When preparing food, you must use sharp knives. Of course, it’s easier to contact a specialist who can sharpen a knife correctly quickly and for little money, but you can do it yourself.
It is necessary to sharpen a knife according to certain rules, otherwise you can damage the blade.
Correct knife sharpening angle
When sharpening kitchen knives, it is important that the objects are in a certain position in relation to work surface. To do this, you need to choose the correct sharpening angle.
This parameter depends on many factors, for example, the type and level of strength of the metal from which the blade is made, as well as the purpose for which this tool is used. So, the degree of sharpening for different types knives:
- scalpel and razor blade - from 10 to 15 degrees;
- vegetable, meat and fish knives - from 15 to 20 degrees;
- other chef's utensils - from 20 to 25 degrees;
- hunting blades – 25–30 degrees.
It is important to choose the right sharpening angle, this is necessary to achieve the desired sharpness kitchen appliance.
What grit size is needed for sharpening knives?
When sharpening blades, special stones are used. Their surface is an abrasive consisting of grains of different sizes. The grain size of the stone depends on this indicator. Devices for adding spice are divided into the following groups:
- the most coarse-grained (especially coarse material);
- regular coarse-grained;
- medium grain;
- fine-grained (delicate abrasive);
- micro-grained (material of increased fineness).
How to sharpen a knife correctly? Good master knows that using only one type of stone is ineffective. According to the rules, sharpening is performed alternately, moving from coarse-grained and rough stones to delicate, thin stones.
How to sharpen knives on a sharpening machine
Use of the machine is considered effective way sharpening, however, the mechanism is cumbersome, and for this reason not every home has it. But if you have the opportunity to use it to sharpen dull kitchen appliances, you should know some of the intricacies of this work:
Please note that you will need a lot of time to work. In addition, those who do not have sufficient experience in this matter should not undertake sharpening on a machine.
How to properly sharpen knives with sandpaper
If you have some experience and know how emery works, sharpening knives will not be difficult for you. So, when sharpening blades on sandpaper, adhere to the following rules:
- When applying the blade to the abrasive, you should not apply large mechanical forces;
- the trajectory of rotation of the abrasive should be in the direction from the butt to the edge;
- the knife on the emery is moved across the circle, smoothly moving from the handle of the device to the tip of the blade;
- When sharpening on both sides, you cannot change the angle of fixation of the blade, you just need to move it to the other side;
- At the end of the work, straighten the knife with a block, musat or sandpaper.
Of course, real craftsmen prefer sharpening by hand, which allows you to achieve maximum effect. But if we are not talking about giving the blade a scalpel sharpness, but simply making it quite sharp, using sandpaper will achieve decent results.
How to sharpen kitchen knives with a sharpener
Today you can purchase special devices for sharpening knives - these are blade sharpeners. These devices are either mechanical or electrical. If you are not very experienced or have not tried sharpening knives at all yourself, it is better to use the electric option.
This sharpener independently selects the sharpening angle, and is used to sharpen any type of household blade. The work is done like this:
Once you follow these steps, you no longer have to worry about ruining your knife. The sharpener will do the work on its own, and you will get a wonderfully sharp blade. This best way achieve the desired sharpness of a kitchen appliance at home.
How to use a round disc knife sharpener
There are various devices for sharpening knives, including sharpeners with round discs. The difference is that the sharpening material in this case is a special rotating roller that grinds the cutting surface at an angle of 45 degrees.
The main advantage of such devices is that after sharpening there is no burr left on the blade, and the work is done simply. In addition, tools sharpened with roller sharpeners stay sharp much longer than with V-shaped tools.
Most often, such sharpeners are suitable not only for knives, but also for scissors.
How to sharpen Damascus steel knives
Damascus steel knives have been popular at all times; they are considered the most durable, and their sharpness cannot be compared with anything else. But even this material tends to become dull.
It is important to know that no electric sharpeners can be used here, you only need manual processing. When sharpening a Damascus steel knife, you must adhere to the following principles:
- First, determine the strength of the metal. This can be done by paying attention to the sharpening angle; the stronger the material, the sharper it will be.
