How Do You Choose The Best Serrated Knife Sharpener?
The good thing about serrated knives is that they are super useful when it comes to cutting through tough materials like wood twigs and package twine. A serrated knife in the kitchen can be great for cutting through bread, steak, or other tough food.
Although you may not need to sharpen them as frequently as flat-edged knives. When you do need to sharpen them, they can be notoriously difficult to get a good, sharp cutting edge.
To bring the keen edge back to a serrated knife, you will need to pay extra attention to every individual scallop and tip on the blade, for which you will require special serrated knife sharpeners.
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I have been sharpening knives for almost 40 years and there have been a lot of different tools and techniques that I have used in that time. There are so many different types of sharpeners available on the market that I wanted to break them down and showcase the best serrated knife sharpeners available today.
Whether it is your serrated pocket knife that you carry with you every day or your serrated bread knife in the kitchen it is imperative that you keep a nice sharp edge on it. Being serrated makes it a little more difficult to sharpen and maintain their edges, however, with the right tools it can be done easily and effectively so you can keep your serrated blades in tip top cutting shape.
Once you have chosen the right serrated knife sharpener for you, you will have to learn how to use it. If oyu want to learn the best techniques as well as tome tips and tricks you can check out our detailed guide on how to sharpen a serrated knife.
The table below shows my top three serrated knife sharpeners as well as some decent low cost alternatives.
| Image | Click to Edit | Buy |
|---|---|---|
Top | Our Top Pick! The Sharpmaker has been one of the top knife sharpening sets for over 40 years and works great on all kinds of serrated knives as well as your smooth edge knives | Check Today's Price |
 | The DMT Diafold has a diamond coated tapered rod that folds into its handle for secure storage. The tapered rod works on small serrations as well as larger ones. | Check Today's Price |
 | The Sharpal 3-in-1 set has a diamond coated tapered rod that works well on small and larger serrations. It also pack down into the handle for storage in one complete package | Check Today's Price |
 | The Lansky Blade Medic has a smaller foldable diamond rod for knife serrations as well as a ceramic bar that works as a hone for serrated as well as smooth edge knives | Check Today's Price |
 | The Smiths Pocket Pal has the same style diamond coated rod as the Lansky above but does not come with the ceramic hone. It does have two carbide pull through slots for smooth edge knives | Check Today's Price |
 | The Victorinox Sharpener has an oval silicon carbide stone contained in a package about the same size as a pen. The sharpener is not tapered so really only works on one size of serrations | Check Today's Price |
 | The Sharpal 6-in-1 sharpener has the same style tapered diamond coated rod as many of the others in this style. However, it also comes with a ferrocerium fire starter and an emergency whistle. | Check Today's Price |
 | The Worksharp Pivot Plus has the same tapered diamond coated rod as the other sharpeners of this style as well as a carbide and ceramic "V" groove pull through sharpener for your smooth edge knives. | Check Today's Price |
 | The Smiths DRET Retractable Sharpener has a diamond coated rod that is tapered on one end end round on the other. This allows oyu to sharpen your serrated knives as well as your smooth edged blades. | Check Today's Price |
1. Spyderco 204MF Triangle Sharpmaker
My Top Choice for a quality sharpener that handles your serrated blades just as easily as your smooth edged knives. For over 40 years, the Spyderco Sharpmaker has been one of the premier knife sharpeners on the market.
Are you looking for an EDC knife sharpener that is very versatile and is also particularly good at sharpening serrated edges? The Spyderco 204MF Triangle Sharpmaker is one of the best ones in the market. Not only can this wonderful tool sharpen knives, it can also sharpen other metal tools like scissors, hooks, and more.
The Sharpmaker kit is equipped with four sharpening rods, two of which are made of medium grit high alumina ceramic stones and two of which are made of fine grit high alumina ceramic stones.
The medium grit stones have a coarser surface and may help you remove more material when you pass your blade on it. Hence, they should be the first tools to be used to smooth out especially rough spots on your knife.
The fine grit stones should be used when you want to refine or finish the edges of your knife.
If you maintain your blade edges regularly, chances are that you will only need to use the fine grit stones most of the time.
The stones are also equipped with a long furrow that allows you to sharpen the tips of your serrated knives as well as other tools like hooks, darts, and awls.
These rods are triangular in shape and can neatly slot in the base of the tool when not is used and hence make for easier and safer transportation.
The triangular shape of the rods means you will require a bit of experience to use these tools on serrated knives, unlike with circular rods. However, once you practice a little bit, you will find they are great for jagged edges which have very fine slots.
