Horl 2 Rolling Sharpener & Upgrade Kit Review

[@rdr9999]

I bought the Horl Pro and accessory kit with the strop and higher grit stones. I’m happy with the product but I have learned more about how to use it from this video than from anything that came with the product. This is really a miss in Horl’s part. They’ve designed a product that doesn’t require expert knowledge but they fail to give adequate instructions for getting the most from it. Nice work on the video and thank you!

[@chefpanko]

Yeah, that was exactly what I was missing too while I have the knowledge and experience of hand sharpening on a whetstone. I did the review with the mind that I have 0 knowledge. Unfortunately, the included instructions were not adequate and in my opinion not correct. There were some extra tips and info on the Official Horl website, where the important missing part has been highlighted as ''tips''. But that is a crucial part to know. (a burr, metal being flipped over to the other side as an indication that you have done that side correctly and you can flip over, instead, they went for a ''time method'' on the instructions vs the ''passes'' method which you can count and be more precise on both sides). I will be emailing them shortly, maybe they can improve the instructions that they include.

[@rdr9999]

@@chefpanko They should seriously link their customers to your video.

[@NoGoodVdW]

What a great review/instruction 👌 All information that you need, and no fluff.

[@TonysTravels2023]

Best video I've seen on the Horl system.

[@BO-kh1iz]

Surely a great innovation and relatively easy to use. But given the high price point of the Horl 2 with the additional kit included one could also for almost the same price get a Tormek T-1 when simplicity of use is the focus or a Tormek T-4 for maximum flexibility.

[@michaelhammond7115]

Ya sure...and then throw it in the drawer right? Oh wait...

[@TonysTravels2023]

If you buy the:- Horl 2 pro Full range of stones..... it's more costly than a Tormek one. For "most" my needs I'd use the Tormek 1. I have both. Tormek handles the whole process faster easier. The standard base stone on the z Tormek achieves a blade sharp enough for most needs. I have the shortly 2 pro and all the stones and Tormek 1. My choice is the Tormek 1.... without a doubt. If I want to "play" I'll Play with Horl finer stones.... it I'm just playing. In my book, my mind, the Horl to base stone is simply not good enough, coarse enough, to recover a lost angle. Yes, sure you can do it, but very time consuming. In my mind, the coarse stone should be in the basic package. Essential I think.

[@BO-kh1iz]

@@TonysTravels2023 Since we've had the Tormek 1, even my wife enjoys sharpening her own knives. It used to be too much of a chore for her. I still have a few whetstones for some of my knives, but I use the Tormek most of the time. I tried the Horl (and some other guided sharpening systems, which where better than the Horl) and agree with your opinion. But to each their own, there are certainly many people who get on very well with the Horl and enjoy using it.

[@rdr9999]

I wish I could give this +100 likes. I keep coming back to it as a refresher in how to use HORL products for maximal effectiveness. Thanks again for doing this.

[@chefpanko]

Thank you for the nice comment. If you have any questions feel free to ask :)

[@Catrialle]

I recently found out about these kind of knife sharpeners and was curious if they were any good. Now I feel like I understand the purpose of them much better. Seems like a good product for beginners! Although, it would be nice if the instructions were clearer...

[@chefpanko]

Yeah wish that the instructions were better, it is mostly foolproof but you still need a bit of basic knowledge of knife sharpening. The experience that you need is drastically reduced.

[@Toxicat_JaJa]

I just ordered the premium set and the kagami stone , once the kagami finish is good, how often should I sharpen the knife ? Can I start directly with kagami or should I go first with 3000 / 6000 and then kagami ?

[@chefpanko]

Great question, it depends on the knife sharpness, if you feel the sharpness is degrading but the edge is still in good condition I do recommend 3000/6000 and then Kagami. But judging from the disk you have, I assume you have a quality knife with a high rockwell hardness. In that case figuring out the maintaining phase will make the ease of use better as you can do 6000/Kagami. Let's say you do it once a week as maintenance, you avoid the need to go lower as the edge will not go to that stage. (Do keep in mind to remove the steel loading on the disks from time to time, by using a simple pencil eraser, some say a rust eraser will work better but a simple cheap pencil eraser will do the trick too). For most on a budget but want a satisfying result, after they did the standard sharpening (600/1000) and then for maintaining, I recommend a 600 grit (standard Diamond Disk) and then skipping everything in between to 6000. What this does is keeping the bity finish of 600 but then removing and cleaning up the edge to a stratifying result without the need of a strop or stones in between. However for this they do need to have the experience of feeling for a correct burr on the 600 (with burr removal strokes) before going to the 6000.

[@evanc1721]

Very good review. If I have already stones can I use a magnetic holder for the angle and move / slide the stones the way I do with the roller?

