There are lots of knife sharpeners in the market, but most of them don't work properly (except for sharpening machines). However, there are many ways you can sharpen a knife. This article will show you the most common mistakes in knife sharpening.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Using a Sharpening Stone or Gemstones
Step 1. Select a knife angle to sharpen
You probably already know the sharp angle of the knife, and it's best to sharpen at this point again. Sharpening the knife at different angles will make the process much longer, and you will need more effort until the rough parts can be smoothed out.
- You can also ask the knife manufacturer or the dealer at the knife shop about the right angle for your knife.
- If you haven't already made up your mind, choose an angle of 10° - 30° on each side. A gentler angle will make sharp edges less durable, on the other hand, a steeper angle will make sharp edges more durable. Thus, an angle of 17° - 20° is the ideal choice between the two.
Step 2. Coat the whetstone or gemstone with a small amount of mineral oil
Look for honing oil, a kind of mild mineral oil. Grinding oil and lubricant are applied to the grindstone to make it easier for the blade to pass through the stone, while preventing steel chips (sharpening waste) from clogging the stone pores.
Check the whetstone manual for lubrication. The most common whetstone is carborundum which is designed to be used in both wet and dry conditions, but will crumble when oiled. There are some stones that are specifically designed to be oiled, and are generally labeled as "oil stones"
Step 3. Use the tilt adjustment tool to control the edge angle, if any
This tool is an anvil at the bottom of the knife which aims to maintain a constant angle while rubbing the knife on the stone surface. Otherwise, you'll have to control the angle by hand, which is quite difficult and requires good angle estimation.
One of the most difficult aspects of sharpening a knife is getting the angle right. To make the process a little easier, mark the very ends on both sides of the knife with a marker. Then, when sharpening see if the marker streaks are erased
Step 4. Start with the rough side of the rock
Pay attention to the rough side of the stone, or look at the packaging of the stone. In general, whetstones and gemstones have different types of sand on either side. The rough side is used for hone steel, while the smooth side is used for sharpen or hone knife. The grinding process is done first, so you start from the rough side of the stone.
Step 5. To get a symmetrical edge of the knife, sharpen it by pulling the knife in the direction opposite to the direction of the knife when using it for slicing stones
This way, the burrs will form, and the whetstone can be used longer.
Step 6. Continue grinding at this angle until the stone is about half the thickness of the blade steel
It doesn't have to be exact, just approximate. For single-sided stones ("Scandy Grinder", "chisel grinder", etc.), do not turn the blade over as described in this article.
Step 7. Flip the knife and sharpen the other side of the knife until you create a new edge
The easiest way to determine that the scrap metal is suitable to be sharp is until you lift it bristles, namely the natural formation of steel when one slope is eroded until it meets another slope.
The burrs are generally too small to see, but you can feel them scraping against your finger if you slide your finger (from the blunt side of the knife to the sharp) across the edge of the knife. Finer stones will produce smaller burrs
Step 8. Turn the stone over and start sharpening the other side of the knife, this time using the smooth side
Your goal is to smooth and remove any gum that forms after sharpening the knife on the rough side. This will make the even edge of the knife thinner and sharpened.
Step 9. Flip the knife and start sharpening one side of the knife against the smooth side of the stone
Again, make sure you are sharpening both sides of the knife on the smooth side of the stone.
Step 10. Sharpen both sides of the knife alternately on the smooth side of the stone
Sharpen one side of the knife once, then turn it over, and sharpen the other side. Do this several times for best results.
Step 11. If desired, polish or rub the edge of the knife against the strop for desired sharpness
This makes the knife edge more suitable for "stab cutting" (cutting by pushing straight down without a slicing motion) but will generally impair slicing ability: without the "microscopic serrations" created by grinding with a stone, the knife is less likely to grip objects such as leather. tomatoes.
Method 2 of 3: Using a Sharpening Rod (Sharpening Steel)
Step 1. Use a sharpening rod in between sharpening so that the sharpness of the knife does not decrease
Sharpening rods, or often simply "steel" are not usually used to sharpen dull knives, but are used to keep knives sharp between uses.
- Regular use of a sharpening rod can delay the need to use a sharpening stone or gem. This is a good thing because the use of whetstones and gems will scrape the metal off the edge of the blade thereby shortening its life. The less you use the whetstone, the longer your knife will last.
