How to sharpen a kitchen knife. How to properly sharpen kitchen knives - instructions for use

Sharpening a knife correctly by hand is quite difficult. It will take some time to develop the habit of maintaining a constant sharpening angle, which is not at all easy. A knife sharpening device can make the task easier. There are factory options. But for good copies you have to pay a couple of hundred dollars, and this is clearly a lot. The good news is that these devices are easy to make yourself. Moreover, many homemade knife sharpeners are no worse in functionality than those from famous manufacturers, but they are many times cheaper.

Knife sharpening basics

Knives have different uses and there are even several of them in the ordinary kitchen. There is one for slicing bread and other soft foods, and one for cutting meat, chopping bones, and other hard objects. And these are just household ones. But there are also those who take them hunting and fishing. If you look closely, you will see that they all have a different sharpening angle (this is if they have not already been sharpened at home). It is the sharpening angle that is the most important characteristic, which is determined by the purpose of a given blade.

At what angle

The sharpening angle is determined based on the main area of application of a particular blade:

These are general recommendations based on many years of experience. There are, however, options: some blades have several zones with different sharpening. This makes them more versatile, but the difficulty of sharpening increases many times over.

From the above it follows that the device for sharpening knives must be able to set the required sharpening angle. And this is the main difficulty in its design and manufacture.

What to sharpen

To sharpen knives, sharpening stones of various grain sizes are used. They are conventionally divided into coarse, medium and fine. Why conditional? Because different countries have their own designation of grain size. The most convenient classification is by the number of grains per unit area. It is expressed in numbers: 300, 600, 1000, etc. Some companies also use English terms. Here is an approximate division:

In addition to grain size, sharpening stones are also distinguished by their origin: some are of natural origin (slate, corundum, etc.), some are ceramic and diamond. Which ones are better? It’s hard to say - a matter of taste, but natural ones wear off faster and are rarely fine-grained.

Natural ones are soaked in water before use or simply moistened with it. They absorb water and, during sharpening, an abrasive paste is formed from water and separated abrasive particles on the surface, which increases the efficiency of sharpening. For the same purposes, you can use a special little (honing oil) or a mixture of water and soap (whichever you prefer). In general, you should try all these options with each sharpening stone and choose the best one.

The shape of a whetstone for sharpening knives is a block, and it is desirable that its length be much longer than the length of the blade - it is easier to sharpen. Bars with double grain are convenient - coarse on one side, finer on the other. To sharpen knives for ordinary purposes, it is enough to have two bars with medium grain (different) and two fine ones (one can be very fine).

Manual sharpening procedure

A device for sharpening knives only makes it easier to sharpen the edge, so knowledge of manual sharpening techniques is mandatory. Without them, it is impossible to sharpen a knife correctly.

The procedure for sharpening knives is as follows:

At this point, we can assume that sharpening the knife is complete. Some people are still finishing the edge on the old belt. A piece of belt can be secured to a wooden block (glued, not nailed), rubbed with goyim paste. Then pass several times alternately with one side or the other, but turning the cutting edge back. This way the last grooves left by the abrasive are polished and the belt is not “cut” in the process.

How to make a homemade knife sharpener

All homemade knife sharpeners solve the main problem - they allow you to accurately maintain a given angle of inclination of the block to the blade, which is very important for obtaining a good cutting edge. There are very simple devices, and some are a little more complex, but they allow you to work with greater comfort. Choose according to your taste.

Some of the options are from improvised means

A simple device for sharpening knives

Essentially this is a holder for sharpening stones. Everything is elementary: two triangles made of wood, which are connected by pins with wings. A block is clamped between the corners at the required angle. You can set the angle using a protractor, a special program on your smartphone, or using the rules of trigonometry (right triangle).

Knife sharpening device - abrasive holder

When sharpening on such a device, the knife must be kept pointed strictly vertically at all times. It's much easier than holding it at a certain angle.

The same idea has another embodiment: on a reliable basis, make movable holders into which bars are inserted and secured in the desired position. The corporate prototype is pictured below.

A homemade device for sharpening knives is made of wooden blocks. It turns out to be light, so that it does not move from its place, it needs to be fixed with something. To avoid holding with your hand, you can use clamps.

Rotating holders allow you to set a given angle, and then fix it with the help of “wings”

Such a device for sharpening knives, of course, makes the work easier, but it is still quite difficult to maintain the angle: you must constantly control the verticality of the blade. Such a habit can be developed over time, but starting is difficult.

Device on wheels

An interesting version of a manual knife sharpener with a fixed block and a wheeled cart on which the knife is mounted. It is made on the basis of sharpeners for knives, chisels and planes. This device also works well with a knife, but you need to get used to sharpening a rounded edge.

In this version, as in manual sharpening, the block is stationary, but the blade of the knife, mounted on a movable trolley, moves. The angle is set by the height of the bar relative to the platform on which the blade is mounted. The peculiarity of this device is that the table must be level. It can be a tabletop made of natural stone, or you can put glass on a regular table.

