When you’re on the go and need your trusty pocket knife the most, nothing is worse than opening it up to realize that your blade has become worn down, making it essentially useless. To sharpen up a dull blade, a pocket knife sharpener is just the tool you need.
Pocket knife sharpeners are built to be compact, easy to use, and convenient to carry, just like your pocket knife. They are often constructed with a diamond, tungsten carbide, or ceramic surface for reliable, versatile sharpening capability. Many of them are designed with angle guides to help you sharpen correctly and consistently.
In this product round-up, the best overall solution is the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener. This pocket knife sharpener has a relatively low price point and a lightweight style. It includes multiple fine and coarse sharpening plates, a leather strop for ultimate sharpness, and angle guides that make it a versatile, effective product.
Because there are so many fantastic sharpeners to review, we’ll compact and contrast a variety of them below. Read on to find the best pocket knife sharpener to fit your toolbox or your pocket.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | rating | Price |
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Best Overall |
Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener |
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Premium Pick |
Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker |
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Budget Pick |
Lansky PS-MED01 BladeMedic |
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Work Sharp Knife and Tool Sharpener |
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Smith’s Abrasives PP1 “Pocket Pal” Hunting Knife Sharpener |
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Wamery Pocket Knife Sharpener |
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Sharpal 101N 6-In-1 Pocket Knife Sharpener & Survival Tool |
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Victorinox Dual Knife Sharpener |
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Product Reviews
Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener: Best Overall
- COMPLETE KNIFE SHARPENER: For field, home, or shop use designed for sportsmen who need a complete, compact field sharpening solution. The diamond plates can be easily removed to expose a broad head wrench to speed sharpening in the field.
- ALL THE TOOLS & ACCESSORIES: Includes diamond plates, ceramic rods, leather strop, and sharpening guides. The ceramic honing rod rotates to expose coarse & fine honing surfaces, as well as a grooved surface for sharpening fish hooks.
- CONSISTENT, COMPACT & DURABLE: Includes a 20-25-degree angle to customize your sharpening with 5 abrasives. Maintain a sharp edge while on the go, hunting, fishing, or camping. All elements are self-contained & require no tools, assembly, or set-up
- 3-YEAR WARRANTY: All Work Sharp sharpeners come with a comprehensive 3-year warranty. Each knife & tool sharpener is meticulously designed and quality-checked at our Oregon facility. We proudly stand behind our products.
- DESIGNED, ENGINEERED, & CALIBRATED IN OREGON: We design, engineer, and calibrate our sharpening machines all under one roof in Ashland, Oregon & ensure our products are sourced from the highest caliber manufacturers, both in the USA and globally.
The Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener is the best overall sharpener within this product round-up. It features both coarse and fine grit type surfaces to sharpen nearly any blade, as well as a leather strop and angle guides. This is an easy-to-use, versatile, reliable sharpener that will last for years to come.
Designed as the first field sharpener built with an angle guide, the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener is perfect for maintaining pocket knives and axes, fishing hooks, scissors, and arrowheads kitchen knives, filets, and a variety of other tools.
This sharpener is a 5-in-1 solution to all your sharpening needs. It includes two ceramic rods, complete with sides for coarse, fine, and fishing hook sharpening surfaces. Likewise, two diamond plates included: a coarse side (220 grit) and a fine side (600 grit). Also, a leather strop is micro-abrasive to give the sharpest of edges a good polish finishing.
The angle guide includes sharpening angles of both 25 and 20 degrees to sharpening your knife at the correct angle with precision. This makes it very easy to sharpen nearly any surface, whether flat, curved, or serrated, from hatchets and axes to filet knives. There is even an internal wrench to help adjust and assemble broadheads.
The Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener weighs only 2.5 ounces. However, its dimensions are 6.75 x 1.5 x 1 inches, so it is somewhat too large to easily fit in most pockets.
Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker: Most Premium Option
- Complete Sharpening System - Includes medium and fine grit ceramic stones for both edge maintenance and precision sharpening of knives and tools.
