This is no longer available. Sign up for the newsletter so you don't miss out on future updates.

Sign Up

Disclosure: the post probably contains monetized affiliate links. We earn commission if you buy through them (thanks so much for your support), but you don't pay more for the product.

Linkyo knife sharpener.

November 19, 2018

Blades

Brand: Linkyo

Verdict:

Linkyo Electric Knife Sharpener

I’m not fond of the Linkyo electric knife sharpener. Other sharpeners, like the Lansky Deluxe and Warthog 2, are better at sharpening smooth edged blades.

The only good thing about the Linkyo is the price. It’s so cheap you won’t feel like you’ve been ripped off when you buy it. And I don’t believe the maker of the product is trying to rip off anyone. I think they’re selling a product they think is genuinely good. The packaging seems to convey that message.

But it’s a middle-of-the-road product at best.

The Warthog 2 does a far superior job of sharpening straight edged blades. It gives a sharper edge, and does so more easily than the Linkyo. But if you have some cash to throw away, buy the Linkyo knife sharpener. It might make a good Christmas gift for someone you think might like an intro to knife sharpening.

TL;DR

The Linkyo electric sharpener is OK for sharpening smooth edged blades, but it’s not as good as the Lansky or the Warthog.

Quick sharpening.

Once you get the hang of how to use the Linkyo, sharpening is quick. Click the on button, run your blade through the 4 slots, three to four times per slot, and you’re done. Not quite sharp enough yet? Do it again. It should take you no more than ten minutes to sharpen a blade. (Much quicker for touch-ups.)

Consistent sharpening angle.

If you have a steady hand, the Linkyo will give you a consistent sharpening angle. If, however, you don’t manage to keep the blade’s cheek securely against the guide, your blade will have inconsistent angles along the edge.

Easy to clean.

The Linkyo is super easy to clean. Unplug it, turn it upside down, remove the 2 plugs and shake out the shards and filings.

Mediocre edge.

The Linkyo gives a better edge than a knife just removed from its packaging. But it’s no more than an average cutting edge.

It’s cheap.

This is the clincher for this product. If it were expensive, I’d advise you to steer clear. But you pay next to nothing for the Linkyo, so even if it’s a dud, it won’t hurt too much.

In the Box

You can see that Linkyo cares about getting their product to you in good condition, since the sharpener was securely packed between two pieces of Styrofoam.

How to Sharpen a Blade

You need a steady hand to sharpen a knife with the Linkyo, else you’ll end up creating an uneven cutting edge. Repeat the following sequence as much as you need to get your blade sharp with the Linkyo.

It’s important to keep the blade’s cheek resting against the Linkyo’s inner wall while you’re drawing it through the Linkyo. If you don’t, the knife won’t have a consistent cutting angle along the edge.

Linkyo refers to the inner wall as the automatic blade positioning guide. I don’t know why they call it that, because there’s plenty of play inside the guide. There’s no way to lock the knife into position to give it the same angle along the whole edge, which means you must have a steady hand for sharpening.

This is where the Linkyo falls flat. It’s not so easy to keep the knife’s cheek at a consistent angle when you’re pulling it through the machine, especially if the knife tapers to a point and starts running out of cheek.

Switch on the Linkyo.

The single on-off switch on the front of the Linkyo makes this an easy step.

Without applying aggressive downward pressure, pull your knife three to four times through the left slot of station 1, starting from the heel (the back of the blade, nearest the handle).

Then pull your knife three to four times through the second slot of station 1.

Then pull your knife three to four times through the first slot of station 2.

Finally, pull your knife three to four times through the second slot of station 2.

Sharpening Tests

I ran four Zyliss knives through the Linkyo knife sharpener. I did a simple hair removal sharpness test for each sharpened blade. With some persistence I got the blades sharp enough to shave my arm hair. The blue knife (a santoku) was the easiest to sharpen, since it has a consistently wide cheek from heel to toe, thereby allowing better guidance.

But in all honesty, the Lansky and Warthog both do a far better job of sharpening a straight edge blade.

How to Clean the Linkyo

Cleaning the Linkyo is a simple affair.

Unplug the Linkyo.

Turn it upside down.

Remove the two plugs at the bottom of the Linkyo.

Shake out shards, dust and filings into a bin.

Push the two plugs back into place.

Technical Specs

The Linkyo isn’t big, so it won’t take up much kitchen counter top space.

Length: 8.26 inches (210mm).

Width: 5.19 inches (132mm).

Height: 3.46 inches (88mm).

Weight: 36 oz (1.02kgs).

110V electricity supply..

Body material: plastic.

They don’t stipulate whether it’s made from BPA-free plastic.

Can It Sharpen Serrated Blades?

The Linkyo cannot sharpen serrated blades. To be clear, they claim that you can sharpen the flat side of a single-side serrated blade. I’d advise against it.

If you want to sharpen a serrated blade, you need something like the Lansky Deluxe, but the Lansky by itself isn’t sufficient for sharpening serrated edges. You need special triangle or round sharpening stones for the Lansky to sharpen serrated edges.

Sharpening Angle

The Linkyo offers only one sharpening angle. For home use this is sufficient.

I’ve tested the Warthog on different sharpening settings, and although it’s nice to know I can sharpen at different angles, you must remember that sharpening a blade to a new angle takes time.

Replacement Sharpening Stones

I emailed Linkyo asking where I could buy replacement sharpening stones (if possible), how much they’d cost and whether there’s a guide on how to replace them.

I received this email reply:

Thank you for contacting us.
Please keep in mind our LINKYO Electric Knife Sharpener – 2 Stage Knife Sharpening System is made with diamond grind wheel we do not have a sharpening stone in there this is not replaceable. Please let us know if you have any other questions.

So the sharpening stones are not replaceable.

Warranty

The Linkyo comes with a 1 year warranty, IF you register the product. That’s a generous offer for a tool with many moving parts.

Cons

As stated at the beginning, I’m not too fond of the Linkyo. Or perhaps I’m not as fond as I thought I’d be. Here’s why.

Durability

Since the Linkyo’s body is made of plastic, it won’t be long before the guides start wearing away.

Accuracy

It takes practice to get a consistently accurate cutting edge. You must steady your knife’s cheek against the guide and not twist it while running it through the Linkyo. But because the Linkyo’s guides are so wide, and there’s no way to fasten or lock the blade into position while sharpening, I suspect you’ll suffer a great deal of accuracy. All of this is fine, except, this tool was built to make sharpening your knife super simple, which it fails in doing.