[@chefpanko]

I do not recommend it as it defeats the purpose of an easy sharpening system. The roller is designed to maintain consistent pressure and rolling speed, ensuring that the stones gradually wear down material in a controlled, circular motion. This minimizes the risk of dishing out the stones, which means you won't need to straighten them later. Additionally, the roller helps you navigate the extra curve on certain knives, maintaining consistent pressure throughout the process. If you need a feel for a certain angle on whetstones you can use an angle guide to assist you while you get the muscle memory down.

[@kyroslangen618]

Great review, judging by some of your comments here you seem to have some little tricks to improve the results even further. You mentioned using soapy water somewhere for example. Could you elaborate on that a bit more?

[@chefpanko]

Using any lubrication like just water for example will produce a slightly finer surface finish for the whetstones (not for the diamonds disks). The reason for a ''soapy'' water is that it dries out less fast so the surface stay longer wet, less need to re-apply water. Since you have a layer of water there is also less need (less often) to clean the disk occasionally. (they however do need some cleaning after a while, you can use an eraser to clean it, some will even suggest rust erasers but a regular normal pencil eraser will do the trick too). Ideally for an ease of use perspective, use them without any water/lubrication. The same applies for ceramic honing rods, those can also be used wet or dry for a different surface finish (do make sure they are completely dry before storing, same for the rolling disks). I'm looking forward to what, all the others can do with the Rolling knife sharpeners category.

[@kyroslangen618]

@@chefpanko wow Thanks for the detailed response.

[@casperp25]

How would you maintain the edge after you've sharpened a knife using the two fine stones? Can you use the ceramic honing disk or will it ruin the edge? Or do you only use the stop? Or simply use the fine stones again to refine the edge after use?

[@cutitedelaalaz]

Great video!

[@chefpanko]

Thank you 😊

[@arifdemircisofi]

Hi first of all nice video with all the detail,i want to know can i sharpen my barber scissors whit it😅

[@chefpanko]

The rolling sharpeners are not suitable for scissors. A whetstone for manual grinding is needed or an precision angle guided sharpener with a scissor attachment to get the correct steep angle. It will be easier if you take the scissors apart. With a whetstone you need more practice, and I recommend a high grit stone like an #8000 grit for barber scissors.

[@arifdemircisofi]

@@chefpanko thank you very much 🫡

[@kylerb2]

Love it

[@RelakS__]

Kagami - literally means mirror in japanese (鏡)

[@chefpanko]

It indeed does :)

[@TheKongWizard]

I think you did that wrong. You said sharpen until a burr is achieved then swap direction and do the same number of passes. That is incorrect because of the presence of the burr; the burr has to be removed and only then must the same number of passes be made to keep the edge central on a double-bevel blade.

[@chefpanko]

*Creating the Burr on the First Side:* Begin by sharpening one side of the blade until a burr forms on the opposite side. This indicates that you’ve sharpened to the edge of the blade. *Creating a Smaller Burr on the Second Side:* After forming the burr on the first side, flip the blade and sharpen the second side. The goal is to create a smaller burr on the first side (the side you sharpened first). Typically, this requires fewer passes since most material removal was done on the first side. For consistency and clarity, I suggest using the same number of passes on this side as on the first. This is why I do not recommend removing the burr before flipping the blade, as Horl suggests. Removing the burr first can make it harder to break off. Worksharp’s rolling sharpener explains this process correctly. *Burr Management and Refinement:* Avoid removing the burr before flipping the blade, as doing so can result in over-burring. This happens when you repeatedly push the same burr to one side, leading to excessive material removal and shortening the blade's lifespan and edge integrity. Instead, flipping the knife without trying to remove the burr first allows the burr to transfer to the second side, where it is naturally weakened and easier to break off in the refinement stage. This approach helps preserve the blade's lifespan and integrity. *Edge Refinement:* Once a burr has formed on the second side, flip the knife and refine the edge by alternating light strokes using the included honing side or abrasive until the burr is removed. The goal here is not to form a new burr but to refine and clean up the edge by removing burrs and inconsistencies. While rolling sharpeners maintain a fixed angle, using a different, finer abrasive or honing stone can be more effective for this refinement. *Gradual Reduction of Passes:* Reduce the number of passes on each side as you continue refining. If a slight burr remains, gradually decrease the number of passes until the edge is completely smooth. This controlled approach helps achieve a finer, balanced edge without removing too much material. *Check:* After refining, inspect the blade for smoothness and any remaining burrs. If the edge is even on both sides and smooth, the blade is ready for use. Extra refinement, such as stropping, can be done for further polishing but is not always necessary. Note: Removing the burr before flipping the knife can lead to over-burring, where you repeatedly push the burr to the same side, resulting in excessive material removal. This shortens the blade's lifespan and compromises its edge integrity. Flipping the knife without trying to remove the burr first allows the burr to naturally move to the other side, weakening it and making it easier to break off. I hope this clarifies my method and my disagreement with Horl's instructions. Worksharp has explained this process correctly with their rolling sharpening product.