- Use fine-grained abrasives, gradually moving to micro-coatings.
- Sharpen the blade only lengthwise cutting surface.
- If there are nicks, the edge must be ground along its entire length.
- If the bevels need to be polished, this must be done before the cutting edge is sharpened. If you process an already sharpened blade, the tip may simply become rounded.
If you are not sure that you will do everything correctly, it is better not to risk it and contact a specialist.
Is it possible to sharpen a knife without a stone?
It happens that a knife needs urgent sharpening, and suitable tools No. But don’t worry, you can solve the problem in the following ways:
This will allow you to briefly sharpen a dull device, but such methods cannot be called full-fledged sharpening. Remember that it is better to save these measures for extreme cases and not to use them constantly, otherwise the blades will quickly become unusable.
How to sharpen a knife on a knife
What should you do if your blade becomes dull and you don’t have a whetstone or an electric sharpener at hand? Sharpen your knife on your knife! Perform this procedure like this:
- apply the cutting surface of the dull blade to the back of another knife;
- take the tools so that you sharpen “from yourself”, that is, the cutting edges should be directed to the sides;
- perform 10-15 vigorous strokes, rubbing one blade against the other.
This will briefly “revive” a dull knife, however, such a procedure is not a full-fledged sharpening.
How to sharpen a knife to razor sharpness
Almost any blade can be given a razor sharpness. To achieve this, use one of the methods below:
When working, be careful not to get injured in the form of a cut or damage the blade.
How to sharpen a serrated knife
If you have serrated knives in your kitchen, then you need to know that these utensils cannot be sharpened with regular sharpeners. To make this version of the cutting surface sharp, you need to do the following:
- Prepare a special tool for serrated blades, namely a cone-shaped sharpening rod, preferably made of ceramic.
- Determine the side on which the beveled teeth are located and sharpen this part of the blade.
- Place the sharpening device at an angle to the beveled part of the blade.
- Sharpen each depression with several movements, moving the blade in the direction “away from you.”
- Remove any burrs that have formed using sandpaper or the same rod, only do not press on the surface, but act gently.
- Sharpen the smooth side of the blade with a suitable tool.
Remember that you cannot use a rod that you use to trim the serrated surfaces on the side of the blade where they are missing, otherwise you will ruin the knife.
It is believed that every man needs to have an idea of how to sharpen a knife to razor sharp. However, despite the apparent simplicity of this process, absolutely not everyone can cope with such a task. And the reason is not the lack of skills to hold the blades at the right angles, but the special knowledge that is passed on from generation to generation. But in fact, every person can sharpen a knife correctly; the main thing is to have a correct understanding of the product, sharpening tools and the properties of the material from which it is made. This article will discuss all these important aspects, and also secrets are revealed about how it is actually carried out razor sharpening knives.
What you need to know about knives
For good owners, any knife used in everyday life should be sharp and sharpened, like a razor. It has always been this way, since ancient times. In this regard, for many men, observing such traditions is a mandatory aspect. Of course, regular sharpening takes a lot of time, but thanks to this, unprecedented sharpness of the kitchen appliance is achieved.
But you shouldn’t consider sharpening only under the prism of some abstract traditions. Any chef can confirm that a sharp knife significantly speeds up the preparation of any dish. It is easy and comfortable to work with such devices; your hands do not get tired at all when chopping meat or vegetable preparations.
Moreover, it is safer to work with a knife sharpened like a razor. Yes it's true! When working with a dull blade, there is a possibility of the blade slipping and moving to the side. Fright is the least dangerous thing that can happen. The risk of causing a serious cut not only to yourself, but also to those around you cannot be ruled out.
Even though the knife does not have razor sharpness, it still remains a dangerous and traumatic device.