In the version presented above, the angle changes slightly, which is usually sufficient for sharpening similar types of knives - kitchen knives, for example. If necessary, the design can be improved by adding holders (pictured below).

All this is implemented very simply, as it resembles a regular construction set: strips with holes in them, everything is assembled with bolts and screws.

There is also a device to ensure the immobility of the block.

The advantage of this whole design is that it is easy to unfold the knife while maintaining perpendicularity on the rounded area, and it is also very easy to handle on the other side: you need to turn the cart over. For this purpose, four pairs of wheels were made.

Homemade manual machine for sharpening knives

Slightly more complex and much more convenient homemade devices, which are made on the basis of well-known branded devices. They have an adjustable platform on which the knife is fixed. The site is set at a given angle. The block is mounted on a movable rod attached to the stand.

Self-made devices in some ways repeat the design presented above, but there are some differences. There are many options. Let's give some.

Option one: a fixed platform on which the blade is fixed

This device is made from leftover laminate (can be used), two steel rods with a diameter of 8 mm and a movable fastener.

This design has a fixed base, to which a platform with a knife lock is attached on regular hinges. The near edge of the platform can be raised at some angle convenient for work. But otherwise she is motionless.

On a vertically mounted steel rod there is a movably mounted latch, in which a loop is attached to the side. A rod is inserted into it, on which the block is fixed. This loop is a simple, but not the best solution: there is no rigid fixation, which means the angle will “walk.”

Particular attention should be paid to the bar lock. An emphasis is placed on the rod at some distance from the edge (about 30-35 cm). This will be a permanent fixture. The second one is made movable; it is fixed after installing the bar using a screw and a thread cut into the body of the holder. The second option is to cut a thread on the rod and tighten the installed bar using a nut.

Knife holder - one or two steel plates mounted on a movable platform. They are fixed movably using screws and wings. Having loosened the fasteners, insert the knife blade and clamp it. It is very difficult to move it. Then, installing a pin with a fixed bar in the loop, adjust its height so that the required angle is set.

You can, as in the photo, make templates with the required angles and ensure that the planes coincide. After the crossbar is secured, you can work - move the bar in the desired direction.

This device for sharpening knives works well, but you can only move the abrasive along the blade when sharpening a kitchen knife. Classic sharpening - movement perpendicular to the cutting edge. This can be achieved on the straight part of the blade. If the blade is short, this will be almost perpendicular, but on a rounded part on a fixed holder this cannot be done. And all such devices “suffer” from this drawback. Once again: they are an excellent option for sharpening kitchen knives (below is another good option from the same series).

Option two: with a movable platform and a magnetic holder

In this version of a homemade device for sharpening knives, the problem of previous sharpenings is solved. Here the frame remains motionless, which sets the angle of movement of the bar. The bar holder moves freely along a guide set at the desired angle. The knife is mounted on a movable table. You can, as in the presented version, make a magnetic holder, or you can make a regular one from a metal plate and “lambs”. Move the table so that the movement of the abrasive is perpendicular. Actually, everything is in the video.

One clarification: in this case it is very important that the surface on which the table with the attached knife moves is horizontal and level. You can put glass or use a polymer tabletop (marble will also work).

Any knife made from the best steel or ceramic will become dull with use over time. This makes it more difficult for the housewife to prepare food, increasing the time and effort expended; sometimes a dull knife slips and causes injury.

To avoid such situations, you can use simple devices that provide instant editing of the blade to constantly maintain a sharp state. Also, sharpening kitchen knives should be repeated periodically - this can be done at home using simple tools.

Having mastered the technique, you will not only please the hostess on March 8 and other days, but you will also be able to greatly surprise your guests (if there is nothing else) by demonstrating at the table a knife capable of cutting hair. This is the level of sharpness of a kitchen knife that can be achieved if you know how to properly sharpen a knife using simple, inexpensive tools.

Sharpening a knife correctly is not the most difficult thing, the main thing is to listen to the recommendations

What knives can be sharpened

You can sharpen all types of kitchen knives - first of all, it depends on the equipment. Professional electric sharpening machines sharpen European, Japanese (single-sided), serrated (with a wavy surface), chopping, hunting, tourist, and ceramic knives with any sharpening angle.

You can effectively sharpen a knife at home if you have simple sharpening stones and follow the technology to the point of cutting a hair, which is more than enough when used in the kitchen.

Unfortunately, not all knives can be sharpened well.

Some types of knives are made using modern technologies with the cutting edge coated with a special wear-resistant compound that provides a self-sharpening effect. Sharpening kitchen knives of this type erases the special coating and the knife loses its advantages - naturally, such models cannot be sharpened.

Blade sharpening angle

The sharpening angle of a knife is the deviation between the line of symmetry of the blade and the plane of its cutting edge.