- Versatile Performance - Perfect for sharpening knives, awls, scissors, and and many other tools, making it an all-in-one solution for your sharpening needs.
- Effortless Sharpening - The Tri-Angle Sharpmaker makes sharpening easy, removing steel at the edge while maintaining consistent angles for precise results every time.
- Two Grit Options - Comes with medium-grit (brown) ceramic stones for aggressive sharpening and fine-grit (white) stones for a professional-grade, polished finish.
- Safe & Compact Design - Includes aluminum safety rods to protect your hands during use, and all components snap into the durable ABS plastic base for convenient storage. Complete with an instructional book and DVD for guided sharpening.
The Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker is the most premium option in this round-up. Equipped with a sturdy plastic base and several sharpening stones at different angles, it is incredibly simple to sharpen nearly any blade with this tool.
The Spyderco features four ceramic (two fine and two medium grit) sharpening stones that fit into the base securely at 30 or 40 degrees. All it takes to sharpen your knife is to run your blade’s edge along with the stone vertically. The medium grit sides are best for more harsh sharpening, while the fine stones are for professional-grade sharpening.
There is also a pair of aluminum safety rods to keep your hands protected as you sharpen.
The sharpening stones and safety rods fit inside the plastic base for easier portability, which serves as a convenient carrying case with a lid. Despite this portability, the whole sharpener is slightly heavy at 1 pound. It also measures 10 x 10 x 2 inches, so this is not necessarily a pocket-friendly device.
With the sharpener’s purchase, you also get an instructional booklet and a DVD for further guidance step by step to sharpen any blade successfully.
Lansky PS-MED01 BladeMedic: Best Budget Option
- 4-in-1: Knife sharpeners have one goal - to sharpen knives - and the Blademedic gives you four ways to do it! It features a tungsten carbide draw-through sharpener, a ceramic draw-through sharpener, a ceramic serrations sharpener, and a tapered diamond grid serrations sharpener.
- Simplicity: With the Blademedic, you can put a sharp edge back on any knife in moments without a hassle. There's no need for a knife sharpening stone or a honing rod. The Blademedic is a whole pocket knife sharpening kit in a single pocket-sized tool.
- Portable: You can take this Lansky sharpening system anywhere. At home and need a kitchen knife sharpener? Check your pocket. Out camping and need to hone the edge of your bushcraft fixed blade or EDC knife? You know what to do.
- Sturdy: The Blademedic has a robust metal body with well-anchored sharpening components. The diamond sharpening rod magnetically holds itself closed when not in use to keep it from snagging on anything and breaking.
- Reputation: Lansky has a reputation for excellence that the Blademedic upholds. Look no further than this Lansky knife sharpener for a highly practical and accessible pocket knife sharpener.
The Lansky PS-MED01 BladeMedic pocket sharpener is the best choice if you are on a strict budget. While it costs only $10.98, the BladeMedic is still a lightweight, compact, useful option built with tungsten carbide, diamond, and ceramic surfaces for maintaining your most essential blades.
This is a 4-in-1 sharpener built with a tough tungsten carbide side for sharpening the dullest of blades, as well as a ceramic sharpening rod for polishing, a serrated knife sharpener, and a diamond tapered rod. The diamond edge is 600 grit, while the ceramic edge is a fine 1000 grit. These features make the Lansky quite useful for many types of knives.
The Lansky is versatile and reliable, constructed to sharpen serrated blades, filet knives, regular knives, and gut hook blades.
The Lansky weighs just 0.25 pounds (4 ounces), so it is also quite lightweight. Dimensions are 8.5 x 3.5 x 0.13 inches. Keep in mind that the sharpener surface area itself is quite small, so it may not be as effective at sharpening knives longer than 6 inches.
Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener: Electric Sharpener
- ADJUSTABLE SHARPENING GUIDE: Produces precise edge bevels from 15 to 30 degrees for that perfect sharpen for your knife or tool.
- VARIABLE SPEED MOTOR: Handle every sharpening task, from grinding to honing. This sharpener has more power with improved cooling and the option of slow-speed honing or high-speed grinding.