In order to sharpen a knife sharply, it is necessary to take into account the hardness of the steel from which the blade is made. However, for each knife these values will be different. It is extremely important to know them, since it is the hardness of the steel that determines the angle of sharpening. These parameters are measured in special units, and you can find out the real hardness indicators using special equipment, which is located in the relevant laboratories. The standard in most cases for knives is the range from 45 to 60 hardness units (HRC), measured according to the Rockwell method. It has been proven that soft and hard types of steel require constant sharpening, since blades from the first wear out quickly, and from the second they crumble.
Why do knives become dull?
This is a fairly serious and common problem even if the steel has required parameters hardness Why then does its razor sharpness lose so quickly after sharpening?
The reasons are completely different. It is worth noting the first and main one, that regardless of the hardness of the blade material, when using it, it is one way or another subject to third-party influence. The frictional force acts on the blade in such a way that it leads to the separation of microscopic particles from the base, which causes its gradual destruction. In particular, it is impossible to constantly maintain the “ideal position” (contact of the cutting edge with the plane at optimal angles) when using a knife. The occurrence of loads has a destructive effect on the metal product, which entails a loss of razor sharpness.
But due to the microscopic nature of the process, it is quite difficult to check the sharpness of the product. The first signal of its dullness is the increasing effort that a person makes in the process of cutting an object using such a knife. You can find out whether the device has lost its sharpness even by eye: the dull part of the blade has a polished appearance and signs of a characteristic shine. In the presence of such defects, we can talk about the need that it is time to sharpen the blade like a razor. To give the process maximum efficiency need to take care of correct selection suitable tools.
Selecting a sharpening tool
To bring the blade to the required sharpness, you need to choose the right materials and tools for sharpening it. Among them are:
- sharpening stones;
- musats;
- electric sharpening machines;
- abrasive machines;
- grinding machines;
- mechanical sharpeners;
- electric sharpeners.
To understand the features of each of them, you should consider them in turn. Sharpening stones are ancient tools that can truly make a knife razor sharp. Experienced craftsmen are aware of the existence various types sharpening whetstones, which have different grain sizes (the smallest abrasive particles that make up such whetstones), different hardness and density.
If you need to sharpen the knife as efficiently as possible and grind the blade, you will need to use at least two sharpening stones. The first one should have large grains, the second - small ones. You can find out by looking at their markings or less accurately determining the difference by eye.
Musats, as well as mechanical sharpeners, belong to kitchen life. They are used not so much to sharpen knives as to sharpen them, to remove microchips and impart minimal razor sharpness for a short period of time. It is enough to operate the device a couple of times and the blade will begin to become dull again, since grinders and sharpeners do not have the desired effect on the steel surface of the product.
Electric sharpeners save a person from using significant physical effort when sharpening blades, but they also do not provide full sharpness. Special sharpening and grinding machines will help in as soon as possible give knives their cutting properties, but the disadvantage of such equipment is the overhead and unsafeness of storing and using them at home. Such machines generate dust, are quite noisy and energy-consuming. But thanks to them, any knife can be provided with the necessary sharpness quickly, efficiently and with minimal effort.
Experts recommend not to engage in such work on your own using machine tool sharpening equipment if you do not have the proper experience in the field of sharpening tools. There is a possibility of not only final damage to the blade on the knife due to overheating or failure to correct angles sharpening, but also the risk of dangerous injury due to improper handling of the equipment.
Video “How to sharpen a hunting knife at home”
How to sharpen correctly
To do everything according to technology, you need to understand how the blade sharpening process should take place. So, we come to the most important question: how to sharpen correctly so that the blade reaches razor sharpness?
You can get razor sharpness if you are patient in this matter. Processing process metal products requires a certain amount of time: to get best result will have to spend large quantity time. To make the knife sharp, like a razor, you need to spend about 30 minutes on intensive sharpening.
We will use the classic method of sharpening, using sharpening stones. Abrasives should be placed on a flat surface (table or workbench), and there should also be a rough cloth or fleecy material underneath them. This will make the main task easier, since the block will not fidget and you will not need to hold it with your hand.
The knife is sharpened in such a way that it cuts through the entire abrasive. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the cutting edge of the blade is always perpendicular to the longitudinal axes on the block. In reality, it looks like this: the blade has a curved surface, and thus, during movement, the knife must be turned so that its sections are at right angles to the axes of the abrasive materials.
