The Hone Sharpener Rocks…and Rolls

After reading reviews on other rolling sharpener systems like the Tumbler and Horl, I purchased the Hone knife sharpener. The Tumbler system is a similar price but has received consistent complaints about the magnets holding the knife to maintain a consistent edge slipping during use. And although the Horl system is widely liked, the cost of $200-$400 seems excessive for what you get. So what’s different about the Hone sharpener, and why did I buy it? First of all, it is built like a little tank. The roller is heavy in the hand and, with internal ball bearings, is incredibly smooth to operate. Another benefit is the doubled with two-sided diamond sharpening and honing discs. Twice the life for the same price.
Like most other rolling sharpeners, the base has two sharpening angles of 15 and 20 degrees. It has super powerful magnets that hold even oversized chef knives securely. Unique to Hone, the rubber-coated base is nonslip and has a dedicated slot to sharpen small knives. I have an extensive pocket knife collection with many blades under 3 inches. That sealed the deal for me.
It’s pretty damn easy to use. Just slap on your knife and start rolling. It produced shaving sharp edges on most of my knives. The only problems I had at first were from my expectations. Some of my knives were in pretty bad shape. It took over 10-15 minutes per side to form a burr. I bought into the system because it is expandable. Hone offers Pro Accessories, including diamond discs with #200, #400, #700, #1000, and 3000 grits. I want those rougher disks to re-profile the angles on some of my knives.
All in all, I am happy with Hone and can enthusiastically recommend it.