- FAST, PRECISE, & REPEATABLE: Deliver a strong, long-lasting razor-sharp convex edge with no setup or calibration time. The 6000 grit belt measures .5 x inches for better contact with serrations and other hard-to-reach edges.
- 3-YEAR WARRANTY: All Work Sharp sharpeners come with a comprehensive 3-year warranty. Each knife & tool sharpener is meticulously designed and quality-checked at our Oregon facility. We proudly stand behind our products.
- DESIGNED, ENGINEERED, & CALIBRATED IN OREGON: We design, engineer, and calibrate our sharpening machines all under one roof in Ashland, Oregon & ensure our products are sourced from the highest caliber manufacturers, both in the USA and globally.
The Work Sharp Knife and Tool Sharpener is for the most serious sharpening needs. This is an electric sharpener, making it the most advanced and versatile pocket knife sharpener in this list. This tool is a heavier, less pocket-friendly option; however, it features advanced sharpening capability at a professional level using abrasive belts for ultimate sharpening precision.
This tool is designed to sharpen truly any blade that you come across, as it is built to handle any shape or angle. Along with knives, it can be used with hatchets and axes, shovels and gardening shears, scissors, and many other tools.
Not only is it a versatile option, but it is very easy to use, as the device effectively sharpens the blade for you with flexible abrasion belts that move at high speed against your blade. The abrasive belt, which is included with coarse (80 grit), medium (220 grit), and extra-fine (600 grit) sides, gives the sharpest razor edge to all your knives. These belts can be easily replaced.
Simply align your blade with the sharpening angle guide to ensure your knife is at the proper angle, pull the power switch to start the belt, and repeatedly pull the knife straight out through the guide until it is sharpened to fit your needs.
The precise sharpening angle guides include a 40-degree guide (20 degrees per bevel) for thin blades, such as kitchen knives, and a 50-degree guide (25 degrees per bevel) for outdoor knives. For sharpening scissors, you can use the included 65-degree scissor guide or purchase the 60-degree scissor guide as well.
Of course, because this sharpener weighs 1.9 pounds and requires an electric source, it is meant to be used in a toolshed or at a desk rather than carried around in your pocket.
Smith’s Abrasives PP1 “Pocket Pal” Hunting Knife Sharpener: Most Lightweight Option
- HANDHELD KNIFE SHARPENER – Smith’s “Pocket Pal” Knife Sharpener features a fold-out diamond-coated rod and preset crossed blades for easy pull-through sharpening. The preset sharpening angles provide guaranteed results on every use!
- 2 STAGE – The pull-through coarse carbide slot provides a quick edge on dull or damaged knives & should only be used on straight edges. Fine ceramic stones provide a smooth, polished edge & can be used on serrated or standard blades.
- DIAMOND ROD – This sharpener includes a fold-out, tapered round diamond-coated rod that is designed for sharpening serrations, standard edges, small gut hooks, & fish hooks. It is great for fishing, camping, hiking, & other outdoor survival needs.
- PORTABLE – Smith’s portable multi-tool knife sharpener measures 3.5” long, and 1” wide, and weighs only 1 ounce. It also features a lanyard hole so it can easily be attached to a backpack or keychain ideal for any on-the-go adventure.
- VERSATILE – The carbide and ceramic stones are reversible & replaceable for extended sharpening. Smith’s compact Pocket Pal sharpener is perfect for fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, and other outdoor survival needs.
The Smith’s Abrasives PP1 “Pocket Pal” Hunting Knife Sharpener is the most lightweight pocket sharpener in this product round-up. Weighing only 0.02 pounds (0.32 ounces), this small device packs a punch with its tungsten carbide and ceramic sharpening surfaces to perfect your blade.
The Pocket Pal measures only 3.5 x 1 x 0.01 inches, so it is an incredibly compact option perfect for carrying around whenever you need it. However, despite its little weight and small size, it doesn’t skimp on features.
This little tool includes a coarse tungsten carbide sharpening surface and a fine ceramic side for extreme sharpness. It also features a folding tapered diamond rod, perfect for your serrated or standard edge knives, as well as preset sharpening angle guides. There is also a lanyard hole for simple transportability.