During the entire working process, the metal blade must be held at the same angle to the surface of the sharpener.
The value of this angle should be from 20 to 25 degrees; it is optimal for the cutting edges of knives. Knives that are designed to chop and slice meat should have a sharper cutting edge. By maintaining a constant angle while processing metal blades, you can sharpen absolutely any type of steel to maximum level wit.
The blades must run their entire length on the bars, and for this there is absolutely no need to apply much effort. If too much pressure is applied, the material may collapse and its integral surface may be damaged, which will lead to difficulty and delay in the sharpening process.
After a thin, uneven edge appears on the knife blade, you can perform the next step and change the coarse bar to one with less abrasive. Having completed uniform sharpening, it is necessary to consolidate the obtained result by grinding.
We polish the knife
Grinding is the final step in the process of sharpening a knife, which will then give it a sharp edge. To perform the work, special grinding stones are used, which have a fairly fine abrasive grain. Its surface feels like a velvety surface, but in reality, this grinding abrasive can make a knife blade so sharp that it will rival even the best razors.
What is the main purpose of grinding? Thanks to it, the cutting edge not only acquires the desired property, but also firmly secures it. It is noticed that polished metal surfaces They don't break down as much as regular ones. As a result of this property, pungency will be preserved for as long as possible.
When grinding, the same principles should be taken into account as when sharpening a knife. Each movement must be uniform and measured, the position of the blade must be perpendicular to the axes of the bars, the inclined angles of the sharpened steel to the abrasives must have a constant value. And you shouldn't do the work with unnecessary effort. If the steel is leveled gradually in layers, razor sharpness will eventually be achieved.
In conclusion, I would like to note that all this can be mastered, but you definitely need a practical skill, which you can get if you wish. And based on the acquired knowledge of any owner, the knives in the house will always be sharp and sharpened.
Video “How to properly sharpen a knife to razor sharpness”
It is difficult to imagine professional cooking without good and sharp knives. A set of knives is the main shrine of any chef and this fact is dictated by practice. However, even if you collect a small collection of knives for different occasions, you will not solve the problem of their sharpness. The fineness of food processing depends on it, and it is better to maintain it yourself. If you still have a knife in your kitchen, immediately throw it in the trash because it is completely useless and learn to sharpen the knife yourself - you can make sure that there is nothing complicated about it.
Grindstone
Today you may have problems buying a good sharpening stone - they were once sold in any store, but are now quite rare. However, if you do find such a stone, take care of it, because this thing can be passed on by inheritance. Sharpening stones can be of varying degrees of coarseness. The hardest stones are designed for the most aggressive sharpening; for household use, a medium-grain ceramic block will be sufficient. Metal grinders are often used to sharpen large kitchen knives, but we recommend mastering knife sharpening primarily on stones.
Factory sharpening
All knives are already factory sharpened and in most cases the user is only required to maintain the sharpness of the cutting edge. In order to do this correctly, you need to understand the angle of the cutting edge of the knife. You need to sharpen the knife while trying to maintain this angle. Sharpening at a different angle will take much longer and may damage the blade more quickly.
Correct angle
The sharpening range of the knife should be within an angle of 10 to 30 degrees. The larger the angle, the faster with the knife will need sharpening again. One of the most difficult moments When sharpening knives, it is important to maintain the selected angle. The correct mechanics of movements when sharpening will help you achieve progress.
Hand movements
To make your sharpening more effective, you should make an arcing motion when touching the blade and the stone. Synchronizing this movement and maintaining the angle is the key to success in sharpening a knife. Beginners are advised to place a coin under the back of the blade to maintain the required angle.
Water and oil
Achieve more efficient sharpening A drop of oil added to a sharpening stone will help. Special mineral oil is best suited for this, but olive oil will do just fine - its job is to lubricate the blade for better glide. However, many people sharpen knives using only water, wetting the stone from time to time.
