How to Use a Handheld Knife Sharpener
Reasons of Why You Should Make Your Knife Sharp
There are three explanations stated below why you should quickly sharpen your knives:
- You'll find them more efficient
- They'll be easy to use
- Sharp knives may sound daunting, but they're relatively safe to use
Let’s discuss them elaborately to make things more clear.
A Dull Knife Isn’t Dead Yet
After a long time usage of a knife, the capacity to cut easily is drastically reduced. It happens once a blade reaches the highest point where you won’t find it efficient any longer.
You won’t hesitate to throw them out if you find them no longer functional. Everyone would do that.
Strengthening the rusty and dull knives grants them a fresh lifelong purpose. It makes better sense to maintain them and start to use them than to throw them out or purchase new ones.
You will eventually recover investment on an excellent sharpener with the money that you saved if you can skip the replacement. Now, tell us honestly, how many knives have you thrown being unknown to this fact?
Operating a Weak Knife is Quite Frustrating
Did you ever faced a healthy steak been ripped apart with a ragged knife or have a juicy tomato been squashed by a blurry blade??
You may have worked hard for your desired grill, but your best job for the grill is impossible if your equipment isn’t fit for snuffing. If the blades are maintained sharp, you can effectively cut and carve meat and prepare all your sides as well as the decorations.
This is why a perfectly sharp blade is very delightful for cutting your food items.
You May Get Injured From a Dull Knife
The truth is that a blunt blade is more dangerous than a sharper one, but it often seems to be counter-intuitive.
Sure, if you’re not cautious and careful, a sharp blade will easily cut you. To be frank, a sharp knife operates too well; it’s less likely to get messed up.
How? It requires additional effort to cut with a dull blade. This extra strength reduces the amount of your control over the knife.
Unfortunately, if you slip off with that much force, you’re going to have more momentum will be more than usual. And you know the consequences after that.
Are these clear to you now? If yes, then it’s time to take you to the handheld knife sharpener methods.
How to Use a Handheld Knife Sharpener
Honestly, handheld sharpeners are very simple and convenient to use for a very long time. All you have to do is to drag the knife into the slots. It’s that much easy, and that’s why most of the people love this method. Below we’ve produced a step by step method for accomplishing the job precisely.
Methods
1. First of all, place the sharpener on the surface or table where you want to make the job done.
2. Then use your non-dominant hand to hold the handle precisely and firmly together so that the sharpener doesn’t move during use.
3. Make sure you hold the knife with all your fingertips from behind the heel and the handle.
4. Start with the rough slot if you got a multi-stage sharper (as long as the knife requires).
5. Place the knife in the slot near the heel.
6. Next, gently slide the knife across the slot, exerting some pressure by yourself.
7. When you reach the edge, pick the handle slightly up to follow the blade’s contour. Note that the duration of the pull should be of 1 or 2 seconds.
8. Continue the moves up to six or seven times till the burr is lifted along the edge of the blade.
9. Shift to the fine grit slot and perform measures six and seven until the blade becomes smooth.
10. To remove any remaining metal particles, rinse the blade with gentle soap and water, and finish the procedure by wiping it off.
See, told you, it’s very easy. Wait wait! We’re not finished yet. There some other handheld sharpener let’s sort them out too.
How to Use Sharping Stones
There is no replacement that comes from the complete control of a whetstone. Most of the knife lovers love this traditional procedure for sharping their knives. There is a steady learning curve for professional use, but it can be challenging to match the outcomes of any other technique. Like the above one, let’s discuss things step by step.
Methods
1. At first, put the stone on the table, facing up on the ground side, with one end at your nearest position.
2. Use the holder that comes with the stone to secure the stone in an accurate place. Okay, wait, your one didn’t come with that, then, use a wet paper or unused clothes instead of that. Now, place the stone on the top of your towel.
3. Sometimes, you may have to wet the stone properly to ensure optimal usability. But generally, it depends on the type of stone. It’s because some stones need complete immersion, others can be wet-superficial. Mineral oil of cooking consistency can also be used. Follow the guidelines of your supplier before starting the procedure.
4. Specify the correct angle of your knife set. Sharpening at the right angle will prevent further damage to the blade.
5. If there’s an angle set provided by the stone to support the knife at the right angle, then it is time to add that with it.
6. Put your predominant hand on the knife and hold it properly. Use the ring, pinky, and middle finger covering around the handle and put the thumb and index finger on both sides of the blade.
7. Place the opposite hand’s four fingers on the top of the blade. It provides the necessary amount of pressure and stabilization.
8. Drive the blade through the stone, with slight pressure alongside from top to bottom. Enable three passes or four passes.
9. Turn the blade to another side, pull it down from top to bottom, along the stone. Now, perform the same process on this side.
10. Continue the steps up to eight to nine times before you notice an elevated burr along the total length of the edge.
11. After that, turn the stone to its other side.
12. Repeat the previous steps again to see and end of the burr and make the edge smooth and sharp.
13. Finish the procedure by removing the wasted metal particles and clean the bladder with mild water and soap then wipe it to dry.
How to Use a Knife Sharpening System
The most challenging way to sharpen a knife is using a sharpening device, but it provides a lot of flexibility and precision. Let’s how to use them.
Methods
1. At first, secure the knife through the clamp tightly by the opposite side of the cutting edge.
2. Mount the clamping function to the frame, if your system allows you that. We said that because some clamps are attached continuously to the system for specific models.
3. Select a coarse grit and place the rod in the correct angle direction for the knife while picking the stones.
4. You can either run the stone in long bends over the rim, slide the heel into the tip or start moving across the edge in quick circular motions depending on your personal choice.
5. Keep using the stone on the bottom until you can reach an elevated burr with your fingertips along the whole knife-edge.
6. Turn over the blade and perform phases up to 4 or 5 on the other side.
7. After lifting the burr, shift to a medium grit stone and replicate measures 4-6.
8. Hold the medium grit until you can reach a finer burr on both ends.
9. Turn over and add measures 4-6 to the fine grit block.
10. Proceed with fine-grit until you reach the finer burr on both sides.
11. Although you still use the fine-grit block, start making light moves along the edge in one direction to remove the rest of the burr.
12. Continue step 11 to the extent and continue it until the burr is out.
13. If your machine involves a stroke of cloth, provide the blade with a pair of lights moves to eliminate the small remnants of the burr. Then make the edge as smooth as you can.
14. Wash the blade with gentle soap and water and rinse to avoid any metal traces, and thus the procedure is finished.
Using a Horning Rod
A honing rod is sometimes referred to as sharpening steel, and usually, these are included with a block-knife set. In reality, Honing does not eliminate any metal from the knife or sharpen it mechanically, but it replenishes outer edges, which makes it sharper and allows the knife to cut accurately. It requires little pressure, and you can use it every day to hold the blades clean and sharp.
Conclusion
You can easily find out if your knife requires sharping or not. Just tread a slice of paper in half and keep it in the air and cut your knife. If your knife is unable to slice the paper, then it’s time to follow the above method. Follow the most straightforward method that you prefer and bring life to your knife. Ohh! One last thing how to use a handheld knife sharpener is the fact clear now? Hope so! Let’s know if you got any questions left. Until now, happy grilling!