Wamery Pocket Knife Sharpener: Simplest Solution
- POCKET-SIZED EFFICIENCY: This retractable diamond knife sharpener is designed for portability. Easily fits in pockets, toolboxes, and backpacks, making it convenient for sharpening blades and tools on the go.
- DUAL FUNCTIONALITY: Features a half-round rod for straight blades and a tapered diamond-coated rod for serrated edges, enabling efficient sharpening of various knife types.
- VERSATILE SHARPENER: Suitable for a range of applications including kitchen, camping, fishing, and more. Ensures your blades are sharp wherever you are.
- USER-FRIENDLY DESIGN: Designed for safety and ease of use, this pen sharpener allows for adjustable knife angles during sharpening and is built for a comfortable grip.
- QUALITY ASSURANCE: Constructed with a durable diamond rod, this sharpener is built to last. We strive for customer satisfaction with a reliable sharpening tool.
The Wamery Pocket Knife Sharpener is the ultimate simplicity when it comes to quickly and easily sharpening your blades. Fitting perfectly inside your hand, pocket, purse, backpack, or toolbox, the Wamery is an easy-to-use, compact solution for keeping your serrated knives in their sharpest shape.
The Wamery achieves its sharpening skill with a diamond coated, tapered rod with a flat side. This is perfect for sharpening serrated knives as well as pocket, tactical, camping, and kitchen knives.
This little device, which weighs only 1.72 ounces, retracts inside its own handle so you can easily stow it away when not in use.
Sharpal 101N 6-In-1 Pocket Knife Sharpener & Survival Tool, with Fire Starter & Whistle: Most Extra Features
- 6 FUNCTION: 1. No. 1 V-Notch slot (Coarse CARBIDE)-Quickly set a new edge; 2. No. 2 (Fine CERAMIC)-Hone for a smooth finished edge; 3. Tapered diamond rod (Medium 400 Grit) for serrations & gut hooks; 4. Diamond rod with groove for fishhooks; 5. Ferro rod; 6. High-pitched emergency whistle
- A portable EDC field survival knife sharpener with built-in lanyard hole, ideal for hunting, camping, outdoor survival use. It also works well for your kitchen chef knife.
- DURABLE ABRASIVES & SUPERIOR SHARPENING PERFORMANCE: The CARBIDE and CERAMIC abrasives pass 10,000 times field use test. NEVER WEARS OUT. Preset optimal sharpening angle.
- VERSATILE & EASY USE: This pocket knife sharpener not only quickly sharpens very dull or damaged blades, but also hone for razor sharp; Not only for straight edge but also serrated knife.
- 3 YEARS of Commitment and Superior After-Sale Service: Sharpal, headquartered in CA, US with branches in Germany and Australia, ensures easy and cost-effective sharpening solutions. All products are rigorously tested to the highest standards
The Sharpal 101N 6-In-1 Pocket Knife Sharpener & Survival Tool has the most extra features. Not only can this handy device sharpen almost any blade, but it comes equipped with a fire starter and whistle, so you can meet nearly any adventure head-on.
This useful device features both fine ceramic sharpening surfaces and tungsten carbide edges. There is also a folding, medium 400 grit diamond coated, grooved rod that has a tapered side that perfectly sharpens serrated edges and hooks. You will also find a sharpening angle guide for precision and effectiveness.
The Sharpal measures 3.54 x 1.46 x 0.51 inches, so it is on the smaller side. It is also rather lightweight at 0.1 pounds (1.6 ounces) and features a lanyard hole for easier transportability.
With the inclusion of a fire starter and whistle, you can feel prepared for emergency situations as well.
Victorinox VN43323 Dual Knife Sharpener: Best Value
- Compact and sturdy
- A Ideal portable solution for sharpening all your straight blades
- Includes a honing stone for pre-sharpening and ceramic discs for fine edges
- Made in Germany
The Victorinox Dual Knife Sharpener is our pick for the best value in this product round-up. Made in Germany, you can be sure that you have found a premium device that will last for many years and give you a great bang for your buck. While the Victorinox is simple, it is reliable and will stand the test of time.
