To my way of thinking, pass thru sharpeners of any kind are quicky touch up use items only.

The one biggest mistake most people make (Yes, I did it myself in the begining and learned ever so slowly.) is to put too much pressure on the knife when passing it through in an attempt to get a sharp edge instantly. Think of it as a small butchers steel that you gently guide the blade through several times.

The angle presented by the sharpening edges will not work as well for all knives, but I believe the watchwords are "LIGHT OR NO PRESSURE, MULTIPLE PASSES for TOUCH UP ONLY. I like pass thrus for the ease of use and their compact size, but my portable sharpener is a small fine carbodum stone with personally supplied saliva. At home, I have an two-sided Arkansa stone with honing oil in a wood holder that my nephew bought me one Christmas long ago when he was a sales manager for REI.

Unless I am planning on cutting my way thru massive undergrowth where I am going to put a machete thru a lot of use, the pass thru and a fine grit stone are all I need as I will always be going home in a few days where the big stones, and if necessary electric grinder are.

Bountyhunter