Real owners lean toward the Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition: 78% of 111 owners recommend it, vs 46% of 61 for the Lansky Deluxe 5-Stone System.
Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score
Owners of both sharpeners report shave-sharp results and credit each as beginner-friendly and able to bring badly dull or damaged edges back to life. The Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition's owners emphasize speed above all, taking a blade to a shaving edge in just minutes with little skill, and its versatility across knives, tools and axes; the recurring warning is that its belt removes metal aggressively, can round tips or overheat and burn edges if run too fast, and carries a real learning curve. Lansky Deluxe owners value the angle guides for holding a consistent bevel and call the kit affordable and durable, but many fault a squishy, loose clamp, a fiddly and slow setup, difficulty matching the angle on many knives, and brackets that can bend or snap, plus weak results on super steels. Beginners who want razor results fast and will practice to avoid overheating or over-grinding lean Work Sharp; patient budget sharpeners who prefer guided angle control and don't mind a slow, finicky process lean Lansky. The decision hinges on whether sharpening speed and versatility or careful, low-cost angle guidance matters more.
“I have the Ken Onion version. At $140, it's great and a better value than the Mk.2.”— @jonfeuerborn5859 on YouTube
“If you get one of these don’t tell anyone. I made that mistake and now sharpen all the knives for all my coworkers and family.”— @shakeandbaked1 on YouTube
“Of coarse nothing is compatible with the old one.”— @dlrmon1 on YouTube
Owners of both sharpeners report shave-sharp results and credit each as beginner-friendly and able to bring badly dull or damaged edges back to life. The Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition's owners emphasize speed above all, taking a blade to a shaving edge in just minutes with little skill, and its versatility across knives, tools and axes; the recurring warning is that its belt removes metal aggressively, can round tips or overheat and burn edges if run too fast, and carries a real learning curve. Lansky Deluxe owners value the angle guides for holding a consistent bevel and call the kit affordable and durable, but many fault a squishy, loose clamp, a fiddly and slow setup, difficulty matching the angle on many knives, and brackets that can bend or snap, plus weak results on super steels. Beginners who want razor results fast and will practice to avoid overheating or over-grinding lean Work Sharp; patient budget sharpeners who prefer guided angle control and don't mind a slow, finicky process lean Lansky. The decision hinges on whether sharpening speed and versatility or careful, low-cost angle guidance matters more.
Owners point the Lansky Deluxe 5-Stone System at beginners learning to hold consistent sharpening angles, and owners restoring dull or damaged pocket knives.
Owners point the Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition at home cooks wanting razor-sharp kitchen knives fast, and beginners seeking great results with little skill.
The most-cited downside of the Lansky Deluxe 5-Stone System is clamp is squishy and loose, won't hold the knife tight. For the Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition, it's removes too much steel and can eat blades if you're not careful.