This sharpener features a ceramic grooved sharpening notched surface as well as an oval rod and grinding stone.
The Victorinox weighs only 1.4 ounces and measures 9.1 inches long and 0.7 inches wide. It can fit into your pocket as simply as a ballpoint pen. It has a pocket clip as well to clip to your shirt or pants easily.
Buying Guide: What to Look For in a Pocket Knife Sharpener
Compact Size
If you want the ultimate option in portability to accompany your little pocket knife, look for a knife sharpener that is built to fit in your pockets as well. Some of these compact knife sharpeners will be designed with folding rods or extendable sharpening surfaces so that the overall footprint of the device is smaller when folded away.
You can also find retractable sharpeners, such as the Wamery Pocket Knife Sharpener discussed in detail above.
Note that these smaller sharpeners may be less effective at sharpening large blades.
On the other hand, if you want a more stable option, you will have to go with a less pocket-friendly tool. For example, the Work Sharp Knife and Tool Sharpener will produce the most consistent results, as it is electrically powered and sharpens via moving flexible abrasion belts. However, this device clearly will not fit into your pockets and is best used on a workbench.
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Lightweight
For easier portability, look for a knife sharpener that weighs less. While some of the heftier devices may weigh over a pound, you can find more lightweight options, even down to less than an ounce.
However, similarly to our discussion on size above, keep in mind that more lightweight sharpeners will be less stable on their own and require more hand stabilization. Also, be sure as well that you are not skimping on quality just for the sake of having lightweight materials.
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Quality
When searching for a new pocket knife sharpener, look for products with an abrasive surface built to last while sharpening your blades successfully over time. These surfaces should be diamond, tungsten carbide, ceramic, or aluminum oxide. These types of surfaces will produce the most consistent sharpening output over repeated uses.
A diamond sharpening surface is very quick to sharpen and holds its shape well, as diamond is a very hard surface. Tungsten carbide is another extremely hard surface that is good for coarse sharpening of very dull knives. Ceramic surfaces are often finer grit, making them effective at polishing to create an ultra-sharp, smooth edge.
When considering quality, also think about safety. The most high-quality, safest sharpeners will likely include integrated finger guards to keep your fingers away from the sharp edges.
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Multifunction
Most of the pocket knife sharpeners we’ve reviewed in this product round-up are multifunction, meaning that they can successfully sharpen more than one type of blade and angle. This is important because it makes your sharpener more versatile.
A versatile sharpener will include sharpening surfaces with more than one grit level, such as coarse, fine, and medium. It would be best if you also looked for a sharpener that features a built-in angle guide to ensure that you are sharpening your blade at the proper angle so as not to ruin the knife. Most pocket knives will be sharpened at 10 to 15 degrees.
If your sharpener features a leather strop, this means it can keep your blade at the ultimate sharpest edge. This is, after all, one of the major reasons why the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener was our pick for number one in this product round-up.
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Conclusion
If you are looking for a reliable, versatile way to sharpen your pocket knives, a pocket knife sharpener is a perfect solution. These sharpeners are designed to handle nearly any style and length of blade, from your pocket knife’s curved and serrated blades to kitchen knives and even scissors.
The overall winner of the product round-up is the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener, thanks to its two ceramic rods and two diamond plates that give it the ultimate versatile style, as well as a micro-abrasive leather strop to give you the sharpest of edges. It also includes an angle guide for sharpening precision and even an internal wrench for more versatility.
For a simpler solution, check out the Wamery Pocket Knife Sharpener or the Victorinox Dual Knife Sharpener. These are both incredibly compact, lightweight sharpeners that don’t include all the bells and whistles but will still get the job done in an easy-to-carry manner.
If you’re looking for an electric sharpener that will last for many years, check out the Work Sharp Knife and Tool Sharpener that features abrasive moving belts that are sure to sharpen your knife with amazing speed and consistency.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you to select a pocket knife sharpener that will help you maintain your knives in tip-top shape.
