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Smith's 50264 Manual vs Wamery 4-Stage Manual Side-by-Side Comparison

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Smith's 50264 Manual vs Wamery 4-Stage Manual

Overall Verdict

The Smith’s 50264 is the more flexible sharpener, its grind angle being adjustable to accommodate more types of knives. It’s consistently fast and could bring the knife to one sharpness level higher than the Wamery could. Its Achilles’ heel lies in edge integrity: The Smith’s not only eats away the blade, but it leaves a wavy edge too. The thin body also causes shaking and tipping during use.

As far as edge retention and polishing go, the Wamery 4-stage sharpener is clearly a step ahead. It’s also faster, though not by leaps and bounds. And, although of the same height, the Wamery’s wider base keeps it better-balanced and more stable than the Smith’s. Its extra slot for scissors is also a nice feature.

All things considered, the Wamery is the better pick between the two.

Ranking by
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Pros & Cons

  • Angle-adjustable sharpening 
  • Sharpening slot for serrated blades included
  • Wide slot inserts
  • Replaceable abrasives (sold separately)
  • Extra sharpening slot for scissors
  • Intuitive slot order
  • Wide base
  • Shears off a considerable amount of metal
  • Awkward slot structure
  • Long, narrow base
  • Shabby build
  • Excessive height, high center of gravity

Key Specs

Stages
2
3
Scissor sharpener
No
Yes
Abrasives
Precision-ground carbide, ceramic
Diamond, tungsten carbide, ceramic
Grit size
Coarse, Fine
Coarse, Medium, Fine
Dimensions
L10.5 x W1.3 x H2.9 inches
L9.1 x W2.3 x H3.3 inches

Where to Buy

Price at publication
$27.38
$17.50

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Analysis and Test Results

Performance

Overall Performance Scoring
6.0
8.1

Sharpening Time to Cut a Lemon

8.0
9.2
Sharpening Time
1 minute 25 seconds
1 minute 10 seconds
Cutting Feel
Light and smooth
Light and smooth

Material Retention

3.0
9.0
Metal residue on the Coarse slot of the Smith’s knife sharpener
Metal residue on the Coarse slot of the Smith’s knife sharpener
A bowl containing metal sharpening residue next to the base of the Smith’s 50264 knife sharpener
Metal residue on the abrasive slots on the Wamery knife sharpener
Tiny bits of metal got captured by the sharpening slot.
Metal residue on the abrasive slots on the Wamery knife sharpener
A bowl containing metal sharpening residue next to the base of the Wamery sharpener
Sharpening Time
1 minute
1 minute
Target Sharpness

Maximum Sharpness Achieved

8.0
6.0
Sharpening Time
6 minutes
6 minutes
Sharpness Level
8 (Chicken breast with skin, one swipe)
7 (ripe tomatoes, 1 swipe)

Edge Smoothness

4.5
7.3
Close-up view of the knife blade and edge after sharpening with the Smith’s Pull-thru
Close up view of the knife blade and edge after sharpening with the Wamery
There were few to no burrs on the edge.

Design

Overall Design Scoring
7.8
6.8

In the Box

The Smith’s 50264 Adjustable pull-thru sharpener next to its plastic casing
The Wamery knife and scissor sharpener lying on its side next to its package box

Dimensions

The Smith’s adjustable handheld sharpener with arrows and figures showing its dimensions
The Wamery handheld sharpener with arrows and figures showing its dimensions
Length
10.5" (26.7 cm)
9.1" (23.1 cm)
Width
1.3" (3.3 cm)
2.3" (5.8 cm)
Height
2.9" (7.4 cm)
3.3" (8.4 cm)
Weight
8.8 oz (250 g)
8.9 oz (252 g)

Build Quality

8.2
6.6
The Smith’s Pull-thru sharpener with cover and angle knob detached on a cutting board, and a lemon slice
The main working part of the Wamery manual sharpener
Frontal overview of the sharpener.

Working Section

Top view of the angle knob on the Smith’s angle adjustable sharpener
Top view of the angle knob on the Smith’s angle adjustable sharpener
The working section of the Smith’s 50264 handheld sharpener, with its Coarse, Serrated, and Fine slots
Up-close shot of the Wamery’s working section with 4 abrasive slots
Up-close shot of the working section.
Levels of Sharpening
Sharpen, Hone/Polish
Coarse, medium, fine
Abrasive
Precision-ground carbide, crossed ceramic
Tungsten carbide blades, diamond rods, ceramic rods
Mechanism
Pull through
Pull-through
Sharpening Angle
14°, 16°, 18°, 20°, 22°, 24°
Not mentioned

Base

The Smith’s 50264 lying on a surface with its base and base pads in full view
The Smith’s 50264 lying on a surface with its base and base pads in full view
A base pad of the Smith’s sharpener
The Wamery knife and scissor sharpener lying on its side, its base and base pads in full view
Material
Rubber
Synthetic silicone
Feet Type
Slip-proof soles
Slip-proof padding x 2

Grip

6.5
7.5
A hand holding the Smith’s manual knife sharpener
A hand holding the Wamery 4-stage manual knife sharpener
Material
Rubber
Rubber

Usability

Overall Usability Scoring
7.5
7.7

Slot Arrangement

7.0
9.0
The working section of the Smith’s 50264, with the angle knob and the Coarse, Serrated, and Fine abrasive slots
The working section on the Wamery, with slot 1 for sharpening scissors and slots 2, 3, 4 for kitchen knives.
Frontal view of the sharpener with its slots.

Insertion

10
8.0
Close-up view of the Coarse slot of the Smith’s sharpener, its blades in full view

Pulling Through

7.5
6.0
Close-up view of the Fine slot on the Smith’s pull-thru, with nicks visible on the plastic frame
The working section of the Wamery with 3 slots for knives and 1 for sharpening kitchen shears

Stability on Clean Surface

7.0
7.5
A person sharpening a knife with the Smith’s 50264 adjustable knife sharpener
2 hands holding and sharpening a kitchen knife with the Wamery sharpener on a countertop

Stability on a Wet and Dirty Surface

6.0
7.0
A person sharpening a knife with the Smith’s 50264 Pull-thru sharpener on a salt-sprinkled countertop
2 hands holding and sharpening a kitchen knife with the Wamery on a salt-sprinkled countertop
Testing the sharpener on a messy kitchen surface.