The sharpness of the blade and its durability depend on this value: the smaller the sharpening angle, the sharper the blade, but it wears off faster.

A larger knife sharpening angle reduces the sharpness of the cutting edge, but increases the duration of its operation.

Kitchen types for everyday cutting of products have sharpening angles from 20 to 30 degrees, ultra-sharp medical scalpels are sharpened at an angle of 10 - 17 degrees, hunting knives, kitchen home hatchets for chopping meat with bones and cleavers have a sharpening angle of 25 - 35 degrees.

To know at what angle to sharpen any knife, the blade is inserted into the scissors and the blades are compressed so that their tip is in close contact with the cutting edge of the knife. The angle at which the blades of the scissors will be moved apart is the sharpening angle.

Musat

Musat is a device with a handle and a rod 20–25 cm long, resembling a round or oval faceted file made of diamond-coated metal, hard steel or ceramics. The surface of the metal rod along the axis is covered with small grooves; ceramics have a less relief structure.

Musat is used for regular daily finishing and grinding of the working edge of knives, which helps maintain the sharpness of their cutting edges.

Musat is not suitable for all types of knives, only for models with a certain steel hardness

The main condition for using musat is the proper production of cutting edges and the hardness of the knife steel is less than 60 units. Musat allows you to straighten the smoothing or bending of the cutting edge on hard surfaces.

Operating rules

For inexperienced homeowners, sharpening with musat looks like this:

Musat is taken in the left hand and rests its sharp end against a wooden surface at an angle of 25-30 degrees.
The knife in the right hand moves from top to bottom in an arc towards the exit, the movements are repeated with little effort several times on each side of the blade.
At the final stage of finishing, the force is reduced, after work the musat is washed with water and hung to dry on the hook of the handle.

A generally accepted method for checking the quality of sharpening is to cut a sheet of paper - if you can draw sinuous lines on it or cut thin strips, then the sharpness of the blade is very high. You can check the razor sharpness on the hair of your hand - a sharply sharpened blade easily cuts hair.

Sharpening stones

When deciding how to sharpen a knife, many first consider sharpening stones with varying degrees of abrasiveness. Modern whetstones have two sides - when using abrasive stones, the side with a coarse-grained structure is used at the beginning, and at the end of sharpening they switch to the fine grain of the other side.

The whetstone is a classic option for standard kitchen knives

Sharpening rules

Before and during work, the bars are moistened with water or a soap solution - this is necessary to clean the pores of the bar from metal dust and its surface from spent suspension, to improve the sliding of the blade (many modern types do not require pre-treatment with water). The operating rules described in the instructions for the whetstone will help you know how to sharpen a kitchen knife.

Wet the stone with water and add a drop of dishwashing liquid on top.
We place the block on a flat surface, preferably one with a slight relief (not a planed board) for better grip.
Apply the knife to the surface of the stone at the desired angle.

To set the angle, you can use a regular sheet of paper, folded several times, in this case you can get a final sharpening angle for the blade of 22.5 degrees (obtained by folding the sheet 90 degrees twice). We apply a sheet of paper with the resulting angle and a knife to the block, trying to remember the resulting slope.

We place the knife at the beginning and across the block, while the end of its handle should be at the very edge of the block, and with a little effort we slide the blade along the block in an arc in the direction of cutting. To more firmly fix the sharpening angle, you can support the blade with your second hand. The movement is repeated 40 - 50 times, then the side and direction of movement change.
If an edge with burrs appears along the entire length of the blade, you should stop sharpening on the coarse-grained side of the whetstone and move to the fine-grained side. The sharpening operation is repeated, at the end the pressure on the blade is reduced.
After processing the knife on a coarse-grained block, you can polish it on musat.
At the end of the work, the bars are washed under running water.

If desired, you can get a razor sharp knife. For this operation, genuine leather (a fragment of a leather belt) and abrasive paste (GOI, Dialux) are used. The paste is applied to the belt and a knife is passed along it repeatedly at the desired angle, with the movement opposite to the cutting direction.

Sandpaper

Sandpaper is the most economical option for maintaining a sharp knife.

The sharpening process using sandpaper is no different from sharpening stones. You can even make an improvised block out of it by gluing or taping sandpaper to a wooden block: coarse-grained sandpaper is fixed on one side, and fine-grained sandpaper on the other.

Mechanical sharpener

Similar sharpeners are the most convenient way to sharpen a knife at home

The standard design of mechanical sharpeners for kitchen knives is an oblong body consisting of a handle for holding and several slots with sharpening discs for blades of different degrees of sharpening. The sharpening angle when using it is constant and optimal for frequently used kitchen knives.

Another option for a manual mechanical sharpener is a roller knife, which has only one sharpening groove in the body with mechanical rollers.