Strive for imperfection
Many of those who try to sharpen a knife themselves try to bring the blade to a perfect razor sharpness. Such a blade will easily cut paper, but in the case of food, it will quickly become dull and require editing. A rougher and chipped edge of the knife contributes to an additional effect on the fibers of the product, that is, such a knife also acquires the properties of a saw. A coarse sharpening is best suited for meat, vegetables and most other products; in the case of fish, a fine razor sharpening will benefit.
It is believed that every man should know how to sharpen a knife to razor sharpness. But despite the apparent simplicity of the operation, not everyone masters this art. And it’s not a matter of the ability to hold the blade at the right angle, but knowledge is passed on from generation to generation in the strictest secrecy. In order to properly sharpen a knife, you need to know something about both the knife itself and sharpening tool, and about the materials from which our knife is made. Below we will tell our readers about all this. Well, and, of course, we will reveal the secrets of sharpening mastery.
To use a knife safely, it must be properly sharpened.
A few words about knives
A good owner should always have all the knives in the house as sharp as a razor. This has been the case for a long time. Therefore, many men try to follow the tradition, regularly spending a lot of time trying to achieve unprecedented sharpness from a bread knife.
A sharp knife significantly speeds up the process of working in the kitchen.
But sharpening should be considered not only as a tribute to some abstract traditions. Any chef will confirm that sharp knife speeds up the cooking process several times. In addition, it is easy to work with; your hand does not get tired of chopping meat or vegetables.
And the knife, sharpened like a razor, makes work in the kitchen safe. Yes exactly! A dull blade can move to the side, followed by a hand slipping. And, in best case scenario, everything will turn out to be a fright. At worst, you can seriously injure yourself or touch someone present nearby. After all, even a knife that does not have razor sharpness remains sharp, especially its tip.
Before you start sharpening knives, you should find out the hardness of the steel from which the blade of each of them is made. The fact is that the hardness of the steel determines at what angle the sharpening will be carried out. This parameter is measured in special units, and hardness can only be determined in laboratory conditions using special equipment. The standard for most knives is 45-60 Rockwell hardness (HRC). Both soft and hard steel will have to be sharpened all the time, because the first will constantly wear out, and the second will crumble.
Why does the knife get dull?
The question is serious. If the steel has the required hardness, why then does the knife become dull and not maintain its sharpness, like a razor?
The effort when cutting food is a sign of sharpening the knife.
There are several reasons. First: no matter how hard the material is, during use it is subject to third-party influences. Under the influence of friction, microscopic metal particles are torn off from the main body, and the sharp edge is gradually destroyed. In addition, it is impossible to constantly hold the knife in the so-called “ideal position”, when the cutting edge of the knife is in contact with the surface underneath. optimal angle. The resulting loads have a destructive effect on the metal. As a result, the razor sharpness is lost.
But since this process can be called microscopic, it is not possible to immediately understand whether the knife has lost its sharpness, like a razor. The first signal can be the increasing force that has to be applied to cutting something with such a knife. The loss of sharpness can also be determined by eye: the dull areas on the blade look as if they have been polished, they have a characteristic shine.
This means it’s time to sharpen the blade like a razor. To make the process as effective as possible, you should choose the right tool.
Choosing a sharpening tool
In order to bring the blade to the required sharpness, you should select the right material for sharpening it. It could be:
- whetstone;
- Musat;
- electric sharpening machine;
- abrasive machine;
- grinding machine;
- mechanical sharpener;
- electric sharpener
You can use a special whetstone to sharpen knives.
Let's look at each of them separately. A sharpening stone is an ancient tool designed to make a knife as sharp as a razor. Experienced craftsmen know that in fact there are many bars, with different sizes grains (smallest abrasive particle, from which the block itself consists), of different hardness and density. In order to sharpen a blade efficiently and then polish it, you need two whetstones. One with large grains, the other with small grains. This can be determined by special markings, but you can also see the difference between such bars by eye.
Musat, as well as a mechanical sharpener, is a kitchen accessory. With its help, knives are not sharpened, but rather corrected, removing microchips and restoring the sharpness of razors for a while. This time is short, since the grinding stone and the sharpener do not act on the steel at a sufficient level.
