this company---www.lpsharp.com, offers an 'exchange' program---you send them your dull, nicked blades, they send you new, sharp blades for much less $$ than buying new in the stores- you can exchange in 'lots' of 10 blades. solves the old problem---what to do with the old-used blades---and keeps you supplied in new ones. over the years I have (wasted) my money on a couple different sharpeners---both were Very Dangerous to use and only bought me a few more cuts before the blade was dull again--I do not know how the electric one is to use-but the manual ones are just plain scary- when I compare the price of stitches & an urgent care visit to the cost of a new blade I go with the new blade every time.