We have always been a great fan of the Idahone knife sharpener. We sell one in our on-line shop and really believe it's one of the best knife sharpeners out there. Two are in regular use in our own kitchen and we have given one to all of our family and friends. There's nothing quite like an ultra sharp knife that slices cleanly through whatever it is that you're preparing.

Basically, I had decided that my hunt for the ultimate knife sharpener was over and I could just get on with cooking. However in a recent conversation with Idahone, they told us about their largest knife sharpener and at the end of the conversation I asked them to ship us one.

When the box arrived, I assumed that it contained some heavy packing material as the box was very heavy for its size. Once unpacked, I understood immediately why the package is so heavy. This new sharpener is the mother of all sharpeners! It's absolutely huge compared to the original device. The rods are larger and thicker, the stand much more substantial, so large in fact that you can install both the course and fine rods at the same time.

Apart from its size and the obvious change that you can install both rods, the most glaring difference is the missing hand protector. I was instantly worried that this knife sharpener might not be suitable for home use and that it would require protective clothing to use safely (not something I think works in most home kitchens). I lugged the beast on to our counter top and set it up for a sample sharpening session. As soon as I started to sharpen a knife, I realized that this new version was actually safer than the old one. During sharpening, you place the hand holding the knife sharpener at the base of the second set of rods. It's practically impossible to imagine how you might strike your hand, because both the distance from the sharpening action and the physical protection that is provided by the rods that are not in use. I felt very comfortable with this new design and pretty soon concluded that I preferred it over the original.

The sharpening action on the larger rods seems more aggressive and it was easier to get a very fine edge with a minimum of effort. The greater length of the new rods allowed for a more complete sharpening of larger knives which was very effective.

This knife sharpener may not be for everyone as it requires a substantial area of work surface to use. I also struggled to find somewhere to store it once I was done sharpening. However, if you have the space then you have the ultimate knife sharpener at your disposal. Compared to the many cheap plastic devices on the market this is absolutely bulletproof. Made of hardwood with virtually indestructible rods there is very little that would threaten it in anyway.

I'm looking forward to using this sharpener over the coming months and will report back on how it fares in day-to-day use. It's a beautiful device that does its job perfectly and if the original model was anything to go by will last for ever.