With only two stages of blade sharpening, the Chef's Choice 310 Diamond Hone could be over-matched by genuinely worn knives. If your knives are still in reasonably good shape, the two high-speed honing disc systems in the 310 should do an excellent job of restoring an edge. Major repairs could be handled better by a larger machine with a coarser set of wheels.
The Chef's Choice uses a helpful magnetic guide system to ensure that uncertain users pull the blade through the orbiting honing discs at the right angle. With the flat of the blade securely held by the magnetic guides, there's no reason to deviate from the factory set angle. Most users will find that satisfactory. Suction cup feet hold the machine to the countertop and add to the stability and the accuracy. A light touch and a straight pull help avoid problems.
The diamond-coated honing plates polish the steel with such efficiency that blades shouldn't overheat, but to be sure of that, use the good habits you'd learn from a stone grinding wheel and keep the blade moving steadily through the 301. Let the machine do the work, even if progress seems slow. The closer the original bevel of the knife is to the shape that the Chef's Choice 310 produces, the faster the work will go. Once a set of knives is tuned up by this machine, touch-up is fast and easy. Honing plates could eventually wear out, but for a small fee Chef's Choice will replace them.
According to the manufacturer, the fine side of the 310 also hones and resets the tips of the teeth on serrated blades. That might take some practice. I'd recommend trying an inexpensive serrated blade in it first -- maybe a cheap steak knife -- and judge those results before trying it on your best bread knife.
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