Hobart Knife Sharpener and Slicer Sharpener: What Hobart Makes and How to Use It

Search “hobart knife sharpener” and you will land on two different products. Hobart does not sell a handheld knife sharpener you set on a counter.

What Hobart actually makes is a sharpener built into its meat slicers. It is a small stone assembly that grinds and hones the slicer blade itself, not your kitchen knives.

That mix up trips up a lot of shoppers, especially anyone coming from home kitchen gear. Once you know what the Hobart system really is, using it and maintaining it gets a lot simpler.

This guide covers how the Hobart knife sharpener stone assembly works and how to run the grind and hone sequence. It also covers replacement stones, what owners actually report, and the cleaning and safety steps that matter most.

What a Hobart knife sharpener really is

On Hobart slicers, the sharpener is a small unit mounted above or beside the blade. It carries two stones in one assembly, a coarse grinding stone and a finer truing stone.

Hobart lists this feature on its HS Series slicers directly. The stones sit on the machine to keep the cut consistent. Hobart also states the stone unit is dishwasher safe.

Older Hobart models such as the 512, 1612, and 1712 use a similar two stone layout. The housing and handle just look a little different.

So a Hobart knife sharpener is really a slicer blade sharpener. It is not designed for chef knives, paring knives, or any handheld blade.

Trying to run a kitchen knife across these stones will not give you a usable edge. It can also damage the stone face.

How the two stone assembly works

The grinding stone does the heavy work. It removes metal from the blade edge and forms a fresh bevel. This step raises a thin burr along the front of the edge.

The truing stone comes next. It removes that burr and polishes the edge so the blade cuts clean instead of tearing.

Skipping the truing step is one of the most common mistakes operators make. A blade that only gets the grind pass keeps a rough, burred edge. That edge dulls fast and can shed metal particles into product.

The sharpening and honing sequence

The exact steps depend on the model, but the sequence follows the same pattern across the line. First the blade and sharpener housing get wiped clean of any food residue. Debris on the blade transfers straight onto the stones.

Next you position or swing the sharpener assembly into contact with the blade edge. On models like the 1612E and 1712E, that means pressing a grind control. You switch to the truing function once a burr is visible.

On 1812 and 1912 style machines, the sharpener handle lifts to a horizontal position. It gets held under light pressure for several seconds per stage.

Either way, the grind stage always comes first and the truing stage always comes second. The machine gets a full wipe down once you are done.

For stone assemblies across slicer brands, not just Hobart, see the wider meat slicer sharpener buying guide. It compares how different manufacturers build this feature.

Replacement stones and Hobart sharpener accessories

Grinding stones and truing stones wear down with use. Eventually the Hobart knife sharpener needs a new stone set or a full assembly swap.

Replacement kits are typically sold as complete assemblies rather than individual stones. The housing and stones are matched to specific model families.

Fit varies by machine. Kits for the older 512, 1612, 1712, 1812, and 1912 slicers fit those families only. The newer HS Series and 2612 through 2912 machines use different kits.

Always match the replacement part to your exact model number. Do not assume one kit covers the whole lineup.

Full replacement assemblies with both stones generally land in the rough $150 to $250 band at retail. Pricing shifts by model and seller. Shoppers looking specifically for the stone components should compare listings against their machine’s exact model number before ordering.

What owners and operators actually report

Owner reports on older Hobart slicers point to one recurring source of confusion: getting the stones into proper contact with the blade. One longtime owner found an adjustment screw on top of the sharpener that lowers the stones into position. Two set screws then lock the alignment once it is set.

The same discussion surfaced a common misunderstanding worth repeating here. Only the front edge of the blade needs a full grind pass. The back side of the edge just needs the resulting burr and filings smoothed off, not a second full grinding cycle.

Getting that distinction wrong is a fast way to wear down a grinding stone early for no real sharpening benefit.

Cleaning and safety basics

Unplug the slicer before removing any guard or disassembling the sharpener housing. Wear cut resistant gloves any time the blade or sharpener stones are exposed, even for a quick wipe down.

Clean the blade and stone faces before every sharpening cycle so food debris does not embed in the stone surface. After sharpening, brush or wipe away metal particles left behind by the grind before reattaching any covers.

On machines with dishwasher safe stone units, a regular wash cycle keeps residue from building up between sharpenings. Anyone maintaining a broader mix of shop blades can use our full rundown of sharpener types by blade to see how slicer sharpeners compare to bench and handheld tools.

Mistakes to skip

Do not attempt to sharpen a kitchen knife on the slicer stones. They are shaped and angled for the slicer blade only. Forcing a handheld knife across them wastes the stone and rarely produces a usable edge.

Do not skip the truing pass after grinding. A burred edge that never gets trued cuts poorly and sheds metal shavings into product.

Do not guess at replacement parts. Confirm the exact model number before ordering a stone kit, since older and newer Hobart families use different assemblies.

For powered sharpening options outside the slicer world, see motorized sharpening machines built for other jobs. For daily blade upkeep between full grinds, manual honing steel technique for maintenance between grinds covers the handheld version of the same idea.

FAQ

Does Hobart make a standalone knife sharpener?

No. Hobart’s sharpening hardware is built into its meat slicers as a stone assembly for the slicer blade, not a separate countertop knife sharpener.

How often should a Hobart slicer sharpener be used?

Frequency depends on volume and product type. Most operators sharpen when cut quality visibly drops, such as tearing instead of clean slices. Check your specific model’s operator manual for its recommended schedule.

Can the Hobart sharpener stones go in the dishwasher?

Hobart lists the sharpening stone unit on HS Series slicers as dishwasher safe. Confirm the same for older models before running them through a cycle, since housings differ by generation.

What is the difference between the grinding stone and truing stone?

The grinding stone removes metal and forms the edge bevel, which raises a burr. The truing stone removes that burr and polishes the edge afterward.

Can I sharpen other blades on a Hobart slicer sharpener?

No. The stones and geometry are built for the slicer blade only. Stone assemblies from other brands follow the same rule, and our look at how the Bizerba stone assembly compares shows the same matched to one machine design.

Where can I find more general shop sharpening guidance?

Browse more shop equipment maintenance guides for care and sharpening advice on tools beyond slicers.