An electric sharpener saves us from exerting physical effort to sharpen the blade, but it is also not able to return it to razor sharpness.
Special sharpening and grinding machines can quickly return a knife to its cutting properties, but the trouble is that keeping such equipment at home is expensive and dangerous. The machine generates a lot of dust and noise, while taking a fair amount of electricity. But with its help you can give any knife any sharpness you want in a short time and without much effort.
But experts advise not to take up work for sharpening machines, if you don’t have experience working at least as a toolmaker. You can hopelessly ruin the blade on a knife by overheating it or sharpening it at the wrong angle.
How to sharpen
An electric sharpener is very convenient for sharpening knives.
So, we come to the most important question: how to sharpen correctly so that the blade reaches razor sharpness?
The main thing is to be patient. Processing steel takes time than more results we want to achieve, the longer it will take. In order for the knife to be operated like a razor, it will take at least 30 minutes of hard work.
Let's consider the classic method of sharpening using a sharpening stone. The abrasive should be placed on a flat surface (a table or workbench in a workshop) and a coarse cloth or fleecy material should be placed under it. This will make the work process easier, since the block will not fidget and you won’t have to hold it with your hand all the time.
The knives are sharpened by making passes along the entire length of the abrasive. In this case, you need to ensure that the cutting edge of the blade is always in a perpendicular position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the block. In practice, it looks like this: the blade has a curved surface, so when moving, the knife should be turned so that each section is at right angles to the axis of the abrasive material.
During the process, it is important to keep the metal at the same angle in relation to the sharpener.
It should be equal to 20-25 degrees, since this is the optimal value for the cutting edge. Knives intended for chopping meat should be sharpened at a high angle. By keeping the metal cutting angle constant, you can sharpen literally any steel to incredible sharpness.
The blade should be drawn along the entire length of the block, and it is not at all necessary to apply great force. Excessively strong pressure will lead to the destruction of the material and damage to the integrity of its surface. Because of this, the sharpening process may be delayed.
When a thin, uneven edge appears on the knife, you can move on to the next stage and change the coarse bar to a smaller one. Having achieved uniform sharpening, you should consolidate the result by grinding.
Knife grinding
This The final stage in working with sharpening knives, the result of which is a razor-sharp edge. For work, use a special grinding block with very fine grain. It has a velvety feel to the touch, but don't be fooled: it can give the blade a sharpness no worse than the best razors in the world.
Why is grinding needed? It not only gives the cutting edge the necessary properties, but also secures them. A polished metal surface is not as susceptible to destruction as a regular one. Thanks to this, the sharpness will be maintained for a long time.
During the grinding process, you should adhere to the same principles as when sharpening. Movements must be uniform and measured, the blade must always be perpendicular to the axis of the bar, and the angle of inclination of the metal to the abrasive must also be constant. And there is no need to put in unnecessary effort, because the metal will level out layer by layer. The result will be razor sharp.
It remains to add that you can learn all this, but it will take some practice. But thanks to the acquired skills, every owner will be able to always keep the knives sharp in their home.
With the help of a knife we cook food, cut food and do other housework. Therefore, it is very important that the knife blade always remains sharp. Theoretically, there is nothing difficult in sharpening knives, but in practice it turns out that not everyone can sharpen a blade well. To have an idea of what to sharpen knives with and how to do it correctly, we recommend reading our article.
Before you start sharpening a knife, you need to find out what material it is made of. There are several types of knives:
- Carbon steel knives are the most affordable, made from an alloy of iron and carbon, easy to sharpen and remain sharp for a long time. Among the disadvantages, it can be noted that the knife blade oxidizes from interaction with food or an acidic environment, due to this, rust and stains appear on the knife, and food acquires a metallic taste. Over time, after plaque forms on the blade, oxidation stops.
- Low carbon knives of stainless steel- made from an alloy of iron, chromium, carbon and in some cases nickel or molybdenum. Stainless steel knives are inferior in hardness to carbon steel, so they quickly become dull and require regular sharpening. The advantages include corrosion resistance.