Since these rods have either 15 degree or 20 degree slant on each side, you can easily work on both sides of you serrated blades and sharpen at the two most common edge angles.
The knife sharpening kit comes in a special ABS plastic case with a lid, which ensures it is always kept clean and dry. Unlike the other models mentioned below though, this sharpening kit isn’t as portable because of its bigger size and heavier weight. However, you can still easily put it inside your rucksack or backpack if you are going hiking or hunting.
The standard Sharpmaker comes with the two different grit rods as mentioned above. However, you can also buy many different rod sets to further customize your Sharpmaker. One of my favorite upgrades are the diamond rods that allow you to quickly re-profile your edge or fix and chipped or damaged ares on your blade.
All in all, this is a wonderful tool if you want to give your serrated knives excellent edges.
Key Benefits
- The four alumina ceramic stones can work well on a wide variety of edges
- Comes with a weather-resistant ABS plastic lid.
- The base of the kit is drilled with several holes which means it can be permanently attached to a countertop.
- Also equipped with a scissor sharpener.
Cons
- This model is a bit bulky and heavy
- It is not the most affordable serrated knife sharpener out there
Spyderco 204MF Tri-Angle Sharpmaker Set
- EASY TO USE, OUTSTANDING RESULTS - This has everything necessary to sharpen any type of edged or pointed tool in just a few minutes time. Simply keep the plane of your knife’s blade vertical and draw the edge along each stone to sharpen.
- DURABLE DESIGN - The Sharpmaker has an ABS plastic base/storage case and contains keyed holes that accurately set the stones’ sharpening angles at a 30-degrees or 40-degrees.
- READY TO GO - All components snap into the self-contained ABS plastic base and lid - it is ready to travel with you.
- SHARPENER FOR THE NOVICE - Every Sharpmaker comes complete with a detailed instruction book and DVD that guides you step by step through the process of sharpening knives, scissors, awls, and many other tools.
- INCLUDES - Instruction book and DVD. Medium and fine triangular ceramic rods for aggressive sharpening and professional-grade finishing.
Also Available
At Blade HQ
How To Use The Sharpmaker
The video below is the official instructional DVD from Spyderco that features Sal Glesser himself showing how to use it. While it is a little old as the production quality shows, the tips and techniques he shows are still relevant today.
Sal is the founder of Spyderco and has been making some of the highest quality production pocket knives available today. Their Sharpmaker sharpener is another great indication of their commitment to quality and performance.
2. DMT Diafold Serrated Knife Sharpener
The DMT Diafold sharpener has been a tool that I have used to sharpen a lot of knife serrations over the years. One of the main reasons I still reach for this sharpener is that it has a nice handle that makes it easy for me to use on many different types of edges and serrations.
The tapered rod works well on different sizes of serrations and also works well on any blades that have an inside curve that makes it difficult to sharpen on a standard flat sharpening stone. This multi-functional use makes it a good tool for anyone who is serious about keeping a sharp edge on their knives.
When not in use, the diamond rod portion folds neatly into the handle for protection. This makes it easy to transport and fit nicely in your pack or pocket. This also protects the diamond rod or anything it may come in contact with if you keep it in your kitchen drawer at home.
The handle is a decent size and fits my large hands fairly well. It is solid when open however the rod does wobble back and forth a bit if you do not hold the handle tightly.
The DMT Diafold serrated knife sharpener comes in three different grit choices, coarse, fine, and ultra-fine. I recommend the fine model as can sharpen your serrated knives fairly quickly while still leaving a fine enough edge to not require further refinement.
DMT is one of the industry leaders when it comes to diamond coatings. The use a proprietary micronized monocrystalline diamond coating process that ensures a very uniform diamond particle size as well as a very high density of diamond particles. This ensures that your sharpener will continue to work well for many years of use.
The DMT Diafold double sided sharpener made it into my best sharpeners for hunting knives list and utilizes the same folding handle style sharpener with a double sided flat diamond bar for sharpening.
Key Benefits
- Solid diamond coated tapered rod works well on different size serrations
- Folding handle protects diamond rod when closed
- Uses DMT's proprietary diamond micronized diamond coating process.
- High grade coverage for high quality and long life
- Lifetime warranty for defects
- Can be used on straight edged blades as well as inverse curved edges.
Cons
- diamond rod can wiggle a bit of you don't grip the handle tightly
- No hook or point sharpener groove like some others mentioned here
DMT, DiaFold File, Fine
- cone tapers from 1/4 to 1/16 diameter for sharpening serrations of all sizes or straight edge knives.
