The Best Pocket Knife Sharpeners: Top 9 Reviewed

Pocket knife sharpeners are designed to be must-have accessories to the pocket knife. What they’re most useful for is touching up knives quickly and easily to get you to accomplish the task at hand. And they allow you to sharpen anytime, wherever you are in the field.

Whichever one you need depends on how much you use your pocket knife. An everyday carry pocket knife will be used more frequently than a camping knife, so it will require more sharpening.

To this end, we’ve reviewed the best pocket knife sharpeners on the market to help you choose one for your needs.

The Best Knife Sharpeners for Pocket Knives Are:

Product	Details
1. Spyderco 204MF Tri-Angle Sharpmaker	Top Pick	Two sets of high alumina ceramic stones Pair of medium grit stones Set of fine white grade stones Set of brass safety rods Self-contained ABS plastic base and lid	Check Current Price
2. Victorinox VN43323 Portable Knife Sharpener		Fine grit ceramic discs in a V-notch Medium grit honing stone for quick sharpening Durable pen-shaped plastic case	Check Current Price
3. Smith's 6-Inch Tri-Hone Sharpening System		Three sharpening stones Molded plastic base with rubber feet Sharpening angle guide Premium honing solution	Check Current Price
4. AccuSharp 001C Knife Sharpener		Diamond honed tungsten carbide sharpener Ergonomic ambidextrous handle Full-length guard finger protection	Check Current Price
5. Lansky BladeMedic Pocket Knife Sharpener		600-grit Diamond coated tapered rod Serrated knife sharpening bit 1000-grit Ceramic sharpening rods Tungsten carbide sharpening rod	Check Current Price
6. Smith's PP1 Pocket Pal Sharpener		Reversible and replaceable carbide and ceramic blades 800 grit ceramic blades 400 grit tapered diamond coated rod Lanyard hole	Check Current Price
7. Work Sharp Pocket Knife Sharpener		320 grit diamond plate Fine ceramic rod Angle guides Lifetime legacy warranty	Check Current Price
8. Wamery Pocket Knife Sharpener		Diamond-coated and two-sided sharpening rod Aluminum handle with adjustable ring and pocket clip	Check Current Price
9. Gatco Edgemate Carbide Sharpener		Tungsten Carbide sharpening bits set at 25 degrees Black anodized aluminum handle	Check Current Price

1. Spyderco 204MF Tri-Angle Sharpmaker — Best Pocket Knife Sharpener

The 204MF Sharpmaker was Spyderco’s initial product before they ventured into the knife market. It is a durable and high-quality sharpener of the same standard as Spyderco knives which are market leaders in performance and excellence.

The Sharpmaker is an easy to use sharpener that anyone can use with just a few minutes of practice. It features a double set of high alumina ceramic stones to refine your edges after sharpening with the pair of medium-grit stones.

Another set of fine white grade stones give the blade a professional touch. The whole process is detailed in the instructional DVD and book that is included in the package.

All the components of this sharpener fit in an ABS base which also contains keyed holes for setting the sharpening angles. When you turn the base over, you can use the flat edges of the stones, laid side by side inside a channel on the base, as a bench stone.

This sharpener also has a set of brass safety rods that protect your hands throughout the sharpening process. The stones are autoclave safe and just require scrubbing with a plastic scouring pad and a powdered abrasive cleaner to be clean.

It’s a little bulky for pocket carrying but it will fit in the backpack keep your knives sharp for whatever you need them for. It is also durable and reliable to give you good value and performance without breaking the bank.

Overall Rating – 4.7/5

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2. Victorinox VN43323 Portable Knife Sharpener — Best Portable Knife Sharpener

The VN43323 is a Swiss-made dual knife sharpener that utilizes ceramic discs and a honing stone for sharpening. It is produced by Victorinox, a Swiss company that introduced Swiss Army Knife into the consumer market.

Its success made this family-owned company a top brand, with quality and innovation as their main focus.

This sharpener is a product of innovative design that is functional and at the same time stylish. It is easy to use and it just requires you to pull your knife through the ceramic discs notch. The honing stone which is shaped like a rod will sharpen your knife quickly.

This sharpener is an example of how functionality and ergonomics work together to produce an outstanding product. The sharpening bits housed in a pen-shaped plastic casing with a not so popular plastic clip that breaks easily.

It has a nice looking pen-shaped design that is lightweight and fits in the pocket. These are all good reasons to get yourself one of these and you can quickly touch -up your pocket knife wherever you are.