- Knives made of high-carbon stainless steel are a higher class of knives, with a higher carbon content and additions of cobalt or vanadium. Due to the higher quality alloy, this type knives do not require frequent sharpening and are not subject to corrosion.
- Damascus steel knives are mainly made as edged weapons, but there are also kitchen options. Damascus steel knife is a multi-layer blade made of different alloys High Quality. The disadvantages include the high cost of knives.
- Ceramic knives have gained popularity because of their sharpness and ability not to become dull for a long time. But besides the advantages, Ceramic knives have a significant disadvantage, which is their fragility when dropped from a height and poor resistance to fracture.
Sharpening tools
Touchstone (sharpening stone)
Sharpening stones are available with different numbers of abrasive grains per square millimeter. Therefore, for rough sharpening and finishing grinding, you need to use bars with a minimum and maximum abrasive content. In foreign-made whetstones, information about the number of abrasive grains is on their labeling. Sharpening stones domestic production you have to choose “by eye” or ask the seller which whetstone to use for initial sharpening and which for final sharpening.
Mechanical sharpener
Mechanical sharpeners are mainly used for sharpening kitchen knives. Although the sharpening process is quick, the quality leaves much to be desired. For this reason, for hunting and sporting knives, it is recommended to use other sharpening methods.
Electric sharpener
Modern models electric sharpeners allow you to achieve high quality sharpening due to the built-in function of automatically determining the angle of the blade. The electric sharpener is great for both household use, and for sharpening knives in catering establishments. The lineup There is a wide range of electric sharpeners, so the price may vary, but if you want your knives to always remain sharp, then buy more “advanced” and expensive models.
Musat
Musat - designed to maintain the sharpness of the knife edge. In shape, the musat resembles a round file with a handle. Musats are included in knife sets, and many owners often confuse them with a tool for fully sharpening a blade. Please note that with the help of musat you can maintain the sharpness of a sharpened knife, but if the knife has become completely dull, you will not be able to sharpen it with musat.
Sharpener "Lansky"
This sharpener is used for sharpening small and medium-sized knives. The design of the sharpener allows you to sharpen the blade at the angle you choose. The Lansky sharpener consists of a rod with a removable touchstone and two corners connected to each other. The corners simultaneously serve as a vice for the knife and a scale for selecting the sharpening angle. The sharpener kit also includes sharpening stones of different grits with ANSI markings.
Sharpening and grinding machines
Sharpening machines are used mainly in production for high-precision sharpening of rotating shaft blades. In addition to high-precision machines, there are abrasive wheels With electric drive and rotating discs for grinding. Sharpening knives on such machines should only be done by an experienced craftsman, because due to the speed of rotation of the circle or disk and high temperature heating, with any unsuccessful movement, the knife blade will become unusable.
Do-it-yourself blade sharpening
Sharpening a knife using a whetstone
Sharpening of a blade made with a sharpening stone is considered to be of the highest quality, of course, provided that it was carried out by experienced master. To sharpen a knife on a whetstone, do the following:
- Place a low abrasive grit sandstone on a stationary surface. If the block is small, it can be clamped in a vice.
- Holding the knife at an angle of 20-25 degrees relative to the surface of the block, begin moving the knife along the whetstone cutting edge forward.
- Move the blade along the block so that during movement it touches the surface of the whetstone along its entire length.
- As you move, try to maintain the same blade angle.
- After making 2-3 movements, turn the knife over and repeat the sharpening process on the other side of the blade.
- Thus, alternating sides, sharpen the knife until an edge (burr) appears along the edge of the blade.
- Swap the coarse whetstone for a grinding stone.
- Sand the knife blade until the edge disappears.
- Test the sharpness of the knife by cutting a hemp rope folded several times, or try cutting a sheet of paper.
How to sharpen a knife using a sharpening stone, see also in the video:
Sharpening a hunting knife on a Lansky sharpener
Hunting knives are made of hard steel, so their initial sharpening requires sharpening stones with a low content of abrasive grains.
