I bought a knife sharpener at a flea market on Big Pine Key years ago and I love it. It is quite small and fits in my utensil drawer. It has 2 wheels overlapping each other and I just wet my knife and run it through the space between the 2 wheels and I get a sharp knife every time. I know what you mean about nicking yourself as I have done that twice this month and once was slicing fresh strawberries.