Sharpening set

The main task when sharpening and straightening knives is setting the exact angle. To achieve this task, a wide range of mechanical designs of grinding devices have been developed.

Some models consist of a base and fasteners for a knife blade, the sharpening stone is attached to a guide rod. When working, it moves along the blade at the set angle, then the knife turns over. The set is equipped with different-grained stones - this allows you to straighten the geometry of the blade and polish it.

The sharpening set contains components for sharpening a knife in disassembled form. This set is quite compact.

Another type of sharpening machine is a bed with a holder, into which sharpening stones are inserted vertically at a sharpening angle; when working, the knife moves in a strictly vertical plane, sliding along the surface of the block from top to bottom.

The designs of such devices are quite varied and simple; anyone can make such a device from improvised means with a minimum set of necessary tools at home.

Electric sharpener

The fastest way to sharpen is with electric sharpeners for sharpening and polishing. Structurally, they are made in a closed case with a slot for inserting knives; inside there is an electric motor, on the axis of which conical abrasive wheels coated with diamond are attached. This method is not very popular in everyday life due to the high cost of the devices and is intended for professional work.

An electric sharpener will do all the work for you. All you have to do is hold the knife correctly at the right angle.

High-quality models of electric sharpeners usually have two types of abrasive wheels - the first for restoring the geometry of the blade, the second for its final polishing; the sharpening angle in such devices can be adjusted or set automatically.

Some models of electrical devices allow you to sharpen different types of kitchen knives: European, serrated, Japanese, ceramic, as well as scissors. In electric machines, each side has its own groove.

Operating rules

If the working edge is heavily dented and jagged, the knife is processed using coarse emery. It is inserted into the groove and pulled towards itself, the number of repetitions depends on the degree of dullness of the cutting edge.
After a visual or contact check for sharpness, the knife is inserted into the polishing groove and the process is repeated. To obtain a high sharpness of the blade, 5 - 10 broaches are usually required.

Grinder

The sharpening machine is a professional option; it can be used to sharpen a dozen knives in a short period of time

Many homeowners have at their disposal a sharpening machine - an electric motor with an abrasive grinding wheel mounted on a shaft, sometimes the machine has an adjustable rotation speed.

Abrasive wheels are often used for sharpening knives, but if used incorrectly (strong pressure and high speed), you can easily overheat the steel and render the blade unusable. To sharpen on a sharpening machine, you need to know the following rules.

A sharp knife is essential in the kitchen, because it’s hard to imagine cooking without it. Over time, the blade ceases to cope with the task, and then you have to resort to sharpening. There are many ways to sharpen a knife at home. With a competent approach and choice of tool for turning, a beginner without special skills can cope with the task.

Knife sharpening angle

Before using a sharpening tool, it is important to determine the sharpening angle. This is the angle of the blade relative to the work surface. It depends on the purpose of the knife and its material. Division by degrees:

10−15 - scalpels, razors;
15−20 - knife for meat, bread and vegetables;
20−25 - chef's knives;
25−30 - hunting knives.

To choose a sharpening method, you should find out what material the blade is made of. The main blade materials are shown below:

Types of sharpening tools

Manufacturers offer a large selection of different tools to sharpen the blade. However, the choice is not easy, since even the usual grinding stones are available in many versions. In addition to bars, there are machines, sharpeners, grinders, and special stones. Each tool requires a separate approach. Before you settle on one of them, it is worth learning how to sharpen knives correctly.

Musat (or simply steel) is often found both in restaurants and in private kitchens. Consists of a handle and a round rod. Use the device either immediately before preparing food or immediately after. Suitable for maintaining sharpness, but will not cope with advanced cases.

It is easy to explain and understand how to sharpen a knife with musat: place the device vertically on a hard surface, hold it by the handle, and slide the blade along the steel part. Each side is sharpened 4-5 times with the blade tilted 20-25 degrees. There is no need to use any special effort.

Using a whetstone

The whetstone is the most common tool; it can be made from artificial and natural materials. Most often found in a boat shape. Sharpening stones vary in grit size. A tool with a high degree is used to correct the shape of the cutting edge. A device with a medium degree is used to restore the blade. Low grade stones are suitable for adding spice. Entire kits for properly sharpening blades are sold.

Sharpening technology with a whetstone:

Keep the knife in cold water - cold metal is more susceptible to processing.
Move the blade from tip to handle, maintaining the required angle. Perform the same number of movements on each side, usually 30-50 is enough.
Take a fine-grained stone and make 10-15 similar movements.
Instead of a fine-grained surface, you can use a leather stone with an abrasive paste applied or a well-sharpened object.

We use a whetstone for sharpening

The whetstone is similar to a whetstone in its properties and sharpening technology. The best option is a diamond-coated block. There are also tools with silicon carbide and electrocorundum coating. Information about abrasiveness in foreign-made bars is encrypted in the marking. Domestic-made bars are selected “by eye”; you can assess the degree of abrasiveness by touch or by running your fingernail over them.