- Clamp the knife in a sharpener vice.
- Place a sharpening stone with a low content of abrasive grains on the rod.
- Select the angle of the block (for hunting knives it is usually from 20 to 30 degrees).
- Insert the rod into the desired hole.
- Lubricate the whetstone with the special oil included in the sharpener kit.
- Start moving the block along the knife blade, from the base to the tip.
- Flip the sharpener over and repeat the process on the other side of the knife.
- Once the edge is formed, change the stone and do the final sanding.
- Because the Hunter knives are mainly made with a double-sided blade, then after finishing sharpening on one side, change the position of the knife in the vice and begin the sharpening process on the other side.
- Once you've finished sharpening, polish the knife blade with felt.
How to sharpen knives in a Lansky sharpener, watch the video:
Sharpening scissors
Sharpening of scissors must be done on a special sharpening machine. Sharpening blades using improvised materials (sandpaper, the edge of a glass, etc.) can temporarily improve the sharpness of scissors, but not for long. If you do not have the opportunity to sharpen scissors from a professional, then you can try to sharpen them yourself abrasive stone. When sharpening you need to follow a few simple rules:
- The sharpening stone should be fine-grained.
- The blade is sharpened over the entire surface of the edge at the same time.
- The angle of the blade should match the factory edge.
- The movement of the blade along the stone should be from the screw to the tip.
- Scissors need to be sharpened disassembled.
When sharpening scissors, do not rush; patience will be your ally in this matter.
You can also watch the video on how to quickly sharpen scissors:
Sharpening plane and chisel blades
Sharpening the blade of a plane and a chisel are practically no different from each other. Therefore, the sharpening process described below applies to both tools:
- Place the chisel on the whetstone at an angle of 30-40 degrees.
- Holding the chisel with your hand, fingers free hand press the chamfer against the touchstone.
- Start running the chisel over the whetstone until a burr forms on the smooth side of the chisel.
- Change the whetstone to a fine-grained one and do the final grinding of the chisel.
- Check the sharpness of the chisel blade by removing shavings from the corner of the block.
Besides manual sharpening, the chisel can be sharpened on a machine with a rotating abrasive disk:
- Turn on the machine and let the disc reach full speed.
- Holding the chisel with both hands, place its bevel against the sharpening wheel.
- Be sure to maintain the angle of the chisel, otherwise you will damage the blade of the tool.
- Do not press the chisel with great force and do not hold it on the blade for too long, this will lead to overheating of the metal and destruction of the blade.
- While sharpening, wet the blade with water.
- The final grinding of the chisel blade is best done by hand, using a fine-grained stone or sandpaper.
Do not forget that when sharpening products on a machine, a lot of sparks and small particles are generated that can get into your eyes, so be sure to wear safety glasses. To avoid damaging your hands on the rotating disk, wear gloves.
You can also learn how to sharpen tools from the video:
Tips for quickly sharpening a blade using improvised tools
Stone
You can quickly sharpen a knife on a hike or on a picnic using an ordinary cobblestone. Use any stone lying on the ground instead of a whetstone and run the knife blade along its surface. You won't achieve razor sharpness, but you will return the knife to working condition.
Second knife
It is quite possible to sharpen two knives at once, without sharpening stones or tools. To do this, you need to take a knife in both hands and begin to sharpen the blade of one knife on the blade of the other. After 5-10 minutes of this work, the knives will become sharper than before.
Glass objects
The knife blade can be slightly sharpened on the rough edge of glass or ceramic objects. For example, about the bottom of a glass or the edge tiles. The main thing is that the surface is rough.
Leather belt
A leather belt is more suitable for finishing and giving the knife blade a razor sharpness than for rough sharpening. But if there is nothing at hand except a belt, then you can try to sharpen the knife on it. To do this, you need to tighten the belt and start moving the blade along it; you may not achieve strong sharpness, but you will polish the knife to a shine. 
By learning to sharpen knives and tools yourself, you will acquire a skill that will be useful to you throughout your life!
