New Lansky TurnBox Sharpener: Simple Rod Sharpening, Now with a Built-In Strop

For a lot of people, the hardest part of sharpening is holding the knife at a consistent angle.

That is where the Lansky TurnBox has always made sense. Instead of expecting you to have mastered holding an angle freehand, the TurnBox gives you a wood base with preset angle holes. Set the rods in the base, hold the knife straight up and down, and draw the edge along the rods. The sharpening angle is built into the sharpener.

Lansky has now added two new versions of this familiar system: the 4-Rod Ceramic TurnBox with Leather Strop and the 4-Rod Diamond/Ceramic TurnBox with Leather Strop. Both keep the compact, easy-to-use design of the original TurnBox, but add an important finishing step: a leather strop with polishing compound.

That makes these sharpeners more complete than a basic rod system. You can sharpen, refine, and strop the edge with one compact kit.

Why the TurnBox Design Works

The abrasive rods stand upright at fixed angles. Your job is to keep the knife vertical as you draw the edge down the rods.

With a flat stone, you have to control the angle. With the TurnBox, the rods controls the angle, allowing you to concentrate on using the correct pressure and your stroke. The system removes one of the biggest beginner frustrations.

The TurnBox also stores well. The rods fit inside the wood base, making it easy to keep in a kitchen drawer, toolbox, camp kit, or hunting pack.

The use of abrasive rods also means you can sharpen a wide range of blade shapes, including curved edges like pruning knives. 

Two Angle Options: 20° and 25°

The new Lansky TurnBox include two preset sharpening angles: 20° and 25°.

The 20° setting is the sharper, lower-angle option. It is a good choice for knives where slicing performance matters, such as kitchen knives, fillet knives, paring knives, and similar blades.

The 25° setting creates a more durable edge. It is often a better choice for hunting knives, utility knives, camping knives, and other blades that may see rougher use.

You can use either angle from start to finish, or you can use the two angles together to create a small micro-bevel. For example, you could sharpen lightly at 20° and then finish with a few strokes at 25° to add durability at the very edge.

What the New Strop Adds

The biggest update on these new TurnBox models is the included leather strop and polishing compound.

Stropping is the final finishing step after sharpening. Once the edge has been formed and refined, the strop helps clean up the apex, remove remaining burr, and polish the very edge.

This is especially useful for beginners because it builds a better habit into the process. A knife does not become truly sharp just because it has been rubbed on an abrasive. The edge needs to be brought together at the apex, refined, and cleaned up. The included strop gives users a simple way to do that.

A few light strokes on the strop after the rods can make the edge feel smoother and sharper in use.

Lansky 4-Rod Ceramic TurnBox with Leather Strop

The ceramic version includes four ceramic rods: two medium brown rods and two fine white rods.

This is the better choice for regular edge maintenance. If your knives are not badly dull, the medium ceramic rods can refresh the edge, and the fine ceramic rods can refine it. After that, the strop provides the final polish.

This model makes the most sense for someone who wants to keep kitchen knives, pocket knives, or light-use outdoor knives sharp with regular touch-ups.

It is not the fastest choice for a knife that has been neglected for a long time. Ceramic rods remove metal more slowly than diamond rods, which is fine for maintenance but less ideal for heavy edge restoration.

Choose the ceramic TurnBox if:

• Your knives are usually kept in decent condition

• You want a simple maintenance sharpener

• You prefer a less aggressive sharpening system

• You want an easy sharpener for quick touch-ups

Lansky 4-Rod Diamond/Ceramic TurnBox with Leather Strop

The diamond/ceramic version includes two medium-grit diamond rods and two fine white ceramic rods.

This is the more versatile version because the diamond rods remove metal faster. That makes the first stage more effective when a knife is dull, when the steel is harder, or when the edge needs more work before it can be refined.

After the diamond rods establish the edge, the ceramic rods smooth and refine it. Then the strop finishes the edge.

This model is likely the better choice for many users because it can handle more than just light maintenance. It is still a compact, simple TurnBox sharpener, but the diamond rods give it more bite.

Choose the diamond/ceramic TurnBox if:

• Your knives sometimes get fairly dull before you sharpen them

• You want faster sharpening than ceramic alone
  

• You want one compact system for sharpening, refining, and stropping

• You are buying your first angle-guided sharpener and want more flexibility

Which One Should You Choose?

If you mostly need to maintain knives that are already reasonably sharp, choose the Ceramic TurnBox with Leather Strop. It is simple, compact, and well suited to regular touch-ups.

If you want the more capable option, choose the Diamond/Ceramic TurnBox with Leather Strop. The diamond rods make it better for duller edges and faster sharpening, while the ceramic rods and strop still give you a refined finish.

For most people buying a first TurnBox, the diamond/ceramic version is the safer recommendation. It can do the lighter maintenance work, but it also has the extra cutting speed when a knife needs more help.

How to Use a Lansky TurnBox

Using the TurnBox is straightforward.

Start by placing the rods in the angle holes you want to use. Put the base on a stable surface. Hold the knife straight up and down, with the edge facing the rod. Starting near the heel of the blade, draw the knife down and toward you so the edge moves along the rod from heel to tip.

Alternate sides as you work. Use light pressure. Let the rods do the work.

If you are using the ceramic model, start with the medium rods, then move to the fine rods. If you are using the diamond/ceramic model, start with the diamond rods when the knife needs more sharpening, then move to the ceramic rods.

Once the edge has been sharpened and refined, finish with the leather strop. Use light trailing strokes, moving the edge away from the cutting direction. Do not push the edge into the leather.

What the TurnBox Is Best At

The Lansky TurnBox is best for people who want sharpening to be simple, compact, and repeatable.

It is a good fit for:

• Easy knife touch-ups

• Beginners learning angle control

• Anyone who wants a small sharpener that stores easily

It is not meant to replace every sharpening tool. If you need to repair chips, completely reprofile an edge, or sharpen very large tools, you may want a bench stone, guided sharpening system, or more aggressive sharpener. But for regular knife sharpening and maintenance, the TurnBox is a very approachable option.

A Simple Sharpener That Now Feels More Complete

The Lansky TurnBox has always been popular because it makes angle control easier. These new versions improve the system by adding a strop and compound, giving users a more complete sharpening progression in one compact kit.

The ceramic version is a simple maintenance sharpener for knives that are already in decent shape.

The diamond/ceramic version is the more versatile choice for faster sharpening and duller knives.

Both are easy to store, easy to understand, and easy to recommend to anyone who wants a straightforward way to keep knives sharp without learning freehand sharpening first.