This is a pull-through sharpener built around two hardened steel wheels rather than an abrasive stone. The wheels are set at a fixed angle in the body, so the bevel you get is the same on the first pull and the fortieth, and there is no technique to learn or angle to hold.
Set it on the counter, hold the knife vertical, and draw the blade back through the wheels a few times before you start cooking. It works on the straight-edged knives in the drawer and is the difference between a knife that slides off a tomato and one that starts the cut on contact. It will not sharpen serrated edges.
Rada Mfg. Co. has been making cutlery in Waverly, Iowa since 1948, and grinds and assembles every blade at that plant.