- Portable, lightweight with convenient fold & go handles which enclose and protect the diamond serrated sharpener when not in use
- Fine diamond for a razor sharp edge.
- Sharpens knives faster than conventional stones with DMTs monocrystalline diamond surface
- No oil is needed-sharpen dry or with water
- Durable construction will provide years of consistent performance and reliable service
Also Available
At Blade HQ
3. SHARPAL Transforman 178N 3-in-1 Blade Sharpener
This handy diamond rod style sharpener fits neatly within its handle when not in use. It comes with both a tapered rod for sharpening serrations and a larger 4" round shaft for sharpening smooth edges and inward curved edges.
The tapered rod has a slot in it for sharpening fish-hooks, darts, or other points. This makes it a great choice for your tackle box or fishing pack.
One of my favorite features of this sharpener is that the rods lock solidly within the handle when they are attached. This makes it easy to sharpen with precision and care without any wiggling or unplanned movement. The handle is just over 4 inches long making it easy to hold while still staying compact enough to not be too bulky or take up too much room.
Like the Diafold sharpener above, the fact that this sharpener packs away neatly into its handle makes it a great choice for a packable sharpener to take with you backpacking, or as mentioned earlier, as a great fishing knife and hook sharpener.
Key Benefits
- Tapered diamond rod as well as larger 4" round shaft
- Fish-hook sharpening slot in tapered rod
- sharpening shafts lock solidly into handle when in use.
- Tapered rod works well on small serrations as well as larger scallops.
- Both rods pack neatly into the handle for storage.
- Comes with a lanyard and cloth storage pouch
- Dia-uniform technology with mono-crystalline diamond grits
Cons
- 600 grit diamond is great for edge touch ups but too smooth for heavy sharpening tasks
SHARPAL 178N 3-in-1 Blade Sharpener | 4-Inch 600 Grit Diamond Sharpening Rod | Sharpen All Knife and Tool with Straight Edge, Serration & Hooks | Pocket Knife Sharpener | Durable Aluminum Handle
- Durable monocrystalline diamonds fine 600 grit (25 micron) coated onto 4 inch in length round shaft and 3.5 inch tapered rod
- 3-In-1: Round diamond coated rod for sharpening straight edge; Tapered diamond rod for sharpening serrations and gut hooks; Sharpening groove for fishhooks and pointed tools
- A handy, durable, portable knife and tool sharpener requires no water or oil
- Both round and tapered rod can be stored compactly in the aluminum handle when not in use. Easily take anywhere with lanyard hole and storage pouch
- An ideal companion for any knife enthusiast such as hikers, backpackers, anglers, hunters, hobbyists and carpenters
4. Lansky PS-MED01 BladeMedic
The Lansky PS-MED01 BladeMedic is an all-rounder when it comes to sharpening pocket knives. It is equipped with a diamond tapered rod and a ceramic finishing edge which ensure a razor-sharp edge to serrated knives of almost all shapes and sizes. It also does not require a lot of experience to handle.
The tapered rod of the Lansky PS-MED01 is longer than what you get in other serrated knife sharpeners and with just a couple of pulls, you will see a marked difference on the sharpness of your blade. The ceramic finishing component will smooth or sharpen any rough or blunt blade and create an edge that is long-lasting.
This sharpener is also made of tungsten carbide and ceramic V sharpeners set at a 40-degree angle for your everyday carry knives that have a flat cutting edge.
The pocket knife sharpener has an all-metal construction due to which it is very durable. This metal casing adds a bit of a weight to the sharpener and gives it a good-quality, well-made feel, unlike other sharpeners that have plastic components.
Since it feels solid in the hand, it will provide you with a good grip and hence this is a great sharpening tool for beginner campers or hunters.
It also has a small lanyard hole which makes it easy to attach it to your keychain.
Key Benefits
- A longer than average tapered rod for better sharpening of serrated EDC knives
- Tungsten carbide and ceramic V sharpeners work great for straight-edged tools
- Features a solid all-metal construction
- Comes with a textured surface for more secure grip.
Cons
- Some customers say the diamond rod may not give you an extremely sharp edge.
Lansky PS-MED01 BladeMedic
</- Field repairs on all blades
- Works with standard, serrated, gut hook, and fillet knives
- Carbide, ceramic, and diamond sharpeners
- Tungsten Carbide-Three Or Four Strokes Will Restore Your Blade
- Ceramic Sharpening Rods-Polist To A Finished Edge In Three Or Four Strokes
- Serrated Knife Sharpener-Designed To Get Inside Even The Smallest Serrations