Risam Knife Sharpener: Does It Actually Work?

The Risam knife sharpener is one of several pull-through style sharpeners marketed primarily through online channels. If you've seen it advertised or are comparing it to other sharpeners in the same price range, here's what you need to know about how it works and whether it's worth buying.

What Is the Risam Knife Sharpener?

Risam is a kitchen tools brand that produces manual and electric knife sharpeners. Their pull-through models are the most commonly searched, and they typically feature two or three stages: a coarse stage for reshaping damaged or very dull edges, and a fine or stropping stage for polishing and finishing the edge.

Like all pull-through sharpeners, the Risam works by drawing the knife through a V-shaped slot where two abrasive elements (carbide, ceramic, or both) simultaneously sharpen both sides of the blade at a fixed angle.

How Pull-Through Sharpeners Work

Pull-through sharpeners work by abrasion. As you draw the knife through the slot, the blade presses against the abrasive elements, which remove metal and reform the edge. The fixed V-slot angle means you don't need to maintain a specific sharpening angle; the sharpener does it for you.

The advantages: speed, simplicity, and no learning curve. You can restore a reasonably sharp edge in under a minute.

The limitations:

  • Metal removal. Pull-through sharpeners remove more metal per pass than a whetstone, which shortens knife life over many cycles.
  • Fixed angle. Most pull-through sharpeners are set to approximately 20 degrees per side, which is appropriate for German-style knives but too blunt for Japanese knives that should be sharpened to 15 degrees.
  • Edge quality. The edge produced by a pull-through sharpener is functional but coarser than a whetstone edge. For everyday cooking this usually doesn't matter. For precise tasks it can.

Risam Specifically: Construction and Results

Risam sharpeners are typically constructed with a non-slip base, an ergonomic handle or body for stability, and carbide or ceramic V-elements in the sharpening slots. The carbide stage aggressively removes metal; the ceramic stage produces a finer finish.

The practical result: a knife that was noticeably dull before goes through the Risam and comes out sharp enough for most kitchen tasks. Tomatoes that were getting crushed rather than sliced will slice cleanly after a few passes. The edge won't match a freshly honed whetstone finish, but for everyday cooking, it's adequate.

Durability

The abrasive elements in pull-through sharpeners wear over time. Carbide elements become less effective as they get loaded with metal particles. Ceramic elements last longer but still degrade. A quality pull-through sharpener from a reputable brand should last several years of moderate home use.

Who Should Use a Pull-Through Sharpener

Pull-through sharpeners like the Risam are appropriate for:

  • Home cooks with German-style knives at 56-58 HRC who want a quick edge restoration
  • People who cook 3-5 times per week and want minimal maintenance effort
  • Anyone who finds whetstone technique intimidating or impractical

They're not appropriate for:

  • Japanese knives at 60+ HRC, which need a 15-degree angle, not 20
  • Knives with very thin edges that the aggressive carbide stage would reshape poorly
  • Cooks who want the finest possible edge and are willing to invest time in sharpening

Alternatives at the Same Price Point

If you're deciding between the Risam and other sharpeners in the same range:

KitchenIQ Edge Grip (~$10-$15): Very basic two-stage pull-through, extremely popular, works adequately. Not much to differentiate it from most simple pull-through sharpeners.

Zwilling J.A. Henckels 4-stage sharpener (~$30-$50): Better construction and additional stages for a more refined result.

Work Sharp Culinary E5 (~$80): Electric with angle guides and multiple grits. Step up in quality from any manual pull-through.

King 1000/6000 whetstone (~$40): Steep learning curve but produces the best results and removes the least metal per sharpening cycle.

For more information on matching sharpeners to knives, see Best Knife Set and Best Rated Knife Sets.

Proper Technique for Pull-Through Sharpeners

Even simple sharpeners need correct use to work well:

  1. Start with the coarser slot only if the knife is genuinely dull or has visible edge damage. If the knife is just slightly dull, start with the finer stage.
  2. Use light, consistent pressure. Don't press hard into the slot; let the abrasive do the work.
  3. Draw heel-to-tip in one smooth stroke. Don't apply more pressure at the tip.
  4. Repeat 3-6 times per stage, alternating passes evenly.
  5. Rinse the blade after sharpening to remove metal filings.

FAQ

Is the Risam knife sharpener good for Japanese knives? Not ideal. Japanese knives need a 15-degree angle per side, and most Risam pull-through sharpeners (like most pull-through designs) are set to 20 degrees. Using a 20-degree sharpener on a 15-degree Japanese knife gradually changes the edge geometry. A whetstone or an angle-adjustable electric sharpener is better.

How often should I use a knife sharpener? Sharpen (grind a new edge) only when the knife no longer responds to honing. For most home cooks, this is every few months. Hone (with a steel) before each cooking session. The common mistake is skipping honing and sharpening too often, which removes more metal over time than necessary.

Does the Risam sharpener damage knife edges? All sharpening removes some metal. Pull-through sharpeners remove more per cycle than whetstones. The edge produced is functional, and with reasonable use frequency the lifetime impact is acceptable. Problems arise when people sharpen every day instead of honing.

Is a pull-through sharpener better than a honing steel? They serve different purposes. A honing steel realigns the existing edge without significant metal removal. A sharpener grinds a new edge by removing metal. You need both, but honing should happen far more frequently than sharpening.

Conclusion

The Risam knife sharpener works for what it is: a simple, fast edge restoration tool for German-style kitchen knives. It's not going to give you the finest possible edge and it removes more metal per session than a whetstone, but for a cook who wants a quick solution with no technique required, it's functional. Match it to knives at the right angle (20 degrees) and use it only when honing no longer works, and it'll serve you adequately.