Top 10 Knife Sharpening Tips for 2010!
2010 February 10
- The secret to sharpening is consistency of angle on the abrasive surface and equal treatment on both sides of the blade (if applicable).
- Alternate sides often (if applicable).
- Check your progress frequently.
- When sharpening, start at the edge and stroke away from the edge.
- Handle a sharpener with care to protect the surface of the sharpening components.
- Use Sharpening fluid when sharpening with flat stones. We recommend always using a sharpening fluid no matter if the flat stone can be used wet or dry (i.e. diamond stones) because it keeps the pores of the sharpener clear and clean, dissipates frictional heat, and facilitates a smooth sharpening action.
- Practice sharpening on a cheap knife. If you’re worried about damaging your good knives, find a cheap knife to practice on the first time you try to sharpen.
- Sharpen regularly. Regular sharpening may involve only fine-tuning the edge, but infrequent sharpening may require much more work to restore the edge. Sharpen the edge as soon as you notice it’s not working as well as it should. If you attend to the edge soon enough, it shouldn’t take much to bring the edge back to sharp.
- Keep your sharpener where you use your knives (shop, tackle box, kitchen). You will be more inclined to sharpen a dulled edge as soon as you notice it if there is a sharpener handy.
- Reverse or replace your abrasive materials when possible to ensure a proper sharpening process.
