Tools to Sharpen Knives
Alright, you have a bunch of blunt knives that need sharpening and you don’t feel like forking the cash for a professional sharpening service. What are other options available? Well, there are a couple more options. The first one is to simply discard those blunt knives and purchase a new set of knives.
Not a good option huh?
Okay, if that’s the case, then we opt for the second option which is DIY sharpening. Yes, you do the sharpening yourself. All you need is a few tools to help you accomplish this goal and there are two ways to go about it.
One way is to do it manually which requires tools such as whetstone, knife hone, and/or a sharpening steel, and then there’s the semi-automatic way. For the latter you’ll need a good quality electric knife sharpener. Now, let’s cover the tools in a more in-depth manner.
Electric Knife Sharpener
Not a good option huh?
Okay, if that’s the case, then we opt for the second option which is DIY sharpening. Yes, you do the sharpening yourself. All you need is a few tools to help you accomplish this goal and there are two ways to go about it.
One way is to do it manually which requires tools such as whetstone, knife hone, and/or a sharpening steel, and then there’s the semi-automatic way. For the latter you’ll need a good quality electric knife sharpener. Now, let’s cover the tools in a more in-depth manner.
Electric Knife Sharpener
There are plenty of models available with a wide range of features to cater various needs. For example there are electric sharpeners on the market developed specifically for 15 degree Asian style knives as well as Euro/American 20 degree knives, electric sharpeners with sharpening, honing, stropping, and steeling capabilities all rolled into one convenient package, and many more.
Electric sharpeners are preferred by many because they are simple to use, quick, and highly convenient. Some folks believe that electric powered knife sharpeners are only good for putting edge on kitchen blades, but that’s far from the fact. As mentioned above, you can find a good variety of models out there.
Some models possess the ability to sharpen other types of knives such as pocket, sporting, and hunting knives. In fact, there’s an electric sharpener created for the purpose of reconditioning knives that have been heavily worked!
Electric sharpeners are preferred by many because they are simple to use, quick, and highly convenient. Some folks believe that electric powered knife sharpeners are only good for putting edge on kitchen blades, but that’s far from the fact. As mentioned above, you can find a good variety of models out there.
Some models possess the ability to sharpen other types of knives such as pocket, sporting, and hunting knives. In fact, there’s an electric sharpener created for the purpose of reconditioning knives that have been heavily worked!
Whetstone
If you wish to sharpen knives the manual way, then you’re going to need a really good whetstone. It’s an extremely effective tool for sharpening various knives and if you aren’t careful it might even remove a great deal of metal from the knife edge itself!
People who have little or no experience using a whetstone for sharpening should learn the proper techniques as well as obtain a strong comprehension on how to utilize this type of tool before making an attempt. This is very important because without the proper knowledge, one could easily shave off too much material from the edge of the blade thus ruining it altogether.
Types of whetstones include ceramic stone which is a very quick cutting whetstone and able to provide highly sharp cutting condition on blades constructed of steel, diamond stone which is versatile and can be used on a wide range of blades, oil stones which is lubricated with oil, and water stone which is lubricated with water and very simple to use making it a hit especially amongst inexperienced sharpeners.
People who have little or no experience using a whetstone for sharpening should learn the proper techniques as well as obtain a strong comprehension on how to utilize this type of tool before making an attempt. This is very important because without the proper knowledge, one could easily shave off too much material from the edge of the blade thus ruining it altogether.
Types of whetstones include ceramic stone which is a very quick cutting whetstone and able to provide highly sharp cutting condition on blades constructed of steel, diamond stone which is versatile and can be used on a wide range of blades, oil stones which is lubricated with oil, and water stone which is lubricated with water and very simple to use making it a hit especially amongst inexperienced sharpeners.
Sharpening Steel
This tool doesn’t actually sharpen knives. What it does is bring up tiny metal fibers on a blade thus retaining the sharpest edge possible for everyday use. See, the tiny fibers on a blade will bend down when used on a frequent basis resulting in dull surface. So in order to straighten up the fibers thus sharpening the surface of the blade, it’s recommended that you use this tool and be sure to keep it handy in the kitchen.
So the manual approach or the semi-manual one, it’s your call. One thing though, sharpening knives yourself can be a very satisfying endeavor!
So the manual approach or the semi-manual one, it’s your call. One thing though, sharpening knives yourself can be a very satisfying endeavor!
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