How To Sharpen Your Knife Blade
Posted on: 22 October 2014
Over time, frequent use of your knives can cause your blades to become dull. This can be especially problematic for tasks that require precision cuts that can only be made with a sharp blade. The good news is, there is truly no reason for you to get rid of your dull knives or invest in a set of new knives. This is because in just a few minutes, anyone can accomplish the task of sharpening their knife blades. Following the simple steps below will allow you to accomplish this task.
What You Will Need
- Sharpening Stone - Choose a grit based on how sharp you want your knife to be. The finer the grit, the sharper your knife will be.
- Mineral Oil - This oil will be used as lubrication during the sharpening process.
- Table Clamp - You will need this to hold your sharpening stone in place.
Step #1: Prepare Your Sharpening Stone
Sharpening stones have both a rough grit side and a fine grit side. To prepare your stone, begin by identifying each side, and secure the stone using a table clamp with the rough grit side up.
Next, you will need to take the time to lubricate your sharpening stone, like from Al & Bob's Sports. A lot of friction can be created during the sharpening process, and without the use of lubrication, this friction can cause your blade to heat up and ultimately warp. In order to prevent this, you will need to coat your sharpening stone in mineral oil.
Step #2: Start Sharpening Your Blade
Begin by placing your blade flat against the sharpening stone on the rough grit side. Raise the blade until it reaches an approximate 15-degree angle. Now, applying a moderate amount of pressure, begin swiping your blade across the sharpening stone as though you are trying to cut a very thin slice of the stone. Be sure to maintain a constant angle while completing this task, in order to ensure a sharp edge. If you are unable to maintain a constant angle on your own, the use of a sharpening guide can help to ensure your angle remains constant throughout the entire process.
Once you have finished with the first side of your blade, simply flip the knife over and sharpen the other side of the blade using the same technique.
Step #3: Finish The Job
After using the rough grit side of your sharpening stone, all that will be left to do is to put the finishing touches on your knife blade in order to achieve maximum sharpness. This is done by flipping your sharpening tool over to the fine grit side and repeating the sharpening process over the fine grit. Once you have sharpened both sides of your blade using the fine grit stone, you will be ready to perform even the most precision cuts with ease.
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