Work Sharp Culinary E5 Sharpening System

A recent Milk Street survey found that 70 percent of home cooks never sharp their knives! And that’s why so many of us do not like knife prep—it is both dangerous and time-consuming when using a dull knife. So many home cooks have dull knives because it's hard to find a professional sharpener, and home devices are complicated or do more damage than good to a quality knife.

Enter the Work Sharp Culinary E5 Sharpening System, a brilliant sharpener that shrinks a professional abrasive belt-style sharpening system into a compact tabletop device. Three timed settings—Shape, Sharpen, Refine—and preset 17-degree leather-lined angle guides make the system virtually foolproof. (Seventeen degrees is appropriate for nearly all kitchen knives.) Engage the right setting for the job and pull the blade through, alternating between sides, for as long as the sharpener is running. This timer-driven system makes all the difference—you won’t under- or over-sharpen your knives.

The easy-to-switch belts are long lasting and gentle—no scratching or excessive metal removal like other home sharpeners. The extra belts store snugly in an inner compartment of the sharpener.

The E5 System includes a fine-grit ceramic honing rod, which when used habitually, will prolong a knife’s edge. Work Sharp smartly engineered angled guides into the handle, taking the guesswork out of rod sharpening. Following the angles, gently slide the blade a few times on each side. The action realigns the fine leading edge of the bland, which curls with use.

The handle of the rod also has a built-in pull-though “Microforge” sharpener that puts a fine micro-serration (tiny teeth) on the blade. Use this option when you want to make quick work of tomatoes, peppers and other thick-skinned items. You can remove these serrations by simply resharpening your knife.