[@TonysTravels2023]

@@chefpankoyour method is perfect. Being very fussy, I strop between each grade of stone too. That's just me.

[@dimmacommunication]

What's funny is that my local ( super big ) knife shop wanted to sell me this thing. Damn I have 10 stones 😂 it's kinda clear I can use stones by now.

[@chefpanko]

haha yeah, the product is really for a specific audience, ie; those who don't know or simply can't, don't want to learn free-hand sharpening. And those who due to some medical conditions are not able to do free hand sharpening. The product itself works great and is made from quality materials and good QC. The disks are great especially the Kagami disk, as an enthusiast that disk is one of the best quality disks I have used. (very smooth and silent). And all with no water or any lubrication (soapy water will give better results but I wanted to test them as it was intended to be used without any lubrication). But in the end, it is the price for the base kit alone that is very steep without the add-ons. Other than that it is a solid system for the specific target audience.

[@dimmacommunication]

@@chefpanko As you said, some people have a medical condition/disability and I am all for it for those people, but damn If you know I have plenty of stones/knives why are you ( the dealer ) trying to sell that stuff 😂😂😂😂 . I mean the guy was super cool but looked dumb in this situation

[@chefpanko]

​@@dimmacommunication 😂😂 yeah no idea why either, if it was a customer who is looking for a new knife but doesn't know much about sharpening the Rolling sharpener will be a solid solution to pair it with (it is a pretty foolproof solution for maintaining the edge sharpness, but as said in the review it is not a tool to repair or to maintain a knife that already passes it's normal lifespan, ie; needs thinning or else the edge will get dull very fast). Not to forget most of those knife shops also offer live courses in teaching people to hand sharpen so there is still a need for that (for knife/sharpening enthusiasts it may look silly to pay for such a course, but they often forget their own journey of how long it took and how much they experimented with or destroyed some of their own knives to get to the level they are now).

[@dimmacommunication]

@@chefpanko Gotta be honest I lack knowledge and experience on the thinning, that's probably for professionals that literally " eat " blades working/sharpening.

[@chefpanko]

@@dimmacommunication if you want it to be like factory new then you need a lot of stones and powdered or sandpaper solution to get the factory look back. With Damascus, you need a biting solution. For practical thinning you just take the sides with you on each sharpening session, you will see low and high spots but don't worry about that that will go away over the years of taking the sides with you (practical thinning your knife won't get the factory look back unless you spend more time and tools for it which is less practical, you be better off by sending the knife to a pro for a real proper thinning session).

[@kairu.kun.z]

So basically you kind of HAVE TO get the premium kit to make it worth while

[@chefpanko]

The standard kit will be good enough for most non-knife enthusiasts. Other than that a strop (with or without compound or just newspaper) is more than enough to give it a satisfying edge. The upgrade kit is in my opinion not necessary at all for the general user. It is nice to see they have the options for knife enthusiasts (but the product is aimed at general users). If you are an avid whetstone sharpener then the product in general would not be of interest in the first place. But giving the customers an option for upgrades is what I can appreciate though the price for the standard kit and upgrade is high. With more competition flooding the market I hope the prices will eventually decrease while maintaining the same craftsmanship and effectiveness.

[@kairu.kun.z]

@@chefpanko at even the base price point I’m looking into a tormek t1 based on a few factors. If the horl 2 was half the price it might be an attractive buy. But buying a machine seems to be a better choice even if almost double the price.

[@chefpanko]

@@kairu.kun.z that is something the end user have to decide for themself. As this product is not aimed at sharpening enthusiast but regular home cooks with no knowledge of knife sharpening.

[@MrScubajsb]

I'm sure it works but it's too expensive. If you get the product plus the extra discs you will be well over $300.... It's nothing extraordinary. It's innovative but not worth that price.

[@NycWz]

no is not worth it, I own one 😂

[@WongmanX2]

Kisses😘

[@chefpanko]

😘

[@michaelb.5827]

Thanks for the great review. Your band aid on your finger seems to prove that the Horl works really well 😬🩹

[@chefpanko]

hahaha, that band-aid was not due to the sharpness of the knife unfortunately! I have Dyshidrotic Eczema (Not Contagious) on my fingers, going back and forth with my dermatologist to figure out the best treatment as it keeps coming back where I have to repeat the treatment again (in short, it is treating and then maintaining with prescribed hand creams). But unfortunately once gone it randomly comes back wich is why the dermatologist is giving me different creams to maintain.