Look at the video on how to properly sharpen a knife with a whetstone:

Grinder

A sharpener is a fast and efficient tool. It is less common in apartments; it can often be found among residents of the private sector or in workshops. When sharpened on a machine, blades heat up to high temperatures, so it is better to set the minimum speed of the machine.

Sharpening occurs using an emery wheel. The blade is pressed against the sandpaper at a certain angle, keeping it constant. The smaller the angle, the thinner the blade will be. If you work carelessly, you can break the knife, so beginners need to learn from inexpensive models.

Mechanical sharpeners

Used in everyday life. Convenient due to the presence of a handle and the absence of requirements for special sharpening skills. However, the quality of sharpening is poor, suitable for sharpening kitchen knives; it is not recommended to sharpen sports and hunting knives on them - the risk of damage is high.

Electric sharpeners

Electric sharpeners used to be found only in restaurants, but are now more accessible for private use. They set the sharpening program themselves and are suitable not only for knives, but also for screwdrivers, scissors, etc. Copes with advanced cases.

The principle of operation is simple: select a mode, bring the blade to the hole of the device, place it inside and lightly press during processing. An electric sharpener will quickly process the blade with diamond discs.

The advantage of the device is that it can sharpen knives with ceramic blades - it copes well with fragile materials.

Knives that require special sharpening

There are types that you shouldn’t even think about, how to sharpen a knife at home. If processed incorrectly, there is a high risk of damaging the tool.

Serrators- knives with a serrated blade, resembling a saw in appearance. The factory sharpening of serrates and semi-serrates is asymmetrical, so home processing will ruin them. It's worth contacting a professional.
Knives with unique coating. For example, the TwinStar Plus Zwilling J. A. Henckels knife. The manufacturer coated the blade with a unique composition that increases the wear resistance of the knife.
Opinions on the need to sharpen ceramics vary. Some say that ceramics do not require sharpening, others argue that ceramic blades become dull over time. Manufacturers claim that the material’s hardness is second only to diamond and corundum.

If the knife is under warranty, then you should contact a company workshop and sharpen it for free. You can use diamond coated wheels. For roughing, wheels with a characteristic of 80 microns are used, for finishing - 40 microns. The machine speed is set to the minimum; it is enough to process each side 2-3 times. The direction of movement is traditional - from the handle to the tip.

After sharpening by any method, be sure to wash the knife with soap and running water, as small particles of chips, grease, and oil remain on the blade.

After processing, you should check the sharpness of the blade. If the result is unsatisfactory, you should repeat the procedure or choose another method:

Cost of basic tools

All sharpening tools are sold in hardware stores. You can purchase them online. German, Japanese and Russian devices are considered to be of the highest quality. The cost depends on the characteristics and manufacturer. What price can you expect:

Stones - 80−200 rubles.
Diamond-coated bars - 450−10,000 rubles.
Musat - 500−3000 rubles.
Electric sharpeners - 700−10,000 rubles.
Sharpening machines - 2000−20000 rubles.

It’s good if there is a planned sharpening, when the tools are at hand. But force majeure circumstances occur when professional instruments are not at hand. Simple items will help:

Cobblestone. An ordinary stone will help to slightly sharpen the knife when traveling. You won't be able to achieve perfect sharpness, but the blade will be in working condition. The technology is similar to whetstone sharpening technology.
Second knife. Two objects can be sharpened at the same time by picking them up and running the blade of one of them along the blade of the other. Processing time 5−10 minutes.
Glass and ceramics. You can sharpen the blade on the bottom of a plate or the edge of a tile. The main condition is surface roughness.
Leather belt. Suitable for finishing sharpness. You should tighten the belt and actively move both sides over the skin several times.

Attention, TODAY only!

This is how the first flint knife was sharpened. Or maybe not, but for some reason some women still try to sharpen knives by running one dull knife over another.

Since the discovery of iron, knives have been made from metal and sharpening stones have been used to sharpen them. They are still used today. Just recently, about 50-100 years ago, strange people walked around the courtyards with a clever whatnot behind their backs and shouted in loud voices: “I sharpen knives, scissors, straighten blades!” At this signal, housewives ran out of houses and apartments, carrying with them a bouquet of dull knives. Now these strange people have disappeared somewhere, you can’t even see them in the market, and therefore you have to sharpen your knives yourself. This can be done in different ways:

Electric sharpeners

Progress moves inexorably forward and electricity is increasingly being introduced into our lives. A huge number of electrical devices and tools designed to make human existence easier have been invented, there are even electric knives, but in this case we are interested in devices for the electric sharpening of ordinary steel knives, but even such devices are incredibly numerous. Households typically use one of the following:

1. Tabletop sharpening machine

Whatever they are called - grinding machines, sharpeners, straightening-sharpeners, sharpening machines, sharpening machines, etc. Sharpening machines are used mainly for sharpening various kinds of construction tools, but such machines are also quite suitable for ordinary kitchen knives. It is necessary to work on such a machine in compliance with all safety measures.