- What is the use of a sharpening rod? The sharpening rod realigns the metal on the blade, eliminating minor nicks, indentations, and flat spots. Compared to a whetstone, a sharpening rod does not erode the metallic coating of the blade.
Step 2. Hold the sharpening rod with your left hand
The bar should be held at a comfortable angle facing away from the body. The end of the rod should be higher than the handle of the rod.
Step 3. Hold the knife firmly with your right hand
Four fingers should hold the handle, while the thumb should be placed on the handle of the knife, away from the edge of the knife.
Step 4. Hold the knife about 20° from the sharpening rod
Angles don't need to be exact, just approximate. Whatever angle you choose, be sure to keep it constant throughout the sharpening process. Angles that change during the sharpening process don't smooth metal as much as consistent angles.
Step 5. Keeping an angle of 20°, move the knife over the center of the sharpening rod
The movement begins with the base of the knife touching the stem and ends with the tip of the knife touching the stem.
To master this process, you'll need to move your arms, hands, and wrists. The most important part is moving the wrist. Otherwise, you won't be able to sweep the entire blade - base to tip - along the sharpening rod
Step 6. Keeping the angle of 20°, move the knife down the center of the sharpening rod
Using the same strokes from the forearm, hand, and wrist, gently move the knife down the center of the stem. Use as much pressure as the weight of the blade itself. After completing the up and down sweep, you have done one session.
Step 7. Perform 6-8 sessions with a sharpening stick before the knife is ready to use
Method 3 of 3: Using a Coffee Cup for Quick Results
Step 1. Place an old coffee cup upside down so that the bottom of the cup is on top
In an emergency, a coffee cup can serve as a very effective sharpening tool. The ceramic cup material is rough enough to get a good sharpening result. Some sharpening rods even use a ceramic material to keep the blade sharpened between sharpening.
Step 2. Keeping an angle of 20°, sweep one side of the knife across the sandy bottom surface of the cup several times
Step 3. Keeping the angle of 20°, repeat the process for the other side of the blade
Step 4. Alternate the blade in two or three final strokes
Take one side of the knife and slide it across the cup, then turn the knife and slide it on the opposite side. Repeat this pattern several times.
Step 5. Complete the process with 6-8 swipes of the blade on the sharpening rod
Smooth out any burrs or indentations in the metal with a few swipes on the sharpening rod.
Tips
- Electric powered grinding wheels and stones should be used with care. The heat generated by the stone when grinding can heat (soften) the steel, causing the blade to dull quickly during use.
- Cheap stainless kitchen knives will dull quickly, but this is not due to your poor sharpening technique. Knives can be sharpened but will very quickly become dull. The reason is because the blade edge is made of soft steel. Use a steeper sharpening angle or a knife with a harder steel.
- Some experts suggest grinding techniques such as slicing a thin layer or sticker out of stone. Don't do this if you are inexperienced. This advice generally doesn't work well because most people don't hold the knife at the right angle when doing it. You instinctively lift the knife until you feel and see the edges rubbing together. In fact, this will make the angle of the knife edge widen and over time thicken the angle of the knife, resulting in reduced knife sharpness. Thus, the more often you sharpen the knife, the duller it will become.
- The grinding process is best done with a lubricant to keep the stone free of particles. Use a sharpening oil with a neutral oil such as mineral oil, or rinse the stone with water. Once you decide to sharpen with oil, you can't switch to water.
Warning
- Do not pull your fingertips on the edge of a freshly sharpened knife to ensure a sharp knife. To test the knife, cut a piece of newsprint that you hold gently with your two fingers.
- If the metal layer of the blade doesn't lift off enough when sharpening, some spots on the edges will dull. Dull blades (or blades with dull spots or nicks) will reflect light from the edge of the blade. The razor's sharp edge will not show a "bright spot" when you hold it under bright light. You'll need to lift enough of the metal layer on the beveled side of the knife that it no longer reflects the light.
- Do not flush the whetstone with water. The pores of the whetstone will clog and become useless for sharpening.
- Always be careful with freshly sharpened knives (and all knives in general). Knives are one of the causes of accidents at home