Overall Rating – 4.6/5

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3. Smith’s 6-Inch Tri-Hone Sharpening System — Best Sharpening Stone for Pocket Knives

The Tri-Hone sharpening system is the perfect size for sharpening pocket knives and other smaller blades. Smith’s is a top brand in the knife sharpening industry with a wide range of sharpening kits for every knife owner at the best prices.

The Tri-Hone system is bulky for pocket carry but it is light and compact for backpacks and it doesn’t take up much space when you set it up.

The Tri-Hone sharpener features three sharpening stones of different coarseness that are set on a rotating triangle block. The molded triangle block has knobs that help to rotate the blocks to access the particular stone that you need to use.

Its base is made with rubber feet to provide grip while sharpening and it also features a v-shaped trough to catch the excess oil that drips for easy cleaning.

The sharpening stones include one 400-grit coarse synthetic stone, one 600-grit medium synthetic stone, and a natural fine Arkansas stone that work together to tune up your pocket knives.

With a bit of practice, the sharpener is easy to use and it comes with a blade guide to help you set the proper edge angle and spend less time sharpening.

The coarse stone is especially helpful as a start to sharpening very dull or badly maintained pocket knives but it will take some minutes to get it to a workable sharpness.

The system has a short learning curve which makes it a good set for beginners who are learning to use sharpening stones.

The Tri-Hone is a good sharpening system for maintaining your pocket knives blades at home. If you’re just starting with stones, this system is a great start and you can also get help on how to use the system from this short video.

Overall Rating – 4.5/5

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4. AccuSharp 001C Knife Sharpener — Best Budget Knife Sharpener

The AccuSharp is one of the most affordable and easiest to use knife sharpeners you can find on the market. AccuSharp is a brand of knife and blade sharpeners that are made to be effective while giving value for money.

Their sharpeners offer much better performance at a lower cost than other knife sharpeners so much so that they have won several awards for product effectiveness, value, and performance.

The AccuSharp is a versatile and easy to use manual sharpener that can sharpen most blades, including serrated blades, in about 10 seconds without fuss.

It is quite easy to get used to because it doesn’t require bevel setups to use properly. It uses a V-shaped and diamond honed carbide tungsten notch that sharpens blunt edges quickly.

It features an ergonomic handle with a full-length guard to protect your fingers while sharpening. It is compact for easy carrying alongside your pocket knife and very effective to use on any blade.

This is a good low-cost sharpening tool for pocket knives that need a quick touch up. It doesn’t offer the kind of razor sharpness you’d get with an electric sharpener but it is easy to use and just requires 3-4 strokes to get your knife sharp again.

Overall Rating – 4.7/5

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5. Lansky BladeMedic Pocket Knife Sharpener

The BladeMedic is a compact pocket knife sharpener that’s also quite popular with knife owners going by its high ratings on Amazon. It is versatile and easy to use but it is also a bit heavier than most of the other sharpeners on this list.

Lansky Sharpeners are a well-known brand that designs and create high-quality sharpeners for everyone, regardless of your experience and the BladeMedic is an example of this vision.

It’s a simple and straight forward sharpening system that doesn’t require any experience and will quickly restore any dull blade into a workable edge in minutes.

It features two v-shaped slots with tungsten carbide and ceramic rods designed to restore your blades and polish to a finished and durable edge quickly.

It also has a serrated sharpening bit and a diamond-coated tapered rod for serrated knives and gut hooks. All the sharpening bits are encased in a solid and durable metal casing with a lanyard hole.

The BladeMedic is well built and sturdy which has also contributed to it being heavy. It will touch up to a useable edge in a few minutes but it only works well on soft metal blades.

Overall Rating – 4.6/5

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6. Smith’s PP1 Pocket Pal Sharpener

The Pocket Pal is a lightweight sharpener that fits easily in the pocket. It is a popular sharpener because like the AccuSharp, it is very effective, versatile, and extremely cost-friendly.

Before we review it, let us briefly mention the manufacturer. From humble beginnings in Arkansas, Smith’s has grown to be a market leader in the knives and scissors sharpening industry.

They have one of the broadest lines of sharpeners ranging from simple pocket sharpeners such as the Pocket Pal to precision kits for experienced enthusiasts.

The Pocket Pal features pre-set carbide blades that quickly set the edges for dull or damaged knives to a sharp edge.

A second v-slot features ceramic blades for smooth finishing on plain or serrated edges. And for sharpening the serrated edges and gut hooks, a fold-out diamond-coated tapered rod will do the work with good results.

The sharpening process requires a very small learning curve to use. It doesn’t give the factory perfection but it’s an effective tool for quick touch-ups and it’s also a good one for first-time users.