2. Joiner

The design of some carpentry machines allows you to replace the saw blade with a grinding wheel. However, no protective casings or screens are provided for such machines, and therefore sharpening knives on such machines must be done with the utmost care and always wearing safety glasses.

3. Bulgarian

(angle grinder). Initially, this power tool is not intended for sharpening knives in any way, however, it is quite possible to sharpen a knife on a grinding wheel of an angle grinder, but again, all safety precautions must be observed when working with an angle grinder.

4. Belt electrogrinding

This power tool is used primarily not for sharpening knives, but for finishing after sharpening on a machine or grinder.

The disadvantage of the above methods is that these tools are construction tools, take up a lot of space, and therefore it makes no sense to buy them specifically for sharpening knives. And if any of the above is already on the farm, then no one forbids using it. For example, at the dacha you have to sharpen knives, hoes, scythes with a grinder and an electric belt grinder.

5. Electric sharpener for kitchen knives

More and more such sharpeners have been appearing lately. They are made specifically for sharpening kitchen knives, they are relatively small in size, and it is safest to sharpen knives on such sharpeners. There are a lot of models of electric sharpeners for kitchen knives, from simple and cheap ones costing $10-15 (A), to semi-professional ones costing $100-150 (B), allowing sharpening to be carried out in several stages. Electric kitchen knife sharpeners look something like this:

Photo 1. Electric sharpeners for kitchen knives, scissors

To sharpen a knife with such an electric sharpener, you need to insert the knife with the cutting part into the appropriate slot and move the knife back and forth several times.

Manually

Despite the fact that man has long conquered the highest mountains and the deepest depressions, and has been flying into space for many years, sharpening knives by hand, which involves long and necessary grinding of the cutting part of the knife, is still in force. For sharpening knives the following are used:

1. Whetstone(bar)

A great variety of such stones are produced; they are parallelepiped in shape or in the shape of an elongated oval. Rectangular bars can be two-layer, i.e. consist of two stones of different grain sizes. However, the whetstone can be of any shape. Previously, when you could easily buy a sharpening stone only in a dream, fragments of sharpening wheels from factories were used to sharpen knives. Moreover, there were so many of these fragments that it can be assumed that people deliberately broke sharpening wheels in production in order to be able to sharpen knives at home, although perhaps I’m wrong.

Be that as it may, the basic principles of sharpening knives on a whetstone have remained virtually unchanged over the past few thousand years. The main thing you need to know when sharpening knives:

1. As a rule, knives have one of the following cross-sectional shapes:

Picture 1. Basic cross-sectional shapes of a knife.

Form (A) is the easiest to manufacture and the most reliable from the point of view of strength, since it provides almost the same rigidity and flexibility of the knife along almost the entire length of the blade. However, sharpening knives of this shape takes the longest time since the length of the cutting edges, indicated in Figure 1 by the red line, is maximum for such knives. Recently, knives with cross-sectional shapes (B) and (C) are becoming more common. Knives with this shape sharpen faster. The angle formed by the cutting edges is usually in the range of 20-30 degrees. As the angle decreases, the length of the cutting edges increases; as the angle decreases, the cutting qualities of the knife deteriorate.

2. When we want to cut something, we press the cutting edge of the knife, formed by the cutting edges, onto the object being cut. Moreover, the smaller the area of the cutting edge, the less force must be applied to perform the same action. In other words, cutting, for example, carrots or potatoes, is much easier with a sharp knife than with a dull one, and the duller the knife, the more effort you need to put into it.

3. If people only cut vegetables and fruits and only on special boards, then the knives would remain sharp for a very long time after sharpening. However, knives used for cutting meat with bones become dull on these very bones very quickly and they have to be sharpened often, in a good way, after each major cut of meat. When a knife becomes dull, the cutting edges do not form the letter " V", but rather the letter " U"Therefore, the sharpening process comes down to returning the edges to the shape of a letter." V".

4. When we run a knife over a whetstone or a whetstone over a knife, some of the metal is abraded or scraped off by the grains of the whetstone, leaving characteristic scratches. The coarser the grain, the more metal can be scraped off at once, but the deeper the scratches will be and the rougher the shape of the cutting edge. Therefore, stones of different grain sizes are often used to sharpen knives. Sharpening stones with larger grains are used for primary sharpening - straightening. Sharpening stones with finer grains are used for finishing sharpening.

5. When sharpening, the knife blade must be held at an angle of 10-15 degrees to the block, and the direction of movement is chosen as follows:

Figure 2. Knife sharpening direction.

In this case, as a rule, after each movement, the knife blade is rotated 150-160 degrees and, accordingly, the blade is moved in the opposite direction. In this way, both edges are sharpened and if the knife was not very dull, then sharpening it will take no more than 1 minute (the time for washing the knife after sharpening or wiping it with a clean rag is not included here).

