Having a knife collection for your kitchen knives is something many people cultivate over the years. These knives have one major thing in common: they all need to stay sharpened. When you are facing the task of maintaining your knives and their sharpness, you want the right sharpening system for the job. Here are some ways to narrow down the best knife sharpening system for your collection. 

Ease of Use

If you have little to no experience with knife sharpening systems, then ease of use may be a priority for you. Many knife sharpening systems are fairly easy to use and easy to learn. If ease of use is your top priority, then you may want to consider a guided knife sharpener. This type of system is one of the easiest to use on the market. You can maintain the proper angle you need to sharpen the knife correctly. You can also use a guided sharpener on many of your knives, if not all of them, depending on your collection. 

Multiple Grit Stones

Having multiple grit stones is vital to maintain the sharpness of your knife collection. This is especially true when you are dealing with multiple knives that each have their own purpose. You will need to start with a coarse stone and then move to a finer stone. This allows you to get the sharpest edge possible. You may see diamond stones listed in higher-end knife sharpening systems. These are for harder steel blades, such as D2 steel. The diamond stone can work on these blades to give them an edge they would not achieve with a typical set of sharpening stones. 

Adjustable Sharpening Angles

The key to remember when looking for the best knife sharpening system for your collection deals with the angle. Different factories and manufacturers use different angles when they originally sharpen the knife. In order to maintain the level of sharpness of the blade, you will need to achieve that particular angle. You can find systems that already have these adjustable sharpening angles built in. If the sharpening system you choose does not have the angle you need, you can buy an angle set separately. 

These are just a few of the ways you can narrow down your search for the best knife-sharpening system. When you are ready to buy your system, visit your local cutlery store. Many cutlery stores have several knife sharpening systems in their inventory. If you still aren't sure which type of system you want, a representative at the store can help you choose the right one for all your knives and sharpening needs.