively in minutes.

I have owned a Spyderco Sharpmaker for years and to be honest, it was never one of my favorites. 

That being said, there are a lot of hunters out there that love this sharpener, so we decided to include it in our list.

Where the Spyderco shines is in keeping a sharp hunting knife sharp. If you have a dull knife that needs re-profiling, you need to look at the sharpeners above.

Here is a great video that shows how to set up and use the Sharpmaker.

What's Included?

Here is what is included with the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker:

• ABS plastic base and lid that the components snap into
• Two sets of high alumina ceramic stones
• Two medium-grit 7 by .5 inch ceramic stones
• Two fine grit 7 by .5 inch ceramic stones
• Two brass safety rods to protecting your hands while sharpening
• Instructional DVD

The Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker is a less expensive sharpener that we felt earned a spot on our list of the best knife sharpeners.

If you click on the button above and go to Amazon you will see literally thousands of positive Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker Reviews from verified customers.

It is hard to argue with thousands of positive reviews.

7. Sharp Pebble Premium Whetstone 

There are still a lot of hunters out there that prefer to sharpen knives the old fashioned way, with a sharpening stone.

So we wanted to include the best whetstone in our list.

It takes a lot of patience and practice to get a razor sharp edge on your hunting knife, but it can be done.

The Sharp Pebble Premium Sharpening Stone is a two sided stone (1000 grit and 6000 grit) on a sturdy base.

It is a whetstone system and requires you to soak the stone in water for 20 minutes prior to use.

You must maintain a slurry while sharpening by constantly wetting the stone as it dries out. This can create quite a mess.

Here's a video that shows exactly how to set up and use the Sharp Pebble Premium Sharpening Stone.

What's Included?

Here is what is included with the Sharp Pebble Premium Sharpening Stone:

• Bamboo base for holding the stone.
• Double sided (1000 grit and 6000 grit) premium quality whetstone.
• Knife sharpening angle guide that slides on the blade of your knife.
• Two fine grit 7 by .5 inch stones
• Instructional manual.
• Detailed e-book.

While we did include the Sharp Pebble Premium Sharpening Stone on our list, we do feel that the other sharpeners on the list are a better solution for most hunters.

However, if you are one of the hunters that prefers the old school method of sharpening your knife, then this stone may be for you.

8. Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener

There are many hunters that need to sharpen their hunting knife in the field, especially when field dressing. I have seen more accidents from a dull knife when field dressing deer and big game than I care to admit.

The Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener is our Editor's Choice for best sharpener to use in the field.

The compact design fits in your pocket or your hunting pack and the 5 stage sharpening system allows you to hone your hunting knife to a razors edge quickly and safely.

There are plenty of field honing tools out there, but the Work Sharp is the first guided field sharpener.

Let's take a look at the guided 5 stage guided field sharpener.

Each stage has built in angle guides to ensure a uniform bevel across the length of the blade 

1. Coarse grit diamond plate used for shaping and repairing.
2. Fine grit diamond plate for sharpening. 
3. Coarse grit ceramic rod for honing.
4. Fine Grit ceramic rod for honing.
5. Leather stop for finishing 

Here's a video to show you how the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener works.

What's Included?

Here is what is included with the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener:

• 2 Diamond Plates
• 2 ceramic rods
• Broadhead Wrench
• Fish Hook Sharpener
• Fine Grit Serration Sharpener.
• Instruction Booklet.

If you are looking for a field honing tool to keep your knives sharp, then the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener should be in your hunting pack. It also works great for sharpening broadheads and should be part of the hunting gear in every hunters pack.

Our favorite feature is that it is Made In The USA and has a Lifetime Warranty.

Final Thoughts

Unless you are using one of the replaceable blade knives , like the Outdoor Edge Razor Pro, you are going to need a quality sharpener to keep your blade honed.

In our quest to find the best knife sharpener we have come across many that we would purchase and many that we would not.

We have included only the knife sharpeners that we personally use and recommend to our family and friends.

As a reader of DeerHuntingGuide.net, we consider you part of our family.

These are real reviews written by real hunters that have actually used these sharpeners.

We hope you have enjoyed the reviews and gotten some real value out of our list of the best knife sharpeners available today.

We have certainly enjoyed the research and the opportunity to present our findings.

If you are looking for a gift for the hunter in your life, a knife honing tool would be perfect. We tell you this from experience using all of the gear that we recommend.

Be sure to check out our picks for the Best Deer Hunting Knife and if you process your own deer and other game, check out our top picks for best boning knife and click here for a guide to the best meat grinders for home use.