Note: Below, in the comments, a certain expert, who had read a lot of clever forums, tried for a long time to explain that there were many mistakes in my description and that in general it would not be possible to sharpen a knife well in this way. I tried for a long time to explain that for ordinary purposes such sharpening of a knife is quite enough. And then I even tried to show it on video. It didn't work out very well for a number of reasons. In particular, because I'm a lousy director. Perhaps over time I will make a new video, but for now, if you want, you can watch this video. True, the only thing that is visible about it is that it takes no more than 20 seconds to edit the knife. So this video is nothing more than an answer to a question for doubting experts.

2. Sanding paper or paper

By and large, you won’t be able to sharpen a very dull knife using sandpaper or sandpaper; more precisely, you probably won’t have enough patience; this method is more used for fine-tuning already sharpened knives. For example, after sharpening a knife on a sharpening machine or on a large whetstone.

3. Sharpening kits

Since maintaining an angle of inclination when working with a conventional sharpening stone is not easy, for lovers of simplicity and accuracy, special sharpening sets, such as Lansky or Spydeco, are sold that allow you to sharpen knives at a given angle. Lansky's set is especially good in this regard. Sharpening a knife using a Lansky jig looks something like this:

Figure 3. Sharpening a knife using a Lansky jig.

1 - Clamp for clamping the knife blade.

2 - Clamp clamp screw.

3 - Holes for the guide, allowing you to sharpen the blade at a certain angle.

5 - Handle.

6 - Sharpening stone attached to the handle. Usually the set includes several bars of different grain sizes.

7 - Stand with handle and holes for attaching to the base.

Such sets are not cheap: from $50 to $100. The kit may include, among other things, paper instructions and even DVDs.

3b. Special file

By special file, I do not mean the usual metal files sold in hardware stores, but the cylindrical files with a parallel cut that are included in some knife sets. Typically, a set of such knives also includes a stand, and the stand has a special compartment for a file. While the knives are relatively new and relatively sharp, the use of such a file still gives some result, but in cheap sets of knives the file becomes dull over time just like the knives. This also includes ordinary metal files and needle files. To be honest, theoretically it is possible to sharpen a knife with a file or needle file, but I have never tried it myself - there were always enough other available means.

4. Sharpeners with whetstone

Recently, more and more mechanical knife sharpeners have been produced that resemble electric ones in appearance: the same slots for inserting a knife blade, a handle for easy sharpening. The main difference is that the sharpening stones do not spin, which means you have to drive the stone yourself.

5. Sharpeners with cutters

Now there is a relatively new type of knife sharpener. Outwardly, they may resemble sharpeners with a whetstone, only instead of a whetstone, 2 metal cutters are used. When you sharpen knives on such a sharpener, the cutters remove chips from the cutting edges. In this way, the process of sharpening knives is accelerated as much as possible; it is enough to forcefully pull the knife through the cutters once or twice. The main disadvantage of such sharpeners is that with frequent sharpening, the knife blade literally melts before your eyes and the knife lasts for no more than 3-5 years, then you will have to buy a new one.

6. Any stone

including cement. If you don’t have any of the above at hand, but you still need to sharpen the knife a little, then you can use the knife to hit any stone that comes to hand. Once upon a time we had to sharpen knives this way.

But no matter how the knife is sharpened, you must remember the main rule: the knife blade must be absolutely clean before sharpening, in the sense that there should be no grease on the blade. Fat is a natural lubricant, and since in the vast majority of cases friction is used when sharpening knives, there is no need for lubricant.

And yet, progress does not stand still; now ceramic knives are increasingly used in households instead of steel (now stone is replacing metal). Over time, ceramic knives also become dull and require

The tool must be in working condition. In the case of a knife, the main characteristic of the working condition will be its sharpness. We will tell you how to sharpen a knife correctly, what tools you will need for this, and give you a number of useful instructions. "Knife sharpening. Basics" is a basic article for those who are just starting to get acquainted with this art.

How does the blade get dull?

We buy a sharp knife at the store, but over time it inevitably becomes dull if, of course, we work with it. Why does this happen, since the tool is made of good steel and sharpened at the factory? The process takes place at several levels:

Microscopic, when particles of steel are ground off the cutting edge during friction with the material, making the edge less sharp. You can't see it, but you can feel how more and more pressure is required to cut over time.
Macroscopic, when the tip encounters solid inclusions, such as grains of sand, particles of stone or metal. They are found in almost any material. The edge either moves the obstacle away or moves away itself, while crumpling.
If the blade is used inappropriately, its blade can be damaged beyond recognition. This means unscrewing screws, digging soil, etc.

As a result, the working part of the blade is deformed, the edge loses its sharpness and the tool becomes less and less suitable for work. Gradually, hardened steels crumble, and softer and more ductile steels begin to curl.