The Pocket Pal has a moderate price and does quick touch-ups to dull pocket knives. It is very easy to use and works best on softer blades that are easy to sharpen. It’s well worth the price if you don’t mind replacing it a few months down the line.

Overall Rating – 4.4/5

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7. Work Sharp Pocket Knife Sharpener

The pocket knife sharpener is Work Sharp’s most portable sharpener in its product line. It is developed after its best selling guided field sharpener but more compact with fewer components and just as effective.

The Work Sharp brand is part of a larger company that designs and produces tools and sharpeners that are simple yet functional.

The pocket knife sharpener is one of the brand’s innovative products that has combined a compact design with all-rounded functionality.

It features a fine grit ceramic rod on one end to finish the knife-edge to the sharpness you need while the medium grit diamond plate on the other end will sharpen plain and serrated edges and even restore damaged edges to razor sharpness.

The design of this sharpener allows for ambidextrous use and has reduced the cleaning to almost zero but for occasionally rinsing the rod to remove the metal build-up.

This is a high-quality sharpener that comes with a lifetime legacy warranty which guarantees replacement for just about anything. That’s a great deal if you asked me.

Overall Rating – 4.5/5

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8. Wamery Pocket Knife Sharpener

The Wamery sharpener is a convenient sharpener that’s going to fit easily in the pocket. It is a product of Wamery, a family company that has focused on creating practical products that help you achieve tasks quickly and easily.

This sharpener is light and as compact as a ballpoint pen that you can carry everywhere. It features a diamond-coated sharpening rod that is removable and retractable into the handle for safe carrying.

The rod is tapered on one end to sharpen serrated edges while the wider and half rounded end works on plain edges. It also features a grooved edge for maintaining sharpness on fish hooks and the like.

The sharpener is easy to use and will fit well in the hand for control and it allows you to vary the angle at which sharpen the knife. It is convenient in the range of knives it can sharpen and it will give you a workable edge in 90 seconds.

It is an easy and effective tool for quick touch-ups on your pocket knives. It is comfortable to carry and has a well-designed look and feel to it. The diamond rod is coarse at 400-grit which works well on dull knives.

Overall Rating – 4.5/5

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9. Gatco Edgemate Carbide Sharpener

The Edgemate Carbide sharpener is a compact and easy to use sharpener for pocket knives and other small blades. It’s designed to deliver a quick and safe method for sharpening on the go.

It features a tungsten carbide rod set in a black anodized aluminum handle that offers a firm grip. The carbide sharpening bits are set at 25 degrees and the sharpening process is as simple as swiping the knife a couple of times on the carbide bit. The 400-grit carbide is coarse enough for getting dull blades into shape in a short time.

As for usability, it is quite easy to use and works well with the majority of blades. However, it is designed for right-handed people and it doesn’t give an option for swapping the parts for lefties. Other than that, it is a good value for your money.

Overall Rating – 4.8/5

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How To Choose The Best Knife Sharpener For Pocket Knives

Most pocket knives for everyday use feature soft metal blades that don’t retain their edges for very long. This means that you’ll need to sharpen it every so often, so a portable and easy to use sharpener will make a great accessory to your pocket knife.

While these sharpeners don’t require an experienced hand because they are just touch up tools that maintain a working edge on the knife in between a proper sharpening exercise, it’s necessary to get value for your money from the item you choose.

Here are some great tips to help you with that:

Materials

Most of the portable sharpeners reviewed here utilize a combination of tungsten carbide to sharpen and ceramic to polish into a smooth edge.

If you’re going to sharpen a dull blade or damaged blade, a diamond-coated surface will work the metal off to reset the beveled edge to be sharpened on the carbide surface.

Portability

This counts for the weight and size of the sharpener. Considering that most pocket knives have small blades, then the sharpener should ideally be just as compact and lightweight for you to carry in the pocket or bag.

Functionality

At the basic level, the pocket sharpener should at least have two sharpening stages that will sharpen and polish the blade.

The first stage includes restoring the edge angle of the blade while the second stage polishes to make it sharp.

Conclusion

Listening to an experienced hand might make you think that sharpening knives is a complicated process. As we’ve shown with the best pockets sharpeners highlighted here, maintaining the edge on your pocket knife is a simple process that anybody can learn.

These sharpeners will make great companion accessories for your pocket knives and will keep them in good shape for any task you have.

While they’re all great, our top choice is the Spyderco 204MF Tri-Angle Sharpmaker. It is easy to use with just a little practice, and can be used for all types of blades.