Rice. 1. The process of dulling and sharpening a knife: 1. When working with a knife, the shape of the cutting edge changes randomly. 2. During the sharpening process, we return the specified shape of the cutting edge or change it. 3. And we give it smoothness, finally removing the burr.

To return the knife to working condition, it is necessary to eliminate the resulting deformation and restore the correct shape of the blade.

What are knives sharpened with?

When sharpening a knife we use a similar process - friction, but this time we control it. With uncontrolled deformation of the steel, the knife becomes dull, with controlled deformation it sharpens, that’s the whole difference.

You can sharpen a steel wedge with any abrasive tool, and in the beginning it was fragments of stones and pebbles. We are modern people, so we will use a specially designed sharpening stone.

If you use a cheap stone to sharpen good steel, be prepared that it will quickly wear out and lose its flat shape. Therefore, it is better to immediately purchase a good ceramic sharpening tool or a sample with.

Three types of abrasive are enough for the job:

Rough - about 350 units/cm² or diamond marked. Needed to eliminate severe deformation and is rarely used.
Fine - about 650 units/cm² or diamond with marking. Needed for normal basic sharpening of a knife that has become dull within reasonable limits.
Ultrafine - about 1150 units/cm² or diamond with marking. Useful for grinding and final finishing, removing burrs.

For constant work, bars of the last two types are required, because bringing a knife to a state in which a rough stone is needed is blasphemy. However, an experienced master has all three types.

For convenience, the following points are important:

The length of the bar should be 1.5 - 2 times longer than the blade.
The width should be 2.5 – 5 cm.
The height should be such that your fingers do not touch the table.
The block should stand firmly and not slide on the table.

For example, to sharpen a knife on small whetstones, you can make a device like this.

The listed points are very important for achieving correct sharpening, especially at the learning stage. Then, when you get the hang of it, you will be able to cope with the task in less comfortable conditions, but at first, convenience plays an important role.

How to sharpen a knife?

We've come to the most important thing. Sharpening a knife involves placing its blade on a whetstone at a certain angle and running the entire cutting edge along it from the heel to the tip. Proper sharpening requires compliance with three conditions:

The angle of inclination of the blade plane to the surface of the sharpening stone remains strictly unchanged (Figure 2).
The edge line at the point of contact with the block must be perpendicular to the direction of movement (Figure 3).
The pressure should be moderate and uniform; there is no need to “iron” the sharpener or remove chips from it.

So, we place the blade on the stone perpendicular to its long side, set the angle to 15-20˚, and begin to move the blade along the stone, gradually moving it from the heel to the tip. When turning the edge closer to its end, the handle should be slightly raised above the plane of the stone and pulled back, as if lagging behind the tip. This will allow you to maintain the same angle of inclination and perpendicularity of movement.

When the pass along the entire edge is completed, it is necessary to repeat it in reverse order, as when rewinding. This will make it easier to maintain the correct angle and overall the work will go faster. We perform these movements until a “burr” begins to appear on the opposite side of the edge.

The “burr” can be seen or felt with the skin of a finger when running it perpendicular to the tip. When the edge begins to scratch along its entire length, stop sharpening one side and begin processing the opposite side.

The knife is turned over and work begins on the other side. Gradually, a moment will come when, like last time, a “hangnail” will appear. This means the second side is ready. More precisely, almost ready.

Next, we take a thinner abrasive and start the process from the beginning. Similar to the previous stage, we achieve the appearance of a “burr” first on one side and then on the other side of the cutting edge. At this stage it will be much smaller and thinner.

Finally, the blade is polished to the finest abrasive. Here it is necessary to carefully polish the cutting edges, as if stroking them, and remove even the smallest “burrs.”

Blade position relative to the sharpening stone: When you lead correctly (position 1), the blade “drags” along the block flat, and when incorrectly, the blade “plows” along the block with its cutting edge (position 3) or the edge between the blade and the main descent of the blade (position 2).

On video: one of the options for sharpening a kitchen knife on a Japanese water stone.

To use your favorite knife as long as possible and efficiently, follow these principles:

Do not use blunt tools, it is dangerous! Increased pressure causes the blade to break off and injure your hands.
Do not allow severe deformation, in other words, do not wait until the knife becomes completely dull. A slightly dull knife is easy and pleasant to sharpen, while a neglected one requires skill and time.
Do not sharpen knives on an electric wheel. At such a friction rate, the blade overheats and loses its hardening.
Use the tool as intended and it will last you longer.

Summarize. Sharpening a knife requires performing simple steps in the correct sequence. If you are patient, take your time and do everything as written here, you will definitely achieve success.

P.S. Question: Look at the main photo for the article. What do you think the people represented on it are doing? Write in the comments. The first one to answer the question correctly and in more detail will receive a 10% discount on diamond bars at IM.